History

Dr. Ram Buxani’s life is a road paved not by rose flowers, but thorns galore. It is to the credit of this visionary individual that he had the innate strength and resolve to convert obstacles into opportunities.

He learnt the ropes of business working it out the hard way. He has seen much of what life has to offer – including the agonizing Partition, loss of one’s home and land and the pain of migration.

But as they say about highfliers, it is from the fire of trials that the flame of success is ignited. He spent his youth as a ‘part-time student and a full-time worker’ and indeed all those rough days shaped the man that he is today and his refined outlook.

A true global citizen, he was born and lived in India, made the UAE his home and finds business colleagues who value him in Japan and China.

A young Buxani came to Dubai to make a living and support his widowed mother. It was November 18, 1959 - he was just 18 years old.

Arriving by sea, the then mode of transit to the Arabian Gulf - onboard a ship operated by British India Steam Navigation, a young Buxani created a success story with his life – one that will be an inspiration for many.

The journey was not easy. The sea was rough and he had to disembark about two kilometres away from the coast onto a small boat to reach the shore.

He did not know how to swim. But the winter breeze and drizzling weather when he first set foot onshore made him instantly fall in love with the indescribable charm that was Dubai in the fifties.

He started his career as an office assistant on a meager monthly salary of Indian Rupees 125, the then legal tender for transactions in Dubai and other Trucial states.

Since then, his ambitious growth has mirrored the awe-inspiring rise of the ITL Cosmos Group itself. When he started his career the company was mostly into the textile business.

When it expanded to consumer electronics, the enterprising Dr. Buxani was entrusted the task of negotiating distributorships from Japan. This marked the start of a momentous journey, whereby Dr. Buxani personally toured to the factories in Japan, met with the owners, discussed business and convinced them of the potential of Dubai.

The partnerships with industry leaders such as the Sharp Corporation, Japan continue to this day. The expansion into consumer electronics under the vision of Dr. Buxani changed the fortunes of the company. It established itself as a premier retailer and soon grew its footprint.

Climbing the ranks of business through hard work and dedication – traits that he continues to uphold to this day, Dr. Buxani went on to serve as Executive Vice-Chairman and President of the Group before assuming office as Chairman in 2014.

Synonymous with Dubai’s exponential growth and evolution, Dr. Buxani’s tale is indeed similar to a sweeping epic, almost awaiting a phenomenal debut on the silver screen.