When other young men were pursuing office jobs within the private and public sector, Tan Sri Dato’ Hj M Ariffin Yusuf, at 27, was selling pharmaceutical products to hospitals.
The experience of briefly working and subsequently becoming a business partner in another company drove Ariffin to become an entrepreneur in his own business venture.
Thus, in 1975, he set up PRIMABUMI Sdn Bhd. In the first three months, his briefcase was his office. Working with just bare necessities, business soon picked up and he was able to move into a rented premise at SS2 Petaling Jaya with three employees.
The country, in the early 1970’s, was at the initial stages of implementing the New Economy Policy, which encouraged Bumiputra entrepreneurs to explore business ventures.Ariffin studied banking at the School of Business Management , Institut Teknologi MARA and later pursue a banking course in Karachi, Pakistan.
He is neither a doctor nor a pharmacist. Yet, he is able to grow the company from strength to strength.

Today PRIMABUMI is a well established agent for the supply of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.