Mohammed Abdul Aziz Alshaya, WG'84 Executive Chairman M.H. Alshaya Co. W.L.L Kuwait

Wharton Speaker >> Biography

Mr. Mohammed Alshaya is Executive Chairman of Kuwait-based M.H. Alshaya Co., the retail division of the Alshaya Group of companies.

The Alshaya Group is one of the most dynamic trading businesses in the Middle East, with diverse holdings in a number of industries, including real estate, construction, hotels, multiple retailing, information technology, and advertising. The company’s hotel division owns the Sheraton, Four Points Sheraton & Four Seasons Hotel (under construction) in Kuwait and Medina Oberoi in KSA. Its automotive division has the exclusive dealerships in Kuwait for Mazda and Peugeot cars, as well as Eicher trucks, Michelin tyres and Mobil lubricants.

Mr. Alshaya was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Retail Division in 1990, and Executive Chairman in 2007. He has driven the rapid and continuing expansion of the company. M.H. Alshaya Co. currently owns and operates over 1400 franchise stores, representing over 40 international brands, such as MAC, H&M, Mothercare, Claire’s, The Body Shop, Boots, Next, Starbucks and Topshop, among others. A fast-evolving and dynamic company, its stores are found across 16 markets in the Middle East, Turkey, Cyprus, Russia, Poland, Egypt and more recently Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. It employs more than 14,000 people from over 35 nationalities.

Mr. Alshaya holds a bachelor's degree in Marketing from Kuwait University and an MBA from The Wharton School of Business.

Mr. Mohammed Alshaya also holds the following positions:

          o Member of the Supreme Council of Planning and Development of the State of Kuwait
          o Chairman of Mabanee Company
          o Member of The Board of Trustees of Arab Thought Foundation
          o Board member of Mentor Arabia and Mentor International
          o Member of the Wharton Executive Board for Europe, Africa and the Middle East
          o Member of the Wharton Board of Overseers