Khaby Lame
Residence: U.A.E. & Italy
Followers: 161.8 million
Senegalese-Italian Khabane "Khaby" Lame is the most-followed TikTok influencer in the world, accumulating 161.8 million followers and 2.4 billion likes since he started out in 2020. Before becoming a full-time influencer, he worked as a CNC machine operator in a factory near Turin. Today, he is a resident of the U.A.E. and spends considerable time there, according to TikTok. While he danced and watched video games in his early content, he rose to fame by posting silent reactions while simplifying complicated "life hacks." In January 2022, Lame published a comic titled "Super Easy." In June 2022, Hugo Boss announced a collaboration with him, featuring all-black styles. Lame was added to Fortnite's Chapter 4 Season 4 in August 2023.
Abir El Saghir
Residence: Lebanon
Followers: 24.4 million
Lebanese self-taught celebrity chef and lifestyle blogger El Saghir has garnered 24.4 million followers and 352.7 million likes since 2021, teaching Middle Eastern cuisine recipes. She won TikTok's Creator of the Year and Food Creator of the Year awards in 2022 and hosted her own cooking show, "Abir's Kitchen," during Ramadan 2023. The program ran for 10 episodes on stc tv and Jawwy TV. El Saghir also has a YouTube channel with over 3.76 million subscribers.
Mohammed Shamsi
Residence: Saudi Arabia
Followers: 17.5 million
This story is from the Jan 2024 edition of Forbes Middle East - English.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Jan 2024 edition of Forbes Middle East - English.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
WATCHING OUT FOR THE WEALTHY
Faisal Al-Hamad, CEO of Kuwait-based NBK Wealth, has been leading the NBK Group's client-centric businesses under a unified umbrella since 2021. With over $20 billion in assets under management, he's now planning for expansion.
Middle East Forbes THE MIDDLE EAST'S TOP 100 TRAVEL & TOURISM LEADERS 2024
Thanks to their geographical position and historical and cultural richness, Middle East countries are attracting both tourists and investors.
PARTY WITH PURPOSE
New Forbes billionaire Kabir Mulchandani, Founder and Chairman of FIVE Holdings, is building an entertainment ecosystem with a sustainable footprint. Now, he's talking IPO plans.
EMPIRE BUILDING
Hussain Sajwani, Founder and Chairman of the DAMAC Group, has built a property empire and accumulated over $5 billion in wealth since establishing the group in 1982. As he continues to seek out new opportunities, he's also supporting the next generation as they follow in his footsteps.
The Middle East's RICHEST BILLIONAIRES 2024
It's been a banner year for the mega-wealthy. Forbes found an unprecedented 2,781 billionaires around the globe for this year's World's Billionaires list-141 more than in 2023 and 26 more than the previous record, set in 2021.
Riches from Rags
Investors have blown billions of dollars on loss-making luxury clothing resale firms. VINTED, an unlikely startup from Lithuania, finally cracked the code.
The New Goal Standard
JORGE MAS took a risk with a lucrative bet on Lionel Messi and quickly transformed Inter Miami into MLS's second billion-dollar franchise. But now the clock is ticking.
Reasons To Seek Adventure
Whether it’s the exhilaration of free-falling out of the sky or the thrill of being immersed among the shark-filled reefs of the Indian Ocean, adventure enthusiasts are drawn by the allure of life-changing experiences. Here are some reasons why.
THE MIDDLE EAST'S 30 MOST VALUABLE BANKS 2024
MENA’s banking sector has shown resilience over the last year, supported by higher interest rates and oil prices.
INVESTING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr, Cofounders of Egypt-based digital investment platform Thndr, are facing competition from brokerages and investment banks to democratize investing. Having seen exponential growth in four years, they’re now looking at expanding to the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia.