The story of Baqer Mohebi: How one tiny shop on Dubai creek became a family-owned business empire

Gulf News

Baqer Mohebi shops are known for huge discounts. We trace men behind its transformation  See more videos at https://gulfnews.com/videos Read more Gulf News stories here: https://bit.ly/2HLJ2km  Subscribe to Gulf News on YouTube and watch more of our videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GulfNewsTV  #UAEnews #business #Dubai

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00:00We are who we are, greatly to the legacy and to the hard work of my late father, Dr. Zainab Bakr Mohabbi.

00:11For those of you who have lived here long enough would know Bakr Mohabbi.

00:15We are here to meet his grandson, Mr. Mohamed Mohabbi, and his son, Mr. Mahmoud Mohabbi.

00:20We want to understand the legacy that has been left behind by Bakr Mohabbi.

00:25It started back in 1994 when I finished my education out of Switzerland.

00:30I came and I started working with my father.

00:34He was my mentor. He was my role model.

00:37I truly learned a lot from him, much more than university taught me.

00:43The practical experiences, not only theoretical, but the life journey that he went through

00:49has been an invaluable part to who I am today, not only as a businessman,

00:55but also who I am as an individual, as a husband, and as a father.

00:59We are who we are, greatly to the legacy and to the hard work of my late father, Dr. Zainab Bakr Mohabbi.

01:08My grandfather and my family were very well known in the market for halwa sellers.

01:15They used to make the best halwa sweets, and he was very well known to them.

01:20And a reputation was built around that.

01:22So as the city grew, those people that were in the trade that were known,

01:26obviously also grew with the city and the country.

01:29It's been an interesting journey, because back in the 1930s, life was very different.

01:36And then in 1971, the United Arab Emirates was formed.

01:41So there were new opportunities that came along.

01:44And so, I think what I have learned, not only from the stories of my late grandfather,

01:51but also seeing how my father ran the organization,

01:57I think the story is one of adaptability, as a family, as a city, as a country.

02:03I learned that from my father, because the way he was running things in the early days

02:08was very different than when he was running things, for example, in the year 2000.

02:12A lot of the ways of doing business in the 60s and 70s and 80s may have not applied.

02:19It was embracing that change, being at the forefront of that change,

02:23in many areas, actually being a leader of that change,

02:27is why we are here today, and you're interested to do the story.

02:31We are all a sum of our experiences.

02:33From 1970, I started working with my brother.

02:38At that point, I was in school.

02:41From 1970, I started. Up to now, I continue with Mr. Mohammad.

02:46So I'm working with him.

02:48I do know that trust and integrity was right there at the very top.

02:55Respecting others, and not underestimating anybody.

03:00I think being relatively cautious was important.

03:05I know my late father was never one to be a speculative person.

03:11He was always very fundamental oriented.

03:14If it fundamentally makes sense, go for it.

03:17If it doesn't, don't do it.

03:19I think another thing that I learned from him

03:23was his ability to control his own appetite.

03:30When it comes to success.

03:32That was, I think, perhaps one of the more difficult things,

03:34as a young man, coming out of Switzerland,

03:37and joining the family business, and having all these ideas,

03:40and then being kind of held back initially.

03:44And always reassessing.

03:48Because it was always that extra hunger for growth,

03:52at any cost, that would get you into trouble.

03:56So I learned from him that be more strategic,

03:59whatever investments you're doing,

04:01how related is it to your core,

04:04move away from speculation,

04:07and grow slowly but surely.

04:09We are, as an organization, we are quite aggressive.

04:13But we're not all over the place.

04:16We're strategic, and we don't jump into things just to jump into them.

04:22So those are the lessons which I learned from him,

04:26amongst many others.

04:27It's always nice when you meet successful people

04:30who are so humble and grounded about it.

04:33Do you know of other families like this?

04:35Do let us know.

04:37Until next time, this is Anjana Kumar for Gulf News.

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