• 5. American model Gigi Hadid made an estimated $9 million in 2021. AP Photo
    5. American model Gigi Hadid made an estimated $9 million in 2021. AP Photo
  • 4. Britain's Rosie Huntington-Whiteley raked in $9 million through various projects. AFP
    4. Britain's Rosie Huntington-Whiteley raked in $9 million through various projects. AFP
  • 3. British actress and model Cara Delevingne made $19 million. AFP
    3. British actress and model Cara Delevingne made $19 million. AFP
  • 2. Brazilian model Adriana Lima made an estimated $30 million. AFP
    2. Brazilian model Adriana Lima made an estimated $30 million. AFP
  • 1. Kendall Jenner, from the US, reportedly earned $40 million. Reuters
    1. Kendall Jenner, from the US, reportedly earned $40 million. Reuters

How the five highest-paid models in 2021 made their money, from Gigi Hadid to Adriana Lima


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Bella Hadid has been named as the new face of Swarovski jewellery meaning the Palestinian-American model can add another high-profile brand to her already impressive list of contracts.

While both parties are remaining tight lipped on how much money the deal is worth, as a famous face with 51.8 million Instagram followers, it is sure to be worth a pretty penny..

Despite the age-old cliche of modelling being a "brainless" pastime, in reality, it can be very lucrative with big-name models regularly picking up six-figure sums to head up a brand, resulting in net earnings that run into tens of millions of dollars. To give an idea of how much the top models actually earn, here are the five who earned the most over the past 12 months.

5. Gigi Hadid, $9 million

US model Gigi Hadid arrives for the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022, in New York. Photo AFP
US model Gigi Hadid arrives for the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022, in New York. Photo AFP

Bella's older sister Gigi has an estimated personal wealth of $29m, and has earned her money from fashion shows, a Maybelline campaign and being a Victoria’s Secret Angel, a gig that pulled in up to $1m per year.

Gigi has graced multiple magazine covers, and is go-to in the industry. In 2016, she was named International Model of the Year by the British Fashion Council, and has since gone on to work with Guess, Tom Ford, Balmain, Missoni, Moschino and Isabel Marant.

That same year she collaborated on a clothing line with Tommy Hilfiger, and last month announced that her own clothing line will be unveiled soon. She is also taking on television work, and later this year will be co-host on Queer Eye. She is estimated to have earned $9m in 2021.

4. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, $9 million

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on the autumn winter 2010 runway, for Louis Vuitton. Photo: Louis Vuitton
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on the autumn winter 2010 runway, for Louis Vuitton. Photo: Louis Vuitton

The British model has an estimated fortune of $30m, built up from modelling and her long-running lingerie line with Marks & Spencers. The partnership has now expanded to cover perfume and swimwear.

While pregnant with her first child, Huntington-Whiteley also launched her own beauty line called Rose Inc, meaning that in addition to modelling for names such as Ralph Lauren and Bloomingdales, she is thought to earn in the region of $9m per year.

3. Cara Delevingne, $19 million

British model Cara Delevingne arrives for the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022, in New York. Photo AFP
British model Cara Delevingne arrives for the 2022 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2022, in New York. Photo AFP

The English model-turned-actress is a wealthy woman with more than $37m in the bank. Since signing with Storm Management in 2009, Delevingne has worked with many high-profile brands, including Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton, and was named Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012 and 2014.

In 2012, she branched out into acting, and has appeared in Suicide Squad and Valerian, among others. While Delevingne is more focused on acting than modelling these days, contracts with Tag Heuer, Burberry and YSL Beauty mean her earnings last year were more than $19m.

2. Adriana Lima, $30 million

Brazilian top model Adriana Lima poses on the red carpet for the opening gala of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, on September 25, 2021. Photo EPA
Brazilian top model Adriana Lima poses on the red carpet for the opening gala of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, on September 25, 2021. Photo EPA

The Brazilian model is thought to be worth $95m, with much of that coming from her long-running contract with Victoria’s Secret, between 1999 and 2018.

In 2015 and 2016, she was named by Forbes as the second-highest-paid model, much of which came from being ambassador to Puma, Maybelline, and IWC watches. In the past year, Lima earned just short of $30m.

1. Kendall Jenner, $40 million

The highest-earning model of 2022, Kendall Jenner, arriving at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala May 2, 2022, New York. AP
The highest-earning model of 2022, Kendall Jenner, arriving at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala May 2, 2022, New York. AP

Although born into a wealthy family, Jenner, 26, has now earned more than enough on her own, and is worth a rumoured $45m. In 2018, Forbes first named her the "world's highest-paid supermodel," citing earnings that year alone of $22.5m, a status not damaged by the disastrous Pepsi ad the year before, that was so slammed, the company withdrew it.

As famous off the runway as on it, much of Jenner’s fortune has come from endorsements such as Marc Jacobs, Fendi and Estee Lauder, and, of course, her social media posts. With more than 200 million followers, Jenner charges up to $700,000 per post. In the past year, she has earned a reported $40m, making her the highest-paid model for the third year running.

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

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What is an FTO Designation?

FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes. 

It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.

Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.

Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.

Source: US Department of State

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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

SWEET%20TOOTH
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McLaren GT specs

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed

Power: 620bhp

Torque: 630Nm

Price: Dh875,000

On sale: now

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Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

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if you go

The flights 

Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning. 

The trains

Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.

The hotels

Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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The biog

Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball

EXPATS
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Updated: May 31, 2023, 11:14 AM