Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, walked unannounced into LuLu Hypermarket at Mushrif Mall on a Tuesday evening, spending close to an hour moving through the aisles, speaking to shoppers and staff, and repeatedly asking one question: ‘Are you happy?’
Staff were given clear instructions before the visit: do not clear the aisles, do not stop shoppers, do not hold lifts, and let the mall function exactly as normal.
‘When he walked in, people started waving immediately,’ a senior LuLu staff member, who asked not to be named, said. ‘They called out to him. Some asked, can I thank you? Can I shake your hand? And wherever possible, he stopped. He took pictures, shook hands and waved back at everyone.’
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed’s Lulu visit: what he asked about
The President moved through the hypermarket stopping at product shelves and asking about availability. He paid particular attention to a section promoting Emirati farm produce, questioning staff on quality, customer response and pricing.
He then turned to staff individually. ‘Are you happy here? Any complaints?’ the same employee recalled. ‘He repeated that question to so many people. He genuinely wanted to know.’
One security guard on duty received a pat on the back and two words: ‘Good job.’ Those nearby were visibly moved.
The President also asked to meet LuLu’s senior leadership. ‘He spoke to every single member of staff,’ the employee said. ‘He asked each person how many years they had been with Lulu. He asked for proper introductions. He wasn’t rushing. He was listening, genuinely, intently listening to each one of them. He posed for a nice group photo with all of us.’
For the employee, the exchange went beyond anything they had expected. ‘Shaking hands with a leader is one thing but to get to speak to him and explain my profile was something out of my dreams,’ they said. ‘He wanted to know about sourcing efficiency. He asked about price stability. He cared about the details.’
Shoppers describe the atmosphere inside the mall
Indian expatriate Abdul Rahman was among the hundreds of shoppers present. He said the President spent 45 to 50 minutes in the hypermarket during peak traffic hours, with no sign of haste.
‘People were calling out to him and he was waving at everyone,’ Abdul Rahman said. ‘Emiratis, youngsters, expats, everyone was coming and asking for him. I was there for a while after he left and people kept pouring in hoping to get a glimpse of him.’
Some shook his hand. Others saluted him, a gesture he returned with his hand on his heart.
‘Everyone sees him as a fatherly figure,’ Abdul Rahman added. ‘The love he has for people, you could see it in every interaction. They spoke to him and called out to him like he was a family member. Everyone felt so happy, so respected, so loved.’
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was elected President of the UAE by the Federal Supreme Council on 14 May 2022, pursuant to Article 51 of the UAE Constitution, succeeding the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Informal public engagement of this kind (meeting citizens and residents without ceremony or protocol) has been a consistent feature of his leadership.
LuLu Group International, which operates the Mushrif Mall hypermarket, is headquartered in Abu Dhabi.
