Shahzada Dawood (and his son Suleman) Net Worth [OceanGate Passengers]

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Net Worth:	$350 million
Profession/Career:	Pakistani and British Businessman, Investor, Philanthropist
YouTube Channel:	None
College:	Philadelphia University
Major/Degree:	Master of Science in Global Textile Marketing
Full Name:	Shahzada Dawood
Date of Birth:	February 12, 1975
Place of Birth:	Karachi, Pakistan
Height:	5’ 10”

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Frequently Associated

Who is Shahzada Dawood?

Shahzada Dawood is a member of the Dawood Hercules Group and serves as a director on the boards of several prominent companies in Pakistan. His involvement is primarily in the energy, agriculture, and food sectors. For instance, he is involved with Engro Corporation, a major Pakistani conglomerate with interests in sectors like fertilizers, foods, chemical storage, and petrochemicals.

Shahzada Dawood also serves as the Chairman of the Dawood Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to promoting education, health, and social enterprise in Pakistan.

Additionally, he is on the board of trustees for the SETI Institute, a non-profit based in California with a mission to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe. The acronym SETI stands for the “Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence”.

Founded in 1984, the institute conducts scientific research in a variety of fields including astronomy and planetary science, chemical evolution, the origin of life, astrophysics, and more. Its best-known program is the radio and optical search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

The SETI Institute’s work involves signal detection from space, analysis of that data, and the development of new technologies and methodologies for SETI. The institute also takes an active role in astrobiology research, studying the conditions on other planets that might harbor life.

Aside from research, the SETI Institute is also committed to education and public outreach, providing resources for educators, hosting talks, and engaging with the public to disseminate knowledge and enthusiasm about the search for life beyond Earth.

Shahzada Dawood’s Net Worth

Shahzada Dawood’s net worth is estimated to be around $350 million.

The Dawood Hercules Group is one of the largest conglomerates in Pakistan, which was founded by his family. His grandfather was named Ahmed Dawood and founded the Dawood Group in the year 1950. Shahzada’s father Hussain Dawood eventually took over as chairman of both the Dawood Hercules Corporation and Engro Corporation.

Shahzada’s wealth is primarily derived from his involvement in this group and his directorship roles in various companies. The business interests of the Dawood Hercules Group, and hence Shahzada Dawood, span across sectors including energy, agriculture, and food. His family’s business interests also extend to textiles, technology, and more.

Shahzada Dawood’s Most Well-Known Achievements

Shahzada Dawood is recognized for his significant contributions in the business world and philanthropy. Here are a few of his notable achievements:

Shahzada Dawood has served as a key figure in the Dawood Hercules Group, one of the largest and most successful conglomerates in Pakistan. His leadership roles span various companies within this group and beyond, contributing to their growth and success.

As part of the Dawood Hercules Group, Shahzada Dawood has also been involved with Engro Corporation, a major Pakistani conglomerate with interests in sectors like fertilizers, foods, chemical storage, and petrochemicals. His strategic decisions have likely contributed to the success of this corporation.

As the Chairman of the Dawood Foundation, Shahzada Dawood has been involved in significant philanthropic efforts in Pakistan. The foundation is committed to promoting education, health, and social enterprise, and its activities have had a substantial impact in these areas.

Shahzada Dawood’s Wife and Children

Shahzada is married to Christine Dawood and has two children with her, Suleman and Alina Dawood.

Shahzada Dawood’s Philanthropy: The Dawood Foundation

The Dawood Foundation, chaired by Shahzada Dawood, is a philanthropic organization based in Pakistan. It actively participates in various initiatives and programs aimed at promoting education, healthcare, and social welfare in the country. Some of the key areas in which the Dawood Foundation participates include:

Education: The foundation focuses on improving the quality of education and increasing access to educational opportunities. It supports initiatives such as scholarships, educational infrastructure development, teacher training programs, and educational reforms.

Healthcare: The Dawood Foundation is involved in healthcare initiatives to improve medical facilities and services in Pakistan. It supports hospitals, clinics, and medical research centers, and also works to raise awareness about public health issues.

Social Welfare: The foundation participates in social welfare programs that address the needs of marginalized communities and vulnerable populations. This includes initiatives related to poverty alleviation, women empowerment, vocational training, and community development.

Disaster Relief: The Dawood Foundation plays an active role in providing assistance during times of natural disasters and emergencies. It supports relief efforts by providing aid, resources, and infrastructure to affected communities.

Shahzada Dawood’s Past Exploration Experiences

Out of the five participants, Shahzada and his son Suleman were the least experienced and most casual explorers. Stockton Rush had visited the Titanic multiple times, Hamish Harding has been to space and the Mariana Trench, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet was an explorer by profession, mainly in relation to recovering artifacts from the Titanic.

Still, Shahzada has had his fair share of exploration experiences in the past. His childhood friend and fellow businessman, Muhammad Hashim, has said of Dawood, “He wanted to explore the world and to go places where few can go.” In his repertoire of past adventures are travels to Iceland, Greenland, and Antarctica. He also loved river rafting.

Though quite tame in comparison to the other explorers, he was nevertheless just as excited at the prospect of being able to see the wreck and remains of the Titanic with his son.

OceanGate’s Titan Submersible and the US Coast Guard Search

OceanGate Inc. is a private company that provides manned submersible services. It was founded in 2009 and is based in Everett, Washington, USA.

OceanGate’s submersibles are designed for deep sea exploration and can be used for a variety of purposes, such as scientific research, commercial exploration, and film production. They’re known for creating innovative technology in this field.

One of OceanGate’s key achievements was the development of the Titan submersible, which was designed to reach depths of up to 4,000 meters (approximately 13,123 feet). Titan was notably used for expeditions to the wreck of the Titanic.

The company has also been working on other submersibles like the Cyclops-class vessels that are designed to reach even greater depths. Cyclops 2, for instance, is intended to reach depths up to 6,000 meters (approximately 19,685 feet).

In June of 2023, Shahzada Dawood was a participant of the Titanic viewing mission. Unfortunately, during the descent, all contact was lost and after roughly 12 hours of not hearing back, he and the other participants, which included his very own son Suleman Dawood, Stockton Rush (CEO of OceanGate), Hamish Harding, and French explorer Paul-Henri Nargeolet, were reported as missing. A US Coast Guard search was initiated. The latest news at the time of this writing is that a debris field was found near the Titanic wreckage consisting of parts that are believed to be from the Titan submersible, indicating that a possible implosion had occurred. All five are presumed to have passed away.

How his son Suleman went on the OceanGate Titan

Shortly after the disappearance of the Titan vessel, Azmeh Dawood, sister to Shahzada and aunt to Suleman stated that Suleman was terrified of the expedition, and did not want to go. However, eager to please his father, especially over the Father’s Day weekend, Suleman decided to go reluctantly.

However, during an interview with BBC, Suleman’s mother Christine stated that Suleman was really excited to go on the expedition. It was supposed to be Shahzada and her going down, but she decided to give her spot to him, since Suleman was so excited.

Unfortunately due to the tragedy, we will never know what he truly thought.