M.A. Yusuff Ali – LuLu Group’s journey into an Emirati multinational conglomerate company

“Business is not about money, products, or services, it’s all about people”, said Yusuff Ali Musaliam Veettil Abdul Kader also popular as Yusuff Ali M. A., the chairman and managing director of LuLu Group International. Born in a Muslim family in Thrissur district, he completed his diploma in Business Management and Administration and shifted to Abu Dhabi in 1973 to join his uncle, MK Abdullah’s EMKE Group of companies. His achievements in developing the group’s import and wholesale distributions made him venture into the supermarket business by rolling out Lulu Hypermarket, a retail department of LuLu Group International, an Emirati multinational conglomerate company.

Yusuff Ali focuses on top-notch product quality integrated with the latest technology and value for money, allowed for steady growth of his venture, expanding its range from hypermarket operations to hospitality, shopping mall development, real estate, and manufacturing and trading of goods with more than 200 outlets globally and a mark of being one of the most reliable brands in the region.

Long-term residence visa for Yusuff Ali

Recently, Yusuff Ali was granted a long-term residential visa by Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousaf, Oman’s Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion (MOCIIP). The Minister is looking towards the creation of new job opportunities and enhancing investment quality in the Sultanate. The visa grant is a part of the Sultanate’s effort towards increasing GDP growth and allowing foreign investors a right to long-term stay in Oman and support the national economy, which is in line with the objectives of the Oman 2040 vision.

M.A. Yusuff Ali Bio

Yusuff’s various other contributions are, a 60,000 sq. feet big waterfront home, Lulu Tech Park, and a LuLu mall in Kerala. As a part of the recent expansions, Lulu Group has opened a Lulu Hypermarket in Indonesia and Malaysia followed by an investment of $435 million in Telangana for a meat and food processing unit, hypermarket, convention center, and mall.

LuLu Group’s annual turnover of US$7.4 billion made it the main contributor to the Gulf region’s economy. Forbes announced Yusuff Ali as the 39^th richest man in India and 737^th globally. A philanthropist by nature, he is involved in many social and charitable activities in India and Arab states- donated Rs 9.5 crores for relief of Kerala flood victims in 2018 and 50 million in 2019, collaborated with Dubai Cares and various schools in Gaza and Nepal, promoted organic foods produced by special needs community in UAE through LuLu Hypermarkets and various others.

He also launched the year of Arabic Calligraphy in 2020, extending it to 2021, which focuses on highlighting the richness of the historic heritage of Arabic culture using calligraphic art on reusable bags, paper bags, and shopping bags.

As the world was dodging the Covid-19 pandemic struggles, Yusuff Ali came into action and wholeheartedly contributed an amount of Rs 47.5 crore in Covid relief in India and Gulf. He also tweeted that, “I have humbly contributed Rs 25 crores to the PM Cares Fund to support all relief works in India’s fight against the COVID-19.”

His ample contributions rewarded him with a Padma Shri from the Indian government in 2008, Abu Dhabi award 2021 (Abu Dhabi’s highest civilian award) by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and many others.

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