MA Yusufali has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the UAE government’s Zakat Fund

Renowned NRI businessman MA Yusufali has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the UAE government’s Zakat Fund. The decision to appoint Yusufali at the top post was taken by the UAE Federal Government, thus making him the first Indian to decorate the position. The tenure is for three years.

The appointment of Mr Yusufali will be highly helpful for the functioning of the Zakat Fund, said Board Chairman and Minister of Justice Dr Hadif bin Juvan al Dahiri, according to reports. Eleven renowned UAE citizens have also been included in the Director Board. The Zakat Fund was launched by the UAE government in 2004 to spread the importance of the Zakat in the society and thus to strengthen human values and relations. The government reportedly allots lakhs of UAE Dirhams annually for it.

Mr MA Yusufali is the MD of the Emke Group based in Abu Dhabi which has diversified itself into several areas such shopping malls, super markets, department stores etc. The business empire of this Keralite hailing from Thrissur is spread over 29 countries in Asia and Africa, the major share being in the Gulf countries. His company is building the biggest shopping mall and convention centre in India which will reportedly be opened in Kochi in 2012.
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Emke group to invest Rs 600 cr in hotel cum convention centre in Kochi

Abu Dhabi-based Emke group will invest Rs 600 crore to set up a convention centre and hotel in Kerala.

The convention centre and hotel complex is coming up in 26 acre land nearby Bolghatty.

"Talks are on with three Internationl hotel chains -- Ritz Carlton, Hyatt and Hilton group for the 7,000-room hotel complex", Chairman M A Yusuf Ali told at a press conference organised by the Ernakulam Press club here.

"Within a month, we will finalise it and by April, the work would start", he siad.

About 4,000 people would get direct employment once the hotel-cum convention centre is completed.

Kerala is a investment-friendly state, he said, besides the Rs 600 crore project, work on the Rs 1,500-crore shopping mall, claimed to be the biggest in the country, is also fast coming up here.

Eighty per cent of the work in the mall has been completed and by January next, the work is expected to start in full swing, he said.

Yusuf Ali, who has been appointed by the state government to iron out differences with the Dubai-based Tecom, promoters of the Kochi Smart city project, said he was happy that he could convince the Dubai government about the feasiblity of the Rs 1,500-crore IT infrastructure project.
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