Saleh Kamel Net Worth, Relationships, Age/Birthdate & Birthday

Saleh Kamel was a pioneering Saudi entrepreneur and banker, best known for founding the Dallah Al Baraka Group and shaping modern Islamic finance.

Introduction

Saleh Abdullah Kamel was a visionary Saudi businessman whose impact spanned banking, media, real estate, and philanthropy. Born on April 1, 1941, his journey from modest beginnings to leading one of the Middle East’s largest conglomerates has become textbook entrepreneurial inspiration. Over the course of his career, his wealth was estimated in the billions of US dollars. In his personal life, he was married (to at least one publicly known spouse) and fathered children, balancing large-scale business endeavors with family and a deep commitment to social causes.

Quick Facts

From Early Ventures to a Global Business Empire

Saleh Abdullah Kamel’s path to prominence did not begin with inherited wealth or privileged connections. Born in Mecca in 1941, he spent his early years in Mecca and Taif before moving to Jeddah for his secondary schooling.

From a young age, Kamel displayed an entrepreneurial spirit: he sold handmade toys and sweets to schoolmates, and as a student he operated a small business renting out printed and copied lecture notes — an early sign of his knack for identifying opportunities.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in commerce from what is today known as King Saud University, he worked for a decade at the Ministry of Finance — a formative period where he gained insight into Saudi Arabia’s growing economy and state contracts. 

The turning point came in 1969, when Kamel launched the beginnings of what would become Dallah Al Baraka Group — initially focusing on operations and maintenance contracts, telecommunications, postal services, and public-works projects. 

Defining moments in Saleh Kamel’s journey include:

• Starting from small-scale ventures as a student — selling goods and offering printing services.

• Using early government employment and insight to secure first major contracts in maintenance, postal services, and infrastructure — setting the foundation for Dallah.

• Expanding into banking and media, transforming Dallah into a diversified conglomerate spanning dozens of countries. 

• Championing Islamic finance worldwide — building institutions that upheld ethical financial principles rooted in his faith.

His progression from small-time vendor to global business magnate traces a narrative of vision, perseverance, and ethical entrepreneurship.

The Core Pillars of Saleh Kamel’s Wealth

The breadth of Kamel’s empire rested on several key pillars — business ventures that spanned industries and geographies.

These diversified ventures collectively fueled Kamel’s wealth accumulation, spread risk, and allowed adaptability as markets and economies evolved.

Relationships & Family Life

Though much of his life was consumed by business and philanthropy, Saleh Kamel maintained family and personal relationships, balancing public prominence with private commitments.

• He was married to Safaa Abu Al Saud — an Egyptian actress publicly recognized in relation to Kamel. 

• Reports indicate he had multiple spouses over his lifetime. 

• He had children — family ties reportedly extended beyond immediate heirs, creating a legacy that continued beyond his lifetime. 

Key insights into Saleh Kamel’s relationships and personal life:

• Despite a sprawling business empire, he maintained a private family life, shielding his children and close relationships from much of public scrutiny.

• His marital ties — including to a public figure — highlight a life bridging traditional business circles with broader cultural connection.

• The emphasis he placed on legacy — both through business and philanthropy — suggests family and social responsibility were central to his worldview.

Beyond Business: Lifestyle, Assets & Interests

Beyond his formal business dealings, Saleh Kamel’s life reflected his convictions — blending commerce, faith, philanthropy, and urban development.

• He was regarded as a leading advocate of Islamic finance, channeling investments through ethical, Sharia-compliant frameworks. 

• Through the Saleh Abdullah Kamel Humanitarian Foundation and related charitable institutions, he invested in education, social welfare, and community development — signaling his commitment beyond profit. 

• His real-estate and infrastructure projects — from residential compounds to urban development — shaped physical landscapes, influencing how communities lived and worked, especially in Jeddah and surrounding regions. 

His lifestyle and interests reflected a philosophy: business isn’t just about capital — it's a vehicle for social impact, stability, and long-term community benefit.

Net Worth Breakdown & Analysis

The estimating of Saleh Kamel’s net worth varied depending on source and time. By 2017, one of the most respected global trackers of wealth, Forbes, listed his net worth at US$2.3 billion. 

Here’s a rough breakdown of the core value drivers behind his wealth and their contributions:

Because Kamel’s businesses spanned multiple industries and regions, fluctuations in one sector often impacted overall net worth — especially after political and economic shifts in Saudi Arabia. For example, following a 2017 government crackdown that involved detention of prominent businessmen, his status among global billionaires was affected. 

Public Image, Legacy & Influence

In the public eye, Saleh Kamel was widely regarded as “the father of contemporary Islamic finance.” 

• His efforts helped institutionalize Islamic banking, offering an ethical alternative to conventional finance — a legacy that influenced markets across the Middle East and beyond. 

• Through media ventures such as ART, he shaped public discourse and entertainment in the Arab world, making sports and culture more accessible regionally. 

• His philanthropic pursuits — via charitable foundations and social projects — demonstrated a blend of faith-based values and modern entrepreneurship, leaving a philanthropic framework that continues to operate globally. 

Even after his passing, his impact remains visible: on banking systems, media landscape, urban development, and charitable institutions. His life story offers a powerful model of how entrepreneurship, ethics, and faith can intersect to build enduring influence.

Conclusion

Saleh Abdullah Kamel’s life was far more than the accumulation of wealth. From modest beginnings as a small-scale vendor and student-entrepreneur, he built a conglomerate — Dallah Al Baraka Group — that touched banking, media, real estate, and philanthropy. With a net worth estimated at US$2.3 billion at his peak, and a birthdate of April 1, 1941, Kamel’s journey reflects ambition, conviction, and vision.

He balanced personal relationships and family life — including marriage to Safaa Abu Al Saud and other spouses — with a relentless drive to expand his businesses and uplift communities. His birthday, April 1, points back to a humble childhood that ultimately forged one of the Middle East’s most influential business figures.

Through his legacy in Islamic finance, media, and charitable works, Saleh Kamel showed that success need not come at the expense of principle. His life remains a testament to the power of perseverance, ethical entrepreneurship, and purpose-driven legacy.

In remembering Saleh Kamel, we see not only the story of a billionaire — but the portrait of a man who believed that business could be a force for social good, financial integrity, and lasting impact.