Lulu Group chairman M A Yusuff Ali first Indian to receive Saudi Green Card

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Mar 3, 2020

Chairman of real estate and mall development business Lulu Group M A Yusuff Ali has become the first Indian to receive the ‘Saudi Green Gard’ for premium residency in Saudi Arabia due to his investments.

 
Ali has been formally given ‘Premium Residency’ of Saudi Arabia and is the first Indian to receive the ‘Saudi Green Card’ as it is informally known, the business announced on Monday. The visa allows Ali to live, work, own a business, and own property in Saudi Arabia without a sponsor. The Premium Residency visa is intended to boost investment in the Saudi economy. 
 
Ali operates Lulu Group in the Middle East and has also opened a number of shopping malls in India with more under construction. The business is currently expanding its presence in Hyderabad through its retail business Tablez for which it plans to reach a store count of 85 in India for its various licensed brands.

Ali called the appointment “a very proud and humbling moment in my life,” and said in a statement, “This is a great honour not only for me but for the entire Indian expat community and I sincerely thank… King Salman, HRH Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman, and the government of Saudi Arabia,” the Press Trust of India reported. 
 
Originally from Kerala, Yusuff Ali Musaliam Veettil Abdul Kader is currently the the richest expat in the United Arab Emirates as ranked by Forbes magazine in 2019. Forbes also ranked Ali as the 270th wealthiest person in the world with a fortune of $5.2 billion in 2018.