One-on-One with Fahad Abdulla Al Othaim, Chairman at Abdullah Al Othaim Investment Company, Saudi Arabia

Fahad Al Othaim is the Chairman of Abdullah Al Othaim Investment Company. He is successfully managing diverse world-class shopping malls and leisure portfolios including huge expansion leisure projects within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, GCC area, as well as Egypt and Africa. Fahad led these companies through start-up, survival, turnaround, and growth modes. Currently, he is leading 7,000+ multinational employees in the group with revenues of over 8 billion SAR. The Retail People Magazine had a quick cozy chat with Fahad who is a longtime member and supporter of the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres & Retailers.

Full Name:

Short Name: Nationality: Job Title: Birthday: Hobbies: Education: Life’s Quote:

Fahad Abdullah S Al Othaim

Fahad Al Othaim Saudi

Chairman

Company Name: Abdullah Al Othaim

Investment Company 21 August 1979

Practicing different types of

sports and reading Retail Management

“There is indeed a better tomorrow ahead. "

1. Share a brief background about yourself.

I’m Fahad Al Othaim, Chairman of Abdullah Al Othaim Investment Company. After my graduation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, I went to the United States for higher studies and pursue a degree in Shopping Malls and Retail Management. Upon successful completion of my study, I joined the Al Othaim Group and am continuously developing world-class shopping malls in the region. I always believe especially for shopping malls and leisure industries that “there is indeed a better tomorrow ahead.”

2. Did you choose your profession or did it choose you?

While completing the higher education, I knew that I have to join the family business and develop it further; which is usually a tradition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and that is how in a way the business chose me.

3. What originally got you interested in your current field of work?

Being raised in a business environment got me fascinated about retail. And it is great to see how retail has evolved and transformed over a period of time.

4. What career advice would you give to your younger self?

My advice to my younger self would be to follow the same path which I had followed; going hand in hand with the values of the business and family and it is great to see my brothers following the same career path and become part of the family business as Board of Directors.

5. In our current situation right now, what is the lesson learned you may consider?

In the current situation, the lesson experienced is to implement crisis management key decisions to optimize the business. One must be persistent in his approach while being dynamic and being adaptive to the trends and requirements of the market.

6. Being a long-time member of the MECS+R for the past 17 years, how does it benefit you?

Being a long-time member of MECS+R has been a fruitful journey. It certainly benefits in networking and is a great platform to share knowledge and best practices in the industry and to keep with the current trends across different verticals of retail.

7. What is your passion in life and what inspires you?

My inspiration is my father, Abdullah Al Othaim. He is my mentor whom I look up to; from getting involved at the early stages of business; to having business transformed into a conglomerate.

My passion in life is to create unforgettable experiences for our customers and to grow the business exponentially; paving a way for future generations to take it to new heights.

The success of Fahad has been so pronounced in the past one decade primarily due to his dedication and commitments towards achieving the short-term and long-term goals and his efforts to give the best in shopping malls and the leisure and entertainment industry.