Strategically developing the financial services business, Ahamed has developed LuLu Financial Group from a one-branch operation to a network of over 200 branches with more than 1800 employees and an active presence in ten countries. This has been achieved in a short span of 9 years since the first branch opened in 2009.

Ahamed’s other initiatives include Tablez, the group’s organized retail arm, which has introduced F&B, toys, lifestyle and apparel brands to the GCC and India. It has successfully developed home grown brands that include Bloomsbury’s, Peppermill and Ming’s Chamber. Tablez also owns franchise rights of world class F&B brands such as Famous Dave’s, Galito’s, Sugar Factory, Genghis Grill and Pancake House in the UAE. The company has signed master franchise agreements to bring brands like Cold Stone Creamery, Springfield, Women’secret, Toys’R’Us, Babies’R’Us, Build-A-Bear, Go Sport, Yoyoso and Desigual to India and currently operates more than 60 outlets globally.

Twenty14 Holdings is another one of Ahamed’s initiatives. The hospitality investment arm was founded in 2014 and currently has assets worth over $750m across the UK, Europe, GCC and India. With an aim to become a billion-dollar company by 2020, Twenty14 Holdings opened its first five-star hotel, Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay Dubai, in 2015, and co-owns the Sheraton Oman Hotel in Muscat, a 230 key five-star hotel. In 2018, the company marked its entry into Scotland with the acquisition of the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh, The Caledonian.

In 2019, the company entered into a forward purchase contract with Swiss real estate developer Necron AG to develop a brand-new Intercity Hotel Zurich Airport in Rümlang, Switzerland. The group also has a £110m ($145m) forward purchase agreement with property developer Galliard Homes to create a five-star hotel at the historic 1-5 Great Scotland Yard in London, the former headquarters of the London Met Police.