43 years ago, a young Indian man arrived in the UAE in search of a job that would help him build a life like his peers. Like other expatriate workers, he faced many challenges.

These ranged from finding work and covering daily expenses to adjusting to the summer heat and living in shared accommodation. On top of that,

at the time, all the young man had with him was just US$8. The days passed, and they were anything but ordinary. By the time we reached the present day, those dollars had grown

from eight to one billion US dollars. We are talking about Indian businessman and UAE resident B. R. Shetty, who has become one of today’s most celebrated success stories,

and the owner of one of the region’s—and perhaps the world’s—most important companies.

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Dr. B. R. Shetty says, “May 3, 1973, was an unforgettable day in my life. I arrived in Abu Dhabi on an Indian Airlines flight at the age of 19, carrying no more than

$8. It was a typical summer day in the UAE, and I had no luggage with me.”

من بلادي”.

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According to Gulf Times, which covered the story of an Indian expatriate who arrived in the UAE in the 1970s with no more than $8,

today he is one of the most prominent businesspeople in the UAE—and the world. Shetty rented an old house in the Madinat Zayed area with four other people. In the

harsh weather conditions in Abu Dhabi, having a fan was a great blessing, as air conditioners and refrigerators had not yet reached the country.

Shetty endured a difficult life because of the hot, humid weather. He had to walk long distances along dirt roads in search of work, and tried to find a job

in the public-sector pharmaceutical field, but his lack of Arabic limited his opportunities. For an entire month, he applied to numerous companies with his résumé

to no avail.

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After a month of searching, Shetty found a job related to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in Abu Dhabi. He became the first salesperson in the field

to visit shops and general stores to deliver products. His first salary was 500 dirhams, and he sent a large part of it to his mother to pay an installment

on the family’s debts.

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Within just a few months, Shetty had learned his way around Abu Dhabi’s markets and developed strong skills in Customer Service and working as a sales representative, and needed

18 months to repay all the debts his family had taken on to pay for his sister’s wedding and fund his campaign for deputy chair of the municipal council in the town of

Udupi, in the Indian state of Karnataka.

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In 1975, inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed’s vision of providing the best healthcare facilities for citizens and residents of the UAE, Mr. Shetty had the idea

of opening a clinic and pharmacy in a two-room apartment in the Zayed City area. The new medical center began with a doctor, a dentist, and a fully equipped pathology laboratory

The center was unique at the time.

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Mr. Shetty’s business soon expanded from the UAE to 10 countries around the world. The company he founded in 1975 is currently listed on the

London Stock Exchange, with a market value of around $2.7 billion. In 1980, he also established UAE Exchange, one of the largest companies

العاملة في مجال تحويل الأموال في الإمارات، حيث تشير الإحصائيات إلى أن الشركة حولت ما قيمته 26 مليار دولار في العام الماضي 2014. 

In 2003, Shetty took a risk by founding Neopharma, whose market value was estimated at around $2 billion in 2015.