The Al Otaiba family

It is impossible to talk about MHAO without mentioning the importance of the Al Otaiba family. Al Otaiba is one of the oldest names in the history of the UAE and over the years has had great influence on political, economic and social life in the Emirates. And so the real story of MHAO begins with the Al Otaiba ancestors who were master pearl traders, doing business with Arabia, France and India from their fleet of ships in the Persian Gulf.

 

The Mohamed Hareb Al Otaiba Group

Despite a long family tradition of trading high-quality goods around the world, it was not until 1946 that the MHAO Group was officially formed as a general trading and offshore services establishment. The company would diversify in the 1970s however, under the guidance of the late Mr. Hareb Al Otaiba.

In the period that followed, MHAO expanded its trading operations to include internationally recognised, high-quality brands. The early 70s also saw the opening of the company’s prestigious Dubai showroom, which cemented MHAO’s name as the watchword for high-end goods.

The expanding of the company’s portfolio that started with food-service equipment and domestic appliances has blossomed over the years since, as more and more international brands were added to the fold. The oldest divisions of the group still exist today:

Food Service Equipment, Leisure & Sports, Bowling, Domestic Appliances, Office Equipment, Customer Service. However, under the leadership of Mr. Mohamed Hareb Al Otaiba, they sit alongside modern counterparts that encompass some of the business world’s most recognisable names – including Xerox Emirates, Avis Rent a Car, Homewide and Sportal.