In the bustling retail landscape of the Middle East and beyond, one name stands out as a beacon of entrepreneurial success: M.A. Yusuff Ali, the founder and driving force behind LuLu Group International. From humble beginnings in a small village in Kerala, India, to leading a retail empire that spans over 24 countries, Yusuff Ali’s journey is a testament to vision, grit, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. This is the untold story of a man who transformed a modest trading business into a global retail powerhouse, redefining shopping experiences for millions.
Early Life: A Foundation Built on Hard Work
Born on November 15, 1955, in Nattika, a quiet village in Kerala’s Thrissur district, Musaliam Veettil Abdul Kader Yusuff Ali grew up in a family of traders. His father, M.K. Abdul Qader, ran a small business, instilling in young Yusuff the values of hard work and perseverance. He completed his schooling at St. Xavier’s High School in Karanchira, Thrissur, and later pursued a diploma in Business Management and Administration in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. These early years laid the groundwork for his business acumen, but it was his ambition to dream big that set him on a path to greatness.
In 1973, at the age of 18, Yusuff Ali took a leap of faith and moved to Abu Dhabi to join his paternal uncle, M.K. Abdullah, who was running a small distribution business, the EMKE Group. Little did he know that this move would mark the beginning of an extraordinary entrepreneurial journey.
The Birth of LuLu Group: Revolutionizing Retail
Yusuff Ali’s early years in Abu Dhabi were spent learning the ropes of the family business, which focused on importing and distributing European frozen food products. His keen understanding of market needs and consumer behavior quickly set him apart. By the 1990s, as the UAE’s retail landscape began shifting from small shops to larger formats, Yusuff Ali seized the opportunity to innovate.
In 1995, he founded LuLu Group International and opened the first LuLu Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi. Launched during the challenging times of the Gulf War, when many expatriates were leaving the region, the hypermarket was a bold move. Yet, Yusuff Ali’s focus on quality, affordability, and customer satisfaction won the trust of both residents and the UAE’s royal family. The LuLu Hypermarket became a household name, offering a wide range of products tailored to the diverse needs of Gulf residents.
Under Yusuff Ali’s visionary leadership, LuLu Group expanded rapidly across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. By 2000, the group had established a strong presence in the region, setting a new standard for retail with its large-format stores. Today, LuLu Group operates over 260 hypermarkets and shopping malls across 24 countries, including the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, with an annual turnover of $8.4 billion.
Expanding Beyond Retail: A Diversified Empire
Yusuff Ali’s ambition was never limited to retail. Over the decades, he diversified LuLu Group into sectors such as hospitality, food processing, real estate, and banking. The group owns iconic properties like the Great Scotland Yard Hotel in London and the Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh, showcasing its growing influence in the global hospitality sector.
In India, Yusuff Ali made a triumphant return in 2006 with the opening of the LuLu Convention Centre in Thrissur, Kerala. In 2013, he launched the LuLu International Shopping Mall in Kochi, which remains the largest shopping mall in India. The group has since expanded its footprint in India with malls in Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Palakkad, and Coimbatore, as part of a ₹13,000-crore expansion plan announced in 2018. In 2025, LuLu Group inaugurated Kerala’s tallest twin IT towers in Kochi’s SmartCity, a 3.4-million-square-foot complex designed to accommodate 25,000 professionals.
Yusuff Ali also holds significant stakes in Indian banks, including 4.99% in Catholic Syrian Bank, 4.99% in Dhanlaxmi Bank, 4.47% in Federal Bank, and 2% in South Indian Bank. His minority stake in Cochin International Airport, which operates on solar energy, further highlights his commitment to sustainable development.
A Heart of Gold: Philanthropy and Humanity
Beyond his business achievements, Yusuff Ali is celebrated for his compassion and philanthropy. His acts of kindness have touched countless lives, earning him admiration worldwide. In 2021, he paid 5 lakh UAE dirhams (approximately ₹1 crore) to secure the release of Becks Krishnan, a Kerala expatriate sentenced to death in the UAE for a 2012 road accident. In 2024, he cleared an ₹8 lakh loan for a Kerala woman, Sandhya, who faced eviction, and provided her with ₹10 lakh to start a fixed deposit.
In February 2025, Yusuff Ali captured global attention when he personally carried the coffin of Shihabuddin, a supervisor at LuLu Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahda Mall, who passed away due to a heart attack. The video of this heartfelt gesture went viral, with social media users praising his humility and leadership. “This is what humanity is,” one user commented, while another called him “a true leader.”
Yusuff Ali’s philanthropy extends to global causes. Through the Yusuff Ali Foundation and partnerships with organizations like Dubai Cares, he has supported schools in Gaza and Nepal, promoted organic products grown by special needs communities in the UAE, and donated to relief efforts for the Gujarat earthquake, Asian tsunami, and global flood relief. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he contributed $6.8 million and built a 1,400-bed treatment center in Kerala.
Recognition and Legacy
Yusuff Ali’s contributions have earned him numerous accolades. He was ranked No. 1 in Forbes Middle East’s Top 100 Indian Business Owners in the Arab World in 2018 and is currently the 39th richest Indian, with a net worth of $7.4 billion as of October 2024. He received the Padma Shri in 2008, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor, and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman for his contributions to Indian expatriates. In the UAE, he was honored with the Abu Dhabi Award in 2021 and became the first recipient of Bahrain’s golden residency visa in 2022.
His leadership has also been recognized globally, with awards like the India-UAE Business Visionary Award and the Khalifa: Our Pride Award. Yusuff Ali serves as the Second Vice-Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, further cementing his influence.
A Vision for the Future
In 2024, Yusuff Ali made headlines again with LuLu Retail Holdings’ initial public offering (IPO) on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, raising $1.7 billion—the UAE’s largest IPO that year. With plans to expand further in Saudi Arabia and beyond, he sees a $100-billion market opportunity in the GCC retail sector over the next five years.
At 69, Yusuff Ali shows no signs of slowing down. “Retirement is not an option,” he declared in 2023, marking 50 years in the UAE. His journey from a small trading business to a global empire employing over 70,000 people from 46 nationalities is a story of resilience and innovation.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Impact
M.A. Yusuff Ali’s story is not just about building a retail empire; it’s about creating opportunities, uplifting communities, and leading with empathy. From transforming the retail experience in the Gulf to giving back to his homeland and beyond, Yusuff Ali embodies the spirit of an untold founder—a visionary who dared to dream big and made those dreams a reality. His legacy inspires entrepreneurs worldwide, proving that with determination, compassion, and a customer-first mindset, anything is possible.
This article is written for publication on Untold Founders, celebrating the extraordinary journeys of visionary entrepreneurs.