Ten employees from the same company experienced a life-changing moment when they collectively won $1 million in the latest Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire draw, Khaleej Times reported.
Asif Mathilakath Assees, a 41-year-old Indian expat living in Sharjah, and his nine colleagues were named winners of the Millennium Millionaire Series 471. The winning ticket, number 4909, was purchased on August 2 while Assees was traveling from Dubai to Kochi, India. The group has been participating in the Dubai Duty Free promotion for 10 years, taking turns using their names for each draw.
Assees, who has resided in Sharjah for 14 years and works in sales marketing, expressed his joy: “This is a life-changing moment for all of us. Thank you so much, Dubai Duty Free.” Originally from Kerala, India, Assees is the 234th Indian national to win the Millennium Millionaire promotion since it started in 1999. Indian nationals are the most frequent participants and winners in the promotion’s history.
The draw, held at Concourse B of Dubai International Airport, was officiated by several senior executives from Dubai Duty Free, including Sinead El Sibai, SVP – Marketing; Mona Al Ali, SVP – HR; Michael Schmidt, SVP – Retail; and Yasa Tahir, VP – HR.
Following the Millennium Millionaire draw, the Finest Surprise draw for a luxury car was also held. Kais Kriem, a 49-year-old French national living in Dubai, won a BMW 740i M Sport with ticket number 0409 in the Finest Surprise Series 1889. Kriem, who has lived in Dubai for a decade and works as a new market development director for a beverage company, bought the ticket on August 4 on his way to Tunis, Tunisia.
“Thank you, Dubai Duty Free! This win has come at a very good time,” said Kriem, a father of two and the 32nd French national to win a car in the Finest Surprise promotion since 1989. He has been a regular participant in Dubai Duty Free’s promotion for six years.