He’s the force behind the Dubai-based Pure Gold Jewellers group, but billionaire Firoz Merchant is best known for his philanthropy, having launched the ‘Forgotten Society’ initiative in 2008 to help free several thousand prisoners by paying off their debts and ensuring their return home to their families. He was honoured by UAE’s Ministry of Interior in August 2020 for his philanthropic work. He set up Pure Gold Jewellers in 1989, eventually growing it to encompass 125 stores across the Middle East and Asia.