M.A. Yusuff Ali
- Net worth $4.9 billion
- Birthday November 15, 1955
- Status -
- Country India
- Source(-s) of wealth Businessman, Entrepreneur
How much is M.A. Yusuff Ali Worth? M.A. Yusuff Ali Net Worth in 2026
M.A. Yusuff Ali’s net worth is estimated at $4.9 billion as of November 2026. He built Lulu, the Gulf hypermarket chain, and in November 2024 his holding company sold 30% of it on the Abu Dhabi stock exchange at AED 2.04 a share. Two years later the shares trade at AED 0.96, so the investors who bought paid more than double today’s price, and the money he banked has held up far better than the stake he kept.
| Net worth | $4.9 billion (our estimate, range $4 billion to $6.5 billion) |
|---|---|
| Born | November 15, 1955, Nattika, Thrissur, Kerala, India |
| Age | 70 |
| Country | India (based in Abu Dhabi) |
| Known for | Chairman of Lulu Retail Holdings and Lulu International Holdings |
| Main income sources | Lulu Retail shares, 2024 share sale proceeds, shopping malls and hotels in India |
How much is M.A. Yusuff Ali worth in 2026?
We put him at about $4.9 billion, using the fixed rate of AED 3.6725 to the dollar. Only one piece is priced every day: Lulu Retail. The rest is the cash from the 2024 sale and a property business in India that has never published a value, so the range around our figure is wide.
How we got to $4.9 billion
| Source | Our estimate | What it rests on |
|---|---|---|
| About 56% of Lulu Retail | $1.51 billion | Lulu International Holdings kept 70% after selling 30% in the listing. We assume he owns 80% of that holding company, the rest after an Abu Dhabi investor bought almost 20% of Lulu in 2020. 56% of the AED 9.92 billion market value on November 10, 2026 is AED 5.56 billion. |
| His share of the 2024 sale proceeds | $1.38 billion | 80% of the listing proceeds paid to Lulu International Holdings, assuming the cash stayed in the group. We do not know how it was spent. |
| Malls, hotels and other holdings in India and abroad | $2.0 billion | Our assumption. Lulu runs malls in Kochi, Thrissur, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Palakkad and Coimbatore, plus convention hotels in Kochi and Thrissur. No values are published. |
| Total | $4.9 billion | $4.89 billion before rounding. |
The best-timed sale of his career
The listing priced at the top of its range, AED 2.04 a share, raised AED 6.32 billion, about $1.72 billion, and valued Lulu Retail at AED 21.07 billion, the company said in November 2024. On November 10, 2026 the stock closed at AED 0.96 and the company was worth AED 9.92 billion, per market data. That is 53% less.
Our calculation: the 30% sold in 2024 would be worth about AED 2.97 billion at today’s price. Selling when he did kept roughly AED 3.35 billion, or $911 million, out of the slide. On our 80% assumption, about $730 million of that is his.
The shares slid as profits fell. Trailing twelve-month revenue is about AED 28.9 billion, almost flat, while net income of AED 586 million is down about 30%, the same market data shows. Lulu still pays: the latest dividend went ex on August 21, 2026, and at about AED 0.06 a share a year, his look-through slice of roughly 5.8 billion shares would collect around $95 million, by our math.
From his uncle’s shop to 267 stores
He moved to Abu Dhabi in 1973 to join his uncle, M.K. Abdullah, who had founded the business, and opened the first Lulu Hypermarket in the 1990s, according to his biography. The Gulf chain now counts 267 stores and about $7.9 billion in yearly revenue. In 2020 a firm backed by an Abu Dhabi royal bought almost 20% of the group for just over $1 billion, Gulf News reported, which put a price of roughly $5 billion on the whole of Lulu at the time.
Outside retail he has collected minority stakes in Indian banks, bought in 2013 and 2014, a seat on the board of Cochin International Airport, the old Scotland Yard building in London, bought in 2016, and a 10% stake in the East India Company. In February 2026 he was reappointed to the board of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Why other estimates disagree
Many public estimates were set around the listing, when Lulu Retail was worth more than twice what it is today. Others credit him with all of Lulu International Holdings rather than about 80%, or value the Indian malls far higher than we do.
What would move the figure
A Lulu Retail recovery is the obvious lever: each AED 0.10 on the share price moves his stake by about $157 million. A listing or sale of the Indian mall business would replace our largest assumption with a real number, in either direction.
M.A. Yusuff Ali net worth FAQ
What is M.A. Yusuff Ali’s net worth?
About $4.9 billion as of November 2026 by our estimate, with roughly $1.5 billion of it in Lulu Retail shares.
How much did the Lulu IPO raise?
AED 6.32 billion, about $1.72 billion, for 30% of Lulu Retail at AED 2.04 a share in November 2024.
Why has Lulu Retail’s share price fallen?
Profit has dropped. Trailing net income is about AED 586 million, down roughly 30%, and the shares closed at AED 0.96 on November 10, 2026.
How many stores does Lulu have?
About 267 in the Gulf region, with around $7.9 billion of yearly revenue.
How old is M.A. Yusuff Ali?
70. He was born on November 15, 1955, in Nattika, Kerala, and moved to Abu Dhabi in 1973.
Related profiles
- Mukesh Ambani net worth
- Amancio Ortega net worth
- Ingvar Kamprad net worth
- Carlos Slim net worth
- Phil Knight net worth
How we estimate net worth
Our estimates are based on public reporting, company valuations, and deal and earnings figures all compiled in an internal valuation model. They are approximate, and figures change over time as new information emerges.
Last updated: November 2026.
Photo: Anishydros / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped