Yusuffali M.A. ranks among the top business personalities in the region today. Under his dynamic leadership, LULU Group has achieved significant growth and diversified into various business lines. Today, the Group is one of the leading importers, wholesalers and retailers of all kinds of consumer items with a worldwide business network and a vast organizational structure of over 29,000 employees from 29 different nations. With an annual turnover of US$ 4.75 billion, the group is best known in the Gulf through a chain of Shopping Malls, Lulu Hypermarkets, Supermarkets and Department stores. Apart from its overall presence in the U.A.E., the group has major business interests in India, China, Hong Kong, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania and Benin.
In recognition of his remarkable achievements in Business & Industry and his distinguished services in the field of social work, he was conferred the prestigious Padma Shri award by the Hon’ble President of India in the year 2008. He was the first Non-resident Indian from the Gulf and the Middle East countries to be honoured with this coveted award by the Government of India.
Taking into consideration his outstanding achievement in the field of business and in recognition of his valuable contribution in promoting the honour and prestige of India and in fostering the interests of overseas Indians, he was conferred with the prestigious “Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award” the highest Indian Government Award given to Non-resident Indians by the Hon’ble President of India in the year 2005.
The crowning glory in his career came when the business community in Abu Dhabi elected him as the Director Board member of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry which is one of the world’s most prosperous and wealthy business regulatory authorities. He is the first and only Indian from the Middle East elected to such a prestigious business regulatory authority. In addition to this, he is also the Vice-chairman of its Trade Committee. After four years, in 2009, the U.A.E. business community re-elected him to the Director Board of ADCCI with a thumping majority.
The Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates in its decision of the year 2011 approved his nomination to the Director Board of Zakat Fund, the prestigious Governmental and Federal institution of the U.A.E. The Justice Minister of U.A.E. is the Chairman of the Board.
Mr. Yusuffali is a member in the Indian Prime Minister’s Global Advisory Council, Central Wakf Council and the Security Advisory Council to Civil Aviation, Director in Air India, Infrastructures Kerala Limited (InKEL), Cochin International Airport Ltd., Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (KSIDC), Trustee in The India Development Foundation and Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre and the Vice Chairman of Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Committee (NORKA ROOTS).
The Wallstreet Journal has named him as one of the most influential non-royal in the United Arab Emirates. In a recent survey published by Arabian Business Magazine, Mr. Yusuffali has topped the list of GCC’s 100 Most Powerful Indians. Their survey has also placed him second in the ‘List of GCC based Richest Indians’ with assets put at $ 1.75 billion.
Mr. Yusuffali is also the recipient of numerous awards both in India and abroad, including the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Award which was awarded for his contribution as an NRI businessman in furthering India’s bilateral ties with the Middle East and for generating the highest employment opportunities for Indians abroad.
Mr. Yusuffali holds various positions in numerous social, cultural, educational and religious organizations in the U.A.E. To name a couple, he is the Chairman of India Social & Cultural Centre and the Vice-Chairman of Abu Dhabi Indian School. In addition to this, he is also the Chief Patron of the Indian Islamic Centers in the U.A.E and a founder member of the Indian Business / Professional Group, U.A.E.
