Wissam Al Mana
Managing Director, Al Mana Retail Group
The retail mogul and his brothers have built a Middle Eastern luxury empire with stakes in high-end brands.
Wissam Al Mana is the managing director of the Al Mana Group, the Qatari conglomerate founded by his late father, Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana, in 1951. Alongside his brothers, Hisham and Kamal Saleh Al Mana, he has transformed the family business into a global enterprise with interests spanning luxury retail, automotive distribution, real estate and media. Today, the group operates more than 300 retail outlets across the GCC and beyond, with an annual turnover estimated to exceed $2 billion.
Al Mana’s primary focus lies in the group's retail and luxury divisions. The Al Mana Group’s fashion portfolio includes joint ventures and franchises for a prestigious range of brands, from luxury labels such as Hermès (where he serves as CEO for the Middle East), Balenciaga, Giorgio Armani and Alexander McQueen, to high-street retailers including Mango, Zara and United Colors of Benetton. Under his leadership, the group has pursued aggressive regional expansion, including a landmark $60 million investment in Egypt’s automotive sector in 2024 to establish local car assembly operations.
Raised in West London, Al Mana developed an interest in retail at an early age and was educated in the United Kingdom and the United States. He is widely regarded as a bridge between Western brand identities and Middle Eastern cultural nuances, consistently delivering growth and operational performance within the global economy.
Beyond his commercial roles, Al Mana is a dedicated philanthropist, focusing on humanitarian aid for women and children through partnerships with UNICEF, Women’s Voices Now and the Hoping Foundation. He was also the co-founder of the London-based art gallery Lazinc. In 2025, the Al Mana Group was recognised as one of the Top 100 Arab Family Businesses by Forbes Middle East.
Career History
Managing Director
VITAL STATISTICS
Find out more
Examining Qatar’s Fashion Hub Ambitions
Doha has attracted major fashion retail investment ahead of this month’s FIFA World Cup but the Qatari capital’s ability to attract overseas shoppers long-term remains uncertain.
Examining Qatar’s Fashion Hub Ambitions
Doha has attracted major fashion retail investment ahead of this month’s FIFA World Cup but the Qatari capital’s ability to attract overseas shoppers long-term remains uncertain.
Chanel, Dior Entice Gulf Clients to Shop Locally
Chanel, Dior and Valentino are making a splash this week in Dubai and Doha in a bid to excite locals who were restrained from shopping abroad during the pandemic. But will repatriated spend in the Gulf be a permanent shift?
Chanel, Dior Entice Gulf Clients to Shop Locally
Chanel, Dior and Valentino are making a splash this week in Dubai and Doha in a bid to excite locals who were restrained from shopping abroad during the pandemic. But will repatriated spend in the Gulf be a permanent shift?
The Family Firms Ruling Fashion in the Gulf States
To accompany the launch of the BoF 500, Robb Young examines how an omnipotent cartel of deep-pocketed families have managed to anchor themselves in the lucrative fashion markets of the Gulf States.
The Family Firms Ruling Fashion in the Gulf States
To accompany the launch of the BoF 500, Robb Young examines how an omnipotent cartel of deep-pocketed families have managed to anchor themselves in the lucrative fashion markets of the Gulf States.
What is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
