India today is buzzing with entrepreneurial energy. With 1.59 lakh recognised startups, it stands as the world’s third-largest ecosystem for innovation and enterprise. Yet, in this crowded arena, few journeys resonate as profoundly as that of Ankur Aggarwal, a Delhi boy who built BNW Developments into a multibillion-dirham enterprise in the UAE, while staying deeply connected to his roots in India. Here are some lessons from his life that young entrepreneurs can take to heart.
1. You can budget everything but time.
Few know that Aggarwal is a trained Chartered Accountant. He recalls how juggling his CA studies with part-time work taught him to invest hours where they mattered most. “Money lost can be earned back, but time never returns,” he says.
2. Empower minds to be entrepreneurs, not just employees.
As a young CA, Aggarwal borrowed Rs 70,000 from his elder sister to start his practice, exhibiting entrepreneurial spirit early in life. With this, he also empowered his team of 400+ professionals to think like entrepreneurs, rather than mere employees.
3. Focus on the step in front of you, not the whole staircase.
His own rise from a small CA office in Delhi to helming AED 22 billion in assets wasn’t scripted in leaps. “Focus on short-term strategies as much as you emphasise long-term visions,” he quipped in an interaction with YouTuber Kamiya Jani.
4. Your network is your net worth.
Aggarwal often credits the partners he met in Dubai as pivotal. After all, a strong network can change the trajectory of your business overnight. One such connection was with actor-entrepreneur Vivek Oberoi, who now serves as the co-founder and Managing Director of BNW Developments.
5. Like mirages in deserts, see opportunities where others see barrenness.
What many dismissed as an oversaturated Dubai real estate market, Aggarwal saw as fertile ground. Today, BNW is preparing to launch Rs 20,000 crore worth of projects over the next year, in collaboration with big names like Ramada, Taj Wellington Mews, Michel Adam and Fashion TV.
For India’s swelling tribe of entrepreneurs, his mantras are less rules and more reminders that courage vision, and heart remain timeless currencies.
About Ankur Aggarwal, Founder and Chairman - BNW Developments
Ankur Aggarwal is the Chairman and Founder of BNW Developments headquartered in the UAE. With over 17 years of economic expertise, he has built a reputation as a visionary leader, one who blends financial precision with human-centric thinking to create spaces that are as meaningful as they are magnificent. Over the past 5 years, he has played a pivotal role in the development of Al Marjan in Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), a rising epicentre of opportunity and capital growth.
