الاسم: سيف الغرير

الجنسية: إماراتي

تاريخ الميلاد: عام 1924

تاريخ الوفاة: 27 أغسطس 2019.

اسم الشركة: Al Ghurair Group

The UAE’s most renowned businessman never knew that, after starting out as a pearl diver, he would help write the history of Dubai. His story became a model of entrepreneurial success

and passion for work, inspiring millions around the world. How did the late Saif Al Ghurair begin his life?

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نشأته

Saif Ahmed Al Ghurair was born in 1924 and was the eldest of five siblings. He began life in difficult circumstances, as Dubai was struggling with poverty during his childhood.

Saif Al Ghurair’s family lived in a mud-brick home and would spend the hot, humid summers in tents. They had to filter their drinking water using

Sieves, used to get rid of the worms that had filled them.

His father owned several boats used for diving and pearl fishing, so he grew up following in his father’s footsteps—fishing and trading—and learned their routes from an early age.

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حب الصيد

In his youth, Saif would spend months at a time at sea, living on rice, dates, and fish. He served as the boat’s captain and represented its owner,

and one of his most important duties was safeguarding the pearls. He kept them in small wooden boxes inside the cabin where he slept.

The pearl-diving profession faced a serious threat in the 1930s, after cultured pearls appeared in Japan. Pearl fishing became un

profitable and no longer worthwhile, prompting the family to turn to trade.

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تطوير القوارب

The Al Ghurair family worked to improve small pearl-fishing boats so they could make longer voyages and carry heavier loads.

The family began transporting dates from Iraq to Africa and India, returning with cargoes of fabrics and textiles, as well as wood used to make

منها القوارب.

That wasn’t all: the family added gold to its trade as Dubai became an important center for this precious metal.

Saif Al Ghurair became a trader at an early age. He bought large quantities of fish in the Jumeirah area and sold them in Dubai Creek to the crews of Dutch merchant ships moored there,

then later traveled to the Sultanate of Oman to sell sardines to ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

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تحديات مؤلمة

As Dubai experienced a rapid boom in trade and growth, life continued to put challenges in Saif Al Ghurair’s path, and he was soon to face another hardship;

During one of his trips to India, he encountered storms and strong winds that whipped up powerful waves, causing painful irritation in his right eye.

After arriving in India, his eye was in severe pain. When he went to a doctor, he was stunned by the decision that had to be made immediately: he would lose his sight.

Al Ghurair recalled the incident: “When we arrived in India, my eye was in severe pain, so I went to a doctor. He told me that the pain would go away only if I lost one of my eyes, and I agreed

to have the pain stopped. By God’s grace, I would lose only one eye.”

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مجموعة الغرير

The family was keen to expand its business after specializing in pearl diving and trading during the first decades of the 20th century, which led it to establish

“Al Ghurair Group” in 1960.

The Al Ghurair Group, founded by “Saif,” brought together the family’s businesses and expanded into a wide range of sectors, from retail,

and industry to real estate. This had an impact not only on his business, but on the UAE economy as a whole.

Dubai began rising from the desert sands through major investments in infrastructure, which positively affected the Al Ghurair family during

the 1950s, before the UAE was formed in 1971.

Al Ghurair’s trading activities flourished, making the family a prominent contributor to Dubai’s modern development. The group established Dubai’s first cement plant in

1968, followed by wheat mills in 1976, as well as sugar refineries and aluminum smelters.

The group became one of Dubai’s strongest economic sectors after building a shopping center in 1981.

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شخصية إدارية

Saif Al Ghurair became one of the most prominent, longest-serving, and wealthiest Emirati businesspeople. He held numerous positions, serving as chairman of Al Ghurair Group and as chairman of both

the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the UAE Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He also held several other executive positions.

Saif Al Ghurair passed away on August 27, 2019, after a life filled with achievements recorded not only by his group, but also by the Emirate of Dubai in letters

من ذهب.

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Lessons Learned:

Good management: An entrepreneur should have leadership qualities that help them manage their affairs effectively and ensure success.

تطوير العمل: A company’s or project’s business plan should be continually refined to strengthen its presence in the market.

Satisfaction and contentment: Saif accepted his fate after his right eye was injured, and was determined to see the colors of the world with one eye.