Mohamed Al-Fayed Biography

Mohamed Al-Fayed is an Egyptian business magnate who owns The Hotel Ritz, a grand palatial hotel in the heart of Paris. The hotel which is ranked highly among the most prestigious and luxurious hotels in the world, was acquired by him in 1979. He was also the former owner of the Harrods Department Store, an upmarket department store located on the Brompton Road in Knightsbridge which he eventually sold to Qatar Holdings in 2010. An astute businessman with business holdings all over the world, he started displaying his entrepreneurial abilities while still at school when he started selling home-made lemonade. As a young man he married the sister of a powerful businessman, and eventually set up his own ventures with the influence of his brother-in-law. Even though his marriage did not last long, he was able to establish himself as a successful businessman by way of this union. He founded a shipping company in Egypt along with his brothers, and soon expanded its operations to Italy and England. He formed connections with other international business magnates and acquired ownership of several successful businesses from all over the world. He is also a philanthropist who set up the Al-Fayed Charitable Foundation in order to support children with life-limiting illnesses and those from underprivileged backgrounds.