M.A. Yusuff Ali is the Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group International, one of the Middle East’s largest and most diversified retail-led conglomerates. Widely regarded as a leading figure in regional retail, he presides over LuLu Retail, which generated USD 7.3 billion in revenue and operates 240 hypermarkets and shopping malls across the Gulf and international markets. Born in Kerala, southern India, Yusuff Ali relocated to Abu Dhabi in 1973, where he joined his uncle’s small distribution business. Over the following decades, he transformed the enterprise into a global retail powerhouse, anchored by large-format hypermarkets and integrated shopping destinations serving diverse, multi-ethnic consumer bases. In 2024, Yusuff Ali led the landIn 2024, Yusuff Ali led the landmark listing of LuLu Retail Holdings on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, raising USD 1.7 billion in one of the UAE’s largest private-sector IPOs and marking a pivotal step in the Group’s evolution as a publicly listed, growth-oriented regional champion.
Today, LuLu Group employs more than 75,000 people representing 46 nationalities and operates an extensive retail and logistics network spanning the UAE, the wider GCC, Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America, with an annual global turnover estimated at approximately USD 8 billion. Beyond retail, Yusuff Ali maintains a diversified investment portfolio across infra – structure and hospitality, including a minority stake and board position at Cochin International Airport, internationally recognised as the world’s first fully solar-powered airport, as well as ownership of iconic hos – pitality assets such as the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian and London’s Great Scotland Yard Hotel, the former headquarters of the UK Metropolitan Police. He has also played an influential role in regional business governance, having served multiple terms on the board of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including as Second Vice Chairman, while remaining actively engaged in philanthropic and social initiatives across the Middle East, India, and other regions. Overall, Yusuff Ali exemplifies entrepreneurial vision and long-term institution building, combining global scale with disciplined growth. Through the public listing of LuLu Retail, he has built a business legacy defined by accountability, resilience, and impact.
