The Ismaili community also counts powerful business people in Africa. Distribution, bank, hotels: if their activities are not directly linked to those of the Aga Khan, they are often close to the AKDN network (Aga Khan Development Network), with which they volunteer part of their time. Following is a portrait of two individuals emblematic in their country.
Abu Kassam – Prosuma, Côte d’ivoire
The co-founder of the group Prosuma, number one large distributor in francophone sub-saharan Africa, with his partner Karim Fakhry, is a boss who is essentially discreet.
His last move is the implementation in 2015 of the brand of cultural products, Fnac in commercial galleries, Cape town South and Cape town North of Abidjan.
In 2016, he launched Yaatoo (a contraction of ” all there is “), a site of trade online, in the wake of its competitor, cad / CAM, that started Africa Retail. His father, Adjabali Kassam, whose family has lived in the DR Congo, was the first representative of AKDN in Côte d’ivoire, as well as director of Filtisac and IPS.
Adil Popat – Simba Corporation, Kenya
In 1948, the company founded by Abdul Karim Popat was a modest shop of used car in Nairobi, Kenya. Sixty years later, his son Adil runs a conglomerate, a specialist in automotive distribution (in particular, holds licenses for BMW, Mitsubishi and Renault).
Also active in the high-end hotel business, with among other hotels, Kempinski in Nairobi and the Masai Mara; Simba Corp in 2015 launched a mid-range brand of its own called Acacia, and acquired a 35% stake in the tourism company Hemingways Expeditions.
An MBA graduate from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, Adil Popat has worked since early 2010 with the Aga Khan Economic Planning Board USA.
via https://africareportonbusiness.com/2017/08/25/abou-kassam-et-adil-popat-deux-ismaeliens-influents/
Source: http://www.jeuneafrique.com/mag/465406/economie/abou-kassam-et-adil-popat-deux-ismaeliens-influents/
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Ismailimail 
OMG… What a pleasure to see Abu Kassam’s photo after almost 52 years.
Wishing you Abu and your family DJ Mubarak.
Best,
Parviza Hudda
(USA)
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Congratulations Adil, my years have just flown by, haven’t seen you in so long could barely recognise you. My condolences on the demise of your Dad. I was his secretary around 1986-88 at which time you were running your
hotel in Portugal and had seen you when you came once to visit Nairobi. I’ve been in Vancouver since 1991. Keep up your good work with the AKDN. Zinat
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