I n s I g h t s
f r o m
U A E ’ s
b U s I n E s s
Inspiration meets Insight!
E l I t E
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
“Try to achieve the impossible and direct your people to ways of achieving it.�
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ruler of Dubai
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SPI provides entrepreneurs with inspiration and insights.
E . PHARMAC EU TIM RI
AVIATION .
MAKE IN
. RY NE
SUMMIT-2017
Summit
Global Innovation Summit 2017
METALS . MAC HI ON TI
Region's biggest entrepreneurship conference
UAE
MG . FABR L.F ICA CA TI
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high profile corporate events
Inspiration meets Insight! Thought Leadership in Manufacturing
The Future is Now!
Premium business magazines
The Future is NOW
THE VOICE OF RAK BUSINESS COMMUNITY
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ROI delivered. PO Box: 89735, Phone : +9714 2659704 Email: response@spiholding.net www.spigroup.ae
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Inspiration meets Insight!
About sPI SPI- Give your business an unfair advantage. sPI group is the no 1 business engagement & Positioning Platform for Entrepreneurs and senior decision makers. We are connected with over 100,000 businesses through a unique combination of cutting edge business magazines, strategic partnerships with governments, business associations and through our high-profile business conferences. We believe in a non-stop Engagement and Delivery philosophy. sPI group boasts of a powerful portfolio of leading and Immersive conferences and summits, focused on b2b audiences. the delegates and speakers we attract are unparalleled in their level of seniority, relevance and influence. our flagship conferences are: 1. SME World Summit - the biggest entrepreneurship conference of the region 2. Global Innovation Summit - the largest innovation conference of the region 3. Emirates NBD Global Business Series - Interactive sessions with billionaires. 4. MAKE in UAE Summit - manufacturing excellence in the connected world.
our conferences have attracted over 15,000 founders, entrepreneurs and senior executives in the last 3 years thereby making us the most trusted and formidable brand in the UAE business sector. In addition to industry leading summits, sPI group is renowned for publishing world-class magazines like: 1. The Intelligent SME - Award Winning business magazine published in alliance with Dubai government. 2. Innovation & TECH - the leading voice in business transformation 3. Robust Rak - the voice of rak business community published under the patronage of the rulers office our magazines have a strong and loyal subscriber base of 50K and are delivered in Print and Digital Editions. these titles also enjoy strategic placements in the Emirates and Etihad, first and business Class lounges along with key government departments. At sPI, we understand client’s objectives and we build strategic solutions that cater to their Engagement and Positioning requirements.
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“There is no greater risk or reward than running your own business. While there are no shortcuts to success, preparation, hard work and failing fast are key to keeping the engine running. In the UAE, we celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship by offering you every resource to encourage and catalyse your long-term growth and success. We are here to support you, dream big and together, we can achieve success.�
Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates NBD
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Inspiration meets Insight!
foreword Emirates nbD since its inception in 2012, the Emirates nbD global business series has championed the growth of the small & medium Enterprises (smE) sector, a key contributor to the UAE’s economic growth and prosperity. led by a goal to support and enable the smE business community, this initiative has played an instrumental role in providing entrepreneurs and smE owners with the opportunity to engage and get inspired by the success stories of UAE’s leading businessmen and women. over the years, these networking sessions, held in a casual and informal atmosphere have enabled young start-up owners to get interesting insights from the accomplished speakers and chart their growth paths. As the Emirates nbD global business series marks its 25th edition, this book is a tribute to the strength and resilience of the country’s smE community, offering a unique glimpse into their personal struggles, successes and challenges as they navigate the ever-fluctuating business cycles in the region and beyond. With the nation gearing up for the prestigious EXPo 2020, the UAE business community has much to look forward to in the coming years. Under the visionary leadership of his highness sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al nahyan, President of the UAE and his highness sheikh mohammed bin rashid Al maktoum, Vice President and Prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, landmark reforms like the bankruptcy law have been introduced which has infused added optimism within the smE community. We, at Emirates nbD, are excited about what lies ahead and look forward to continue partnering you in your professional and personal lives and empowering your success. Suvo Sarkar senior Executive Vice President & group head – retail banking & Wealth management.
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foreword DUbAI smE since long, the small and medium Enterprises (smE) sector has been the backbone of our nation’s economy. It promotes employment opportunities, drives the economic growth of the nation, stimulates the latent entrepreneurial talent in the society and spawns a circle of innovation for a better and sustainable future. Dubai smE was formed to streamline and guide this spirit of entrepreneurship and promote innovation and leadership across all segments of the small and medium enterprises. this intention to support and develop the smE community of UAE was what brought Dubai smE and the sPI group together. sPI’s conviction to create a supportive environment for the aspiring entrepreneurs of the region gave rise to the first ever gbs session with Yogesh mehta, mD of Petrochem. A deeply poignant session, the interview with Yogesh mehta not only inspired everyone present but addressed a huge gap in the life of those smEs who were on the lookout for a mentor, a living example to strive by. since then, the Emirates nbD global business series has been an integral part of the budding and thriving smE community in the UAE; and we are extremely proud to be a part of this initiative. We congratulate sPI and Emirates nbD on the successful completion of their 25th edition of the global business series, and hope for many more inspiring stories and celebratory opportunities in the future.
regards, HE Abdul Baset Al Janahi CEo, Dubai smE
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Inspiration meets Insight!
foreword sPI “Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two – and only two – basic functions: marketing and innovation.” Peter Drucker, The Practice of Management, 1954 the quote got me thinking the very first time i came across it. Come to think of it now, it actually rings true. marketing brings in clients or customers, and innovation is critical to a smarter and productive ecosystem. there cannot be a better example to this quote than the magnificent Dubai. A modern day business hub, the cradle of marketing and innovation, Dubai is the dream place for marketeers and innovators. Dubai’s meteoric rise is for all to see. but what everyone couldn’t notice was a tremendous need and hunger for a guide, an inspiration to help the aspiring entrepreneurs market their ideas and innovate better; a business persona who has already travelled the path that these entrepreneurs are going to embark on and provide them with the much required strength, knowledge and perspective. sPI identified this void, and in association with Emirates nbD business banking, developed the unique concept of global business series where a selected group of business aspirers will have the opportunity to witness an up-close and personal interactive session with the business magnates of the region. We created the perfect alchemy of marketing and innovation – Emirates nbD global business series. today, it is the 25th edition of this series, an achievement in itself. but for us, the dream has just begun; the lion has roared! Shantanu A Phansalkar CEo, sPI group
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Emirates nbD global business series the global business series (gbs), was conceptualized as a high-profile business event where the audience is a part of an up-close and personal session with the ‘icon’ of the evening. these icons are at the helm of multi-million dollar conglomerates and have managed to overcome steep challenges through sheer hard work, perseverance and goodwill. the series provides a glimpse into the blood, sweat, and tears that go into the making of a great business and a myriad of human emotions the person has to sustain on the journey from good to great. the Emirates nbD global business series saw its inception in oct 2013 with Yogesh mehta, the managing Director of Petrochem as the first icon to be honored at ritz Carlton, Dubai amidst a huge presence of government officials and aspiring entrepreneurs. since then, the quality and magnitude of the series has only gotten bigger and better; and the sessions are considered as one of the most intimate and finest in town. this coffee table book is a celebration of the silver Jubilee of the Emirates nbD global business series, a small milestone and an ushering of great tidals.
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Inspiration meets Insight!
heartfelt thanks to all sponsors and supporting partners Corporate Banking partner
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Inspiration meets Insight!
About Dubai Dubai, a city of opulence and the jewel of the middle East, is today, a dream destination for people around the globe. It is hard to imagine what was once a little fishing village inhabited by the bani Yas tribes has reinvented itself as the modern Dubai with its inexplicably high rise gleaming towers, exponentially sprawling shopping centers and a concourse for the rich where everyone enjoys the offerings of the tax-free sanctum. led by the commitment and foresight of his highness sheikh saeed bin maktoum and his successors, the city of Dubai has witnessed a massive transformation from a small pearl harbor to an iconic business hub. At a time when Japanese cultured pearls were threatening to the pearl industry in Dubai, the rulers took advantage of Dubai’s strategic location on the world trading map and encouraged business and trading opportunities in the form of incentives and other benefits; thus making this desert the most sought-after place for dreamers, achievers, and entrepreneurs. today, Dubai is the absolute embodiment for highfliers with no intention to stop. It is an inspiring story of the inimitable strength of men against the harsh rays of the sun, the synergy of technology to the arid bleak ground of the desert, and the zenith of one’s dreams against the skepticism of the entire world.
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Contents 26
22 18
30 34
Yogesh Mehta
Sanjiv Mehta
Osman Sultan
Ahmed Sultan Bin Sulayem
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42 38 Mishal Kanoo
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46 Dr. B.R. Shetty
Gerald Lawless
Ajay Bindroo
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Akram Miknas
70
Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor
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62 66 PNC Menon
Tony Jashanmal
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Mohammed Abdul Rahim Al Fahim
Avishesha Bhojani
Rizwan Sajan
Inspiration meets Insight!
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90
78
94
86
K Rajaram
98 Hussein Hachem
110 Magnus Olsson
Deepak Babani
102 Ramy Jallad
114 H.E. Abdul Baset Al Janahi
Thumbay Moideen
106 Shaji ul Mulk
Mona Ataya
Amr Salem
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About SPI
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Foreword Emirates NBD
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Foreword Dubai SME
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Foreword SPI
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About GBS
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About Dubai
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Yogesh mehta CEO, Petrochem Middle East Ltd
When Yogesh mehta came to Dubai, he was a 29 year old, with no job, no plan and no future. Armed with dreams in his eyes and money collected from selling his wife’s jewelry, Yogesh mehta embarked into a life of entrepreneurship. the passionate and independent individual that he is, mehta refused the life of an employee.
facility in Jebel Ali. the event changed the face of the chemical trading industry, and Petrochem soon became one of the largest independent petrochemical distributors in the middle East. led by the strong leadership of Yogesh mehta, the company soon expanded overseas and now has offices in the middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.
“I wanted to do business, be my own boss – my whole demeanor was not to be an employee. I wanted the freedom of thought, freedom of movement, and freedom of performing,” he said.
from a failed entrepreneur to a most successful one, mehta has done it all and seen it all. At one point in life, mehta had worked 20 hours a day, slept at office, and globe-trotted the world to establish his business and achieve his dreams. today, he dreams of retirement and live a ‘normal life’.
things turned in his favor when in 1995, Petrochem launched a large distribution terminal
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Yogesh mehta CEO, Petrochem Middle East Ltd
On childhood/teenage life “My father was a B.Sc polymer chemist and a genius of sorts. He was in the chemical business and by default I got into the chemical business as well, because I didn’t know any better.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My father said that if I’m dating I should do that on my own and earn money. So I decided to study and earn money and also continue dating my girlfriend (currently his wife).”
Business Philosophy “Business is for commercial gain. It has to be a win-win situation for people to invest. An entrepreneur does not think like a careerist (a salaried individual). It calls for a different attitude and aptitude. A good entrepreneur will believe in great ideas that can be converted into a business model, fetching dollars.”
People Philosophy “In my brand of cola, I’d love to put love, respect and integrity. Every body in life needs love, give respect, and needs to have integrity.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Life is about so many things and I’ve just begun. I want to do a lot more and it’s not necessarily selling chemicals.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “The one thing that you ever want to have if you want to be a successful businessman is passion. If you work without passion, without soul, without a strong will, I don’t think you’ll succeed.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “I’d say that if you strongly believe in what you’re doing, get on with it. Believe in it and I’m sure that you’ll make it.”
Afterthought “I have declared at the company that I’m going to resign at the age of 58, be a Chairman and move on to many other things in life.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
sanjiv mehta CEO and Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Limited
sanjiv mehta, the baron of the fmCg industry, the man with decades of experience and power behind him, initially wanted to become a cricketer. so much so, that he even changed schools to be part of the illustrious team that would compete in the interschool cricket championship. however, with stiff competition on the field, mehta decided to play cricket just for fun and began hunting for other career prospects. he reminisces, “I distinctly remember that we had a psychological test done in school based on what you want to pursue and whether it suits your aptitude. I had gathered from the test results that chartered accountancy would be a viable career choice.” his excellent performance at the chartered accountancy exam conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India made him a
top choice for all the major management training institutions of the country. soon after in 1983, mehta joined Union Carbide as part of the Corporate finance team. soon he joined the Audit team and it was here, that his ‘love for business began.’ sanjiv mehta was also part of the crisis management team at the wake of the 1984 bhopal gas leak. he joined Unilever in 1992 as the group Commercial manager, and with time, became the key person responsible for its rapid ascension into weak and unchartered territories. Currently, Unilever has about a million retail outlets in the mEnA region and covers 75 percent of the market turnover. his vast international experience and knowledge of operations have helped him break barriers and turn around businesses. sanjiv mehta is now committed to make Unilever a sustainable organization.
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sanjiv mehta CEO and Managing Director, Hindustan Unilever Limited
On childhood/teenage life “Looking back, it was a very happy childhood. Our house was full of books and I had aspirations of becoming a cricketer like most young Indians.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My father had a lot of influence on me about integrity and hard work. During dinner, our dad used to come back from work and regaled us with what happened during the day. Personally, it was instrumental in many ways for generating interest towards finance.”
Business Philosophy “What holds us across the length and breadth of the world is our values. These are very simple values – we talk about integrity, respect, responsibility, and the pioneering spirit.”
People Philosophy “Be a student. I’m still a student, I learn every day. It’s not restricted only to my seniors, but my juniors too, especially management trainees. You need to keep your ego at the doorstep when you enter the office.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “I am a die-hard capitalist. Growing up in a socialist India, I was influenced by Karl Marx, later I realized in my 30s that if I do not believe in capitalism, I do not have a head.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Be prepared as entrepreneurs for success and failure, as they go hand-in-hand; so you have to take risks. We also make people understand that failure is not the opposite of success, as long as we learn from failures.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “Coming back on the fundamentals of business, one has to be right on strategy. The vision and mission of the business is often confusingly considered as strategy. However, strategy is all about the choices you make.”
Afterthought “Hopefully, someone who is present tonight would become the Chairman of Unilever globally, who could say that I as a management trainee worked with you. There would be people who would say, “You made a difference to our lives.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
osman sultan CEO, du
growing up during the civil unrest in lebanon is unimaginable but osman sultan attributes it as one of the formative reasons that shaped him as a successful individual today. he started off his career with the france telecom group and for the next 11 years worked in several managerial positions in its sales, marketing and customer service departments. his fascination and a futuristic understanding of technology coupled with a chance encounter with a shoe-shiner in possession of a mobile phone in the streets of Egypt in the year 1996, was germane to his revolutionary idea ‘A mobile in everyone’s hand’. In 1998, osman sultan took over his first leadership
role as the founding CEo of mobinil, and devoted eight years of his life in building, expanding and branding it as the one of the top mobile operators in Egypt. In his words, “that was probably one of the most accurate things on which I built an entire vision and delivered.” mobinil’s success was for all to see and on 1st January, 2006, osman sultan became the CEo of UAE’s second telecom player, the Emirates Integrated telecommunications Company, du. In only two years after its launch, du recorded its first quarterly profit. A ‘ruthless’ visionary, osman sultan wants ‘children nag their parents to take them to the du store.’
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osman sultan CEO, du
On childhood/teenage life “I come from a very conventional environment. I was raised to think of things in a traditional way. I thought of taking up philosophy or poetry, things that I am passionate about. And then the civil war happened. So, I thought I had to become an engineer.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “When I was 15 and the civil war took place (in Lebanon), life started to change radically for me because it took me through a different journey than the one I had planned. That is certainly a fundamental event in my transformation.”
Business Philosophy “The war taught me to understand “the other”. I’d like to think that every time I’m in a discussion with a team of different opinions, I develop this way of thinking – why is he thinking like this? where is he coming from? – and figure out how to bridge things.”
People Philosophy “Be stubborn on the vision, practical, pragmatic, flexible and demanding on the execution. And never forget that it is all about people.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “I’m fascinated by this (impact of technology on life), because every day I can learn something, I can discover something; and that’s really a blessing.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “I’m an engineer by accident and that is what I consider a waste because I studied it without passion.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “If you want my advice, I’m more and more convinced that you need to know and monitor what your users and others are saying on their social network about you. This is how your brand is going to live.”
Afterthought “My book titled ‘Tribes and the Fog of Dawn’. I believe there are new tribes that are forming in the foggy picture of this new age.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Ahmed sultan bin sulayem Executive Chairman, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCC)
Ahmed sultan bin sulayem realizes that his name carries a lot of responsibilities and expectations, not only because of his lineage but also because of the power that comes along with the name. his competitive spirit only egged him to prove a point and establish Dubai multi Commodities Centre Authority (DmCC) as a strong success story. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in business Administration from California state University, Ahmed bin sulayem briefly joined Asteco, a leading real estate company in Dubai. then in 2001, bin sulayem joined DmCC as a director before it was officially launched as a separate entity in 2002. his responsibilities included overseeing the organization’s operations on a broader level; but he had to do much more than that. he had to compete
with free zones already established and successful, he had to convince people to understand his vision, the challenges and reasons for positioning DmCC as a major international commodities hub for trade, a difficult task considering he was only 23 at the time. today, DmCC has introduced a number of valueadded products and services under his leadership, including the establishment of the DmCC free Zone, the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE), the DmCC tea Centre, DmCC tradeflow, as well as the revival of Dubai’s pearl industry. the last 15 years have been a journey for bin sulayem to realize his vision of DmCC and, fortunately for Dubai, he has no intention to retire.
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Ahmed sultan bin sulayem Executive Chairman, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCC)
On childhood/teenage life “Despite being brought up in an Arabic household, I could hardly communicate in my mother tongue or follow the culture. In the simplest of examples, it’s customary in our culture to touch the nose while greeting elders; however, I would offer a high five.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “Speaking about what influenced me in the early years; it was the internal competition across Dubai that challenged me to prove a point in life.”
Business Philosophy “One can get people with the most affluent degrees but if their hearts are not attached with Dubai, they will never deliver the right results. We also make sure none of the ideas or concepts are copied from the competitors.”
People Philosophy “When the recession kicked-in, I told my father, “It’s the best thing to happen. No consultant can ever distinguish between real friends and fair-weather friends. The calamity will unveil the truth about everyone around us.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “When you go to work or exercise, you ensure that nothing is left in the tank. And, the concept applies to work, life and gym.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “I like to read the success stories, but my learning comes from the failures of others.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “It doesn’t matter what age you are. Never give up.”
Afterthought “The perfect time for me to retire is when I’m six feet under. You never retire. Otherwise, that’s not life. That whole story of getting retired and living off the pension is foreign in my head.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
gerald lawless President and CEO, Jumeirah Group
gerald lawless, the name synonymous with Jumeirah group, was born in Ireland. he is a graduate of shannon College of hotel management in Ireland and holds an honorary Degree of Doctor of business Administration in hospitality management by the Johnson & Wales University, state of rhode Island in the Us, and an honorary Degree of Doctor of laws by the national University of Ireland, galway. gerald always aspired to work and live abroad and when in 1978 his first organization, forte hotels offered him to relocate to Dubai, he readily agreed. gerald stayed with forte hotels for 23 years before joining Jumeirah group in 1997, changing the architectural landscape of Dubai completely. he spearheaded the drive to establish Dubai as one of the premier luxury destinations in the world starting with the successful opening of the Jumeirah beach
hotel. soon enough his stellar portfolio included the luxurious burj Al Arab followed by 23 hotels in 12 destinations sprawled all over the world with several other projects in the pipeline. gerald lawless began his new innings in 2016, when he left Jumeirah group after 18 long years and joined Dubai holding in a leadership position responsible for its tourism and hospitality projects. he still remains the Chancellor of the Emirates Academy of hospitality management and has been titled as the honorary President of the Jumeirah group. his contribution to the transformation of Dubai has been phenomenal; and in his current role as the Chairman of the World travel and tourism Council, he intends to maximize the travel and tourism industry to create a more robust economy for the UAE.
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gerald lawless President and CEO, Jumeirah Group
On childhood/teenage life “My father was a dairy farmer, and I’m glad not joining him because it was a hard life… without a day off.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “Our principal’s words instilled tremendous self-belief in all the students. He always told us that this moderate hotel college was the best in the world.”
Business Philosophy “We have certain hallmarks that serve as guiding principles and they’re non-negotiable, which should be a part of every single hotel.”
People Philosophy “Irrespective of whether you are a large or small enterprise, you have to give employees space and see that they can achieve their targets themselves.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “It’s not just restricted to the hotel industry, but you have to be ready to always work hard in any stream. Integrity is a quality you simply must have.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “I have immense respect for people who have started their own business, irrespective of whether they have succeeded or failed; the important point being that they tried.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “First and foremost it is the attitude. You have to be ready to work hard.”
Afterthought “We don’t know where we will be in 2040, but we can only imagine where we want to be. To look back and say, “Wow, we have not wasted time and sat back on our laurels.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
mishal Kanoo Chairman, The Kanoo Group
mishal Kanoo, one of the most iconic business figures in the middle East is also a strong advocate of education and an eloquent thought leader. born in 1969, Kanoo is the fourth generation to run the Kanoo family business. he has a double major in Economics and holds an mbA in finance from the University of st. thomas, houston, texas and a second one from the American University of sharjah. his main motivation behind learning finance has been a quote, “no two economists can agree on one thing.” As per Kanoo’s own admission, “I was always interested in macro-economics; I think micro-economics is useless as you’re taught to manage people.” A renowned speaker and an expert in the field of family business, mishal Kanoo has been featured in various magazines and listed in ‘top 100 Powerful
Arabs 2013’, ‘the 15 Wealthiest Arab businessmen in the World 2012’, and ‘the World’s richest Arabs’ among various others. today, the Kanoo group operates across a range of verticals like shipping, travel, machinery, logistics, property, energy, industrial chemicals, training, retail and commercial activities along with other joint ventures. mishal Kanoo is also a part of the superbrands Council of the UAE, a team of industry experts and practitioners that selects the top brands under various categories and awards them with the ‘superbrand’ status. mishal Kanoo is widely known for his unapologetic and uninhibited take on controversial topics, all with the intention of making the world a better place. As succinct as it sounds, he wants people to ‘get up and do something.’
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mishal Kanoo Chairman, The Kanoo Group
On childhood/teenage life “While growing up, I was a spoilt brat. I believed that the world revolved around my own little stupid head. I discovered quickly from my mother that it did not.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “I will tell you unabashedly that the most influential person in my life has been my mother.”
Business Philosophy “The biggest problem (in a family business) is succession planning and most likely it’s a plan to fail if there is no succession planning.”
People Philosophy “People who get threatened by your thoughts and ideas are those people who deserve to go from your organization. I want more people to challenge me, and argue with me because at the end of the day you raise my bar.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Be ready to be surprised by others’ intelligence because that’s how you learn and correct your mistakes.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “When things go pear-shaped, nobody wants to take responsibility and instead they find a scapegoat. It’s not wrong to admit you have made a mistake, because we all make mistakes.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “In all honesty, you should not discriminate either positively or negatively. Hire an employee on his or her merit and ability.”
Afterthought “I want to see a better world; I want to see that change where people appreciate the things done. I’d like to facilitate that change in people; everyone can have that paradigm shift.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Dr. b.r. shetty CEO, NMC Healthcare and UAE Exchange
Dr. bavaguthu raghuram shetty, born in the small town of Kaup, Udupi in Karnataka, India, initially wanted to become a pilot and had concentrated all his faculties towards cracking the exam of his dream job. but when he was disqualified for being eight days over the stipulated age, he turned his attention to the welfare of his municipality and served as the Vice Chairman of the municipal Council in Udupi. his unselfish, relentless efforts for the people of the area had already put him under a financial strain; it increased manifold when he was unable to repay the amount he had borrowed for his sister’s wedding. being the self-reliant and independent person that he is, he came to the UAE in search of a job with just Us $8 in his pocket. though a clinical pharmacist by profession, Dr. shetty was unable to get any job
in the government dispensaries. not the one to bow down to defeat, he found out a new opportunity; he became a medical representative – the first outdoor salesman of this entire desert country. “having started something new in the industry, I reaped the benefits.” the wholesale business saw a massive makeover with Dr. shetty’s hard work and goodwill paving the way for the multi-million dollar businesses he owns now – nmC healthcare and UAE Exchange, being the most well-known among them. Dr. shetty’s pioneering ways have earned him the most prestigious civilian award in Abu Dhabi – the Abu Dhabi Award, and the Padma shri by the President of India.
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Dr. b.r. shetty CEO, NMC Healthcare and UAE Exchange
On childhood/teenage life “During my schooling, I joined the National Cadet Corps, and this is where I learned discipline. Whatever I did after that was done with discipline.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My parents instilled confidence in me and encouraged me to do good for society.”
Business Philosophy “All my businesses are service-oriented. The clinic, medical centre, hospital, retail pharmacy, and wholesale pharmaceuticals, are all service oriented.”
People Philosophy “You know, I don’t treat them as employees. Any problem of theirs is my problem. To all the entrepreneurs out there, take care of your employees.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Have full faith on yourself. Be straightforward, and loyal to yourself.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Don’t worry about failure. Every failure is the stepping stone to success. For me, if there is not a problem for me every day, it is not a good day for me.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “You don’t need money to do business. If anybody says that you cannot do business without money, I am an example that you can.”
Afterthought “I’d like to be remembered as a great human being and a philanthropist.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Ajay bindroo CEO and Managing Partner Clasico Brands
Ajay bindroo’s journey from the scenic valley of Kashmir to the multifaceted urban city of Dubai is an epic journey of a young boy trying to make his own destiny. Ajay had an idyllic childhood; his family owned a 25-bedroom villa overlooking a huge apple orchard in a quaint town called sopore, in Kashmir, India.
engineering college in bangalore, a month later Ajay preferred to enroll himself in a local Jammu college and got the fees reimbursed. It was a rather restless period of his life where he needed direction and it came in the opportunity of Vidyut metallics Pvt. ltd. (supermax) where he got his first job as a marketing executive.
he had his first trading lessons in the fruit markets of Delhi, where his father used to auction off the freshly harvested apples and conduct business. but soon, the turmoil in Kashmir changed everything, and they along with others, had to leave everything and migrate to other parts of the country. the bindroos moved to Jammu and started from scratch. though Ajay’s parents enrolled him in an
his hard work, loyalty and strategies helped the company grow from strength to strength, his last designation being the CEo of the company. In 2013, Ajay bindroo launched his own brand Clasico with an enviable set of portfolio, innovative products and an ambition to match. Currently, Clasico has offices in the Us, UK, UAE, India and latvia with strategic associates and collaborators all over the world.
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Ajay bindroo CEO and Managing Partner Clasico Brands
On childhood/teenage life “I grew up going to the market place with my father, trying to understand the trade as I was always fascinated with the number game. In my family, a child was expected to either pursue medicine or engineering.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “I got my first break as a Marketing Executive with Vidyut Metallics Pvt. Ltd. (Super-Max), a family owned business and the rest they say is history. I thank my previous employer for providing me a platform which acted as a pedestal to my entrepreneurial venture.”
Business Philosophy “Selling is secondary to a business venture. An entrepreneur needs to meticulously map every step and execute his plan with great caution.”
People Philosophy “It is essential to get like-minded people on board who want to venture in an entrepreneurial business.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “A person is a student of life. Perfection is a misconception that is nurtured by humans.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Defining an idea and aligning it to the expertise is the first step to success as it aids in nurturing the ultimate vision. Be persistent, if you fail, shake the dust off your feet and head towards the goal with equal determination and precision. ”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “There are four pillars on which entrepreneurial ventures can thrive – Calculated Risk, Disciplines, Legal Advice and Financial Acumen. Assess your opportunities and convert them to revenues with absolute precision and realism.”
Afterthought “I’d like to create a legacy for the people accompanying me on my journey. My life has been a typical tale of rags-to-riches, so my aim is to share my experiences and insights to benefit people.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Akram miknas Chairman, Fortune Promoseven
Akram miknas, one of the most powerful media moguls in the middle East and considered as one of the pillars of new-age communications, was born on may 29, 1944 in lebanon. not a stranger to hardships, miknas sold cosmetics, encyclopedias, insurance, advertising campaigns and exhibitions to fund his studies and get a proper education. he is an alumnus of the prestigious International College of beirut and has majored in business Administration from the American University of beirut. however, getting the right job was proving to be difficult. so, instead of compromising, he convinced seven of his friends to join him in his dream of building their first company, fortune Promoseven (fP7). It was a group of young people trying to sell ideas and campaigns in an environment where
structured advertising was still in its nascent stage. over the years, miknas had seen highs as well as lows; his friends bid him adieu when a major client of fP7 went bankrupt and fP7 itself incurred heavy losses. but he strove on. today, he has a multi-billion dollar conglomerate of the best Pr, advertising, marketing and communication agencies in the middle East under the parent company of mCn holdings spread across over 65 offices in 13 countries. miknas also owns several major hospitality and leisure companies in the Kingdom of bahrain, the entire mcDonald’s franchise in lebanon and prime buildings in various countries with partnership in several real estate and investment ventures.
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Akram miknas Chairman, Fortune Promoseven
On childhood/teenage life “I was fond of American movies that portrayed young boys making an extra dollar by selling lemonade or other titbits. Inspired by these stories, I sold door-to-door cosmetics and encyclopedias to make my life a little better.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My mother always wanted me to earn respect with my work. Throughout her life, she only insisted on the importance of education. Her message was so repetitive that I almost considered it as her last desire, and thus invested significant energy to fulfil her wish.”
Business Philosophy “We own businesses across various segments – real estate, hospitality, manufacturing and industries, antiques and plenty of other interests. However, what made me really enter different disciplines is the fact that every time I gave a service to any client, I felt the need to support this service further.”
People Philosophy “I feel that every individual has a deep desire to excel in whatever he does, or wherever he is.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “I believe that hunger is at the base of everything.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “You have to understand that failure and success are part of everyone’s life just like black and white, and one has to love both of them in the same way. If we don’t fail, we won’t ever succeed. I don’t really mind my people failing, but I’d be upset if they do the same mistake over and over again.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “It’s never the job that holds importance, but the attitude towards the job that makes it or breaks it. It’s also about observation, and the desire to do things better. One has to look out for gaps and opportunities where things can be done in a much better way.”
Afterthought “I have a museum based on the concept of moving images, which has everything to do with images before electricity and until Charlie Chaplin. I would, perhaps, love to spend time at the museum.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
mohammed Khalaf Al habtoor Chairman and CEO, Al Habtoor Group
Al habtoor group is one of the biggest, successful and powerful family businesses in the gCC and mohammed Khalaf Al habtoor is the person who heads it all. Although belonging to the illustrious habtoor family, mohammed was initially interested in being a pilot and had even attended two years of pilot training classes. however, he soon realized that hotel management was his actual call and he got his hotel management degree from the AtI Career Institute in the Us. Post his graduation, he came back to Dubai, but instead of getting a plush position at his hotel, mohammed’s father, Khalaf Al habtoor asked him to start from scratch. thus began his real-life education, and mohammed gradually rose up the
ranks to finally become the Vice Chairman of the habtoor group in 2010. today, Al habtoor group is a huge conglomerate with diverse interests and in partnership with various companies all over the world. he has overseen the development and execution of transformational projects like Al habtoor City, Al habtoor Polo resort & Club, Al habtoor business tower, Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah and more. like the eye of an eagle, mohammed Al habtoor has his goals set on the Expo 2020 and has his strategies and plans chalked out for the next 8-10 years. “right now, we may be in the top 100 companies of the region, but I want to be in the top 10 list eventually.”
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mohammed Khalaf Al habtoor Chairman and CEO, Al Habtoor Group
On childhood/teenage life “As a child, I wasn’t too disciplined during the growing up years. I was naughty, gave my parents a hard time, and thus, they’d constantly keep a watch on me.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My father belonged to the ‘old school thinking’, with a traditional approach to business, which, if you notice, is often the reason why big companies are successful today. I’m glad he did not give in to the new generation’s approach and held on to his style.”
Business Philosophy “There is always risk in whatever you do. Even if you have a zero percent risk and something happens in this region, you will still get affected. So the key here is to minimize the risk, and this can be achieved from your business acumen and the expertise you have.”
People Philosophy “The key to keep your employees happy is to appreciate their work. This will not only motivate them, but also develop their loyalties towards the company.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “If you are fond of a particular thing, you should make it your top most priority and pursue it aggressively.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “We have mastered the art of networking and communication. We know how to deal with 206 nationalities present in Dubai, which is perhaps our secret to success.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “Everybody makes mistakes but it is important to learn from them and avoid repeating.”
Afterthought “In the simplest of terms, we have a strategy and plan in place for our future. Right now, we may be in the top 100 companies of the region, but I want to be in the top 10 list eventually. Moreover, I want to keep my father’s vision and mission intact and be in the top 10 companies of the world.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
PnC menon Founder and Chairman Sobha Group
Puthan neduvakkatt Chenthamaraksha menon, or as the world knows him, PnC menon was born on Dec 13, 1948 to a small business family in thrissur, a town in Kerala, India. menon’s father owned a transport business that crashed after his demise leaving PnC menon no other option than to take over the reins of his family. Inspired by a friend’s interior designing business, he began his own entrepreneurial journey and established a furniture business in mumbai. In 1976, menon met brig. suleiman Al Adawi, an army captain in the sultanate of oman, which gave his life a completely new direction. he flew down to oman, made an indepth and detailed study of the business prospects in the country, borrowed omr 3000 from a bank and plunged head-on first into the business. over
the years, he learnt new skills and techniques and gradually created a name for himself in the luxurious décor sector. today, sobha Developers is one of the major players in the real estate and construction industry. named after his wife, it was menon’s determination, resilience and passion for quality that propelled the brand to greater heights and transformed a small backyard furniture business to one of the topmost market leaders with an unparalleled reputation for quality construction and interiors. As an entrepreneur obsessed with numbers, PnC menon is ambitious and unpredictable with his slew of international expansion plans and diversification of interests.
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PnC menon Founder and Chairman Sobha Group
On childhood/teenage life “I lost my father when I was 10, which left my life in disarray. The (transport) business crashed leaving a 15 year old (the eldest) to take care of the family.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “I have always been driven by ambition. One of the ingredients for my growth or my evolution has been the ambition.”
Business Philosophy “I believe in sustainable business rather than just an opportunity.”
People Philosophy “You need to have the mental and physical fortitude to steamroll your ideas and achieve the impossible. The anatomy of a businessman exhibits the strength to always find and create opportunities for him, whether it is today or tomorrow.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Everything is a number in life. Your time is a number, weight is a number, height is a number, quantity is a number, length is a number, width is a number, lifespan is a number, and, in-short, everything in life is full of numbers. My personal belief is that unless you’re very good in numbers, it’s very difficult to understand business.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “To be successful, you have to think outside the box and be extremely creative.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “It is extremely critical to plan your cash flow management properly, cater for the worst scenario. I have a simple theory wherein your debt cannot be more than half of the equity.”
Afterthought “I always say that money, at this point of time, cannot make any difference to my life. But a portion of that will make a lot of difference in somebody else’s life.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
tony Jashanmal Executive Director, Jashanmal Group
tony Jashanmal represents the third generation of the illustrious Jashanmal family, the roots of which date back to 1919 with the setting up of the first departmental store by rao sahib Jashanmal in basra, Iraq. tony Jashanmal was born in Kuwait and studied in India and switzerland. After completing his degree at the hamburg school of Economics, Jashanmal initially wanted to work for an international organization but the untimely demise of his father forced him to take over the reins of the company. tony Jashanmal joined the Jashanmal group in 1973 and during his career he has established several new businesses within the company such
as the print media, men’s accessories, tobacco, and fashion. the gulf War in the early 90’s had completely demolished their business in Kuwait that the Jashanmal family had so painstakingly created over the years. he made it a point to rebuild the Kuwait operations and is also responsible for driving the group’s aggressive expansion into India. It has been more than nine decades and the Jashanmal group is one of the most successful privately held firms in the region. headquartered in Dubai, the company currently has over 2000 employees working in more than 100 stores while owning the regional franchisee rights to a whole lot of fashion brands.
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tony Jashanmal Executive Director, Jashanmal Group
On childhood/teenage life “I was born in Kuwait, and went to India (Bombay) after the first five years as the country did not have English language schools.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My grandfather had the most significant impact upon me during my childhood. It was an obligation for me to meet him once every month over the weekend. In these meetings, he would share his life’s thoughts, principles and values with me.”
Business Philosophy “One needs to act fairly by not taking undue advantage of an opportunity. For instance, it’s suddenly very cold and you’re the only one to possess heaters and the competitors don’t. You don’t shoot up the prices alarmingly to make the most out of the situation but act with fairness in your business.”
People Philosophy “Some people see others’ problems as their own, and come out to help. These people, I believe, have a self-confidence that they will survive.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “I believe a community should be encouraged because with our help and, of course, others too, these companies will produce activities which will form the part of our culture and would be appreciated locally as well as elsewhere.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Making money is not the entire objective, but to have a proper business in place where you can look after the family, run the business and be in a position to expand. But it doesn’t really mean that you join a race of doing everything your competitors do before the second one does it.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “My son has studied cinema and I remember he coming to me for financing his movie. And I said that I am not financing any of your movies, but this happened when he was quite young. Maybe, I’ll now give him the project to make a movie once we complete 100 years.”
Afterthought “While setting up a business, a lot of people are hesitant to start off on a small scale and are worried about how they will compete with corporate and other business giants in the region. Small businesses grow into big ones, and if things don’t work out, one can always do something else.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
mohammed Abdul rahim Al fahim CEO, Paris Gallery Group of Companies
mohammed Abdul rahim Al fahim is a member of Al fahim family, the founders and owners of Paris gallery group of Companies that has a slew of retail stores and distribution channels throughout the UAE and gCC. mr. Al fahim opened a shop in souk sharjah, the formal opening of the original Paris gallery; and learnt the tricks of the trade through that shop. It was managed by Al fahim and his brothers, where they were not just the owners but also the salespeople of the store. Al fahim then moved to the Kingdom of saudi Arabia and in the 10 years that he spent there, he held various leadership positions in the supply chain management. he restructured the entire management, rewrote company policies and developed the group’s overall strategic plans that led to the brand increasing its foothold in the industry, creating a high brand value,
customer loyalty and employee satisfaction. since his appointment as the group CEo in 2006, mohammed Abdul rahim Al fahim has brought about far-reaching reforms in the organization. he is a staunch supporter of corporate governance and believes that it fosters innovation, encourages creative thinking, and nurtures the creative spirit of the employee. With the number of Paris gallery luxury retail stores quadrupled since the year of origin, the results brought about by the reforms and policies of Al fahim is self-explanatory. his able leadership has brought forth various awards and laurels for Paris gallery, the most notable of which is the prestigious sheikh mohammed bin rashid Al maktoum business Award 2011 for business Excellence in the trade category.
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mohammed Abdul rahim Al fahim CEO, Paris Gallery Group of Companies
On childhood/teenage life “My father used to tell me stories and incidents of his life and take me along with him for events that let me observe him and his actions.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “Both parents have unique influences in shaping up the characters of their children. I learnt precious values of life from my father, whereas I learnt the softer morals of life from my mother.”
Business Philosophy “Every partner has an added value to your business; those values should be made clear at the outset. We don’t like to have partners for the sake of having them.”
People Philosophy “I like to give my staff maximum space where they can interact and work creatively. In fact, in many cases my employees, both younger and older, respect me as their brother.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Lead by example. If I lay down a policy and don’t follow it myself, it will be very wrong.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Well if you don’t mess up, you’re not human and that is the beauty of life. When you make mistakes you learn and rectify your actions; I make mistakes till date.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “Start building it, it’s not expensive. It’s a fear we have within ourselves since we’ve built our business from scratch. But let me tell you, if you do not start practicing corporate governance then you’re making a mistake; you’re killing your business yourself.”
Afterthought “I will want the leaders who will take over from me to continue building the group in a better way. I would like my family to feel that I cared and contributed to their growth in a positive way.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Avishesha bhojani Group CEO, BPG Group
by the time Avishesha bhojani landed in UAE in 1988, he had already disrupted the advertising scene in India and introduced concepts that were never heard of before - like media marketing and public relations. Word of his success spread beyond the borders and very soon, the IImb alumnus was staring at an offer of being the head of strategy at gulf news. After a brief stint at gulf news and helping several omani business people set up their advertising agencies, Avi bhojani joined his friend Abdulla majid Al ghurair to head and expand the then Pangulf (now bates Pangulf). since then bhojani has been instrumental in the conceptualization and execution of some of the emirate’s major retail initiatives and business
hubs. the Dubai shopping festival (Dsf), Dubai summer surprises (Dss) and Dubai Internet City (DIC) are some of the most transformative projects undertaken by him. his 34 year career has seen him work across sectors like the marketing services, media, Education, Private Equity and government and become the game-changer in the field of Pr, advertising and communications. Avishesha bhojani’s immense contribution to the growth and development of the UAE economy and landscape has made him the recipient of several awards. he has also been honored by his highness sheikh mohammed bin rashid Al maktoum for bhojani’s prodigious role in the evolution of the Dsf.
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Avishesha bhojani Group CEO, BPG Group
On childhood/teenage life “I dropped out of the National Institute of Design (India) after high school for a variety of reasons and none of them had anything to do with design… The course made me realize that you can fake it for a while, but you can’t fake it forever.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “Late Mr. Bal Mundkur. I had prepared a whitepaper that emphasized on how the firm would become the target of mushroomed-out start-up agencies. When I presented the whitepaper to my Chairman (Mr. Bal Mundkur), he said, “Son, sounds like a good idea. So, how about setting up a new company?”
Business Philosophy “Serial entrepreneurs are individuals who invest in people they feel are smarter than themselves and execute ideas in a creative, innovative manner. I feel like I am a serial entrepreneur who likes betting on bright brains.”
People Philosophy “I strongly believe in the power of partnerships. Get a good set of partners who not only complement you, but are also trustworthy in their area of competencies.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Make sure you enjoy the ride. It’s time to change if you’re not enjoying.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Failure at some or the other point of your career is inevitable. You will fail at times, and you need to be prepared for it. I’ve yet to come across someone who says I’ve always succeeded.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “Entrepreneurs should realize that there’s no free money. Having the most amazing idea, but hesitating to invest your own money and preference for third-party funding to get the ball rolling is unlikely to help you build a robust company.”
Afterthought “No matter what, don’t forget your personal values. If you try and take short-cuts, you will not be able to see yourself in the mirror.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
rizwan sajan Chairman, Danube Group
rizwan sajan’s life is a staggering example of how a person’s self-belief, hard work and persistence can move mountains and help them reach the destination initially envisioned. rizwan lost his father at the age of 16 and he shouldered his responsibilities by working part-time at a steel company for a measly salary of Inr 800 per month. his determination saw him attend college in the morning, work in the afternoon, and run his personal business at night. two years later, at the age of 18, rizwan joined his uncle’s company in Kuwait and started working from the bottom to his way up.
own destiny. two decades later, Danube is now one of the largest building material companies in the world. the group has 40 offices across India, China and the gulf with 2200 employees and has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards over the years. rizwan sajan doesn’t believe in following the market just because it is a trend. he is cautious and takes his decisions with utmost planning and precision; and that has served him well with the Danube group’s successful ventures into cladding and building materials, interior designing, property, retail and fashion, and food and beverages.
things were starting to look up for him when in 1990, the gulf War broke out and rizwan lost everything he earned forcing him to go back to India. And then in march 1992, he landed in Dubai and thus began his journey towards creating his
he is a strong believer in giving back to the community and his Danube Welfare Center is actively involved in helping unskilled workers improve their English languages skills and further their careers.
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rizwan sajan Chairman, Danube Group
On childhood/teenage life “My father’s early demise affected my education. I was forced to discontinue my studies to support my family being the eldest child in the family.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My uncle was my mentor, and whatever I have learnt about the business in the initial, formative years, were his teachings.”
Business Philosophy “We believe in building integrity and earning trust from our customers.”
People Philosophy “In our company, we believe in training an employee first hand to make him a better employee.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Things are initially tough, but eventually they fall into place with hard work.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Determination, hard work, luck and right people have made the difference.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “Looking ahead, my son will take care of the firm. The whole business is within the family, that is what Danube is, and they will take it forward.”
Afterthought “Decide what you want to be in life (area of interest) and stick to it. Hopping professions is one of the biggest mistakes.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Kunjithapadam rajaram CEO, Al Nabooda Automobiles
Kunjithapadam rajaram, the kaiser of automobile industry, originally hails from Chennai, India and grew up in mumbai. he then proceeded to get a bachelor’s degree in engineering with a specialization in metallurgical Engineering and was the topper of his class for those five years. In his words, “In the five years of engineering, I topped the college, but the lessons learnt? not much.” so, he followed up by getting his mbA with a specialization in marketing. rajaram always had a love and passion for the wheels so much so that at one point of time, he had nine motorbikes in his garage. today, even after spending more than three decades with the Volkswagen group; he has no intention of slowing down. rajaram’s first job was at a small shipping company called garware shipping in 1977. he was posted
to oman and spent the next 18 years working with the company’s car rental partner, running his car dealerships. the company did well under his leadership and so he decided to return to India. however, on a stopover to Dubai, he got acquainted with Khalid Khalifa Al nabooda, chairman of Al nabooda Automobiles’ parent company, Khalifa Juma Al nabooda group who requested him to stay back and work for his organization. the rest, as they say, is history. K rajaram gave Al nabooda a complete makeover, changing everything from the color of the walls to the employees’ salary in a bid to motivate the staff and stabilize the teetering company. his policies and strategies worked that culminated in 2016, when Al nabooda Automobiles built the world’s largest stand-alone Audi showroom in Dubai.
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Kunjithapadam rajaram CEO, Al Nabooda Automobiles
On childhood/teenage life “I joined St. Xavier’s college with a dream of becoming a doctor. However, a rather strange incident occurred; the principal called my father a year later and said that your son will be permitted to write the examination only if he doesn’t pursue his education further in this institution.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My father was the biggest role model for me.”
Business Philosophy “There are two ways of handling a problem: a) you can get bogged down and give up or, b) you stand up and get cracking.”
People Philosophy “One lesson to all the general managers has been: never ask people to do anything that you cannot. Prove you can do it better to those people.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Don’t get bogged down by a difficulty; tackle the ones that have a solution and come back to the indefinite ones later.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “I see my company not only growing which is normal, but also known as a firm that cares.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “Work in an enterprise/environment where you can get noticed.”
Afterthought “I would definitely be happy if the company, which I have invested 17-18 years in creating, achieves the pinnacle of the world’s largest luxury car dealership.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Deepak babani CEO, Eros Group
Deepak babani was 27 years old when he landed in the UAE. hailing from a middle-class business family, babani’s first job as an intern was at his father’s friend’s radio company called the bush radio. the insights gained from this internship helped him get his next job at murphy’s where he claims to have learned more than all his five years in engineering. Deepak babani’s advent to Dubai is a classic example of grabbing the right opportunity at the right time. he was in Dubai to meet his mumbaibased dealer; the meeting got delayed by 45 minutes, and he utilized that opportunity to attend a walk-in nearby and secure his first job in Dubai, at Jumbo Electronics for a monthly salary of AED 2000
only. After spending two and half years at Jumbo, babani shifted to Eros. the team comprised of only six members and even though he was hired as a marketing manager, babani had to do almost everything in the organization. he rose through the ranks of the company and today after 35 years, he has completely transformed the distributor and retailer of consumer electronics products into an envious and wide-ranging product portfolio. While in 1995-96, the company had a turnaround of Dh600 million, by end of 2015, it increased to Dh5 billion. this is a testament to his amazing leadership skills and the ability to take risks and seize opportunities.
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Deepak babani CEO, Eros Group
On childhood/teenage life “I recall failing the eighth grade by two marks in two subjects. My father and sister pleaded with the principal to allow me a re-exam, which was not allowed. Looking back, I believe that not allowing me to reappear for the exam was the best thing to happen.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My father was not an extremely successful man but stuck to values, and principles like honesty and loyalty have been taught by him. My mother brought me up with a lot of discipline.”
Business Philosophy “We have to align ourselves with our principles. First and foremost, we need to understand the principle’s perception of growth.”
People Philosophy “We work on a ‘management by consensus’ style, where the entire team comes together to ideate and find solutions for combating the challenges presented before us. And this principle is not sacrificed even when I have a completely different view from the general consensus.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “It is my strong belief that if you have a clean image, which is considered as one of the most valued aspect, nobody has anything negative to say.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “The secret of success is passion. When you work with passion, the hours of work put-in or hardships don’t matter.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “We do not like applications that have done a lot of hopping around. The first six months in any company are spent in learning the whereabouts, mechanics and systems of the business. It is always better that the company benefits from the training provided to its employees and they stay with us at least for four to five years.”
Afterthought “I would, perhaps, like to see myself as a philanthropist, teaching young people about business and my experiences in life.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
thumbay moideen Founder and President, Thumbay Group
thumbay moideen, the architect of the healthcare industry in the UAE, is a third-generation entrepreneur from a well-known business family in mangalore, India. he got a degree in commerce from st Aloysius College, mangalore and decided to take over the reins of the timber business established by his father, which required him to travel all across the world. It was during one of his business visits to tanzania, that moideen made a stop at Ajman to visit a friend at the royal family. he got involved in a brainstorming session on the growth and development of Ajman that finally culminated into building the first and only private university in UAE – the gulf medical University – for aspiring healthcare professionals. In 1998, moideen left his family business and
completely immersed himself in the business of healthcare. since then, the thumbay group has set up business operations across varied sectors. Apart from its core activities of education, healthcare and research, the group has invested in diagnostics, medical tourism, heath communications, wellness, hospitality, retail, publishing, procurement and distribution, real estate, technology, and media. In 1998, thumbay moideen decided to take a risk by venturing into a business that he didn’t have much knowledge of, but his hard work, courage, conviction and an indomitable pioneering spirit has seen the thumbay group emerge as one of the most successful and powerful business conglomerates of UAE.
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thumbay moideen Founder and President, Thumbay Group
On childhood/teenage life “During my childhood I always saw my grandfather strive to thrive his business. These episodes enthused me and I nurtured a go-getter attitude.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “The elders in the family were successful in their field of business. Eventually, they culminated into my inspiration. I exchanged notes and learnt the ropes of trade from them.”
Business Philosophy “I believe we need money to survive and grow, simultaneously I’m not ambitious. So being ruthless or resorting to unethical practices to mint money isn’t my intention.”
People Philosophy “Some insurance companies stated there was no need to send mystery shoppers to our hospitals anymore. I think this says it all. We have incurred losses but we never manipulated anything or anybody nor resorted to unethical practices.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Intrinsically, I’m passionate about work, and working weekends are a part of my life.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “The easiest way leading to success is straight, not crooked. If you follow all the legal guidelines, no businessman will fail.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “As you grow older, one realizes it’s not about professional satisfaction that provides solace to your heart but good deeds. I’m here to touch lives. My family, friends and team members should genuinely say that I was a good man with a kind heart for others. I’d be happy if this were to happen.”
Afterthought “There are two reasons behind the success of Thumbay Group. We are committed to our goal and we stick to our guns until we achieve the set goal.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
mona Ataya CEO, Mumzworld
mona Ataya, the Kuwaiti-born Dubai-based mompreneur, had her first experience in trading at the age of nine, when she sold her packet of hubba bubba chewing gums to her friends at school. hailing from an fmCg background, mona’s first job was at Procter & gamble followed by a stint in Johnson and Johnson. but her indomitable entrepreneurial spirit wouldn’t let her rest and in the year 2000 she joined her brother, rabea Ataya, to launch the then start-up now indispensable job search engine, bayt.com. mumzworld came into existence in 2011 when mona found out that as a mom, it was extremely frustrating and difficult for her to get the best
products for her children in Dubai. It inspired her to learn everything about e-commerce and shopping portals and launch her own website so that she could minimize the ordeals faced by the mothers of the region and empower them so that they could take informed decisions. mumzworld became the first enterprise of its kind in the region and a leading online marketplace for all things – mother, baby and child in the middle East. It is now a five year old brand with more than 100,000 product catalogs displayed on their website and a database of over 650,000 mothers and increasing. Under mona’s vision and able leadership, mumzworld is making rapid expansions in the entire gCC and has its eyes set on the rest of mEnA.
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mona Ataya CEO, Mumzworld
On childhood/teenage life “When I was nine years old, my father bought us a pack of Hubba Bubba chewing gum from the US. Delighted by the experience, when we asked for more, my father asked us to earn it instead. I hatched a plan to sell the bubble gum to my friends in school… my first experience in trading.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “Perhaps, one of the people I sought inspiration from was my father, who instilled the go-getter attitude in me.”
Business Philosophy “There are three pillars that form the foundation of any business: accountability, vision and strategy.”
People Philosophy “Once somebody told me that I don’t have to like everyone on my team. I strongly disagree with this idea. If you dislike someone, it is difficult to work together. While recruiting, make sure the person shares the same drive and passion as you.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “Viewing situations in a different manner, making a difference and striving for excellence is how I lead my life and teach my children to do so as well.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Success doesn’t happen overnight; therefore, we prioritized our objectives.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “Since the ecommerce market place is in its nascent stage in this part of the world, and entrepreneur needs to target his efforts to retain and appeal to grassroots relationships, affiliations, partnerships etc. Grassroots relationships have the ability to anchor a brand.”
Afterthought “I don’t need to have a billion dollars, but my comfort and kids. I may be blessed to say that I have thousand or billion people whom I have given excellence through my achievements.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Amr salem Global Managing Director - Smart Cities Internet of Everything, Cisco Systems
Amr salem grew up in Cairo, Egypt and belonged to a typical middle-class Egyptian family. In his words, “I was from a standard middle class family with both parents working and as it was prevalent in Egypt at that time, if you were not a doctor or engineer, you were nothing.” hilariously, he decided to pursue engineering and not medicine because engineering takes less years of study than medicine; he doesn’t think of himself as a techie but a businessman in the computer industry. he went on to earn his bachelor’s in science Electronics Engineering from Cairo University followed by an mbA in marketing from Washington International University. Amr salem’s first job was as sales personnel in Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) where he
spent almost five years of his professional life. his next set of roles included managerial positions in Compaq Computer Corporation and hewlett Packard before salem finally decided to join Cisco in 2006. since then, he has been the driving force behind Cisco’s increased presence in the mEnA region along with rapid strides in (including but not limited to) Iot, smart city, sustainable development, big Data and Cloud. by his own admission, Amr salem is fascinated by the transformative impact of personalities and technologies on the world and is a huge admirer of the silicon Valley model. he is focused on his vision of creating a smart and connected community and creating solutions to address social, environmental, and economical sustainability.
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Amr salem Global Managing Director - Smart Cities Internet of Everything, Cisco Systems
On childhood/teenage life “I was known as a smart boy from early on and I have hoped to live up to that image.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “I would like to say that I had to make it myself. My parents were divorced when I was six years old. This incident gave me a thick skin, a strong reason to fend for myself and made me resilient.”
Business Philosophy “Be ready to cannibalize your own business. It is a painful thing to eat your own children, very difficult but you need to do it so that the next one can succeed.”
People Philosophy “I am passionate about people development with adaptive leadership. As a leader, you have to find your position on the growth curve, recognize it and be brave and bold.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “You have to be the first one to challenge yourself before others come and do it for you.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Intelligent policies from different entities and rewards are integral for a successful plan.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “SMEs need to build their companies with scaling up in mind from day one. The key attribute in scaling up is talent, not skill. Talent is the attitude of people that are amazing and want to do something. Skills can be taught but attitude cannot.”
Afterthought “Personally, I would like to be celebrated for my values as a human being - honourable, a family man, a good husband and father. As a professional, I would like to be celebrated as a leader who gave value to other leaders who were able to multiply it to others.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
hussein hachem CEO, Aramex
hussein hachem considers himself a street smart corporate man who has been immensely shaped and influenced by the tumultuous lebanese Civil War. he was focused on getting a proper education and earned a bachelor’s degree in business Administration and management from the American University of beirut.
people in the local office. It was the end of the 1991 gulf War and the sky was filled with thick smoke because the oil wells had been blown up. his hard work, risk-taking attitude and ambition along with a strict aversion towards mediocrity helped him climb up the corporate ladder and lead its expansion process.
hachem’s initial purpose to join Aramex was to get away from the war-stricken lebanon. but once he joined, he fell in love with his job and thus began his growth in the company. the big names in the industry didn’t deter him, and he along with several in the company began to build the brand of Aramex aggressively. hussein hachem’s career with Aramex started when he was sent as a management trainee to Kuwait with only three
hussein is a strong advocate of innovation and technology and believes that the success of an organization is in its ability to adapt to the evolving lifestyle and preferences of its customers. today, Aramex mEnA has not only become a huge team with more than 30,000 people but is also actively investing in start-ups located in the UAE, brazil and India.
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hussein hachem CEO, Aramex
On childhood/teenage life “I was a good student and attended a reputed school, but the streets appeared to be more interesting. I considered interactions on the street to be far more attractive.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “I grew up in Beirut in an era of widespread chaos. The state had fallen into anarchy whilst parents and school teachers were determined to instil a sense of normalcy in children. The Lebanese Civil War shaped me considerably.”
Business Philosophy “We focus on embracing innovation and learning. We ensure that young talent is a part of our growth.”
People Philosophy “The key to achieving success is strong teamwork. With an adventurous spirit, and a dedicated workforce who believes in your vision and ultimately turn their efforts into a collective movement, you can move mountains.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “The competitive spirit in me doesn’t rest. Besides working hard and smart it is necessary to develop this belief. If you treat mediocrity as a benchmark then you will never succeed.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Failure leads to success. Nobody gets it right the first time… I fail regularly. When you mess up, overcome the shortcoming, digest it as a lesson and make sure the entire experience takes you to a new productive level.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “A start-up needs to evolve at every step. It cannot abide by one business model throughout its life span.”
Afterthought “I would love to spend more time with my family. I wouldn’t be where I am without my wife. I’d love to be remembered for my energy.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
ramy Jallad CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA) & RAK Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ)
ramy Jallad’s family came to UAE in the year 1977 when he was still a child and the country was in the throes of development. ramy was an artistic soul who initially wanted to become a designer like his mother, but followed his father’s advice of becoming an engineer. he got his degree in bachelor of science in mechanical Engineering from the Western michigan University in the Us. ramy’s first job as a site engineer was building a gas refinery and required him to stay at the Das Island in Abu Dhabi in challenging conditions. It was his first learning experience as a professional and helped him understand the importance of communication and team work and gave him a sense of accomplishment for his contribution to the construction of UAE’s largest oil refinery.
ramy Jallad’s illustrious career includes being the Executive Director of tECom, Executive Vice President - business Development & real Estate at Pearl Dubai, and VP – Property & free Zones at Abu Dhabi Airports. his workaholic nature, experience across diverse sectors and the ability to balance intuition and logic has helped him reach a position of power and responsibility. today, rAK ftZ hosts companies from more than 100 countries representing more than 50 industry sectors; and ramy Jallad has successfully steered ras Al Khaimah towards featuring among the top 10 small-and-midsized global Cities of the future, published by the highly reverential financial times’ fDi magazine.
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ramy Jallad CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA) & RAK Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ)
On childhood/teenage life “I was very good at studies but I was voted the least likely to succeed by my Headmaster in school. That, actually, motivated me even more because I made it a point since I was very young that anybody who’d tell me that I cannot do, I would do.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “My mentor and my spiritual leaders are always my God and my religion. But if you speak of a person, then it’d be Bjorn Borg.”
Business Philosophy “The system is never in place; there’s always something that we can improve; and I’m always looking for innovation, always looking for improvement.”
People Philosophy “The best performers are the ones who have the passion and the drive, more so than their experience. People are quick learners. You might have a beautifully written CV but if you don’t have that passion and drive…”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Inspiration meets Insight!
Life Philosophy “I’m a fighter and I’m very determined in what I want.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “My failures taught me to listen to my intuition a lot more, and even if it means going against where everybody else wants to go or with the flow; my intuition has been cultivated and developed to know what’s right and what’s wrong... A smart person is one who takes his gut feeling and supports it with facts.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “Listen more. Listening gives you a way to manoeuvre and to still gear what you want to do but taking everybody’s input is very valuable.”
Afterthought “My father always said, “Be good to people.” I’d like to be remembered as someone who was good with people.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
nawab shaji Ul mulk Chairman, Mulk Holdings
nawab shaji Ul mulk, the foundation of the billion dollar conglomerate, belongs to the royal family of Kurnool, India. he came to the UAE as a pitstop towards the Us and prepare for the business school in Us, but by the time the letter of admission reached him, he had already embroiled himself in a little business in the UAE. so focused he was on his dream of being a businessman, that he decided to forego the opportunity of studying at a premier business school of the world and concentrate on the growth of his business of manufacturing ceiling tiles. over time, he acquired a small share of 15 percent in Alubond, a family-run business manufacturing aluminum composite panels. soon he started
focusing full-time on Alubond and had six lines of manufacturing units up in no time, with business units setup in turkey, India, Europe, and Africa. Alubond, as we all know, is currently the largest and most trusted ACP and mCm brand in the world. shahji was an extremely talented sportsperson; he was a top-ranked badminton player of UAE and a professional cricket player who represented India in the regional leagues. Perhaps, it was his involvement in sports that instilled in him the sense of competition and discipline, and created the hunger for success while undergoing extreme physical and mental training that would prepare him for the uncertainties in business and in life.
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nawab shaji Ul mulk Chairman, Mulk Holdings
On childhood/teenage life “Of course, we had our comforts but we were also never allowed to forget that who we will be wasn’t dependent on our past but our present and future.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “We always wanted to achieve the best; and we inherited that from our father who constantly espoused that if you do something, you’ll have to be the best.”
Business Philosophy “My time is my most expensive asset and I have no time to waste.”
People Philosophy “For me, my employees are my family. My people have a say in the company and they can come to me anytime, as my doors are always open for them.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “I always wanted to be a businessman. In my head, I was very clear that I was going to build my own business.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “I strongly believe that a man is truly successful when he is happy; and it is the perfect balance of family, work and passion that makes a man really content.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “When you take a risk, you never lose. You either win or become wise.”
Afterthought “The main vision that I have for Mulk Holdings is that it should outlast next generations and me. I’d like to see it as a solid corporate governance company, people-driven and not ownership-driven, which means, regardless of my son or me, the company should grow on.”
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
magnus olsson Co-founder, Careem
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magnus olsson Co-founder, Careem
On childhood/teenage life
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor
Business Philosophy
People Philosophy
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy
Outlook on Success/Failure
Advice for Entrepreneurs
Afterthought
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Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
h.E. Abdul baset Al Janahi CEO Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development
hE Abdul baset Al Janahi is renowned for his support of young and aspiring entrepreneurs in the UAE as the CEo of the mohammed bin rashid Establishment for smE development. Prior to his appointment with the Establishment in 2002, Al Janahi held a number of senior managerial positions in leading organisations in the UAE. he was a founding member of Dubai shopping festival (Dsf) and the Dubai Internet City (DIC) and was responsible for formulating a business model that is now regarded as one of the most successful ICt hubs internationally. In 2001, Al Janahi was selected to join a taskforce responsible for setting up the Dubai Development and Investment Authority (DDIA), later renamed as tatweer. In mbrE, which was formed under the leadership of Al Janahi, he pioneered the
entrepreneurial development process from scratch. this initiative not only succeeded in helping start-ups and smEs secure their first business contracts, but also raised the community’s awareness about the importance of smEs to the growth of the economy. today, more than 9,000 entrepreneurs have been assisted under Al Janahi’s leadership of which about 800 are active members of the establishment. When the mandate of the establishment was expanded to include the Dubai smE sector, Al Janahi scored a first when the first-ever official definition of small and medium Enterprises in Dubai and the UAE was established to support the Dubai smE Development roadmap. Al Janahi has a Diploma from mIt sloan in the Us, and graduated in business Administration from the higher College of technology, Dubai.
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h.E. Abdul baset Al Janahi CEO, Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for SME development
On childhood/teenage life “When you live in an environment that inspires you to be creative, learn, dream, aspire and lead from your childhood itself, it inculcates a readiness to break new paths.”
Influencers/Family/Friends/Mentor “I consider the 5 M’s to be the biggest influence on me – Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, my father Mohammed Al Janahi and Their Excellences Mohammed Al Gergawi and Mohammed Alabbar.”
Business Philosophy “We encourage entrepreneurs to develop and translate their ideas into viable business projects and then support and guide them through various stages of growth and until they are capable of competing globally.”
People Philosophy “I am keen to make sure that my team finds the right mentor and guide in me and enjoy working with me.”
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Life Philosophy “I can say with pride that I have never missed an opportunity to listen to words of wisdom, experiment and learn.”
Outlook on Success/Failure “Success shouldn’t go to your head, nor should failure.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs “I believe trial and error is an integral part of the journey towards success. When you have a vision and the determination to achieve, you learn to value even failure for the lessons it taught you.”
Afterthought “I consider the mentoring I received in evolving into a leader and the lessons I learned from my leaders as my greatest assets.”
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Down the memory lane
Ahmed Bin Sulayem being felicitated by SPI Group
A brand new Toyota Hilux displayed at Emirates NBD Global Business Series
Akram Miknas felicitated by Emirates NBD
Powerpacked attendance
Ramy Jallad in conversation with SPI Group
Creating high-profile networking opportunities for business ethusiasts
Business executives having a great time at the event
Emirates NBD activation booth
Gerald Lawless sharing his thoughts with our attendees
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
Down the memory lane Inspiration meets Insight!
We love it when Business executives ask new questions
Avi Bhojani striking a pose for the camera
The rewards of top class networking are endless
Al Futtaim motors (Toyota) host a one stop shop for the entrepreneurs
Amr Salem in conversation with our moderator, Tariq
Mona Ataya felicitated by Emirates NBD and SPI Group
We always welcome our attendees with high class hospitality
The charismatic Emirates NBD team in action
Over 200 entreprenerus and C-suite executives all under one roof
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“I once read an article in a foreign newspaper saying: luck smiles back at Dubai. I respond: when they want to diminish your achievements, they attribute them to luck!� Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ruler of Dubai
Emirates NBD Global Business Series | An SPI Group Initiative
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