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Revealed: the Gulf’s 100 most influential Indians
Last year, Arabian Business published the first power list to mark the achievements of the GCC’s Indian community. Twelve months on, what’s changed?
Second-ranked Mickey Jagtiani’s Landmark Group is one of the largest retail conglomerates in the region
Sunny Varkey is the brains behind GEMS Education. The group’s chairman is ranked at No 3 on our list of the region’s most powerful Indians
V Shankar, CEO of Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Americas, Standard Chartered Bank is at No.4. He completed his Masters in Business Administration at the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore
P Mohamed Ali (Rank 5) founded Galfar Engineering, which is listed on the Muscat Securities Market
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Maghanmal Pancholia (right) is renowned as one of the figureheads of the Indian business community in Dubai. The chairman of Arabian Trading Agency is ranked at No 6
Syed Salahuddin oversees around 75,000 employees in 21 countries. The Managing director of ETA Ascon & Star Group is ranked at No 7
Dr Tidu Maini has 30 years of experience in the management of technology companies in the defence, electronics and energy sectors. The Qatar Science & Technology Park Executive chairman is ranked 8th on our definitive list
In 2006, PNC Menon listed Sobha Development on the Bombay Stock Exchange, which saw him propelled into the international spotlight. The company’s Chairman is ranked 9th on our list
A chartered accountant, R Seetharaman (rank 10) has 30 years of solid banking, IT and finance experience. He is the Group CEO of Doha Bank
Petrochem is now raking in $1bn in revenue under its managing director Yogesh Mehta. He is ranked at No 11 on our list
LT Pagarani has confirmed in 2010 that Choithrams planned to almost double the number of shops across the UAE. Ranked 12, he is the Chairman of T Choithram & Sons
Former diplomat turned businessman Paras Shadadpuri is the chairman of twelve companies under the Nikai Group. He is ranked at No. 13
In September, Rajen Kilachand donated $25m to Boston University. No 14 ranked Kilachand is the chairman of Dodsal Group
Rank 15: Nilesh Ved’s Apparel Group has over 620 stores and more than 50 international brands under its umbrella.
Yufraj Narayan has served as chief financial officer at DP World since 2005. He is ranked at No 17 in our list
ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller CEO Sunil John (rank 18) has been at the heart of the public relations business in the Middle East for nearly two decades
(centre) Tony Jashanmal’s company represents various global retail franchises in the region. The executive director of the Jashanmal Group is ranked at No. 21
Vasu Shroff (ranked 25) founded the leading fabric retailer Regal Group in 1991
Santhosh Joseph took over the management of the $2.01bn Dubai Pearl project and has planned and successfully executed a revival plan. He is ranked at No 26
Ram Buxani’s ITL-Cosmos is known for representing a wide number global brands including Sharp, Rhythm and Fujitsu Siemens, and for having over 500 dealers in the UAE and Oman. The company’s president is ranked at No 27
Under Mohan Valraini’s leadership, the Al Shirawi Group has grown into a multi-dimensional company with interest spanning 29 firms and with around 6,000 employees. Ranked at No 30, he is the vice chairman of thetAl Shirawi Group of Companies
Jayant Ganwani’s Lal’s Group of Companies has multiple interests in retail, trading and hospitality. The company’s director has been ranked at No 31 on our list of the region’s most powerful Indians
With over 30 years of experience in the regional insurance industry, Mustafa Vayazil worked at several top houses before setting up Gargash Insurance. The managing director of the company is ranked at No 32
Bharat Butaney (right) is the owner of Anubhar Medical Centre, which he has run since 1991. He is ranked at No. 34 on our list
At rank 35, is the Chhabria family. Following Manu Chhabria’s death in 2002, aged 56, his wife, Vidya, and three daughters, Komal, Bhavika and Kiran (pictured), took over the running of his business empire
Ranked at No 38, Avishesha Bhojani is the Group CEO oftBates PanGulf. Bhojani is also the managing director of Innoventure Educational Investments LLC and a board member of Dubai Private Schools Group.
Rank 39: The Khimji family is the force behind the Omani business conglomerate Khimji Ramdas LLC (KR), involved in the consumer, infrastructure and industrial sectors. (Pictured above: Pankaj Kanaksi Khimji)
Rank 40: A side from his work as a support and contracts manager at Dubai World, Kumar is perhaps best known for his charitable side. For many Indian expatriates facing financial meltdown, Kumar is often regarded as the last port of call
Madhu Koneru (rank 41) is the executive vice chairman of MEC Holdings. he is is also a member of the board of directors of Ras Al Khaimah Minerals & Metals Investments (RMMI)
Having qualified as a chartered accountant in 1965, SM Syed Khalil served as president of the Dubai chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for two terms. The chairman of Bond Investment Group Holdings is ranked at No. 43 on our list
As founder, general partner and chairman of the board at Bond Investment Group Holdings Dr Hitesh Bodani’s (centre) reach has stretched across a number of sectors, including hotel and resort developments, private equity, shopping malls, real estate, medical technology, mining and oil and gas. Bodani is ranked at No 43
The 44th-ranked Dr Azad Moopen’s DM Group is in the midst of a $354m expansion, much of it in Saudi Arabia. Moopen’s firm sees up to 40,000 patients from across the GCC and India in any one week
Rank 47: Originally launched as an agency for the Hitachi range of products, CEO DeepaK ‘DJ’ Babani’s Eros Group today also markets Samsung mobile phones and digital products
Rohit Walia’s Sarasin Group is now represented in more than 20 locations in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The company’s executive vice chairman is ranked at No 48
Rizwan Sajan’s Danube Building Materials has an annual turnover of well over $272m and is currently in the process of expanding its Buildmart chain of retail stores. The chairman of the company is ranked at No.51 on our list
LK Pagarani has managed to steer the Al Maya supermarket chain through the global recession with little impact on the firm’s finances. Rank 54, Lachmandas K Pagarani is the chairman of Al Maya Group
Rank 59: Transworld Group under Ramesh Ramakrishnan has grown its global reach with over 20 offices worldwide
Rank 61: Al Fara’a Construction – under Dr JR Gangaramani as president – is renowned for its vast range of services, comprising construction, ready mix, electro mechanical services and interiors
The divisional senior VP (cargo) at Emirates Airline, Ram Menen is ranked at No. 66
Raja Ghanma has overseen a whole host of Arabtec projects including Ajman City Centre, the Ghantoot Racing and Polo Club and DIFC Gate Village. Ranked at No. 68, he is the executive director of Arabtec Construction
Ranked at No. 69, Dilip Sinha heads up Honeywell’s Middle East region for electrical devices and systems business
Rajeev Kakar heads up Dubai-based Dunia Finance and is the head of consumer banking and regional CEO for Central Europe, MEA region for Fullerton Financial Holdings. He is ranked at No. 71
(Rank 75) Deepak Arora’s companies include City Diamond Contracting, MEPTech, Giant Star Trading, DRA Product Design, DRA Group, DRA Logistics and DRA International
Paras Dhamecha has headed up the UAE-based Aviation Group since 2007. He is ranked at No. 81 in our list
Ranked at No.82, Abdulla Airuddin Ajmal is the general manager of Ajmal Perfumes. The manufacturer is expecting growth of four percent this year, following a flat performance in 2010 and 2009
Joy Alukkas (right), who set up the $1bn global conglomerate almost a quarter of a century ago, has grown the business to become a key player in the Middle East jewellery market. He is ranked at No.86 on our list
Rank 88: As well as his position as CEO at Bank of Baroda, Ashok Gupta is a member of the General Council of the All India Bank Employees Association
As an obstetrician and gynaecologist based in Dubai, Dr Sarita Kapoor has been serving the vital needs of women in the UAE for the last sixteen years. She comes at rank 90 on our power list
K Rajaram, as CEO of Al Naboodah Motors, oversees five showrooms in Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah. He is ranked 91 on our power list
Rank 92: Shoba Menon runs Equity Advertising at Media City
Rank 95: Manoj Prasad is CEO and managing director of Signature Capital PTE, which has over $1bn worth of assets under management
Rank 96: With Kamal Puri’s leadership as president and more than 20 years of operation, the Skyline University College in Sharjah is now one of the finest colleges in the northern emirates
Anil Bhardwaj, who is a chartered accountant by trade, has grown Arenco Real Estate into one of the emirate’s leading real estate companies with 5,000 units of accommodation on its books. The company’s director is ranked at No. 97
Gulshan Kavarana heads the Special Families Support (SFS) Group in Dubai, and has also started another group based in Mumbai, called the Ahura Support Group. She is ranked at No. 98 on our list
No. 99, Siddharth Balachandran (left) is the managing director of the Bumga Group of companies based in Dubai, and is regarded as a key player in the UAE’s business sector.
