From a bank employee to business mogul, the inspiring story of Majid Al Futtaim

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Emirati billionaire Majid Al Futtaim, who rose from working as a bank clerk to creating an eponymous business empire, including a massive Dubai mall with an indoor ski slope, died on Friday.

The life story of the late Emirati businessman Majid Al Futtaim can be considered an inspiring lesson for all Emirati and Arab youth, for a man who started his career as a small employee, until he became a prominent mark in Arab and international trade.

Majid Al Futtaim, who used to work as an employee in the Bank of Oman, now known as Mashreq Bank, decided to break away from the traditional family business and turned to the automobile trade, which later opened the doors to huge wealth.

In 1992, Majid Al Futtaim continued his successful career and decided to establish Majid Al Futtaim Holding Company, which has become to this day one of the largest companies in the field of management and development of shopping centers, in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, in light of his vision based on “Achieving the happiest moments. For all people, every day.”

Majid Al Futtaim's projects are currently spread in many countries, through a series of successful giant projects, which have achieved wide resonance, and employ more than 34,000 employees.

Majid Al Futtaim Holding Company manages 28 shopping malls, 13 hotels and 4 integrated city projects.

Among the most prominent projects of Majid Al Futtaim: Mall of the Emirates, Mall of Egypt, City Center malls scattered in many countries, community shopping centers "My City Center," and 5 shopping complexes, in partnership with the Government of Sharjah.

Majid Al Futtaim Holding Company also operates more than 170 stores in 15 countries, And 242 cinema screens in VOX Cinemas.

It also runs over 300 Carrefour supermarkets and hypermarkets across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

It also owns the rights to manage 28 Magic Planet family centres in the region, and several innovative leisure facilities such as the region's first indoor ski resort, Ski Dubai, the flyDubai domestic airline, and a group of hotels, the most famous of which is Kempinski Mall of the Emirates in Dubai.