The upcoming Lulu Mall in Thiruvananthapuram is another much awaited prestige project of the company according to M A Yusuff Ali (in pic): ManoramaKochi: Billionaire entrepreneur M A Yusuff Ali, MD of Lulu Group International, has made a signature contribution to the economy with his colossal projects in Kerala.
His landmark Lulu Mall in Kochi and the Rs 1,800-crore Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre, are some of the landmark luxury facilities in the country.
Ali, who is the only Keralite in Forbe's billionaire list, speaks to Manorama in an exclusive interview.
Excerpts:
Can you tell us about your entrepreneurial vision?
My foremost vision is to bring unprecedented development and facilities to my home state. The four verticals of my company, namely hotels, hospitals, real estate and retail are tremendous employers. They can bring jobs to thousands of people.
How many Keralites are there in your global workforce?
The group employs over 42,000 people across the globe, of which around 28,000 are Keralites. By 2020, we hope to have at least 30,000 Malayalees in our workforce.
What difference can Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre make to the state’s tourism sector?
At present, Singapore is one of the world's top MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions) destinations.
The country’s vibrant tourism industry helps Singapore excel as a MICE destination. It is a model worth emulating.
Kerala has the potential to project itself as a dynamic business events destination. Our target is to play host to at least half of the total number of MICE events held in Singapore per year.
What are your contributions to the development of your native place, Nattika?
Nattika will have a mini mall with a supermarket soon. Inauguration is scheduled for August. The supermarket will cater to all sections of the society.
What are your new projects?
Lulu Mall in Thiruvananthapuram is the upcoming major project of ours. It will be thrown open to the public in January 2020. The brand new Lulu Cyber Tower on Kochi Infopark Campus will be big enough to accommodate 10,000 people. By December 2019, 20 hypermalls will be opened in various parts of the world, including the Gulf, Egypt, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Do you have plans to expand your business into new territories?
Lulu has already ventured into the food processing industry. We have set up food-processing units in different countries. There are around 500 British employees at our unit in London. We were allocated 8 acres at Birmingham to establish a food processing unit which will create 500 new jobs. British prime minister Theresa May had expressed her delight at the project in the presence of prime minister Narendra Modi during the UK-India CEO Forum held in connection with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
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