From a single gas station in 1945 to a global conglomerate operating across six continents, the story of Abdul Latif Jameel represents one of Saudi Arabia’s most successful family business transitions, with third-generation leader Hassan Jameel now steering the company through an era of rapid technological and economic change.

As Deputy President and Vice Chairman for Saudi Arabia, Mr. Jameel oversees the company’s domestic operations in mobility, land and real estate, and machinery, while helping to shape its global strategy alongside his brother Fady, who serves as Deputy President and Vice Chairman, International.

“My grandfather started the business with a single gas station in Jeddah in 1945,” Mr. Jameel recounted in a recent interview. “In the mid-1950s, he contacted Toyota Motor Corporation and started importing Toyota vehicles into Saudi Arabia.”

That initial connection with Toyota, which began as a bold outreach from the entrepreneurial Abdul Latif Jameel Sr., has evolved into one of the world’s most successful automotive distribution partnerships. The company now ranks among Toyota’s largest independent distributors globally, having sold nearly half a million vehicles annually at its peak.

The second generation, led by Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, father of Hassan and Fady, expanded the business internationally while institutionalizing its philanthropic initiatives. Under his chairmanship, ALJ developed significant operations across the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, and parts of Asia.

“My father has always been very entrepreneurial, and he has given us, as the next generation, chances to make mistakes,” Hassan Jameel noted, describing the leadership transition. “It’s essential for leadership to take chances.”

This philosophy of calculated risk-taking has guided the third generation’s approach to diversification and innovation. With an educational background that includes a Bachelor of Arts in International Economics from Sophia University in Tokyo and an MBA from London Business School, Hassan Jameel has brought both international perspective and formal business training to his role.

Business analysts point to the family’s unique connection with Japan as a distinguishing factor in their success. “My uncle went to Japan in the late ’60s to take part in a Toyota training program, and my father went to university there,” explained Fady Jameel. “For people from Saudi Arabia at that time, that was unprecedented.”

This Japanese influence extends beyond business relationships to management philosophy. “We spent a lot of time with Toyota—learning the Toyota way and absorbing the culture,” Hassan Jameel explained. “We’re following the Toyota way, using approaches of kaizen [continuous improvement] and genchi genbutsu—which means go out to the field and experience it yourself.”

The company’s evolution continues under the third generation’s leadership, with significant investments in electric vehicles, renewable energy, and digital transformation, alongside the core automotive distribution business that remains central to its identity.

Now employing more than 11,000 people across more than 30 countries, Abdul Latif Jameel stands as a testament to successful family business transition—maintaining its founding values while adapting to changing global markets and technologies.