Mohamed Al Fayed
By Yasmine Shehata

Getting Mohamed Al Fayed’s attention is not an easy task, and keeping it is even harder. That’s not surprising considering the London based Egyptian tycoon is an incredibly busy man with several diverse and extremely successful businesses. Yet perhaps what he is most famous for are his two landmark possessions: the unique international department store Harrods, and the world famous Ritz Hotel in Paris. In addition, he and his family have had very public lives, making him today, possibly, the most famous Egyptian businessman in the world.

Once you do get Mr. Al Fayed’s attention and actually convince him to talk about himself, an amazing transformation occurs. The restless businessman turns into a great storyteller, recalling old memories to the most minute detail. As I ask him to describe his youth, his eyes light up as he remembers his beloved Alexandria and his close knit family structure. The oldest of five children, Mohamed matured quickly, especially after the death of his mother at age 10. As a result of this misfortune, Mohamed became increasingly close to his father, who never remarried and devoted his life to his children. To this day, Mohamed carries with him a son’s pride with any mention of his father.

Mohamed was also very close to his grandparents and often travelled with them in his endless quest for knowledge and discovery. In fact, learning was the hallmark of his youth both in and out of school; as Mohamed loved to read, study and work even during his holidays. In fact, by age 18, Mohamed had already started his own business, using his grandfather’s ship to transport fruit to and from Alexandria. And by age 21, Mohamed had already started his own steamship agency, transporting produce, cotton and all types of other cargo. His work in the shipping business also brought him in close contact with movie crews and producers coming to Egypt, and led him to represent US movie studios like “Twentieth Century Fox”, in epics such as “Cleopatra” and “The Ten Commandments”. He became involved in location scouting and providing extras, developing a love for movie production that would remain with him throughout his life.

His 21st year also brought with it his first marriage to Samira Khashoggi, the sister of the wealthy Saudi businessman Adnan Khashoggi, with whom he had his first and most famous son Dodi. This union was short lived, however, and by 24, Mohamed divorced to remain a bachelor for over twenty years. Yet Mohamed’s divorce was only a prelude of more difficult times to come, as a few years later the change of government in Egypt, led to the nationalization of all Egyptian businesses. By 1961, all Mohamed and his family’s businesses were nationalized, and everything he had earned and worked so hard to build up was confiscated. The experience left Mohamed so devastated, that he abandoned Egypt, never to return again to this day. As he recalls of that time, “it was like someone put a gun to my head, taking everything I had. It was a shock from which I have still not recovered.”

Mohamed then moved his life and businesses to Italy, where he had developed extensive contacts. His shipping business continued to grow and Mohamed even began transporting Muslim Pilgrims from all over the region to and from Jeddah. One day in 1966, fate turned his way, as a ship he was travelling on needed repair and he was forced to stop in Dubai. During his stay in Dubai, he was introduced to the Sheikh who took an immediate liking to him. This led to the Sheikh asking Mohamed to build him a harbour in Dubai, and gave him the concession for it over the next 25 years. Mohamed accepted the offer and commissioned a construction company from England, (where he had by then emigrated) to build the harbour.

The project was extremely successful and solidified Mohamed’s relationship with the Sheikh. So much so that when Dubai struck oil, the Sheikh gave him all the resulting business, amounting to over 5 billion sterling in value. This success in Dubai only added to his successes in his various projects, as his business continued to flourish from his new home base London.

Despite his professional success in England, when Mohamed acquired the British landmark Harrods, his life became filled with confrontation and controversy. From then on, Mohamed developed an aggressive dislike towards the British government, who has consequently continued to refuse him citizenship in the UK. His first application for citizenship was made in February 1994 following an earlier application by his brother Ali Fayed in January 1993. In February 1995 the Secretary of State at the time refused both applications. Both Mohamed and his brother applied for judicial reviews, which were successful in the Court of Appeal in November 1996, when the Court of Appeal quashed the Home Secretary's decisions. The applications for citizenship by both Mohamed and his brother then fell for redetermination by the Home Secretary. On the 11th of March 1999 the Home Secretary granted Ali Fayed's application, but went on to refuse Mohamed’s application yet again. An application for a judicial review of that refusal was made and permission was given by Mr Justice Collins for it to proceed. Mr Justice Ognall refused the application for judicial review on the 21st of October 1999 and it is that decision which is now to be the subject of a full appeal at the Court of Appeal later this year. In Mohamed’s view, the British government “still looks down on Egyptians, they still think we’re their slaves! My quest for a British passport has become more of a challenge, I don’t really care about it personally, I am just trying to make a statement about this injustice.”

In fact, his quest still continues and on February 10, 2000 Mohamed won the right to challenge a decision denying him a Judicial Review of the Home Secretary's refusal to grant him a British passport. Two Appeal Court judges, Lords’ Justice Ralph Gibson and Schiemann said it was arguable that the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, may have shown actual bias in his handling of Mr Al Fayed's application. Mr Al Fayed has, therefore, been given permission to challenge the decision last October by Mr Justice Ognall to refuse a judicial review. The full Court of Appeal will now reconsider the Home Secretary's decision at a date to be announced. In reaction to that decision Mohamed stated," I have always held that Mr Straw's decision against me was unjust, unfair and biased, but I have always had great faith in British justice and remain quietly confident that my application will succeed in the end. Repeated opinion polls have shown the British public firmly on my side. I am sure that, eventually, the system will also see sense and recognise my genuine love of this country and my contributions to national life". 

The injustice Al Fayed feels against him by the British establishment is one that, to him, is very real and ongoing. And in his view,“90% of the British people are behind me. You should see the way that they greet me, and all the mail I get. It’s really amazing!” Mail, which he claims is all answered on a daily basis, by him and his personal staff. Even in his business ventures it seems Mohamed targets projects, which put him even closer in touch with the British public. Acquiring the British Landmark Harrods in 1985, by outbidding famous British entrepreneur Tiny Rowlands, brought him immediate media recognition and made him a household name to Londoners. In the nineties he went on to purchase even more British institutions, such as, the satirical British magazine ‘Punch’, the famous football team ‘Fulham FC’, as well as ‘Liberty Radio’. Mohamed acquired Punch magazine in 1996 and, typically, has restored an ailing institution to robust health. By successfully modernising the format, he has once again made Punch required reading in the corridors of power. In its heyday, Punch was renowned for its refined blend of erudite, sophisticated satire, elegantly written and beautifully illustrated . but in the 1960s brash competition put Punch on the back burner, making it seem tame and dated. After frequent, failed attempts to re-launch it finally ceased publication in the 1995. Today Punch is back and fighting fit - packed with sharp wit and savage humour - campaigning fearlessly to expose humbug and corruption ( a passion of Mohamed’s). And its mix of hard hitting investigative journalism and gossip with an edge, is winning an influential readership and growing critical acclaim...
In the same manner of ‘fixing things up’, Mohamed bought Fulham FC in May 1997, within weeks of the club winning its first promotion in 15 years. He ended the team’s years of insecurity by announcing a five-year plan to take Fulham into the premiership and recruiting the former England captain Kevin Keegan to spearhead progress. In the next two years around £40M was poured into the club to strengthen the team, improve the stadium and bring the infrastructure up to premiership standards. Today Fulham is now only one step away from the big time, and the Al Fayed revolution was underway. The club collected its first trophy in half a century and the team have taken Mohamed to their hearts. The chants from Chairman ‘Mo's’ team players and Mohamed's pre-match lap of honour, draped in a giant Fulham scarf, have already become a traditional part of matchday proceedings. By fulfilling his promises to the club Mohamed has won a whole new army of personal supporters, and the club's future has never looked brighter. As Mohamed states, "It makes me very proud when we reflect on our achievements. The Fulham of today is light years removed from the Fulham of a few years ago. But money alone has not secured the future of this Club - the determination and desire to reach our full potential has been the main motivator. One of the most memorable moments came when promotion was guaranteed and I was able to join the players in the lap of honour. That was an experience I will never forget as long as I live - and, if the smiles on the faces of the team and the supporters were anything to go by, neither will anyone else. "


Later that year Al Fayed bought the Liberty Radio station and immediately set about breathing new life into what had been a failing business. Within months Liberty had gained a much-improved transmission signal, spotted a gap in the crowded London market place, created an exciting new format and assembled the talent to make it work.

When I ask if the way the British government and his critics perceive him (despite his success) bothers him, he remains steadfast in his answer: “I do so much good for people; providing jobs, donating to charities (in Britain, Egypt and around the world) and I truly believe in God. He has blessed me, and so I, in turn, try to bless others. And for this I do not need anyone’s recognition or approval.” He describes his critics as “jealous, envious and racist: they try to bring me down because I’m outspoken and don’t accept insults from anyone.” It is perhaps the fact that he is so successful, that causes even more fury amongst his critics, as he has the money and power to sue anyone whenever he pleases. He has, in fact, taken the time and effort to expose many British officials for corruption and has proven his cases substantially in a court of law.

Amidst growing confrontation in the nineties, Mohamed further rocked the boat and upset the establishment in spectacular fashion. By daring to expose the ‘cash for questions’ scandal and the cosy corruption at the heart of the British political system he largely contributed to the downfall of the Conservative Party, for which many have never forgiven him. Then came his son's romance with Diana Princess of Wales, a liaison that, for a mix of racial, religious and social reasons, scandalised the Palace. Mohamed himself was happy for his son and liked Princess Diana very much, yet the tragic end of that affair made him even more of an anti-establishment figure and a symbol of a defiant and misjudged hero in the third world. 

Emad (known by his nickname Dodi), Mohamed’s first son was very close to his father and his pride and joy. Yet his son’s ill-fated relationship with Princess Diana was rumoured to be a union that, at the very least, made the British establishment uneasy, and at the most led to the death of the new couple in Paris, August 1998. In a way, Mohamed channelled his grief from the loss by promoting his conspiracy theory that the British Royal family and British government were behind the death of the couple. Mohamed's search for the truth about the crash and his persistence in exposing the many unanswered questions led to his growing personal conviction that the deaths were a conspiracy involving the security services. From that moment, he once again exposed himself to an unrelenting wave of attacks in the press, putting his own past and motives in the limelight. Mohamed believes these attacks are clearly aimed at destroying his character and undermining his business. He remembers with anger the humiliation of being arrested by police "on suspicion", yet he was never charged and the Crown Prosecution Service publicly stated that there was no evidence to support a prosecution. 

The tragedy of his son’s death has left a deep impact on him, and has fuelled his resentment for the British royalty and government. His application for citizenship has again been refused and yet the onslaughts in the “right wing establishment press” still continue unabated. In his view, they are largely based on the prejudice and hypocrisy of the many vested interests that feel threatened by his commercial success and his courage in exposing corruption and cover-ups. Mohamed's clear determination to continue his search for the truth to the bitter end will no doubt only fuel this opposition further, but he believes this is only because they fear what he may find. 

Despite his loss, one finds Mohamed today in good spirits. Harrods is still as successful as ever, and Mohamed is becoming more and more immersed in the British culture. He now lives with his second wife Heini, and their three children in London, and spends most of his days concentrating on his business, his quest for the truth and his family. When I ask him if he’ll ever return to Egypt he smiles silently. He has been invited by President Mubarak to visit several times, but it is obvious that chapter of his life is over. “London is my home now, although inside I am still an Egyptian. All the cooks and help in my home are Egyptian, and I still eat Egyptian food all the time, and I raise my children as Egyptians. In the end I believe in God and we are all God’s children, no matter where we live.”