SJX Watches
Obituary: Abdulmagied Ahmed Seddiqi, Watch Retail Giant
Abdulmagied Ahmed Seddiqi, co-owner of Seddiqi Holding, has passed away according to a statement issued by the family. His legacy of leadership is carried on by his brother, Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, Chairman of Seddiqi Holding, and by his son, Mohammed Abdulmagied Seddiqi, who is Chief Executive Officer of Ahmed Seddiqi, the leading luxury watch retailer in the United Arab Emirates. Abdulmagied Seddiqi (right) with his brother Hamied Seddiqi. Image – Ahmed Seddiqi Empire builders Now the most important retailer of luxury watches in the Middle East, the Seddiqi family business was founded in 1950 as Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons. The original location was in Dubai’s historic Bur Dubai souk, a market that opened in the late nineteenth century. Ahmed Seddiqi operates the world’s largest Rolex boutique at the Dubai Mall. Image – Ahmed Seddiqi In 1960, Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons became the first retailer of Patek Philippe in the UAE, expanding its portfolio beyond Rolex, which it had carried since 1952. The move to establish a luxury watch retail empire in Dubai the 1950s was prescient. This early foothold positioned Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons for the region’s extraordinary growth, but it was the leadership of Abdulmagied Seddiqi and his brother, Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, that led to the commanding position the firm now occupies. Abdulmagied Seddiqi prepared to inherit the mantle of the family business by attending university in Switzerland and mastering French, cultivating experience and connec...