May 9, 2021

Top 100 Arab Family Businesses in the Middle East

In the Middle East, family businesses are more influential than corporates. According to a 2019 report by PwC, family firms contribute approximately 60% to the region’s GDP and employ 80% of the workforce. The report estimated that in the previous decade, up to $1 trillion had passed from one generation to the next within the Middle East’s family businesses. But this decade may be the most challenging yet. Most large family businesses in the region operate in traditional industries like distribution, franchising, industrials, real estate and construction, and hospitality. However, although these industries have experienced many good years, they have recently found themselves disrupted to different extents, largely due to the ongoing global pandemic. But that being said, they have been ahead of the curve when it comes to diversification. Of this year’s top 100 family firms, 87% are diversified business conglomerates. These groups invest in a variety of different sectors and geographies. While this means more initial capital outlay, it also increases their chance for growth and enables them to spread their risk. For example, while the travel and hospitality sectors have crashed this last year, the technology and entertainment sectors have boomed. When it comes to gender diversification however, family businesses in the Middle East are still very much run by men, and a lot of them actually established the business. Of the top 100 family-run companies in 2021, 32 of the chairpeople are the original founders or cofounders, and only three are headed by women: Mohsin Haider Darwish, headed by Areej and Lujaina Darwish; the Olayan Group, run by Hutham Olayan; and the Orientals Group, chaired by Yasmine Khamis. As new generations take over and families modernize, we may see more women in the top roles in future. Saudi companies dominate our list of the Top 100 Arab Family Businesses In The Middle East 2021, with 36 from the kingdom. Saudi is followed by the U.A.E with 25 entries, and Kuwait with seven.

Methodology

Only businesses or holding companies that are jointly owned or run by family members were considered. Only Arab families were considered for the list. Listed companies were not considered to be family-owned businesses, but as investments of the family holding groups. We collected information from stock exchanges, reports from consulting firms and universities, and other primary sources.
We ranked the family business based on:

  • The size of their holding, including the value of listed entities owned by them, the value of their real estate and hospitality assets, and revenues from other holdings where available.
  • Number of total employees.
  • How diversified the business is in terms of sector and geography.
  • The performance of the sectors in which they operate.
  • Age and legacy of the company.
Olayan Group
Olayan Group
Mansour Group
Mansour Group
Majid Al Futtaim
Majid Al Futtaim
Al-Ghurair Investments
Al-Ghurair Investment
Al-Futtaim Group
Al-Futtaim Group
Al Muhaidib Group
Al Muhaidib Group
Rashed Abdul Rahman Al Rashed & Sons Group
Rashed Abdul Rahman Al Rashed & Sons Group
Abdul Latif Jameel
Abdul Latif Jameel
Assila Investments
Assila Investments
Al Ghurair Group
Al Ghurair Group
Al Faisal Holding
Al Faisal Holding
Suhail Bahwan Group
Suhail Bahwan Group
Alghanim Industries
Alghanim Industries
Al Nahla Group
Al Nahla Group
E. A. Juffali & Brothers
E. A. Juffali & Brothers
Yousuf M.A. Naghi & Sons Group
Yousuf M.A. Naghi & Sons Group
Alshaya Group
Alshaya Group
Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group
Morad Yousuf Behbehani Group
Zamil Group Holding
Zamil Group Holding
Saudi FAS Holding
Saudi FAS Holding
Sedco Holding
Sedco Holding
Dallah Albaraka Holding
Dallah Albaraka Holding
FinanceCom
FinanceCom Group
AW Rostamani Group
AW Rostamani Group
The Zubair Corp
The Zubair Corporation
AlFardan Group
AlFardan Group
S.S. Lootah Group
S.S. Lootah Group
BinDawood Group
BinDawood Group
Saudi Bugshan Group
Saudi Bugshan Group
Juma Al Majid Holding Group
Juma Al Majid Holding Group
Zahid Group
Zahid Group
Cevital Group
Cevital Group
Saud Bahwan Group
Saud Bahwan Group
Ajlan & Bros.
Ajlan & Bros Group
Mohamed & Obaid Almulla Group
Mohamed & Obaid Almulla Group
Easa Al Gurg Group
Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group
MASIC
MASIC
YK Almoayyed & Sons
YK Almoayyed & Sons
Bait Al Batterjee Group
Bait Al-Batterjee Group
Crescent Group
Crescent Group
Aujan Group Holding
Aujan Group Holding
Nesma Holding Group
Nesma Holding Group
Al Masaood Group
Al Masaood Group
Xenel
Xenel
Omar Kassem Alesayi Group
Omar Kassem Alesayi Group
Al Habtoor Group
Al Habtoor Group
Ali & Sons Holding
Ali & Sons Holding
Obeikan Investment Group
Obeikan Investment Group
Al Sayer Holding
Al Sayer Holding
Al Othaim Holding
Abdullah Al Othaim Holding
Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group
Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Group
Khalifa Juma Al Nabooda Group
The Khalifa Juma Al Nabooda Group
Elaraby Group
Elaraby Group
Manaseer Group
Manaseer Group
Al Nowais Investments
AlNowais Investments
Arabian Fal Holding
Arabian Fal Holding
AlOthman Holding
AlOthman Holding
Bukhamseen Holding
Bukhamseen Holding
Al Naboodah Group
Al Naboodah Group
Ghassan Aboud Group
Ghassan Aboud Group
Tamer Group
Tamer Group
Albwardy Investment
Albwardy Investment
Nuqul Group
Nuqul Group
Al Mulla Group
Al Mulla Group
Almajdouie Group
Almajdouie Group
Naif Alrajhi Investment
Naif Alrajhi Investment
Sumou Holding Company
Sumou Holding
Gulf Marketing Group
Gulf Marketing Group
AlKhorayef Group
Alkhorayef Group
Sayegh Group
Sayegh Group
Almana Group
Almana Group
Mouawad
Mouawad
Al Faisaliah Group
Al Faisaliah Group
Hassan Allam Holding
Hassan Allam Holding
Al Qahtani Holding
Al Qahtani Holding
Mohsin Haider Darwish
Mohsin Haider Darwish
Abdulla Yousif Fakhro Group
Abdulla Yousif Fakhro Group
Oasis Investment
Oasis Investment
Al Zayani Investments
Al Zayani Investments
BoodaiCorp
BoodaiCorp
Memaar Al Morshedy
Memaar Al Morshedy
Chalhoub Group
Chalhoub Group
Al Tayer Group
Al Tayer Group
Gargash Group
Gargash Group
Mazrui International
Mazrui International
Averda Group
Averda Group
Alturki Holding
Alturki Holding
Holmarcom Group
Holmarcom Group
Nass Group
Nass Group
Abu Ghazaleh Investments
Abu Ghazaleh Investments
Hayel Saeed Anam Group
Hayel Saeed Anam Group
The Orientals Group
The Orientals Group
WJ Towell & Co.
WJ Towell & Co.
Abu Issa Holding
Abu Issa Holding
Munir Sukhtian Group
Munir Sukhtian Group
Loukil Holding
Loukil Holding
Mohammed Jalal & Sons
Mohammed Jalal & Sons
Tamimi Group
Tamimi Group
Almuftah Group
Almuftah Group
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