Fathima Group chairman honoured with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Business Excellence Award

Abu Dhabi – November 28, 2016:  EP Moosa Haji, founder and chairman of the UAE-based business conglomerate Fathima Group of Companies, was presented with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Smriti International Business Excellence Award 2016, at a ceremony held recently at the Abu Dhabi Indian Social Centre. 

The award is instituted by Thiruvanathapuram-based Kalam Smriti programme in memory of the 11th President of India and aerospace scientist Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Sheikh Ali Al Hashimi, the UAE Presidential Advisor for Religious Affairs conferred the excellence award to Moosa Haji, in the presence of Muhammed Obaid Mu’ali, Chief Protocol Officer of Fujairah Police. 

Moosa Haji is an insightful entrepreneur and devoted philanthropist who well balances his business interests and commitment to social causes. Being one of the top ranking-business icons in the Gulf and India, he is a living example of an entrepreneur who infuses the humanitarian element in his business model by undertaking several social and philanthropic initiatives. His success story as a visionary leader, entrepreneur and a humanitarian can be credited to his humbleness and deep commitment to the society. 

Commenting on receiving the award, EP Moosa Haji, said, “I take humble pride in this recognition, which I consider as an honor to the entire Indian diaspora who are dedicated, sincere, peace loving and hardworking. I am deeply grateful to the organization for recognizing our commitment to excellence. We are confident that this success will contribute to further enhancing the standards of our business.” 

“This Excellence Award stands not only as a stamp of our success, but also as a continued assurance of our commitment towards excellence. I dedicate this honor to my team of more than 2,500 employees, working across the GCC and India,” he added. 

In a period of over four decades, Moosa Haji has transformed the Group from its origin as a small store located in Abu Dhabi in 1968 to a well-established business group that now pans across the GCC - predominantly a chain of hypermarkets, supermarkets and department stores along with other businesses in over 22 business verticals.

From a 16-year-old boy, who landed in the UAE from India in search of a decent livelihood, Haji has achieved success by establishing Fathima Group – one of the oldest companies in the UAE which enjoys a strong brand equity and reputation among its customers and suppliers across the GCC and India. Under his leadership, the Group today has a strong presence in food and fashion retail, distribution, catering, telecom, consumer electronics and home appliances, travel & tourism, manufacturing, food & beverage, real estate and hospitality industries

Moosa Haji hails from a humble and hard-working family from the South Indian state of Kerala. He is the protagonist of a typical rags-to-riches story, who set out to create a business conglomerate taking cue from the farsighted approach of the visionary leaders of the UAE who have contributed to this country’s extraordinary growth unlike any other in the world.