Mohamed Al-Fayed

He grew up in impoverished circumstances. At an early age he began working as a street vendor and salesman in his hometown. The acquaintance with the businessman Adnan Khashoggi enabled Fayed to get his first permanent position in his import company in Saudi Arabia. In 1954 he married Samira Kashoggi, but divorced her just four years later. In 1966, Al Fayed was hired as an advisor by one of the richest men in the world, the Sultan of Brunei. The successful activity gave him wealth and fortune. In the first half of the 1970s, Fayed moved to Great Britain. There he joined the management of the mining group "Lonrho" for a few months in 1975. Disagreements with management led to his departure and a protracted dispute with Lonrho boss Tiny Rowland. In 1979, Fayed and his brother Ali bought the Ritz Hotel in Paris. In 1985, the British company "Harrods", one of the most renowned London department stores, followed, with Fayed coming into competition with Lonrho, which was also a prospective