Sulaiman, Chairman and Managing Director of HiLITE Group, is Calicut’s pride. The man with two decades of experience as a builder was also the brain behind the first lifestyle shopping mall in Kerala, Focus mall. His courage to go out of the box and bring about the change that we so desire to see in the state is commendable. The man has outdone himself by the opening of HiLITE mall. This humongous mall inside HiLITE City is 6 times the size of Focus mall and could give any mall a run for their money. His focus is not on just building around his hometown Calicut. Mr Sulaiman wishes to improve the infrastructure and living standards of the entire state. In 2011, The Times Group honored HiLITE Group of Companies adjudged Mr Sulaiman as as the “Game Changer” in business par excellence in the realty sector in the state of Kerala during the ‘Excellence in Business’ awards. The man is yet such a down to earth person. He never forgets to give back and his philanthropy works are well noted. FWD caught up with a very happy Mr. Sulaiman, who was enjoying the success of the recently opened Hilite Mall.
You have had two decades of experience in project management. What is your take on the construction industry in Kerala today?
In the last 10 years the growth of construction industry in Kerala has been significant. But if you are to compare it with international market, there is still a long way to go.
Focus mall is Kerala’s first shopping mall. What gave you the impression that it will be a great success?
The people in Malabar part of Kerala are comparatively financially more stable. I would say that there were not many opportunities for them to spend on entertainment. There are a lot of local issues. If you ask me I will say that the people in Kerala are well aware of their rights. They know all that is to be known regarding a construction project here. They know all the rules and regulations. So there is always a threat. or purchasing goods/products. The weekend buses to Bangalore and all used to be full always. And a large number of people in Calicut used to work in the Gulf. 10-12 flights that came from the Gulf also used to be full and they all came with 3-4 bags each. This you will not see in any other place. The reason for that is they all had a large demand but nothing here to make use of. Hence I went on with the idea of Focus mall.
You have once said that your vision is to contribute to the economic and infrastructural development of the state. How helpful was the government on the same?
Not much at all. It’s better if I don’t comment on it. [Laughs]
You have more than 50% market share in Calicut. Was concentrating on the place a conscious decision you made? If yes, why so?
Every businessman strives to make an establishment of his own. Ours is a concept selling business. To make and sell apartments is concept selling. In order to be successful in doing that there should be a trust created. So we made a conscious decision of concentrating on just one region. Today we have won that trust and have been able to make a name for ourselves. So now we are ready to make an impact other places as well.
How well receiving are the people of Kerala to the concept of mixed–use development?
Mixed-use-development is now a worldwide process. We are creating a city within a city with all the facilities. If you take a place like Bangalore or Dubai, even if you are to travel just 3 kms it becomes a task. Transit can really be a problem. Mixed-use-development is the new solution the world is fast adopting to make life easier. Kerala, like everything else initially was suspicious on accepting it but eventually they understand the convenience of it and are welcoming it.
Last year you have made an initiative for organ donation. What prompted you for such a thing?
This is a project that no one has ever done in Kerala. In fact it has to be seen that has it ever been done in the entire country. This is not something anyone can do. It takes a lot of courage to do what we did. Money
Nasheeda U, your better half is a Civil Engineer who is associated with HiLITE group. What exactly is her part on the group and whose decision was it to bring her onboard?
The stress and tension incorporated with doing business is massive. So her biggest task, as a wife will be to look after me. [Laughs]
What is the biggest challenge you face in Kerala as a builder?
There are a lot of local issues. If you ask me I will say that the people in Kerala are well aware of their rights. They know all that is to be known regarding a construction project here. They know all the rules and regulations. So there is always a threat. It’s probably the high education they possess in Kerala that makes them so aware. But a builder should be always alert. It is difficult but, it is a nice thing.
It has been only a short period since HiLITE mall started. How is the response till now?
The response so far is better than I have expected. A lot many more people are walking in each day. We are trying our best to give them the best service. Parking lots are all over flowing and that is always a good sign. Moreover people are not just coming here; they are spending a lot of money
There are more than 200 Indian and international branded retail outlets in HiLITE mall. Most of them are very new to the people of Kerala. How did you choose on which brand to come up on the mall?
The success of mall is actually the mix you find there. The retail mix is the primary ingredient. The rest is all secondary. So all the research we conducted on was on the same.All our effort was on bringing in the correct proportion and mix of the retail stores. We strive to bring the most versatile store mix in the world.
HiLITE mall is expecting 30,000 footfalls per day.Is that a realistic number?
Of course! As a matter of fact the numbers are far greater than that. We are now thinking about how to manage such a huge number. When we started Focus mall we were expecting only 10,000 footfalls per day. But 15,000 people came in to the mall each day. HiLITE mall is 6 times bigger than Focus mall. So the estimation of 30,000 is actually very much less than the actual number.
What is the major attraction of the mall and what makes it stand out from the rest?
I would once again say it is the mix and variety of the retail stores here. I don’t think any other mall in Kerala has got that right like us. If you look at any nuke and corner of our mall, the retail outlets are all designed to get maximum boom. Be it an international store or a local brand, the mix we have bought here is far better than anywhere you will find in India. Especially in Kerala.
Something about the design and architecture of the Mall?
When a person enters the mall, all the corners of the mall will look exactly the same. A person would be amazed to see the perfection in that design. It’s a simple concept but yet a captivating one. But don’t worry, you won’t feel lost as there will always be someone to guide you in every step. [Laughs]
What is the entertainment facility like in the mall? We do know Cinepolis is there. What else is as exciting?
Usually when you start a mall, 50% of the people who come to the mall are for window shopping. So when you come to HiLITE mall, we have here the best window shopping experience set for you. There will be so much for you to see that by the time you have done seeing them all, it will take a very long time.
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What is the employee strength like? How do you recruit the right person for the job?
There are around 2500 staffs in HiLITE mall. They are a mix of people from this state and outside. We give them about 2 months training. Training is given by the best groups.
Customers are always demanding.What more can we expect to see from the mall?
Usually people in Kerala are never satisfied no matter whatever you give them. [Laughs]. We here are giving them a unique experience… a very good fashion experience. Be it lifestyle, fashion etc. The brands we have here like the Lifestyle, Pantaloons, Home Centre and other international brands have never been seen before in Kerala. So for now, I guess that will do.
Calicut is 2nd in tier-2 cities in India on the list of best place to reside. Is this the potential place for more business development?
We realize the importance of Calicut only when others point out something like this. I have seen many people recently who return from the Gulf to Calicut to start business here,recognizing its true value. There is a change happening and the future of Calicut looks like a fruitful one