Retail king

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Mohi-Din BinHendi, the man behind the BinHendi retail empire talks fishing and franchises.

There is nothing Mohi-Din BinHendi, president of BinHendi Enterprises, enjoys more than a spot of fishing. What started for him as a hobby has become an all-consuming passion and his office is scattered with photographs of beaming family members holding up the catch of the day.

Pointing to one photogragraph he recalls: "This is the fish I caught, a blue marlin. It is 400 kilos. We would usually catch these fish, tag them and release them but this fish was huge - humongous - and it fought for two hours.

"By the time we got it close to the boat, it was almost dead. If we released it, it was going to sink and be eaten by the sharks so we brought it on board."

This description hints at the levels of determination and competitive spirit that have made BinHendi the business success story that he is today. Having started out with the opening of a small fashion boutique in 1973, the BinHendi group now generates millions of dollars each year in a vast portfolio of diverse businesses, including property, furnishing, oilfield supply, hospitality, construction, real estate, fashion and jewellery.

BinHendi Enterprises has gone from strength to strength. The company has introduced 60 international brands to the UAE, and 0perations have since spread abroad to other GCC countries, India and, soon, America.

But despite his international expansion plans, BinHendi is a local boy and proud of his roots. As we settle down for a tête-à-tête I ask him how he has seen the city transform over the years.

Recalling his days as director general of Civil Aviation in 1979, he says: "I used to lock the airport for the night, put the key in my pocket and go home, and then the next day go back and open the airport. That tells you a lot about how I've seen it change."

Gazing out over the Creek below his office window, he adds: "I used to do a lot of waterskiing here when the Creek was crystal clear and blue. You could see the bottom. Honestly - it was beautiful."

Having achieved phenomenal business success, and with his daughter Amna BinHendi recently appointed as CEO of the company, BinHendi would certainly be forgiven for wanting to take a well-earned break. But he has no intention of handing over the reins just yet, and is still in the office most days of the week.

On his days off he indulges his passion for fishing and watersports, and even enjoys diving off the UAE's east coast: "I go diving there; I'm a free diver." Depending on the day and how rested he is, BinHendi can stay submerged as far down as 45 feet. "I'm not a professional but I go as deep at 40-45 feet," he says.

For his holidays he travels far and wide to find the best fishing spots. Describing a recent trip to the Maldives, he says: "It was gorgeous. And I envy how they have looked after their beaches. Even close to Mali where the fish market is, I was looking in the water and there was not a single piece of paper. They are very disciplined."

But BinHendi's trips abroad are not just to indulge his love of sport - he is also pursuing an expansion plan that will take the company onto the global stage. It was announced earlier this year that Japengo Café, one of the group's key products, will be moving into the American market, chosen because "it's a culture where food is given a lot of importance".

The rising popularity of tourism in the Gulf (seven million visitors came to Dubai in 2007) means that more and more people are exposed to the brands and products here. Growing awareness of home-grown brands has increased the popularity of franchising. At a Dubai conference on the subject earlier this year, experts estimated that the region's franchising industry is worth US$30bn with a growth rate of 25% a year.

BinHendi is keen to exploit this advantage. Starting with Japengo, the group has plans to franchise its other restuarants (Duck King, Inferno Grill, Bella Donna, China Times and Mini Chinese) in the coming years.

Great oaks from tiny acorns grow, as BinHendi knows well having began his company as a small retail enterprise.

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