Tributes pour in as the death of the leading Emirati businessman Majid Al Futtaim was announced on Friday.
Al Futtaim, who founded Majid Al Futtaim Holding in 1992, expanded it across the Mideast with malls and other ventures.
The company also runs over 300 Carrefour supermarkets and hypermarkets across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Its showpiece mall, the Mall of the Emirates, is a major attraction in Dubai and is home to the indoor ski slope.
In April 2021, Forbes’ 35th Annual World Billionaires named him as among the world’s top 10 richest Arabs.
Hailing him as “one of Dubai’s most important” business leaders, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, paid tribute to Futtaim on Twitter.
Sheikh Mohammed also recounted and praised Al Futtaim’s most recent decision to hire 3,000 Emiratis over the next five years.
Yusuffali M.A., Lulu Group chairman and managing director, on his part, said, “A true visionary and inspiration for the entire business community. He played a very key role in many business sectors, especially in the growth of retail sector in UAE and the region. Great loss indeed.”