Arab Billionaires Combined Wealth Surpasses 137 Billion Dollars First Time in Forbes History 

One step ahead financially, Arab billionaires show gains despite fewer names on the latest tally. Their total assets now cross $137.3 billion, a peak never seen before in Forbes Middle East records. Scattered through seven nations, 36 individuals make the 2026 cut – up from last year’s $128.4 billion by nearly 7%, adding roughly $8.9 billion altogether. Strength holds steady behind these figures, revealing quiet but real staying power amid change. 

At number one, H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan claims the top spot on Gulf Business’ Arab Power List 2026 – spotlighting a hundred key figures steering change across the region using tech-focused vision. In another highlight, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber leads the 2026 ICIS Top 40 Power Players list, underlining strong Emirati influence in worldwide commerce. 

From Morocco, six women appear on Forbes’ list of 100 most powerful Arab business leaders – proof that quiet determination can shift entire industries. Rising through ranks since her start at a bank counter in 1980, Neveen El Tahri broke ground as the first female member of Egypt’s stock exchange board. Her journey took shape further when she helped launch a brokerage operation in 1994, building what now stands as Delta Shield Management. 

Out of the desert rise names that shift how economies move – not just building companies but steering entire industries. Some shape steel and sky through aviation ventures, others mold coastlines with towers rising near ancient ports. Oil still flows at their command, yet new currents run beneath: finance humming in glass offices, tourism carving paths into untouched dunes. Space ambitions now join earthbound empires, reaching beyond horizons once thought distant. Year after year, a list keeps pace, marking those turning vision into motion across the region.