Sunny Varkey
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
India
education
$2,700,000,000
962
#962 Billionaires 2019
#62 India's Richest 2018
Son of Indian expat teachers who migrated to Dubai in 1959, Sunny Varkey controls GEMS Education, the world's largest operator of K-12 schools.With more than 250 schools worldwide, the private education firm counts the Blackstone Group among its key investors. Varkey shelved plans to list GEMS in London at an estimated valuation of $5 billion after the UAE government put a freeze on tuition fees. Sons Dino and Jay run GEMS as CEO and group executive director, respectively.
Varkey, who never went beyond high school himself, took over the management of his parents' Our Own English School in 1980 at age 23.GEMS has instituted three awards to recognise outstanding teachers, including one named after Varkey's mother.
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