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The warmth of the tributes that have flowed into The Moodie Report office since we announced the forthcoming departure from Abu Dhabi Duty Free – and from the industry – of Mohamed Mounib said it all.
Here is a man of stature in every sense. Tall and imposing, the long-time Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Duty Free is also a gentle and kind man. The word ‘dignified’ appeared in almost every note we received and that word, indeed, sums him up best.
‘Big Mo’ as he is known by his close peer group in the Middle East – notably Dubai Duty Free boss Colm McLoughlin and Aer Rianta International-Middle East’s’s MD John Sutcliffe – has been a fantastic servant to our industry. Those with long memories of the trade will know that Abu Dhabi ‘duty free’ was a haphazard and motley collection of small shops when he assumed control. Within years it was one of the best operations in the Middle East and within a decade was garnering world acclaim.
This year the business will generate sales of around US$100 million – a fantastic and prolonged success story driven by the man at the helm through more than two decades.
Like everyone who knows him, The Moodie Report will miss this gentle giant. If this reads more like an obituary (sorry Mohamed) than a corporate tribute then that’s because his resignation to take up a senior role in the hotel industry is very much the passing of an era. No-one can think of Middle East duty free without thinking of Mohamed Mounib.
Mohamed has been a great supporter of The Moodie Report. In our early days when our ambition burned brightly but our financial base was as solid as quicksand, Mohamed stepped in with financial support of our pdf newsletter, believing in our pledge that we would add value to the media and to the industry. That support has been there ever since.
It was Mohamed who dubbed the original Worldwide Headquarters of The Moodie Report (in the Publisher’s back garden) as ‘The Shed’, a title that stuck and always brought out his trademark chuckle.
As we wrote on the day of the news, he is one of the industry’s truly great figures, a quietly-spoken but ultra-determined man of passion, determination and zeal.
He’s now moving into the hotel industry, taking up the CEO’s post at the newly-created Pearl Azure Hotel Management and Property Company. It’s a 5 star chain that will be run by a 5 star man. He’s a natural host – as our exclusive picture of him doing a recent spot of vocational retraining (top right) shows.
‘Big Mo’ lit up this industry – as brightly as his award-winning fluorescent pink trousers (pictured) lit up the 2006 Moodie International Superstars Honorary Invitation Tournament (MIS-HIT) golfing trophy. He will be missed by us all.
Best of luck!
And thank you for the 2007 bonus just months before you left ADDF..
and good luck too
Dear Mohammed
Best Luck in that new phase , Travel retail middle East will be missing you so much , not just as Mr Abu dhabi Duty Free , just as the great person you are .
best luck
Juan
Goodbye and good luck Mohamed!
You’ve said it all, Martin – Mohamed is a true Gentleman! Classy, friendly, elegant and great fun as a guy, he’s also hugely professional, visionary and successful as a businessman.
I know which hotel group I’ll be choosing when I venture to the Middle East!
Regards
Brian