Spotlight
Juma Al Majid Holding Group
Information last updated on 30 December 2022
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Juma Al Majid was born in 1930 in the area of Shindagha, Dubai (modern-day United Arab Emirates).[8] His father, Majid Bin Abdullah Qraiban, and mother, Aisha Majid Al Ghurair had three other children: Juma’s brother, Rashid, and two sisters, Hamda and Shamsa.[9] Majid was a pearl diver, and when Juma turned eight, his father started taking him on pearling trips on one of the two boats the family owned. Juma would serve refreshments on the boats during the hot summer, earning a few rupees — his introduction to entrepreneurship.[10] Juma married in the 1950s and had his first daughter, Hana, in 1956[11] and his son, Khalid, in 1964.[12]
FOUNDING STORY
When Juma turned 15 years old, his uncle Ahmad Majid Al Ghurair requested his assistance at his shop in Deira, which sold wholesale fabrics, rice, and other goods. Juma demonstrated a sharp understanding of trade and a passion for business, and in 1947 his uncle opened an independent shop for him to run. Juma worked hard to be the first shop to open and the last to close, even on Fridays (then part of the weekend). By the end of the year, his hard work had paid off and he made a profit of 2,000 rupees.[13] As the shop enjoyed continued success, Juma met Mohammad Al Qaz, a trader who imported goods to Dubai from Kuwait and Bahrain, who was to become his close friend. Juma started helping Al Qaz with his sales,[14] and in 1950, he established Juma Al Majid Holding Group.[15]
GROWTH PHASE
In 1956, Al Qaz invited Juma to join him on trading trips to Kuwait. The pair would take tobacco and Omani dry lime to sell in Kuwait and Bahrain and return with fabric and watches from Switzerland and France to sell in Dubai.[16] Soon after, Juma set up a home appliances division, representing premium international brands. By 1958, he added a tire and battery division and signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Yokohama Tires.
In the 1960s, the business expanded into Pakistan, India, and several Arab and European countries. The group became an entry point for international brands looking to expand into the market that would soon become the United Arab Emirates. In 1962, the group entered the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), establishing Gulf Trading and Distributing Co. (GULFCO), which soon became the exclusive UAE distributor for several of SC Johnson’s top home and personal care brands. In 1967, the group diversified further, establishing General Navigation & Commerce Co., specializing in the supply of construction materials and equipment.[17]
In the late 1960s, while visiting a Bahrain showroom, Juma came across General Electric refrigerators, which were not available in Dubai at the time. Pretending to check one of the refrigerators, he picked up the guarantee card with the company’s details. Back in Dubai, he arranged to purchase 200 air conditioners from the GE dealer in Lebanon at a discounted price to resell in Dubai.[18] By the 1970s, Juma Al Majid Holding Group had grown into the second-largest General Electric products dealer in the region.[19] Juma had also become involved in the gold trade between the UK, Switzerland, and India, alongside other former pearl-trading Dubai families, such as the Al Owaises, Al Ghurairs, Al Futtaims, and Al Mullas.[20]
After the United Arab Emirates was formed in 1972, Juma Al Majid found himself with abundant opportunities in the fields of construction and infrastructure thanks to the UAE’s fast-paced development. He quit gold trading to focus on these business lines,[21] as the group established two new construction equipment units in the UAE and one in Oman. In the following decades, the group invested in a wide variety of other fields, from confectionery and watches to commercial vehicles, travel and tourism, heavy equipment, sewage treatment, real estate, and food production.[22]
TODAY
Today, Juma Al Majid Holding Group is a conglomerate operating encompassing around 35 companies with 150 branches, operating across the UAE and other GCC countries.[23] Founder Juma Al Majid still serves as chairman and his son, Khalid Juma Al Majid, is vice chairman.[24] Juma is also recognized as a key figure in the preservation of UAE culture; along with many other initiatives in the field, he established the Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage, with a library, archive, a research and publication center.[25]
Notes
Photo Credit: Juma Al Majid cuts the ceremonial ribbon to declare open the Yugoslav Trade Exhibition at the Dubai International Trade Centre. Also present is Mohammed Bin Dhahi, Dubai's Deputy Chief of Protocol. Source: Gulf News
[1] “About Us | Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Juma Al Majid Group, https://www.al-majid.com/about-us/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[2] “About Us | Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Juma Al Majid Group, https://www.al-majid.com/about-us/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[3]“About Us | Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Juma Al Majid Group, https://www.al-majid.com/about-us/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[4]“About Us | Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Juma Al Majid Group, https://www.al-majid.com/about-us/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[5]Linkedin, 11 July 2020, https://www.linkedin.com/company/juma-al-majid-holding-group-llc/about/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[6]“Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juma_Al_Majid_Holding_Group. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[7]“About.” Linkedin, 25 October 2021, https://www.linkedin.com/company/juma-al-majid-holding-group-llc/about/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[8]“About Juma al Majid: Businessman | Biography, Facts, Information, Career, Wiki, Life.” PeoplePill, https://peoplepill.com/people/juma-al-majid. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[9]Bitar, Zaher. “Juma Al Majid: A life in service | Business – Gulf News.” Gulf News, 24 November 2010, https://gulfnews.com/business/juma-al-majid-a-life-in-service-1.717158. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[10]Bitar, Zaher. “Juma Al Majid: A life in service | Business – Gulf News.” Gulf News, 24 November 2010, https://gulfnews.com/business/juma-al-majid-a-life-in-service-1.717158. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[11]“Sheikha Hana | Transformers Universe MUX | Fandom.” Transformers Universe MUX, https://tfumux.fandom.com/wiki/Sheikha_Hana. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[12]“من هي زوجة الشيخ سعود بن صقر القاسمي ويكيبيديا وعمرها.” جريدة الساعة, 18 May 2022, https://m.elsaanews.com/%D9%85%D9%86-%D9%87%D9%8A-%D8%B2%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D8%B3%D8%B9%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%B5%D9%82%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85%D9%8A-%D9%88%D9%8A%D9%83/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[13]Hilotin, Jay. “Who is Juma Al Majid? From humble beginnings as the son of a pearl diver, to leading Dubai business magnate, philanthropist.” Gulf News, 8 May 2019, https://gulfnews.com/uae/who-is-juma-al-majid-from-humble-beginnings-as-the-son-of-a-pearl-diver-to-leading-dubai-business-magnate-philanthropist-1.1557308020028. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[14]Bitar, Zaher. “Juma Al Majid: A life in service | Business – Gulf News.” Gulf News, 24 November 2010, https://gulfnews.com/business/juma-al-majid-a-life-in-service-1.717158. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[15]“About Us | Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Juma Al Majid Group, https://www.al-majid.com/about-us/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[16]Bitar, Zaher. “Juma Al Majid: A life in service | Business – Gulf News.” Gulf News, 24 November 2010, https://gulfnews.com/business/juma-al-majid-a-life-in-service-1.717158. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[17]“About Us | Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Juma Al Majid Group, https://www.al-majid.com/about-us/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[18]Bitar, Zaher. “Juma Al Majid: A life in service | Business – Gulf News.” Gulf News, 24 November 2010, https://gulfnews.com/business/juma-al-majid-a-life-in-service-1.717158. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[19]Hilotin, Jay. “Who is Juma Al Majid? From humble beginnings as the son of a pearl diver, to leading Dubai business magnate, philanthropist.” Gulf News, 8 May 2019, https://gulfnews.com/uae/who-is-juma-al-majid-from-humble-beginnings-as-the-son-of-a-pearl-diver-to-leading-dubai-business-magnate-philanthropist-1.1557308020028. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[20]Bitar, Zaher. “Juma Al Majid: A life in service | Business – Gulf News.” Gulf News, 24 November 2010, https://gulfnews.com/business/juma-al-majid-a-life-in-service-1.717158. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[21]Bitar, Zaher. “Juma Al Majid: A life in service | Business – Gulf News.” Gulf News, 24 November 2010, https://gulfnews.com/business/juma-al-majid-a-life-in-service-1.717158. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[22]“About Us | Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Juma Al Majid Group, https://www.al-majid.com/about-us/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[23]Mughal, Waqar. “Juma Al Majid Holding Group – Top 100 Arab Family Businesses in the Middle East 2021- Forbes Lists.” Forbes Middle East, 9 May 2021, https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/top-100-arab-family-businesses-in-the-middle-east-2021/juma-al-majid-holding-group/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[24]“Our Leadership Team | Juma Al Majid Holding Group.” Juma Al Majid Group, https://www.al-majid.com/about-us/our-leadership-team/. Accessed 30 December 2022.
[25]“Our Center – Juma AI Majid CenterJuma AI Majid Center.” Juma Al-Majid Center, https://www.almajidcenter.org/our-center/. Accessed 30 December 202
To cite this article please use:
“Juma Al Majid Holding Group” Family Business Histories Research Project, New York University Abu Dhabi and Tharawat Family Business Forum, 20 Mar. 2023, familybusinesshistories.org/spotlights/juma-almajid