The Farooqui family moved from Pakistan to Southern Africa in the late 1970s when the father and head of the family, Javaid Farooqui, was tasked with setting international banking groups in the territory. At the birth of South African democracy, driven by a strong belief in the country and its people, the family relocated to Johannesburg. With strategic foresight, the family began to leverage their collective expertise and resources to unlock value and nurture potential in key sectors.

Hamza Farooqui’s entrepreneurial flair became evident at a remarkably young age. At just 14 years old, fuelled by a passion for cricket and a discerning eye for opportunity, he established icricketer.com – a platform dedicated to sharing news and live match updates. This initial venture set the stage for further entrepreneurial triumphs, including the development of niche Islamic-themed financial and lifestyle products that achieved remarkable commercial success. His professional journey led to other notable positions such as Managing Director of satellite radio company WorldSpace in Africa and Group Chief Executive Officer of Cii Holdings.

In 2009, the Farooqui family launched their first global hotel brand, Coral Hotels, in Cape Town, marking a pivotal moment that set the stage for future strategic collaborations. This milestone paved the way for a significant partnership with the esteemed global hotel brand Hilton, resulting in the transformation of Coral Cape Town into Hilton Cape Town in 2011. Building upon this success, the family acquired the Pezula Resort in Knysna, subsequently rebranded as Conrad Pezula – an unprecedented achievement and the first of its kind on African soil.

Millat Group was founded in 2016 under the leadership of Hamza Farooqui. In less than a decade the business has grown into a powerful and respected global tactical investment partner for leading global brands in the hospitality and tourism and energy and convenience sectors. Today the company consists of Millat Global Holdings, Millat Tourism and Millat Energy.

Millat remains resolute in playing its part in Africa’s growth story. Using its proprietary capital and tailored asset-light strategy to unlock and grow opportunities within key sectors by showcasing the power of strategic collaborations to harness the continent’s potential and grow its economy.