Hadhrami Influence in Saudi Arabia: Sheikh Abdullah Ahmed Bugshan

الشيخ عبدالله أحمد بقشان

Today, all of the most influential Hadhramis in Saudi Arabia are descendants of Hadrami migrants who moved from Hadhramout to Saudi Arabia long before the creation of the present day Kingdom and long before the extraordinary oil boom that the Kingdom has experienced. Humble and yet full of pride; honest, trustworthy, ingenuous, hardworking, tenacious, loyal, decisive and very conservative - wherever they went, worked or settled in, Hadhramis have always impressed and made impacts. Wherever they went, they have always been very closely knit and have always supported and helped each other.

No where else have Hadhramis been as closely knit and their influence been economically as strong and as powerful as in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In Jeddah in particular. Since its creation, Hadrami businessmen have had very close ties with the rulers of the Kingdom and they have played important and influential roles in the making and the building of present day Saudi Arabia. One of the most influential and most powerful Hadhrami families in the Kingdom is that of the Bugshans:

The Bugshan family owns a business empire of epic proportions. Based in Jeddah, they are associated with a plethora of business sectors, including automobiles, luxury cosmetics and watches, real estate and electronics. As regional entrepreneurs, they also maintain a strong presence in Morocco, Yemen, Algeria and the UAE.

Founded in 1923, the Ahmed Salem Bugshan Group (referred to as ASB) started as a steel manufacturer. Since then it has developed into a huge conglomerate by establishing alliances, joint ventures, dealerships and license agreements with leading global brands.

In Saudi Arabia, ASB companies hold sole distribution rights for Bridgestone tyres, Nivea, and Christian Dior perfumes, to name a few. With the opening of Canadian curriculum school for the expatriate and local community in 2009 in Saudi Arabia, education can be added to the group’s ever growing portfolio.....Arabian Business

Like most of the wealthiest Hadhramis in Saudi Arabia, the Bugshans are descended from Wadi Do'an, Wadi Hadhramout. Of the Bugshans, none is as influential in the Kingdom and internationally and as well known, as Sheikh Abdullah Ahmed Bugshan. An engineer, a business magnate and investor, and a philanthropist - Sheikh Abdullah is also a frequent visitor to his Homeland: Hadhramaut. Every few weeks, in his private jet, he visits Hadhramawt, accompanied by many other Hadhramis from the Kingdom. He would meet local leaders, elders and many local Hadhramis. And he would visit his spectacular Castles at Al Khurayba in Khailat Bugshan, Wadi Do'an.

He is one of the many Hadhrami businessmen from the Diaspora who have been heavily investing in the Homeland. Sheikh Abdullah is known for his deep love and great admiration of Hadhramout and the Hadhrami culture. He is known for his passionate involvement in helping many people in Hadhramawt - in Wadi Do'an in particular - where he has funded and constructed a hospital, roads, water and electrification projects. He is also known for his many other philanthropic work: he funds a number of programs engaged in charitable work in the Homeland, especially in education and health; he has provided thousands of scholarships for Hadramis to study in Hadhramout and abroad; and he also funds a number of educational institutions. He has assisted many Hadhramis seeking medical help, either to be treated locally or abroad. He has also financially assisted many locals in Hadhramout in wedding expenses. Due to his many charitable concerns and involvement in Hadhramaut, very few people are as well known and as highly regarded, in the Homeland, as Sheikh Abdullah Ahmed Bugshan.

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+ From: Mukalla Today
+ Images: Google