Naz Ahamad dies of cancer in Miami

ONE OF the country’s leading business executives, Nazir Ahamad, died yesterday in Miami after losing a battle with cancer. His family said his funeral will be held as soon as his body is brought home next week. A man of great enterprise and business acumen, Ahamad was  69. He was the chairman of Southern Sales Ltd, leading car dealers, which only two years ago marked its Golden Anniversary. Southern Sales was founded by Nazir’s late father Aziz Ahamad, who pioneered much business development in this country.

Ahamad’s son, Reyaz, said that although his father was a successful public figure, he never liked publicity and would not have wanted a fuss to be made at his passing. He said that funeral arrangements will be finalised sometime next week. A graduate of Birmingham University in England, where he qualified with a BSc in Engineering, Ahamad joined Southern Sales in 1963 and was promoted managing director in 1967. He succeeded his father as chairman in 1978. On the occasion of the Golden Anniversary in 2002, Nazir recalled how Southern Sales had risen from humble origins to become a giant in the business world in Trinidad and Tobago. “Through many struggles, especially in the early years, and tremendous sacrifice, Southern Sales has survived with a never-say-die attitude. “The entrepreneurial spirit of the late founder of the company and his obsession for quality service, has been passed on to two generations of the Ahamad family,” he said.

Southern Sales represents a number of world class vehicles including Audi, Volkswagen and BMW, and employs over 350 persons. Under his watch, the company expanded into rental and leasing of vehicles and has served a number of corporate clients both locally and internationally. They have also expanded into the area of motor vehicle financing. Nazir Ahamad has served on the Boards of many local companies and was chairman of Neal and Massy,  Southern Sales and Services and Guardian Holdings Ltd. He joined Guardian Life in March 1993 and was appointed chairman in January 1998. Ahamad was also a top race horse owner for more than three decades, racing many champion horses to emerge as the owner who won the most money. His favourite horse “Over and Above” was due to run in the Indian Arrival Day meeting next week.

He also had another horse “Phantom Bidder” which was entered in next week’s race in memory of E Colt Durant, who was the trainer of all of Ahamad’s champions. As a horse owner, he won all the major classic races on different occasions. These included the Royal Oak Derby, which he won on three occasions, the Stewards Cup, the Independence Cup, the Breeders Stakes and Easter Guineas. During his career in horse racing he bought and bred many top notch horses including today’s popular horses “Renegade” and “Flag Woman.”