P.N.C. MENON

Sobha Group

Like many Indians on our list, Menon is a Kerala native who made it big in the Gulf. But rather than the UAE, it was Oman where he first found his fortune. He moved to the sultanate in 1976 to start an interior decorating business and made such a mark that he became one of the few Indians to be given Omani citizenship. Over the years, his group has expanded its operations into engineering, contracting, real estate, IT and architecture with projects across the Gulf and India - where Sobha is one of the largest listed developers. Today Menon, whose fortune is estimated at $1.4bn, is kept occupied by projects in the UAE including the $4bn Sobha Hartland at Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid City.