The Middle East’s Healthcare Billionaires in 2026
For many years, real estate has been the main way people built big fortunes in the Middle East. But now, a small group of business leaders has become very rich by investing in healthcare. They built hospitals, clinics, and pharmacy chains to meet the growing demand for private medical services.
Today, healthcare is quietly becoming one of the strongest and most stable industries for creating billionaire wealth in the region.
This group includes four billionaires—three from Saudi Arabia and one from the UAE. Together, they have a total wealth of about $15.4 billion. Their success shows how fast private healthcare is growing in the Middle East. This growth is driven by increasing population, better health insurance coverage, and strong government plans to improve healthcare systems.
All net worth figures are based on March 1, 2026.
1. Sulaiman Al Habib
Net Worth: $10.2 billion
Age: 74
Country: Saudi Arabia
Sulaiman Al Habib is the richest healthcare billionaire in the Middle East. His net worth is $10.2 billion, slightly lower than last year’s $10.9 billion.
He is the founder and chairman of Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Services Group (HMG). This company is one of the most valuable healthcare companies in the region.
Al Habib started the company in Riyadh in 1993. In 2020, the company was listed on the Saudi stock market through an IPO worth $700 million.
Today, the group runs 23 medical facilities, including hospitals and clinics, with more than 4,000 beds. It also operates 44 pharmacies.
In 2025, the company earned $3.7 billion in revenue. This was a strong 22.4% increase compared to the previous year. The growth was mainly due to the opening of six new hospitals in 2024 and 2025.
The company also made a net profit of $664 million. This strong performance shows how fast private healthcare is growing in Saudi Arabia.
2. Abdullah Amer Al Nahdi
Net Worth: $2 billion
Age: 65
Country: Saudi Arabia
Abdullah Amer Al Nahdi is the founder and vice chairman of Nahdi Medical Company. It is the largest pharmacy chain in Saudi Arabia.
He started the company in Jeddah in 1986. Since then, it has grown into a network of more than 1,220 pharmacies across Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
In 2022, Nahdi Medical Company was listed on the Saudi stock exchange. This helped strengthen its position in the healthcare market.
In 2025, the company reported revenues of $2.7 billion, which is an 8.1% increase from the previous year. Its net profit reached $222 million.
The company’s growth came from new investments, partnerships, and expansion in the UAE. Its healthcare and retail businesses in the UAE grew strongly, with revenue increases of 75.3% and 35.5%.
Nahdi’s success shows how pharmacy chains are becoming a key part of the healthcare system in the region.
3. Shamsheer Vayalil
Net Worth: $1.8 billion
Age: 49
Country: UAE
Shamsheer Vayalil is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings. The company operates hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies across the Middle East.
Vayalil grew up in Kerala, India. He started his first hospital in Abu Dhabi in 2007. Since then, he has expanded his business across the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
Today, Burjeel Holdings runs 20 hospitals and specialized centers, along with 39 other medical facilities. The group has a total capacity of 1,784 beds.
In 2025, the company reported revenue of $1.5 billion, which was a 9.5% increase. Its net profit reached $137 million.
This growth was driven by more patients and the expansion of new facilities across its network.
Vayalil is one of the youngest billionaires in the region. He is also the only healthcare billionaire based in the UAE. His success reflects how the UAE is becoming an important hub for private healthcare services in the Middle East.
4. Yousuf Mohammad Jamjoom
Net Worth: $1.4 billion
Age: 96
Country: Saudi Arabia
Yousuf Mohammad Jamjoom was the founder of Jamjoom Pharma, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest producers of medicines.
He started the company in Jeddah in 1994. The company produces 147 different brands and has been supplying medicines in Saudi Arabia for many years.
Jamjoom Pharma was listed on the Saudi stock market in 2023, raising $336 million.
In 2025, the company reported revenue of $400 million, which was a 13.8% increase from the previous year. Its net profit reached $124 million.
This growth came from strong demand for its main products and the launch of new medicines.
Jamjoom passed away on January 29, 2026, at the age of 96. He was one of the oldest billionaires in the region.
His success shows the importance of local pharmaceutical production in the Middle East, where many countries have traditionally depended on imported medicines.
The Market Behind Their Wealth
The four billionaires together have a total net worth of $15.4 billion. This shows how much private money is flowing into healthcare in the Gulf region.
Three of the four billionaires are from Saudi Arabia. This highlights the country’s major role in developing healthcare in the region.
Saudi Arabia is currently going through big changes in its healthcare sector. Under its Vision 2030 plan, the government wants to increase private sector involvement in healthcare to 65% by the year 2030.
The government also plans to privatize 295 hospitals and 2,300 healthcare centers. This creates many business opportunities for private companies.
As a result, hospital groups, pharmacy chains, and pharmaceutical companies are expected to grow even more in the coming years.
Overall, the rise of these healthcare billionaires shows that the Middle East is entering a new phase. Healthcare is no longer just a public service—it is also becoming a major business sector.
With strong demand, government support, and increasing investment, private healthcare will likely continue to grow and create more opportunities in the future.
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