Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (born 15 July 1949) is the UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister, as well as the country's Minister of Defense and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. After his brother Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum died in 2006, he took over as vice president.

Al Maktoum, a millionaire, makes the most of his money from real estate and is known as "one of the world's most notable real estate developers." Land that he owns is handled by the government as a public asset. The border between the assets of the Dubai government and those of the ruling Al Maktoum family is blurred.

Al Maktoum is the absolute ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of UAE, a position appointed by the president. The government is autocratic, as there are no democratic institutions, and internal dissent is prohibited. It is characterized by scholars as authoritarian.

Al Maktoum has overseen the creation and growth of a number of businesses and economic assets of Dubai, with a number held by two companies under his ownership, Dubai World and Dubai Holding. According to the laws of Dubai, the ruling family owns all undeveloped land in Dubai, which has allowed the family to prosper from real estate development. During Sheikh Mohammed's rule, Dubai has seen enormous population growth, causing a real estate boom in Dubai.

By order, Al Maktoum founded Dubai World, which began operations on July 2, 2006, as a holding company integrating a variety of properties, including DP World, Nakheel Properties, and Istithmar World. The organization has real estate, logistics, and other commercial assets in the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Africa, and employs more than 50,000 people in more than 100 locations across the world. Dubai's government owns the corporation.

Net worth: $18 Billion