Money & Me: ‘I’ve helped create more than 100 millionaires at my real estate agency’

Porush Jhunjhunwala, chief executive of real estate brokerage Banke International Properties, says his personal financial goals are closely tied to that of his company.

He started the venture in 2013 with four people and now employs more than 600. The brokerage has a global presence, with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Doha, Mumbai, London and Johannesburg.

“Investing in my team’s growth, giving them ownership and building a strong culture has paid off more than investing in a single asset,” he says.

Mr Jhunjhunwala, 48, who’s been in the UAE for the past 20 years, lives with his wife and two children, aged 15 and 13, in Dar Wasl community on Al Wasl Road in Dubai.

He completed his master’s degree in business administration and marketing in Mumbai.

Did wealth feature in your childhood? What did you learn from it?

I didn’t grow up surrounded by wealth in material terms, but I was raised with a wealth of values, discipline and ambition. My family always placed a big emphasis on education. I was taught the importance of hard work, perseverance and earning for myself. That mindset became the foundation of how I view wealth – not just as a financial metric, but something you build over time through vision and consistency.

My father owned a car radiator business. Coming from a modest beginning gave me the hunger to build something meaningful.