Zafar Shah

Mohammed Zafar Shah, owner and chairman of Grand Midwest Group of Hotels, was born in Pakistan and studied in London, where he enrolled in hopes of becoming a civil engineer. With dreams bigger than his reality and a hunger for success, he left behind his studies and embarked on a journey that took him beyond his dreams. He established himself as a self-made businessman and entrepreneur, with a wonderful and ever growing success story.

He began his journey in the UK as a trainee manager in a fast food restaurant while studying to become a civil engineer. Realizing his own potential and ability, he believed he had the capacity to far exceed his position and so opened his own wholesale business in women's fashion. Seeing rapid success he then invested towards his own fast food business in Ireland named Mr. Burger. Starting out with one outlet, quickly growing it to 12 restaurants which were located in many of Dublin City Centre's busiest, most prestigious streets and high streets. He fast added fine dining Indian restaurants to the list as well as a few steak houses, winning many awards for their dinning standards, quality and cuisine.

Career

Being the dynamic multi-talented business mind he is, Zafar Shah fearlessly delved into unknown territory and opened his first hotel right in the center of Dublin City beside the country's biggest department store and just off its most popular high street, Henry Street. He converted a registered derelict building into a 5-storey hotel in a prime location. It was here he got his first taste of what was to come and his passion for the hospitality industry was born.

Seeing opportunity to multiply his self made fortune in the UAE, he began frequenting Dubai in hopes of finding his next venture. Ireland had seen the start of what was a dwindling F&B industry and a downturning economy. In 2004 he began a swift process of withdrawing his investments and funds from Ireland and reinvesting in the booming economy of Dubai. He set up a property agency and fast accumulated an extensive property portfolio across Dubai including properties on the palm and in The Burj Khalifa. Ready for the next step and getting back to what he loved, in 2005 he began building his hotel chain in Dubai and has since been successful in acquiring 5 properties under the name of Grand Midwest, at different locations all over Dubai.

Hotel Development

Grand Midwest Hotels is a well known chain of hotels and hotel apartments developed in Dubai. Boasting four properties inclusive of one 4 star and three 3 star hotels, accumulated over the last 8 years Grand Midwest Hotels is set for success as it grows from strength to strength.

Grand Midwest Hotels & Hotel apartments was established in Dubai in 2005. It is the product and offspring of hard work, dedication, and the expert knowledge of a multi faceted business man Mohammed Zafar Shah. Starting with only one property with 164 units in Bur Dubai, Grand Midwest Group grew fast under his direction, continuing to even grow during the recession having opened its flagship hotel Grand Midwest Tower, located in media City off Sheikh Zayed Road, during the peak of the economic downturn. Grand Midwest Tower boasts 225 luxury spacious suites, a night club, infinity pool, gym and spa, extensive restaurants and conference areas.

Sponsor for sporting events

In addition to his hotel business, Shah has set up his own cricket team under the name Grand Midwest Royals. He also launched a cricket academy in Sharjah stadium under the name Grand Midwest Academy and sponsored many international cricketing matches and series in the UAE and abroad. For the Cricket World Cup in 2012, held in Sri Lanka, Grand Midwest was the official sponsor of the Afghanistan national team.^[1][2][3][4]

Association with Bollywood stars and events

Deviating from hotels in Dubai has also led him into the events side of things where he has done concerts for Bollywood stars, held charity events such as Being Human with Salman Khan, events with Jonny Lever, etc., musical concerts with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam and is one of the main sponsors for the Gr8 Women Awards from India which supports breast cancer in Dubai.^[5][6][7]

Grand Media Corporation

The flourishing friendship between the Grand Midwest Hotels and its celebrity guests seeded the passion for film industry into the Shah family, leading to which, in the year 2011, Grand Midwest Group ventured into a full-fledged film production house under the name 'Grand Media Corporation'.

Grand Media Corporation focuses in producing high quality commercial cinema and television and serve as a platform for introducing new talents into the industry. Its flagship project – a debut production film in association with Mother's Eye Pvt. Ltd. – Unforgettable released to the worldwide market in June 2014.

Besides brothers Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan others seen in attendance were Ashutosh Gowariker, Johnny Lever, Javed Jaffery, Naved Jaffery and Ashmit Patel.

Grand Midwest Expansion

GMW is always expanding its horizons and will continue to grow and diversify its engagements in the near future.

• Franchising GMW Hotels Group is in the pipeline.
• Grand Media Corporation continues to support Bollywood film-making. It has already released its debut project and is all to work with industry professionals to produce future films.

Grand Midwest Sports already owns GMW Royals team which is represented by National A List cricketers from Pakistan. The venture is currently involved in projects to develop international cricket league.

References