Driven By Ambition

Thirty-nine-year-old UAE-based entrepreneur Adeeb Ahamed is a force to reckon with.

The business tycoon has racked up several prestigious awards and accolades down the years. Forbes Middle East named him in the list of the Top 100 Indian Leaders in the Arab World and he was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year at the Franchise Awards 2017 and the Leadership Icon Award 2017 at the Living Legend & Iconic Leaders’ Summit. Ahamed also holds a position on the senior advisory board of World Economic Forum’s South Asia Regional Stewardship Board. Sitting at the helm of several companies as a dynamic, engaged board member of the acclaimed LuLu Group International, he serves as the Managing Director of LuLu Financial Group, Twenty14 Holdings and Tablez. While retail arm Tablez has introduced a number of homegrown and franchisee brands to the UAE and the Indian subcontinent, Twenty14 Holdings is responsible for some of the most reputed properties across Europe, Middle East and India, including the historic Great Scotland Yard in London, Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian in Scotland and, more recently, a heritage-centric five-star boutique property Port Muziris in Kochi, Kerala. CNT chats with the successful businessman to know more about how he built his empire, his special bond with Kerala and the future of the hospitality sector

TWENTY14 HOLDINGS RECENTLY OPENED ITS FIRST HOTEL IN INDIA – PORT MUZIRIS IN KOCHI. WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE KERALA AS YOUR PREFERRED DESTINATION FOR YOUR MAIDEN PROJECT?