The 100 NRIs – 2026: Shyam Bhatia, Chairman, Alam Steel Group
Feb 22, 2026
This article forms part of The 100 NRIs, a special edition by Entrepreneur Middle East spotlighting the most influential non-resident Indians shaping business, innovation, and investment across the region.
Shyam Bhatia, Chairman of Alam Steel Group, has been instrumental in transforming the company from a modest building materials supplier into one of the Middle East’s foremost steel manufacturers.
Since founding the business in 1979, his strategic vision and leadership have driven exponential growth, positioning Alam Steel as a key player in the regional industry and a benchmark for quality and innovation.
Arriving in Dubai in 1965, Bhatia leveraged his entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen to expand the company’s footprint, establishing five subsidiaries, including a steel plate fabrication facility in Dubai in 2022 serving the oil and gas sector, and a reinforcement steel bar plant in Abu Dhabi in 2024. The Dubai-based rebar factory boasts an annual production capacity of 300,000 tonnes, underlining the company’s significant industrial scale.
Beyond his business pursuits, he is widely recognised for his contributions to cricket, founding the Cricket For Care Foundation in 2007. The foundation provides equipment, facilities, and coaching to underprivileged children across 20 countries. He also curates one of the world’s most comprehensive private cricket museums, housing an extensive collection of memorabilia that reflects his enduring passion for the sport.
Alam Steel remains a prominent player in the steel distribution industry, maintaining strong relationships with major contracting and engineering firms throughout the region. Committed to sustainable practices, the company integrates environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic development into its operations. It emphasises energy conservation, pollution reduction, and community engagement, aligning its growth with responsible corporate citizenship. The company’s decentralised approach ensures localised management of environmental initiatives, promoting continuous improvement and regulatory compliance across all facilities.
This article forms part of The 100 NRIs, a special edition by Entrepreneur Middle East spotlighting the most influential non-resident Indians shaping business, innovation, and investment across the region.
Shyam Bhatia, Chairman of Alam Steel Group, has been instrumental in transforming the company from a modest building materials supplier into one of the Middle East’s foremost steel manufacturers.
Since founding the business in 1979, his strategic vision and leadership have driven exponential growth, positioning Alam Steel as a key player in the regional industry and a benchmark for quality and innovation.
