Prepared by Dr. Waddah Al-Said
Today, we shine the spotlight in the adult world on one of the most important figures in finance and economics in the State of Kuwait He is Mohammed Abdulaziz Al-Shaya, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mohammed Hamoud Al-Shaya Company, which was founded more than a century ago in Kuwait. Today, the company holds franchise rights for more than 40 global brands and operates in more than 13 countries. In addition, it operates in various sectors, including real estate, construction, hotels, information technology, and advertising.
His Education and Early Career
He received his university education at the Wharton School, majoring in business administration, and went on to work at Morgan Stanley in New York, United States of America. However, a phone call from his father in 1984, in which his father asked him to return to the family fold, prompted him to leave and return to his homeland, where he began his journey of continuous success from that day forward.
Although he is the youngest brother in the family, he is credited with the group’s success and its rise to global prominence, Since taking over as CEO of the company in 1990, he has worked to expand its operations to where they stand today. He ranked 39th among the 100 most influential Arab figures last year.
He is known for his strong belief in the economic potential of large family-owned businesses and their ability to endure for many generations to come.
Business Leaders
The Kuwaiti "Mohammed Hamoud Al-Shaya Company," the retail arm of the «Al-Shaya Group,»Al-Shaya is credited with his ability to lead his company through the most difficult circumstances the region has faced—a series of crises that began with the global financial crisis and the European debt crisis, culminating in regional crises that significantly impacted the retail sector, Nevertheless, the group continued to expand and achieved solid annual growth rates.
Al-Shaya is today one of the most prominent business leaders in the region and the world, and Alshaya Group is considered one of the most active business groups in the Middle East, operating in multiple sectors including real estate, construction, hotels, retail, information technology, and advertising.
Global Brands
Mohammed Hamoud Alshaya Company currently owns and operates more than 1,800 stores, representing over 50 global brands, As one of the most active and fastest-growing companies, its stores are spread across 20 markets in the Middle East, Turkey, Cyprus, Russia, Poland, and Egypt, and more recently in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.
Mohammed Alshaya, who holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of Business, holds several high-level positions in regional and global organizations and institutions, most notably as a member of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development in the State of Kuwait, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Thought Foundation, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Arab Business Council.
