Faizal E. Kottikollon named in Entrepreneur Middle East 100 NRIs
Dubai: UAE-based Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist Faizal E. Kottikollon, founder and chairman of KEF Holdings, has been named among the top 100 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) of the year by Entrepreneur Middle East.
The annual list recognises prominent NRI entrepreneurs across diverse industries, highlighting leaders who have made significant business and social contributions globally.
Born to P.K. Ahmed, founder of Kozhikode-based Peekay Steel, Faizal E. Kottikollon has built a diversified business empire spanning infrastructure, healthcare, technology, and sustainable investments.
KEF Holdings, established in 1995 with Al Ahamadi General Trading in Ajman, UAE, expanded into world-class foundries, valve trading through JC Middle East, and Emirates Techno Casting (ETC), an integrated engineering and R&D facility rated among the top three technologically advanced foundries globally.
In 2012, Tyco International acquired the business for USD 400 million, paving the way for KEF Holdings’ two verticals – KEF Investments and KEF Infra. KEF Investments focuses on low-risk, high-income global opportunities, while KEF Infra has executed strategic projects including a 2018 merger with Menlo Park-based Katerra, revolutionizing construction and design.
Faizal currently serves on the board of Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (appointed 2023) and chairs the UAE Chapter of the UAE-India Business Council. Under his leadership, KEF Holdings invests in innovative, sustainable solutions aimed at benefiting society.
Alongside Faizal, his wife Shabana Faizal, originally from Mangaluru, Karnataka, plays a pivotal role in business and philanthropy.
Shabana is the daughter of the late B. Ahmed Haji Mohiudeen, founder of the BA Group of Businesses in Thumbay near Mangaluru.
She holds a degree in psychology from St. Agnes College and a diploma in fashion design and merchandising from the National Institute of Fashion Design, Dubai.
Shabana has been recognised as one of India’s top philanthropists, ranking among the youngest women in the top 10 of the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025, having donated Rs 40 crore through the Faizal & Shabana Foundation.
View this post on Instagram
The couple co-founded the Faizal & Shabana Foundation in 2007, officially incorporated in India in 2012, with the motto “Giving to Create Impact.” The foundation focuses on education, youth development, healthcare, community outreach, regenerative development, humanitarian aid, and the arts. Faizal & Shabana Foundation has contributed more than INR 340 million ($4.5 million) toward renovating schools in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, creating prefabricated classrooms to quickly replace crumbling infrastructure.
The Nadakkavu School in Kozhikode, restored in 2013 with Faizal & Shabana Foundation funding of INR 180 million (2.4 million dollars), became a model for school renovation nationwide, now influencing nearly 1,000 schools and benefiting over 300,000 students. Faizal & Shabana Foundation initiatives extend to Krishnagiri district in Tamil Nadu, supporting 5,000 residents through education, vocational training, organic farming, and community development.
Faizal emphasizes education equality as central to his philanthropy, stating, “Government schools are typically in a bad situation because they haven’t been properly maintained due to a lack of funding. Around 90 percent of India’s kids go to these schools, and that’s where inequality starts.”
The foundation also responds to emergencies, including floods in Kerala, Chennai, Kashmir, Haiti, and repatriation and food relief for Indians stranded in the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Faizal & Shabana Foundation initiatives further include a scholarship endowment at the University of Sharjah and a proposed Dhs10 million ($2.72 million) medical research grant for the UAE’s Al Jalila Foundation.
The couple has also contributed to the healthcare sector, with KKR acquiring a majority stake in Meitra Hospital, a premium Kozhikode-based institution founded by Faizal.
Both Faizal and Shabana signed the 2022 Responsible Tourism Charter at London’s Magna Carta Island, joined by their youngest daughter, Czarina, who became the youngest person globally to sign the charter.
In addition to philanthropy, Faizal and Shabana lead KEF Holdings’ upcoming initiatives, including the Tulah Clinical Wellness Sanctuary in Chelembra near Kozhikode Airport, set to open in April 2025.
Spread across 30 acres with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore, Tulah integrates Ayurveda, Chinese and Tibetan medicine, yoga, meditation, sports rehabilitation, and genome-based treatments, aiming to redefine global wellness.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong MP Shashi Tharoor’s gunman, driver attacked in Malappuram, one held
Malappuram (Kerala) (PTI): A person has been taken into custody after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s gunman and driver were allegedly attacked by a five-member group at Wandoor here, police said on Saturday.
According to Wandoor Police, a case has been registered, and one person is currently in custody.
Police said the case was registered based on a complaint lodged by Tharoor’s gunman, Ratheesh K P.
As per the FIR, the incident occurred at Chellithode near Thiruvali in Wandoor at around 7.30 pm on Friday.
Police officials said the incident took place when there was a roadblock at the Chelithode bridge as Tharoor was on his way to attend an election campaign event of Congress leader A P Anilkumar.
According to the FIR, the accused, who were travelling in two vehicles, blocked the MP’s vehicle.
When the gunman attempted to clear the obstruction, he and the driver were allegedly attacked, the FIR said.
Police said the road was narrow and the gunman had only asked the vehicle ahead to move faster to ensure smooth passage for the MP’s convoy.
One person was taken into custody late Friday night, and the remaining four accused have been identified and will be apprehended soon, police added.
Meanwhile, Tharoor posted on the 'X' handle that he was untouched in the incident.
Tharoor said that he is truly touched by all the messages and calls expressing concern about the untoward incident last night when his security guard was attacked.
"He is well, and I was untouched. Thank you to all friends and well-wishers. We carried on undaunted yesterday and concluded two more events as planned. And our ongoing programme remains unaffected," he said.
_vb_44.jpeg)
