M. A.

Yusuff Ali

Done by Praveen.E
INTRODUCTION

Yusuff Ali Musaliam Veettil Abdul Kader, popularly known as M. A. Yusuff

Ali (born 15 November 1955), is Indian businessman and billionaire.
He is the chairman and managing director of LuLu Group International, which
owns the LuLu Hypermarket chain worldwide and LuLu
International Shopping Mall.
With an annual turnover of US$8.4 billion, LuLu Group International employs the
largest number of Indians outside India.[5][6] According to Forbes Middle East,
Yusuff Ali was ranked No. 1 in Top 100 Indian business owners in the Arab World
2018.[7]
As per Forbes billionaires list published in October 2023, he was ranked 27th
richest Indian with net worth of US$6.9 billion.[8]
EARLY LIFE
 Yusuff Ali was born in a Muslim family in Nattika in Thrissur district of Kerala on 15 November
1955. He did his schooling in Karanchira at St. Xavier's High School.[28]
 He holds a diploma in Business Management and Administration.
 After his studies, he left India in 1973 to Abu Dhabi, where his paternal uncle, M K Abdullah,
the chairman and the founder of the LuLu Group of Companies, was doing business.
 He developed the import and wholesale distribution of the group and ventured into the
supermarket business by launching Lulu Hypermarket.
 He started his first Lulu Hypermarket in the 1990s, a time when the UAE's retail sector
witnessed a major change, with the traditional groceries and supermarkets yielding place to
large neighborhood stores and hypermarkets.
 While the entry of Continent (now Carrefour) in 1995 changed the face of retail business in
Dubai, Yusuff Ali took charge of Abu Dhabi's retail sector by rolling out LuLu Hypermarket.[
LuLu Group International
 LuLu Group International commenced its operations as a family business venture.
 After joining the business, Yusuff Ali diversified the business to include import and distribution of
frozen products from Europe and the United States.
 The products were available not only in Abu Dhabi but also in other Emirates. The business was soon
expanded to include both food and non-food categories.
 The group also started cold storages, meat, and food processing plants, large-scale import and
distribution to hotel groups, catering companies, and shipping services.
 By the 1980s, the group had a sizable share of the wholesale and retail food market in the UAE.
 The group has grown into an international group with operations spread over three continents. The
group's flagship retail chain of LuLu Hypermarkets and Supermarkets is currently rated as one of the
major players in the Middle East retail sector with more than 100 stores in
Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
 Apart from the hypermarkets, supermarkets and department stores, the group also owns several
shopping malls, namely, Khalidiyah Mall, Al Raha Mall, Al Wahda Mall, Mushriff Mall, Madinat Zayed
Mall, Mazyad Mall, Ramli Mall, RAK Mall, Al Foah Mall, Al Khor Mall, Riyadh Avenue Mall in
Saudi Arabia and Oman Avenues Mall spread across the GCC states.
Philanthropy
Yusuff Ali is very closely involved in many social, charitable and humanitarian
activities both in India as well as in the Arab states of the Gulf. He has done
various philanthropic activities across the globe.
As part of its Global CSR policy, the LuLu Group joined hands with Dubai Cares
and adopted schools in Gaza and Nepal.[36][37] Yusuff Ali contributed and took
initiative to open a multi-faith funeral centre for the Indian community in Sharjah
that spread across 8.3 acres.[38]
He also took initiative to sell and promote organic products grown by the special
needs community in UAE through LuLu Hypermarkets[39][40] Yusuff Ali donated
towards the Gujarat earthquake, Tsunami Relief Fund in Asia, and Typhoon and
flood relief in other parts of the world.
 He also donated Rs 9.5 crores for relief and rehabilitation of Kerala flood victims
in August 2018. He is also actively involved in ensuring the social, economic and
religious welfare of expatriate Indians in the Persian Gulf region.
Personal life
He is married, with three children, and lives in Abu Dhabi, UAE.[45] His elder
daughter Sabeena is married to billionaire businessman Shamsheer Vayalil.[46][47]
His second daughter Shafeena is married to Adeeb Ahamed who runs Lulu
International Exchange and Twenty14 Holdings, the group's hospitality
investments division.[48] Youngest daughter Shifa is married to Sharoon
Shamsudheen who is into successful IT businesses.[4]
On 11 April 2021 the helicopter in which M.A. Yusuff Ali, his wife and three others
including the pilots crash landed in a swamp near Kochi, Kerala.
Ali and his wife were uninjured and were taken to a nearby hospital for first aid.
The private helicopter owned by the businessman had suffered a technical glitch
due to adverse weather.[49]
Recognition and awards
 2004 – "Commander" title & St. Ephraim Medal by the Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas of Universal Syriac
Orthodox Church.
 2005 – Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2005; the highest Indian government award given to non-resident Indians.[50]
 2008 – Padma Shri from the Government of India[51]
 2010 – "Business Man of the Year 2009-10" award instituted by the Kerala State Forum of Bankers' Clubs.[52]
 2012 – Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Indian CEO Awards held in February.[53]
 2012 – Swiss Ambassador's Award 2012 for outstanding efforts in promoting Swiss-UAE relations.[54]
 2012 – "Most Influential Asian Business Leader in the MENA region" award by Forbes Middle East.[55]
 2012 – "Arab Business Leader of the Year 2012" during the third edition of the Global Arab Business Meeting held in
Ras Al Khaimah.[56]
 2014 – Honorary D.Litt. by Aligarh Muslim University.[57]
 2016 – Was honoured with the archbishop Mar Gregorios Award instituted by the alumni association of Mar Ivanios
College, Amicos, for his contribution to the industrial sector in 2016.[58][59]
 2018 – Honorary doctorate from Middlesex University[60]
 2018 – Honorary doctorate from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala[61]
 2021 - Was honoured with Abu Dhabi's highest civilian award, Abu Dhabi Award 2021 by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Zayed Al Nahyan,Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.[62]
References

• "Welcome to Y International USA". Y Internationl USA.

• ^ ".:: Web Site Under Construction ::". yinternationl.uk.com.
• ^ "Lulu group moves". yusuffali.com. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
• ^ Jump up to:a b "Yusuff Ali: A mentor to his sons-in-law". Forbes India.
• ^ "Forbes News". Forbes. 2015.
• ^ "Forbes Biionaires". Forbes. 2015.
• ^ East, Forbes Middle. "Top 100 Indian Business Owners In The Arab World 2018". Forbes ME.
• ^ "PROFILE - M.A. Yusuff Ali". Forbes.
• ^ Lulu, Thrissur. "Kerala tourism".
• ^ "Yusuf Ali mops up 4.99% stake in Catholic Syrian Bank". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
• ^ "Billionaires 2013 Notable Newcomers". Forbes. 2013. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 4
March 2013.
• ^ "Yousaf Ali buys shares of Dhanlaxmi bank". Indian Express.
• ^ "NRI businessman MA Yousuf Ali picks up stake in Federal Bank". The Times of India. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
• ^ "Yusuffali buys over 2 per cent stake in South Indian Bank". Business Standard India. 21 January 2014.
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