Forbes Middle East Unveils Top Real Estate Leaders of 2024
The list encompasses developers from nine countries across the region, with the U.A.E. dominating with 33 companies, including six in the top ten.
Forbes Middle East has unveiled its latest ranking of the 'Most Impactful Real Estate Leaders' in the region, highlighting 100 forward-thinking developers who are shaping the future of real estate.[1]
The ranking criteria considered various factors, including financial performance, the value of completed projects, ongoing projects, project delivery timeframe, and the scale of land holdings and units owned by the developers.
Topping the list is UAE's Mohamed Alabbar, the Founder and Managing Director of Emaar Properties, which boasts total assets of $37.3 billion as of September 2023. Emaar Properties stands as one of the largest publicly-listed real estate companies in the GCC. Following closely is Talal Al Dhiyebi, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Aldar Properties, with total assets of $19.3 billion. NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr secured the third spot.
The list encompasses developers from nine countries across the region, with the U.A.E. dominating with 33 companies, including six in the top ten. Saudi Arabia follows with 23 entries, trailed by Egypt with 20.
Among the notable entries is Egypt’s Heliopolis Company for Housing and Development, which has been operating for over 118 years, making it the oldest entry on the list. The youngest participant, Bahrain's Infracorp, founded in 2022 and run by CEO Majed Abdulla Al Khan, stands in contrast.
The top ten list includes prominent figures such as Hesham Al Qassim of Wasl, Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah of Qatari Diar, and Hussain Sajwan, Founder and Chairman of DAMAC Properties, among others.