Five most powerful people from Kerala in the Gulf according to Arabian Business ‘100 Most Powerful Indians’ Yusuffali, Ravi Pillai, Sunny Varkey, Ramesh Prabhakar and Sunil John (pictured above) in Top 20 Over one-fifth of the 100 Power Players are Malayalis Five Malayalis are in the Top 20 of the ‘100 Most Powerful Indians’ list unveiled today by Arabian Business, the leading business magazine in the Middle East. Over one-fifth of the people in the Indian Power List too are from the south Indian state of Kerala, underlining the strong imprint that Malayalis have made in the business fabric of the Gulf region. Described as the definitive list of the most influential people in the Gulf region’s biggest expatriate community, the 100 Power Players feature MA Yusuffali, Managing Director of EMKE Group; Dr. Ravi Pillai, Chairman of RP Group of Companies; Sunny Varkey, Chairman of GEMS Education; Ramesh Prabhakar, CEO of Rivoli Group; and Sunil John, CEO of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller in the Top 20 rankings. Yusuffali’s EMKE Group owns many brands including the LuLu chain of hypermarkets. In April, it opened its 100th store in Ras Al Khaimah. EMKE Group has offices in 29 countries, employs around 27,000 people and has an annual turnover of US$4.5 billion. The company is forecasting a 20 percent rise in sales for 2012. Ravi Pillai’s RP Group has over 70,000 employees and is a multibillion dollar operation. The Saudi-based RP Group has interests in construction, travel & tourism, healthcare, retail and education. Sunny Varkey is the visionary behind GEMS Education, one of the largest private sector school operators in the world for students from kindergarten to Grade 12. Today, the group oversees the training of 110,000 students in 100 schools across eleven countries. Ramesh Prabhakar joined Rivoli Group in 1985 and within five years became CEO. Today, the Rivoli Group has a footprint across the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain with a diverse portfolio featuring over 110 international brands. For over two decades, Sunil John, the founder and CEO of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller, has served as a trusted advisor to public and private sector decision-makers. With a client portfolio that includes both regional heavyweights (such as Emaar Properties, Emirates NBD, Etisalat, Ma’aden and Saudi Telecom) and multinational firms (like American Express, Ford, General Electric, McDonald’s and Total), ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller is today, by far, the largest public relations consultancy in the MENA region. It has 11 wholly owned offices and 150 staff, stretching across the Gulf, North Africa and Levant. Other Malayalis ranked in the list include: PNC Menon, Chairman of Sobha Developers (ranked 22); Ram Menen, Divisional Senior Vice President –Cargo of Emirates Airline (26); R Padmakumar, Medical Director of Sunrise Group of Hospitals (28); P Mohamed Ali, Vice Chairman of Galfar (35); Azad Moopen, Chairman of DM Group (39); Thumbay Moideen, President of Thumbay Group (46); KV Shamsudeen, Chairman of Pravasi Bhandu Welfare Trust (52); Dr Shamsheer VP, Managing Director of Lifeline Hospital Group (53); Faisal Kottikollon, CEO of KEF Holdings (55); CK Menon, Chairman and Managing Director of Behzad Group (56); Santosh Joseph, CEO of Dubai Pearl (60); Ranjeev Menon, CEO of Gulf Warehousing Company (61); Mohan Nambiar, CEO of MEC MENA (65); Dilip Rahulan, Executive Chairman of Pacific Controls (66); Mustafa Vazayil, Managing Director, Gargash Insurance (67); KM Noordeen, General Manager, Ocean Rubber (85); Joy Alukkas, Owner of Joyalukkas Group (87) and Sundar Menon, Chairman of Sun Group of Companies (96), among others. The Malayalis in the power list represent different sectors ranging from retail to media, aviation, sustainable energy, education and healthcare, highlighting the significant contribution of Malayalis to all walks of business in the Middle East region. Announcing the list Anil Bhoyrul, Editorial Director of Arabian Business, said: “The list is a celebration of the incredible success and contribution that Indians have made to the growth of the GCC economies. Everyone, of every nationality, should applaud their accomplishments.” According to estimates, there are over 4.5 million Indians in the Middle East, more than half of them from Kerala. The south Indian state and the Gulf region have a rich history of trade and commerce, which has gained strength over the years, with Malayali entrepreneurs supporting the social and economic growth of the region through their investments, innovative ideas, strong work ethics and commitment to the host nations. One of the most sterling contribution of the Malayali entrepreneurs is the number of jobs their businesses create. The Malayali entrepreneurs in the Gulf region have also been contributing significantly to the growth of Kerala through massive investments. For the full list of the 100 Most Powerful Indians, please visit: arabianbusiness/100-most-powerful-indians-in-gulf-475970.html
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 12:27:37 +0000
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