M.A. Yusuff Ali
Source of wealth: Retail
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The scale of their wealth
Health
The price of life
Let's compare M.A. Yusuff Ali's fortune with the healthcare spending of a massive country
M.A. Yusuff Ali could fund the entire healthcare system of DR Congo, with a population of over 105,800,000 people, for approximately 2.5 years.
But even if we compare their fortune with that of a rich country
On the other end, M.A. Yusuff Ali could cover the healthcare spending of Luxembourg, considered the most heavily funded healthcare system in the world, for 1.1 years.
Education
Buying the future
Let's also compare their fortune with education spending, first with a poor country
M.A. Yusuff Ali could cover the total cost of Nigeria's education system, the most populous country in Africa with over 243,000,000 inhabitants, for 1.6 years.
And yes, we can also compare it with a rich country
But they couldn't just cover the cost of a poor country; Luxembourg is considered the country with the highest per capita investment in education in the world, and M.A. Yusuff Ali could pay for it entirely for 2.2 years.
Research
The monopoly on progress
Coming full circle, we think it's also interesting to add another gigantic country
M.A. Yusuff Ali could fully fund the state research budget of Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world with over 260,000,000 inhabitants, for 9.2 years.
And of course, the country that invests the most per capita worldwide
But even if we compare the total wealth of M.A. Yusuff Ali with Israel, the country that invests the most per capita in research in the world, they could cover the total cost of the system for 0.2 years.
Gold
Everyday luxuries
M.A. Yusuff Ali's fortune is equivalent to 38 tons of gold. It's hard to process, since we don't usually keep a handful of gold bars in our piggy banks.
A standard gold ring usually weighs between 4 and 7 grams. Let's say this one weighs 5 grams. It's usually 18 karats.
Based on today's gold price (excluding the jeweler's commission, shipping, or anything else), that ring would be worth $546.86.
M.A. Yusuff Ali could buy 10,020,560 gold rings. That's a lot of fingers and way too many gifts!!
And if you're struggling to visualize that many rings, it would take 2 trucks to transport them. Although M.A. Yusuff Ali will almost certainly have enough money left over to pay for the gas.
Biography
Middle East retail king M.A. Yusuff Ali presides over $7.3 billion (revenue) LuLu Retail, with 240 hypermarkets and malls in the Gulf and elsewhere.
Hailing from a village in Kerala state in south India, Yusuff Ali left for Abu Dhabi in 1973 to join his uncle's small distribution business.
In 2024, Yusuff Ali listed the retail business on the Abu Dhabi stock exchange, raising $1.7 billion.
Yusuff Ali has a minority stake in Cochin International Airport and sits on its board. The airport runs on solar energy.
Other assets include the Waldorf Astoria in Scotland and the Great Scotland Yard Hotel, the former headquarters of the U.K. Metropolitan Police.
Financial Assets
Monthly wealth history
Fortune comparison
Historical data not available for comparison