Obituary
about Abdul Wahed Hassan Al Rostamani by DULOG’s Managing Director, C.C. Niyaz
Ali
AW Rostamani
Group founder and Chairman died in Dubai on 3rd November 2016. Over
the years, AW Rostamani Group, have grown from strength to strength and the
Group is now made up of 17 companies with more than 3000 employees. The Group
celebrated its 59th anniversary this year in 2016.
My personal
association with Mr. Abdul Wahed Hassan Al Rostamani goes back to 1979, the
year I landed in Dubai as the Accountant of Thomas Cook Al Rostamani , a joint
venture formed by Thomas Cook, the largest Travel and Foreign Exchange company
in the world then and the legacy Al
Rostamani Group which subsequently because two separate entities in the year
2006 ( Al Rostamani Group and AW
Rostamani Group) I was the first staff of Thomas Cook Al Rostamani , being
transferred from the Bahrain Regional Office of Thomas Cook Group Ltd. I worked
for Al Rostamani Group until 2006 (27 long years) , the year we established DULOG LLC , a
Company founded by Mr. Khalid Al Rostamani, son of Mr. Abdul Wahed Al Rostamani
and myself which later was re-organized as KAR Freight & Forwarding LLC.,
and DULOG LLC.
In spite of
being one of the greatest achievers among the Emiratis in the UAE, with Forbes
rating him as 60 out of the top richest Arabs in 2014 and earlier this year,
being ranked 28 on the annual world billionaires list, I have never
seen in my life a more humble, simple and hardworking billionaire in my life and in
spite of all the wealth, power, fame and achievements on his stride, he was an
extra-ordinary caring and down to earth human being and a devote Muslim. There
are several measures he took part of his supreme submission to Allah and for
the fear of Allah’s wrath. One step I remember was his instructions to all his
Companies General Managers that nobody should entertain anybody, whether Internal
Customers or External Customers, Partners, business associates etc., on
Company’s account, serving alcohol.
The
proudest moment of my life, associated with Mr. Abdul Wahed Al Rostamani, personally was when I went to the podium of
the Dubai Quality Award Function , held in Dubai, along , with him , in the
year 2004, to receive the Dubai Quality Award for the year 2003 , for Thomas
Cook Al Rostamani Exchange Company ( now known as Al Rostamani International
Exchange ) from HH Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and
Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Inna Lillahi Wa
Innah ilaihi Rajioon ( To God we belong;
to God we return). May Allah grant him Jannathul Firdaus (Highest part of the
Paradise) and grand him Maghfirah (forgiveness)... Aameen.
PHOTOS OF
Abdul Wahed Hassan Al Rostamani, from the private collection of Niyaz Ali,
Managing Director, DULOG and former General Manager of Thomas Cook Al Rostamani
Exchange Company.
Abdul Wahed
Hassan Al Rostamani with his elder brother Abdul Wahed Hassan Al Rostamani
Abdul Wahed
Hassan Al Rostamani receiving award for the various Blood Donation Campaigns
conducted by Thomas Cook Al Rostamani Exchange Company ( now known as Al
Rostamani International Exchange Company).
Abdullah Hassan
Al Rostamani and Abdul Wahed Hassan Al Rostamani , signing the joint venture
agreement between Al Rostamani Group and the Thomas Cook Group covering the
formation of the Company Thomas Cook Al Rostamani , in 1979. Seen also in the
picture are T. M. Nair, Director, Al Rostamani Group and Frazer Legg of Thomas Cook
Group.
Abdul
Wahed Hassan Al Rostamani with Abdullah Hassan Al Rostamani , Khalid Al
Rostamani, Michel Ayat, CEO Automotive Group, AW Rostamani Group and Senior
officials during the inauguration of the renovated Deira Baniyas Square Branch
of Thomas Cook Al Rostamani Exchange ( now known as Al Rostamani International
Exchange).
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