Two prominent Qatari billionaires find a place in Forbes 2025 World’s Billionaires List

Published: 07 April 2025

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is the richest Arab; Indians are the third prominent group in the list after US and China

NT Bureau
Doha

Forbes has released its much-anticipated 2025 World’s Billionaires List and two prominent Qatari businessmen have earned places on the prestigious list:

H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, is ranked 8th among Arab billionaires and 929th globally, with an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association, secured the 1,850th position in the list, with a fortune of $1.9 billion.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud reclaimed his title as the richest Saudi and Arab billionaire, with an estimated net worth of $16.5 billion. Saudi Arabia now tops the Arab world in billionaire count, followed by Lebanon (6), and both the UAE and Egypt (5 each).

The 2025 World’s Billionaires List reveals a historic high of 3,028 billionaires worldwide, the largest number since the list began in 1987. This year also welcomed over 280 newcomers, marking a significant influx of new wealth and entrepreneurial success.

M A Yusuff Ali, the UAE-based Indian retail magnate of the Lulu Group, is listed at 639th globally, with a net worth of $5.5 billion.

The United States continues to dominate the rankings with 902 billionaires, followed by China (including Hong Kong) with 516, and India with 205. Forbes calculated this year’s net worths using stock prices and exchange rates as of March 7, 2025.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region also saw a notable rise in billionaire representation, with 38 Arab billionaires from nine countries collectively worth $128.4 billion, a significant jump from 20 billionaires valued at $53.7 billion in 2024.

Saudi Arabia made a remarkable return to the list after a seven-year absence, contributing 15 billionaires, 14 of whom are new entrants. This resurgence is largely attributed to stakes in Saudi-listed companies that benefited from a wave of post-COVID-19 IPOs.

At the global summit of wealth, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, once again claimed the title of the world’s richest person, overtaking Bernard Arnault. Musk’s fortune has soared to an unprecedented $342 billion, the highest ever recorded by Forbes.

Musk is followed by Mark Zuckerberg ($216bn); Jeff Bezos (Amazon, Blue Origin) at $215bn; Larry Ellison (Oracle) at $192bn; and Bernard Arnault at $178bn

From India, Mukesh Ambani ranks 18th globally with $92.5 billion, while Gautam Adani stands at 28th with $56.3 billion.