Who is the billionaire Shahzada Dawood missing on board the Titanic sub with his son Suleman?
Shahazada Dawood and his 19-year-old son Suleman are amongst those missing on Titan, owned by OceanGate Expeditions
Shahzada Dawood, who is from one of Pakistan’s richest families, is amongst those missing on board the Titanic sub, along with his 19-year old son Suleman. Shahzada lives with Suleman, his wife Christine and Alina, in Surbiton, south-west London.
Before the dive, Shazada and his family were spending a month in Canada.
According to the BBC, “Shahzada is vice-chairman of Pakistani conglomerate Engro Corporation, which is a large fertiliser firm.” The BBC also reported that “He works with his family’s Dawood Foundation as well as the SETI Institute-a California-based research organisation which searches for extraterrestrial life”
On The Dawood Foundation, it says that “Mr.Shahzada is an M.Sc. in Global Textile Marketing from Philadelphia University, USA, an LLB from Buckingham University, UK and a Certified Director of Corporate Governance from the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance. He has been selected as a Young Global Leader 2012 by the World Economic Forum.”
The Dawood family released a statement which said: “As of now, contact has been lost with their submersible craft and there is limited information available.
“We are very grateful for the concern being shown by our colleagues and friends and would like to request everyone to pray for their safety while granting the family privacy at this time. The family is well looked after and are praying to Allah for the safe return of their family members.”
Shahzada Dawood worked as an adviser to the international arm of the Prince’s Trust and Will Straw, chief executive of The Prince's Trust (founded in 1976 by King Charles, the then Prince of Wales), said the following: “Prince’s Trust International has a longstanding relationship with Shahzada Dawood and his family. We are shocked by this awful news, praying for a rescue and sending our thoughts to his family during this deeply challenging time."
Alongside Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, the other missing people on board include Hamish Harding, Paul-Henri Nargeolet and Stockton Rush, the CEO of OceanGate, the company that operates the vessel.