Today's Edition
MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
Thirty-two UAE companies have been named among Forbes Middle East's Top 100 Arab Family Businesses for 2025, with countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) dominating the list.
The annual ranking evaluated family-owned or family-run businesses based on the size and value of assets they held, revenues, diversification, geographic footprint, employee base, company legacy, and recent activity such as IPOs and new investments.
Besides UAE firms, the list features 33 entries from Saudi Arabia and eight from Qatar. Topping the ranking is Saudi Arabia's Al Muhaidib Group, followed by Abdul Latif Jameel.
The highest-ranking UAE firm is Al-Futtaim Group, securing the third position.
Founded in 1930, the group operates across the automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and health sectors. It's currently led by Omar Al Futtaim, its Vice Chairman and CEO.
The group's owner, Abdulla Al Futtaim, and his family had a net worth of $4.6 billion as of April 2025.
Egypt's Mansour Group is the only non-GCC business to feature in the top 10, underlining the concentrated influence of Gulf family enterprises across the region.
"Middle Eastern family businesses are far more than commercial enterprises - they are pillars of society, deeply interwoven with the region's cultural fabric and historical legacy," the report stated.
"These companies, often steered by generations of the same family, have traditionally dominated sectors such as hospitality, retail, and manufacturing, reflecting the enduring influence of heritage and familial bonds."
Many of these family businesses were established in the 1800s and before 1950 and have since adapted to global economic shifts, while others represent newer entrants through mergers or spin-offs.
Aside from financial strength, this year's list also highlights innovation and sustainability.
For example, the UAE's AW Rostamani Group and Kuwaiti firm Alghanim Industries are among those driving the electric vehicle (EV) transition in the region, signaling a shift toward cleaner energy.
UAE's Business Legacy
Other notable UAE entries include DAMAC Group (fifth on the list), founded in 1982 by Hussain Sajwani, whose net worth amounted to $10.2 billion as of April 2025.
With a portfolio spanning real estate, capital markets, hotels and resorts, manufacturing, catering, high-end fashion, and data centres, the group announced plans to invest $20 billion in US data centres.
Majid Al Futtaim Holding ranks seventh, operating malls, hotels, and communities across the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. The UAE-based group plans to open over 30 new luxury retail stores in 2025.
Al Ghurair, established in the UAE in 1960, is eighth on the list. As of April 2025, the group has a presence in over 50 countries, employing nearly 28,000 people. It operates across five sectors, including food, mobility, infrastructure, and asset management.
Al Ghurair Group, also established in 1960, ranks 13th. In 2024, the group integrated Etihad Rail into its logistics operations, aiming to reduce carbon emissions from its packaging business, AP, by an estimated 37%.
Newer yet rapidly rising UAE firms like Binghatti Holding, founded in 2008 by Muhammad Binghatti, also made it to the list.
The company has landed branded real estate partnerships with names like Mercedes-Benz and Bugatti. Its latest launch, Binghatti Skyrise, a $1.3 billion development, sold 50% of its total units on launch day.
Other notable UAE entries include S.S. Lootah Group, AW Rostamani Group, Al Khayyat Investments, Mohamed & Obaid Almulla Group, HSA Group, Mazrui International, and Al Masaood Group.
These companies span various sectors from education and healthcare to logistics and energy.
Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, GMG, Tiger Group, MAG Group Holding, and AlNowais Investments further reflect the UAE's strong family business ecosystem, operating in different industries and geographies.
Also represented are long-standing and diversified groups such as Crescent Group, Bin Hamoodah Company, Abu Ghazaleh Investments, Ghassan Aboud Group, Chalhoub Group, and Oasis Investment Company (Al Shirawi Group).
These firms have built multi-generational legacies across the energy, retail, logistics, and real estate sectors.
Additional entries include Khalifa Juma Al Nabooda Group, Gargash Group, Al Nasser Holdings, Seddiqi Holding, Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Holding (Al Naboodah Group), Mohammad Omar Bin Haider (MOBH) Holding Group, and The Kanoo Group.
