Article: Dhamma Perfumes: How a good nose for money helped Pakistani expat establish a perfume empire in the UAE
Dhamma Perfumes: How a good nose for money helped Pakistani expat establish a perfume empire in the UAE
Abdul Mateen Dhamma, Chairman of Dhamma Perfumes
Pakistani expat Abdul Mateen Dhamma had a dream of making it big and he realized it in UAE
He made Rs 5 selling bananas to co-passengers on his first trip to Dubai on a ship, way back in 1959. Today he is presiding over a multi-million dirham empire. The story of Abdul Mateen Dhamma is one of perseverance, opportunism and having a good nose for money, right from a young age. And it has UAE written all over it.
Having lived in adverse conditions, Abdul Mateen Dhamma had only one dream when he was a young boy - to make money and live a good life. His decision to move to Dubai in 1959 changed his life’s course.
At 77, he is currently the chairman of Dhamma Perfumes, a multi-million dirham business.
“For us, success did not come overnight. There was a great amount of hard work, patience and the need to excel in everything that we ventured into. Adhering to business ethics was equally, or perhaps, more important to us,” Abdul Mateen Dhamma said.
Even at this age, the battle-hardened businessman is not ready to sit back on laurels past. Instead, he is keen to pass on his work and business ethics to his family where three generations are now actively involved in the business. No wonder he is regarded by many as a frontrunner in UAE’s perfumery business.