Early Life
Hussain Sajwani was born in Dubai in 1952 or 1953. He is the eldest of five children born to entrepreneurial parents. His father owned a shop in the local souk, exposing Sajwani to the world of business from a young age. Sajwani obtained a government scholarship and attended a medical college in Baghdad before moving to the United States. He studied industrial engineering at the University of Washington.
Rise to Success
Sajwani began his career in 1981 in the finance department at Abu Dhabi Gas Industries. In 1983, he started a catering venture, Global Logistics Services. He founded DAMAC Properties in 2002. The company was publicly listed on the Dubai Financial Market in 2015. Sajwani's strategy was to market apartments before they were built, using buyers' down payments to fund construction. DAMAC Properties has delivered over 43,700 homes. In 2019, Sajwani's private investment firm completed the acquisition of the Italian fashion group, Roberto Cavalli.
Key Business Strategies
Sajwani's key business strategy involved identifying opportunities in Dubai's real estate market. He focused on luxury properties and partnered with well-known brands such as Versace and Trump. Sajwani is known for his extravagant marketing, sometimes offering free Lamborghinis to apartment buyers.
Philanthropy
Sajwani is committed to giving back to the community through the Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation. The foundation supports initiatives aimed at improving education, healthcare, and community development. It has supported the One Million Arab Coders initiative. The foundation pledged AED 5 million to the 1 Billion Meals initiative.
