Nov 01, 2025
Yusuf Ali: From a Kerala Village to a Global Retail Empire
Born on November 15, 1955, in the coastal village of Nattika, Thrissur district, Kerala, India, M.A. Yusuff Ali grew up in a modest Muslim family during the era of the Travancore-Cochin state. His early education at St. Xavier's High School in Karanchira instilled discipline and curiosity, but it was a diploma in Business Management and Administration that sparked his ambition. In 1973, at just 18, Ali boarded a ship from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, drawn by opportunity in the burgeoning Gulf. There, he joined his paternal uncle, M.K. Abdullah, who had founded a small trading business in textiles and frozen goods—a venture that would evolve into the LuLu Group of Companies.
His story is given in below link
https://www.graymatterdubai.com/the-lore-of-a-legend/
Ali's entry into the business world was unassuming: he started as a junior employee in a modest grocery distribution setup, handling imports and sales amid the oil boom's economic fervor. The 1970s Gulf was a land of promise for young Indians like him, but success demanded grit. Ali's days were long, learning the nuances of supply chains, customer preferences, and multicultural markets. By the late 1970s, he had risen to manage wholesale operations, spotting gaps in the fragmented retail landscape dominated by small kirana-style stores. His breakthrough came in the 1990s, as the UAE transitioned from wartime recovery—post-Gulf War—to retail modernization. In 1995, Ali spearheaded the launch of LuLu's first hypermarket in Abu Dhabi, a bold 50,000-square-foot behemoth offering everything from groceries to electronics under one roof. It was a gamble; hypermarkets were novel in the region, but Ali's insight into diverse expatriate needs—Indians, Arabs, Europeans—paid off spectacularly.
Under his stewardship as Chairman and Managing Director since the early 2000s, LuLu Group transformed into a multinational powerhouse. Today, it boasts over 270 hypermarkets and malls across 25 countries, from the UAE and Oman to India, Indonesia, the UK, and the US, employing 70,000 people— the largest Indian diaspora workforce outside India. The group's annual turnover exceeds $8.4 billion, fueled by diversification into hospitality (like the iconic LuLu Mall in Kochi, India's largest shopping destination), logistics, food processing, and even IT parks. Forbes ranks Ali as India's 39th richest in 2024, with a net worth of $7.4 billion, crowning him the top Indian business owner in the Arab world in 2018. Yet, his success is laced with personal trials: in April 2021, a helicopter crash near Kochi hospitalized him and his family, a stark reminder of vulnerability amid triumphs.
Philosophy
Ali's philosophy—innovation, customer-centricity, and ethical growth—has been pivotal. He navigated economic dips, like the 2008 crisis, by expanding into emerging markets and embracing e-commerce early. Philanthropy defines his legacy too: during COVID-19, he donated $6.8 million for relief and built a 1,400-bed treatment center in Kerala. Back home, he gifted the Y Mall in Triprayar to his charity foundation, channeling profits to religious and social causes. Married to Shabira Yusuff Ali, with three daughters wed to successful entrepreneurs, Ali balances empire-building with family, often crediting his roots for his grounded ethos.
Yusuff Ali's Engagements in Bangladesh: Bridging Retail and Regional Ties
While LuLu Group's footprint in South Asia centers on India—with malls in Kochi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad—Ali's vision extends to neighboring Bangladesh, a market ripe for organized retail amid its booming economy. Though LuLu has not yet established hypermarkets there, Ali's visits underscore strategic interest and people-to-people diplomacy.
Trip to Dhaka
In early 2023, Ali made a high-profile trip to Dhaka, hosted by Bangladesh's business chambers, to explore retail and investment opportunities. Discussions with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi focused on potential LuLu outlets in Dhaka and Chittagong, leveraging Bangladesh's 170 million consumers and growing middle class. Ali emphasized technology-driven stores and local sourcing, aligning with Bangladesh's export-led growth. The visit, covered extensively in local media, highlighted LuLu's model of employing locals—potentially thousands in Bangladesh—mirroring its Indian success.
A follow-up in late 2024 saw Ali attend the Dhaka International Trade Fair as a guest of honor, where he inaugurated a LuLu pavilion showcasing Gulf products. He met with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), pledging skill-training programs for Bangladeshi youth in retail management, echoing his Kerala initiatives. These engagements reflect Ali's knack for soft power: in a 2024 interview, he noted Bangladesh's "vibrant entrepreneurial spirit" as ideal for LuLu's expansion, potentially creating 5,000 jobs by 2027. Amid regional tensions, like India's power supply cuts to Bangladesh over unpaid bills, Ali's apolitical focus on mutual prosperity stands out. His visits, often via private jet, blend business scouting with cultural exchanges, such as donating to flood relief in 2024, reinforcing LuLu's image as a benevolent force
LuLu Hypermarket Opens in Jeddah: Yusuff Ali Hosts Grand Ceremony with Ihsan Bafakih as Chief Guest
On a warm July evening in 2025, Jeddah’s Al-Baghdadiyah Al-Gharbiyah district buzzed with excitement as M.A. Yusuff Ali, Chairman of LuLu Group International, inaugurated the new 100,000 sq ft LuLu Hypermarket on Al-Andalus Road. The event was a dazzling blend of commerce, culture, and diplomacy.
The hypermarket’s façade glowed in LuLu’s signature green and gold, with digital screens showcasing fresh produce and global brands. Traditional Saudi drummers and an oud ensemble welcomed over 1,500 guests under a grand white marquee. Security was seamless as VIPs arrived in luxury convoys.
Yusuff Ali, dressed in a crisp white thobe and navy blazer, arrived in his Rolls-Royce Phantom. He paused to greet young Saudi employees—hired under Saudization—thanking them personally in Arabic and English. The moment went viral, highlighting his humility.
On the floral-decked stage, Deputy Mayor Nasar Salem Almoteb cut the ribbon alongside UAE Consul General Nasser Huwaiden Alketbi and Indian Consul General Fahad Khan Suri. The chief guest, Ihsan Bafakih—Executive Vice Chairman of Al Nahla Group and former Governor of the State Properties General Authority—was invited by Ali to deliver the keynote.
Bafakih praised the hypermarket as a “pillar of Vision 2030,” commending LuLu’s role in job creation and sustainable retail. Ali, in response, thanked the Kingdom and announced plans for more integrated malls with Al Nahla. Guests toured the store’s fresh food halls, electronics zone, and lifestyle sections, sampling dates and global cuisines.
The ceremony ended with fireworks over the Red Sea skyline, symbolizing LuLu’s growing legacy in Saudi Arabia—now with over 20 stores—and Ali’s vision of prosperity through partnership.
Lulu Mall opening in Jeddah
https://youtu.be/4mnyn5Y0fzY?si=DK4ysAdAvBfBdw0j
Ihsan Bafakih
Appointed Governor of the Real Estate General Authority in December 2018 by royal decree, Bafakih became a linchpin in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's diversification drive. In 2019, he transitioned to Governor of the State Properties General Authority (SPGA), overseeing SAR 600 billion in assets. His pillars—protection, productivity, efficiency, quality—guided reforms like public-private partnerships for solar projects and urban redevelopment. Under his watch, SPGA digitized land registries, curbed speculation, and unlocked state lands for housing, contributing to a 15% GDP real estate share. By 2025, as Executive Vice Chairman of Al Nahla Group—a Jeddah-based conglomerate in manufacturing and logistics—Bafakih drives institutionalization, blending family heritage with modern governance.(src-Grok)
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1522826/amp
Ihsan Bafakih-Manarat Jeddah
Manaratians ,if you did not know who he is. Well let us tell you. Ihsan Bafakih in addition to his positions in Banking Sector and SPGA(uptil 2023) is an alumni from Manarat Jeddah.(1989).
A boy who was smiling in school and had distinct personality graduated from US.
He has held several positions:
Ihsan joined us Manaratians in year 1984. That was 5th grade ,of Mr Davis. He was from Scotland, a tall fair mustached man who really meant business if a student forgot his maths homework!
In sports Ihsan was the best goal keeper whilst I was in defender in School Football(BE).
Last time I met Ihsan was in , Jeddah Airport. He came back from US or was going and I too returning from US visit.
These were all memories.
Wish you the best Ihsan!
Officially Ihsan is referred as His Excellency(H.E.) Ihsan Bafakih.
Below Picture. Ihsan Looking at camera with a frown.(fair without glasses).
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Written by Abbas (Manarat Alumni)
email :info@manaratjeddah.com
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