Hussain Sajwani Net Worth

What is Hussain Sajwani's net worth?

Hussain Sajwani is an Emirati businessman who has a net worth of $10 billion. Hussain Sajwani is one of the most influential businessmen in the Middle East and the richest person in Dubai. He is the founder of DAMAC Properties, a company that helped transform Dubai from a quiet regional trade hub into a global destination for luxury real estate. Over several decades, he built an empire spanning high-end residential developments, skyscrapers, hospitality, fashion collaborations, and international investments.

Sajwani became best known for developing large-scale master-planned communities filled with branded residences, lavish amenities, and architectural partnerships with global designers. His business career began in the food services industry, where he supplied catering to U.S. forces and major corporations across the Gulf. That early success gave him the capital to enter real estate just before Dubai's property market exploded. DAMAC grew into one of the region's largest developers, launched a successful IPO, expanded into multiple countries, and formed headline-grabbing partnerships with brands associated with style and luxury. His ventures later broadened into hotels, resorts, private equity, and global real estate investments.

Early Life

Hussain Sajwani was born in Dubai into a conservative, hardworking family. His father owned a small shop selling watches and goods imported from China, while his mother managed a modest textile business. Growing up around family enterprises taught him the fundamentals of negotiation, risk, and customer relationships. Sajwani earned a government scholarship to study in the United States and attended the University of Washington, where he graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering and Economics. After returning to the UAE, he initially worked in the finance department of Abu Dhabi Gas Industries, but he soon realized he had stronger ambitions outside corporate life.

Early Business Ventures

In 1982, Sajwani launched his first company, a food services business that provided catering to energy firms, construction camps, educational institutions, and eventually U.S. military operations during the first Gulf War. The company grew quickly and gained an excellent reputation for logistics, reliability, and large-scale operations. This success produced the initial wealth Sajwani would later use to enter property development at a time when Dubai was just beginning to open to foreign investors. The catering business eventually expanded into more than 200 locations across the region and serviced over 150,000 meals per day at its peak.

Founding DAMAC Properties

Sajwani founded DAMAC Properties in 2002, the same year Dubai began allowing foreigners to own real estate. He immediately recognized the transformative potential of this policy shift. DAMAC started with high-end residential towers and quickly developed a reputation for bold design, large footprints, and luxury-oriented amenities. The company expanded rapidly, completing dozens of towers and mixed-use projects across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, DAMAC launched some of Dubai's most recognizable developments, including DAMAC Hills, AKOYA Oxygen, and multiple branded residence projects. Sajwani embraced high-profile partnerships with global brands to differentiate his properties. These collaborations included Versace Home, Paramount Hotels & Resorts, Fendi Casa, Roberto Cavalli, and other luxury names that added international prestige to DAMAC's portfolio.

In 2013, DAMAC became the first Middle Eastern real estate developer to list on the London Stock Exchange. A few years later, the company completed a secondary listing on the Dubai Financial Market, strengthening its position as one of the region's most powerful real estate firms.

(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Expansion Into Hospitality and International Investments

As DAMAC grew, Sajwani expanded the company into hospitality, launching DAMAC Hotels & Resorts and opening luxury-serviced apartment properties across the UAE. He also began acquiring and developing real estate in Europe and North America, including projects in London's fashionable Nine Elms district.

Outside real estate, Sajwani built DICO Group, a private investment company with interests in logistics, manufacturing, capital markets, technology, and retail. The group holds significant investments across the Middle East and Europe, giving Sajwani a diversified global portfolio beyond his real estate core.

Major Partnerships and Global Visibility

Sajwani's business profile expanded significantly through branded partnerships in luxury living, fashion, and hospitality. His ability to align DAMAC with globally recognized design houses became a major differentiator in a competitive property market. These collaborations helped position DAMAC developments as aspirational lifestyle products rather than simple residential units.

He also attracted international headlines for his business relationship with the Trump Organization, partnering on golf course and residential projects in Dubai. The partnership produced the Trump International Golf Club Dubai at DAMAC Hills and the Trump World Golf Club planned for AKOYA Oxygen.

Philanthropy

Sajwani has contributed to numerous charitable efforts across education, housing, COVID-19 relief, and regional humanitarian initiatives. He has funded scholarships, supported UAE government campaigns to clothe children and feed families, and donated toward healthcare and medical research. Much of his philanthropy operates quietly through the Hussain Sajwani Foundation and various DAMAC charitable programs.

Real Estate Holdings and Personal Wealth

Sajwani owns an extensive portfolio of luxury homes across Dubai and maintains significant real estate assets in London and other global cities through both personal and corporate investment vehicles. His holdings include large villas in some of Dubai's most exclusive communities and high-value properties in DAMAC developments.

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