Shahzada Dawood, a prominent British Pakistani businessman and one of the richest people in Pakistan, died at the age of 48 while aboard a submersible that was on its way to view the wreck of the Titanic. Along with Dawood, his 19-year-old son, Suleman, was also aboard the Titan submersible and is presumed to have died in the incident.
Dawood was the vice chair of Engro Corp., a business conglomerate based in Pakistan that deals with agriculture, energy, and telecommunications. He was highly regarded for his work in renewable energy and technology, and his family is well known as one of the wealthiest business families in the country. The Dawood family released a statement describing Shahzada and Suleman’s passion for science and discovery that led them to embark on the expedition to the wreck of the Titanic.
The news of Dawood’s and Suleman’s tragic deaths shocked the business community in Pakistan and around the world. Rear Adm. John W. Mauger offered his deepest condolences to the families on behalf of the United States Coast Guard and the entire unified command.
Dawood studied law at Buckingham University in Britain and received a master’s in global textile marketing from Philadelphia University. He was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2012. His love of travel and nature was evident on his Instagram profile, which was covered with photos of birds, flowers, and landscapes, including a sunset in the Kalahari Desert, the ice sheet in Greenland, penguins in the Shetlands, and a tiny bird in London with the caption Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Dawood was also a fan of science fiction books and was a lover of Star Trek and Star Wars. He enjoyed solving Rubik’s Cubes and playing volleyball.
His passion for the environment was demonstrated at work, where he championed sustainability and diversity. He was also a trustee at the SETI Institute, an organization devoted to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Dawood was involved in his family’s charitable ventures, including the Engro Foundation, which supports small-scale farmers, and the Dawood Foundation, an education-focused nonprofit.
Dawood leaves behind one daughter, Alina, and his wife, Christine. His family’s statement reads, Shahzada’s and Suleman’s absence will be felt deeply by all those who had the privilege of knowing this pair.
