'Vision the backbone of a thriving business climate in Dubai'

Date

3/18/2016 8:37:47 PM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

"I came to Dubai 43 years ago penniless. I started off as a pharmacist because I couldn't get a government job. I didn't speak Arabic. I worked hard. I was the first salesman in the country who worked as a medical representative who would go door to door to sell. Nobody was going out selling in those days - too hot they used to say.

I was a marketing man. I used to get product stocks load the van and drive from Dubai to Abu Dhabi to sell. There were no proper roads. When I would get tired sometimes I used to pull over on the side of the road and sleep. In the summer heat I have carried 25 drums of 25 litres of methylated spirit up 11 floors to deliver to clients. There were no elevators.

Nowadays people want a boy and a vehicle to carry their samples. Dubai used to be a village. The leaders of this country Shaikh Zayed and Shaikh Rashid turned the country around.With their guidance and benevolence I started the first private healthcare company in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I have 30 medical hospitals worldwide. I bought the 100th and 141st floors in Burj Khalifa to show my support for the initiatives in real estate that this great country has taken.

I appreciate the wisdom of the rulers who provided infrastructure in the 80s and that helped business. There used to be only one building World Trade Centre and if the weather was misty you could miss it entirely. The rulers invested the wealth of the nation in infrastructure in their people all to help business.

Earlier there was one hotel Hilton where you needed to book a room one year in advance. Now look at Dubai. You have examples like Emirates airline the airports. Look at the growth. The philan-thropy of the leaders and their vision is the backbone of the thriving business climate in Dubai."

- Dr Shetty is Executive Vice Chairman & CEO NMC Group

As told to Nivriti Butalia

Nivriti Butalia Nivriti writes features on turtles and fruit baskets and the importance of recycling your trash. Partial to quirkier human-interest stories she handles special reports about the environment higher education tourism heritage books. Her twitter handle is butniv.

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