Business Review Middle East magazine - September 2017

September 2017

www.businessreviewmiddleeast.com

TOP 10 MIDDLE EASTERN BANKS

SCIENTECHNIC EMPOWERING TOMORROW

THE UAE IS LEADING THE DRIVE

F O R T E C H N O L O GY

C ANON MIDDLE E AST’S SHADI BAKHOUR ON THE COMPANY ’S AMBITIOUS PL ANS FOR THE REG ION

TAL K I NG

BIZ WITH

MAI + ARABIAN DUBAI ETHICALS

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FOREWORD WELCOME TO THE September edition of Business Review Middle East.

We start off with our exclusive interview with Canon Middle East Business Unit Director Shadi Bakhour, discussing how the printing and technology giant has approached expansion of operations in the region, and what it expects to do in the coming months.

Another company growing fast in the Middle East is Mai Dubai. CEO Jay Andres explains how the company is looking to take on the big bottled water producers through new innovations and strategies.

Also featured this month is Scientechnic, helping to build the cities of tomorrow with cutting edge technology. General Manager Easa Fareed Al Gurg talks about its latest projects and plans for the future.

Our top 10 details the region’s largest banks, while other exclusive insights come from interviews with Arabian Ethicals and Global Shipping & Logistics.

Enjoy the read, and as always, tweet your feedback @BusinessRevME

Enjoy the issue!

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F E AT U R E S

THE UAE IS LEADING THE DRIVE FOR

INSIGHT

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TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY

TOP 10

28 SCIENTECHNIC: EMPOWERING TOMORROW 4

September 2017

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TOP 10 Middle

Eastern banks

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INSIGHT

THE UAE IS LEADING THE DRIVE FOR TECHNOLOGY Canon Middle East is helping its clients realise their goals with cloud-based support and dedicated after-sales training and services. We talk with Business Unit Director Shadi Bakhour about Canon’s plans for expansion and the specific challenges within the region Writ ten by: DAN BRIGHTMORE

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INSIGHT IT’S STILL RELATIVELY early days in the Middle East for Canon, the global market leader founded in Japan in 1937. Canon first established a presence here in 1998 and rapid expansion saw the company open a major office in Dubai in 2001, handling a further 12 countries. Subsequently, in 2005, the office also took responsibility for a further 21 countries from North Africa and yet more territories were added to Canon Middle East from Africa’s eastern regions in 2011.

Shadi Bakour is Canon’s B2B Business Unit Director and, in his previous role as General Manager, developed the company’s direct operations in the region, which saw the development of Canon Qatar in 2014. Bakour was also part of the handover team when Canon Africa become a separate entity in 2015. “We segregated the geographical presence because Africa is growing quickly and has different needs to Canon Middle East where the focus is on building our direct operations,” says Bakour.

“My role is very much a strategic one and plays out across the region looking after both direct and indirect 12

September 2017

400+ Number of management services contracts owned by Canon Middle East

operations. I need to make sure we are competing, investing and building relationships in the countries where we do business. Most important, is the position Canon has compared to its competitors in the market.”

It’s a market in which Canon has successfully developed its business from conventional box selling to become an industryfocused organisation that sells solutions. “Services are an important element of everything we do,” adds Bakour. “We are expanding our direct operations presence with a value proposition approach incorporating all the applications and domains we would like to tackle in the coming five years, with different verticals bringing diverse

THE DRIVE FOR TECHNOLOGY

solution offerings to our clients.”

Bakour believes there’s no specific product that plays a part in Canon’s business success because it’s the value that creates the positive differentiation. “No matter how feature-enabled you make it, the product is always there, so the key to success is how you sell it and bring value to customers,” he explains.

“So, if you ask me what product is most integral to our success I would say our salesforce, because of the

skills and expertise they need to bring into the market to address complex issues and scalability while making an investment in our clients.”

Canon Middle East’s client base including government departments, media outlets and healthcare organisations - has consistently grown and now boasts over 400 contracts in management services across the region (with 50% of these within its direct operations across the Emirates and Qatar). “We run them, manage them and control them,” asserts Bakour. “We have extended this offering by embracing a comprehensive management 13

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THE DRIVE FOR TECHNOLOGY

portfolio to support our CBS (Canon Business Service) customers to facilitate their journey into document and business process outsourcing.

This focuses on enabling our clients to make efficiencies in their back-office processing while optimising customer communications and interactions.”

What are the challenges Bakour and Canon are facing in realising this goal?

“Volatility in the Middle East is

our Brexit,” he concedes. “We sometimes run at a speed we think is right for the market and then we find that the time we have to implement is not enough and vice versa. We must make hundreds of decisions every day, so it’s crucial we pass on the skillset required to our partners and channels to build their expertise. You can’t have one size fits all. Behind every skillset leading to an expertise level you need a considerable amount of investment.”

However, Bakour’s biggest challenge for Canon Middle East is 15

INSIGHT

“The UAE is leading the drive for technology, innovation and smart cities, and our Innovation Centre is in line with the government’s vision” SHADI BAKOUR, BUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR, CANON MIDDLE EAST

helping his clients overcome their reservations around cloud services.

It’s something he believes is vital in order to be able to offer the best levels of support. “The cloud service allows us to do proactive maintenance,” he explains. “Our clients need to be connected with us on the internet so we can know about any equipment problems before they do. They can be reluctant due to security fears. We reassure them with the fact that this is a one-way communication only. The information will only move from their server to our server without 16

September 2017

having an inbound route. We can also store all the relevant data from the past month, year or years to allow us to retrieve it whenever the clients require it. Security is always a concern, especially when it comes to the banking sector and governmental fields, so we understand the need for caution and clarity in the way we explain and implement these services.”

Integral to providing these services is Canon’s approach to best practice through training to elevate the skills of its workforce and partners to help clients. “We always look to train the

THE DRIVE FOR TECHNOLOGY

local people, which is imperative to retaining our competitive advantage,” says Bakour. “We’ve even created programs that tap into millennials who we believe have a big role to play if we prepare them for the future.”

To that end, Bakour is excited Canon has chosen Dubai to launch the evolved showroom concept of its Innovation Centre. “The UAE is leading the drive for technology, innovation and smart cities, and our Innovation Centre is in line with the government’s vision and part of Canon’s strategy of working closely with its customers,”

he says. It’s a place where he believes those customers and his workforce will be inspired by innovative imaging technology that offers pioneering solutions.

Chief among the groundbreaking products Bakour is eager to showcase is UV Gel technology.

Canon says this will provide an entirely new way for print businesses to produce cost-effective, highquality printing with non-toxic, durable, and colour-fast results on virtually any flexible media used for signage. It’s the fuel for wide format flatbed printers like the Arizona 17

INSIGHT

“Here at Canon Middle East we’re confident we’ll keep innovating, sustain our expansion and find new ways to develop markets with our direct operations and service offerings.”

SHADI BAKOUR, BUSINESS UNIT DIRECTOR, CANON MIDDLE EAST

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September 2017

THE DRIVE FOR TECHNOLOGY

1280. “Signage is a fast-growing and untapped market for us in the Middle East,” admits Bakour.

Canon believes UV Gel printing addresses the limitations of ecosolvent and latex printing by jetting ink faster onto the media which will increase productivity and speed.

Canon also aims to compete at the other end of the scale with smaller products like document scanners which meet the demands of the smart offices of the future. “Through digitisation, businesses can significantly cut costs, increase efficiency and have easy access to any file within seconds,” Bakour adds.

In recent years, Canon has also marked its entry into the commercial photo printing market with the DreamLabo 5000. With several units now in place across the region - in the UAE, Kuwait and KSA - Bakour is still keen to explore this growth area. “You know there are trillions of pictures out there, on our phones, cameras and tablets, which are not being printed out,” he says. “The DreamLabo addresses that. It’s a unique inkjet production printer that prints photos and

photobooks in different sizes and formats. It produces astonishing results - the quality of pictures is amazing. However, you need tools to harness its potential so we’re now producing apps and software to facilitate the opportunity for people to print more, capture the moment and keep the memory.”

And what are Canon Middle East’s plans to seize the moment and capture their future goals? “There has been a lot of consolidation taking place in the market,” Bakour observes. “The coming years will reveal if these mergers and acquisitions are successful. Here at Canon Middle East we’re confident we’ll keep innovating, sustain our expansion and find new ways to develop markets with our direct operations and service offerings. It’s our main strategy over the next five years to continue with our growth plan, with a greater emphasis on diversification and globalisation, in our mission to make Canon a top 100 global company.”

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SCIENTECHNIC: EMPOWERING TOMORROW SCIENTECHNIC IS ONE of GCC region’s leading integrated solutions providers of electrical, mechanical, power, automation and mobility technologies. For more than four decades it has been working collaboratively with industries, utilities and infrastructure customers on ground-breaking projects such as the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Opera.

General Manager Easa Fareed Al 20

September 2017

Gurg represents the third generation of his family to chart a course for the company’s success. Established in 1972, Scientechnic is a flagship company of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group (itself established in 1960). With his innate sense of Scientechnic’s historical place and unique capabilities in the market, Al Gurg is proud of the family business and its ability to consistently meet the

TECHNOLOGY

Scientechnic is uniquely placed to offer a 360-degree service from design, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance of renowned electrical products and project solutions. We speak with General Manager Easa Fareed Al Gurg about its latest projects and plans for the future…

Writ ten by: DAN BRIGHTMORE

needs of a diverse range of clients.

“We offer advanced technological solutions in partnership with world class brands such as Siemens, Osram, Erco and many others. Throughout the years we have evolved the expertise and capability in-house to possess skills that offer our services from the design stage to supply, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance,” says Al Gurg.

Scientechnic is in the early stages of a major airport project in the region and its General Manager is excited about another area of their work with the federal government. “We are upgrading the water network and installing smart meters in the northern Emirates,” he explains. “It’s something that happens behind the scenes, which people may not realise. We’re working on the electrification, instrumentation and 21

TECHNOLOGY automation aspects of the process.

It’s very important, particularly in our region, to protect a natural resource like water. It’s nice to know that when someone turns on their tap, Scientechnic has had a positive contribution to that everyday service.”

You can literally see the affirmative effects of the company’s work above ground too. Scientechnic was nominated by the RTA (Roads and Transport Authority) to supply a complete smart lighting solution along the boardwalk of the Dubai Water Canal.

“Every effort was made to add our best work to such a prestigious project,” recalls Al Gurg. “The deliverables were the supply, installation, commissioning of Smart Poles (manufactured by NERI ) with functional and feature lights, CCTV camera, Wi-Fi coverage for the entire boardwalk, audio system, step lighting, planter lighting and boardwalk handrail lighting.”

Al Gurg speaks with passion about Scientechnic’s ability to bring a project like this to life: “If you construct a magnificent building you’re not able to operate in that space without lighting. Lighting is more than just 22

September 2017

“WHENEVER SCIENTECHNIC STARTS TO GROW IN A PARTICULAR FIELD OF EXPERTISE, WE INVEST IN IT AND TRANSFORM IT INTO AN INDEPENDENT VERTICAL WITH ITS OWN DEDICATED TEAM AND MANAGEMENT” EASA FAREED AL GURG

CITIES OF TOMORROW

beautification… it provides the life of a building or a project. The challenge with the Dubai Water Canal wasn’t purely lighting, we had to offer a level of customisation within a record-breaking timeline of two to three months.”

The unique approach to offering such levels of customisation is supported by Scientechnic’s seven ‘business units’: Industrial Stock Sales, Lighting Projects, Building Technologies, Automation Projects, Sheet Metal Manufacturing, Energy Management and Mobility.

Industrial Stock Sales helped form the core of the company’s offering in the seventies with the pure trading of electrical, mechanical, automation and engineering products. From this base, it moved into Lighting Projects involving supplying indoor/outdoor lighting and façade lighting with support from design to installation.

“We’ve evolved to offer the next generation of lighting controls for building and home automation,” adds Al Gurg. “Allied to this, with our Building Technologies division we supply fire alarm and firefighting systems, active control CCTV and security systems.”

Al Gurg explains the theory behind the separate business units: “Whenever 23

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CITIES OF TOMORROW

Scientechnic starts to grow in a particular field of expertise, we invest in it and transform it into an independent vertical with its own dedicated team and management so that we can better meet the requirements of the market.”

Scientechnic’s Automation Projects vertical started out by partnering with Siemens and now has the full in-house capability to manufacture and assemble panels which go into different fields – oil and gas, petrochemical and electrical markets – allied with factory automation.

“This side of the business prompted us to develop our Sheet Metal Manufacturing arm,” explains Al Gurg. “It ensures we have full control over quality with backwards and forwards integration enabling us to be self-dependent and offer a better service. As with our Energy Management division which provides complete solutions for low voltage, medium voltage, switchgear, transformers and UPS systems).”

Scientechnic has been partnering with Siemens for over 40 years and so were keen to become a turnkey provider for installation and provide a complete solution, instead of just supplying one type of product. This

led to the Mobility division’s evolution.

“It started as a single traffic signaling controller in the 70s,” remembers Al Gurg. “The division has continuously evolved with more complicated systems – intelligent traffic solutions and dynamic messaging signals in signs. If we look at Dubai and the UAE, we have advanced traffic systems and a historical alliance with various government departments allowing us to offer our turnkey solutions.”

With each business unit operating as a separate company the challenge for Al Gurg is to make sure Scientechnic capitalises on the capabilities it has cross-functionally while adapting to new technologies.

“The shift from conventional lighting to LED created a major change in the type of projects we do and clients we work with,” he recalls. “Moving away from halogen-based lighting meant that we had to examine our in-house capabilities. Dubai has always been a pioneer in adapting to the latest advances – if you’re not able to provide that flexibility you’ll disappear from the market.”

The market he believes is becoming more interconnected. “The oldfashioned idea of beating your 25

TECHNOLOGY

competition is no longer there,” says Al Gurg. “You may beat your competition in a certain field, but that doesn’t stop you working together to provide a better solution for the market. To achieve a certain standing in the market you have to consolidate your reputation as well as the transparency of dealings; so clients are able to trust you. It’s the same with our business units; each one must operate on its own merits.

But at the same time, we look for synergies to collaborate effectively.”

It’s the company’s ability to 26

September 2017

“I WANT US TO BE THE FOCAL POINT THAT CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE - STARTING INTERNALLY THEN REACHING OUT TO THE MARKET AS A WHOLE” EASA FAREED AL GURG

CITIES OF TOMORROW

combine its efforts to offer creative lighting solutions in particular that will see Scientechnic’s work feature in landmark projects such as Warner Bros World in Abu Dhabi when it opens in 2018. Here, the company’s expertise in providing accent, feature and general lighting is being put to the test across a 1.65 million-square-feet site which will showcase thrill rides, live entertainment and interactive attractions such as Gotham City and Metropolis. It’s this kind of expertise that the company is known for having tackled projects like Dubai Parks and Resorts – the region’s largest integrated theme park.

Looking ahead, Scientechnic is focused on growing organically in the region and Al Gurg’s drive over the next few years is to give the company a stronger presence in Saudi Arabia.

To that end Scientechnic is already involved in projects to support Vision 2030 - a plan to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism.

“We also have Expo 2020 coming up here in Dubai,” he adds. “You need to build up a city from scratch which requires the right infrastructure, roads,

signaling, lighting, sub stations, UPS systems and so forth. We are involved through the contractors as well as the principals and will be supplying more than just products – we’re offering our partnership and ability to develop new concepts to hopefully make this a truly memorable Expo.”

In its mission statement bid to ‘empower tomorrow’, Scientechnic is actively seeking to implement new technologies as part of Industry 4.0 to ensure it remains a destination company for experts in their field and world-class suppliers who want to work in the industry.

So, what is his ultimate goal for Scientechnic?

“I want us to be the focal point that can be beneficial to everyone - starting internally then reaching out to the market as a whole,” pledges Al Gurg.

“We’ve merged areas of our business to better enable our services, which actually resulted in us growing further.

We’ve increased our workforce by 50% over the past four years (Scientechnic employs over 600 people including 380 engineers). We’ve been performing well and hiring people during challenging times. I want us to be the company that sets the benchmark.”

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TOP 10

TOP 10 MIDDLE EASTERN BANKS Written by: Laura Mullan 28

September 2017

The Middle East economies have achieved a remarkable transformation in the last 30 years, moving from the periphery of world trade to the centre stage.

We take a look at the top 10 movers and shakers in finance to see which bank has the largest assets in the Middle East‌ 29

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Banque Saudi Fransi Banque Saudi Fransi is a Saudi Arabian Joint Stock Company established in 1977. It provides commercial banking to both domestic and international customers, and reported strong results in the first half of 2017, with a recorded net profit of US$560mn. Its head office is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with additional regional offices in Jeddah, Al-Riyadh, and Al-Khobar. For many years, the bank has molded its strategy around its clients, which is the centre of its business model. As of 2016, it had over US$54bn in assets. Managing Director, Mr Patrice Couvegnes says: “Our aim is to build a long-term relationship with our clients and to support them during this transformation of the economy.� www.alfransi.com.sa

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MIDDLE EASTERN BANKS

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Riyad Bank Established in 1957, Riya Bank is one of the largest financial institutions in Saudi Arabia. The Bank employs more than 5,700 employees and has one of the highest national employment rates in the country. The well-established brand has over US$57bn in assets, with 51% of the firm’s shares owned by the Saudi government. Riyad Bank is not only a strong corporate and banking franchise, but is also a leading financier of syndicated loans in many of Saudi’s noteworthy oil, petrochemicals and infrastructure projects. The bank is regulated by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. www.riyadbank.com 31

TOP 10

08

Samba Financial Group Samba financial group, formerly known as Saudi American Bank, is a banking heavyweight with a solid presence in Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Established in 1980, the financial group has 66 branches in Saudi Arabia as well as in London, Qatar, and Dubai. This year, Samba Financial Group has won awards for being the best foreign exchange for Saudi Arabia and for being the Middle East’s best payment and collection bank. The bank is a strong rival to its competitors with US$61.7bn in assets. In February this year, Rania Nashar became CEO of Samba Financial Group and, in doing so, became Saudi Arabia’s first female CEO of a commercial bank. www.samba.com

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MIDDLE EASTERN BANKS

07

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) is a bank in the United Arab Emirates. It was founded in 1985 when three predecessor banks – Emirates Commercial Bank, Federal Commercial Bank, and Khaleej Commercial Bank – merged together. 62.5% of the bank’s shares are owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi as part of the Abu Dhabi Investment Council.

Although the bank’s fundamental and underlying performance remains healthy, the bank recently reported that its second-quarter net profit dipped 10.3% in comparison to the previous year. The Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank has US$70.2bn in assets. www.adcb.com

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06

National Bank of Kuwait Kuwait’s first indigenous bank is the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK). With total assets of US$79bn, NBK envisions to be the trusted bank of choice, by building on its core ‘values, people, and expertise’. In July, the National Bank of Kuwait reported an almost 11% rise in second-quarter net profit from the previous year. This was seen as a positive result given that low oil prices have caused uncertainty in the Gulf. www.nbk.com

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MIDDLE EASTERN BANKS

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Al Rajhi Bank Al Rajhi Banking Corporation is one of the most well-known Islamic banks in the Middle East, offering Sharia compliant banking for people of any faith.

It has over 9,700 employees and US$80bn in assets. It is also a major investor in Saudi business. The bank is one of the dominant players in Saudi Arabia’s consumer market however, Al Rajhi’s CEO, Steve Bertamini, says he hopes to use the government’s National Transformation Plan (NTP) to boost its share of corporate lending. www.alrajhibank.com.sa

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TOP 10

04

National Commercial Bank The National Commercial Bank (NBC) was the first bank to be licensed in Saudi Arabia and it is now considered to be the largest bank in the region. Also known as AlAhli Bank, the company reportedly boasts 5mn clients, 347 branches, and over 8,000 employees as of 2016.

It also has US$120.8bn in assets. The National Commercial Bank operates through five segments – retail, corporate, treasury, capital market, and international – however, YouGov BrandIndex recently announced that customers thought NBC was the second-best retailing bank in the UAE. www.alahli.com

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September 2017

MIDDLE EASTERN BANKS

03

Emirates NBD The third largest bank in the Middle East, by assets, is Emirates NBD with US$121bn.

The bank formed officially in 2007 when shares were released into the Dubai Financial Market. The Group operates in the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and also has representative offices in India, China and Indonesia.

Currently, more than 9,000 people, representing 70 nationalities are employed

by Emirates NBD, making it one of the largest employers in the UAE. Over the past several years, Emirates NBD has firmly established its place as the top retailing brand in the UAE. Indeed, YouGov BrandIndex recently revealed that UAE customers ranked the bank as the best in the country. www.emiratesnbd.com

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02

First Abu Dhabi Bank The First Abu Dhabi Bank was formed in April 2017, when two prominent banks – First Gulf Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi – merged.

With the slogan “Grow Stronger”, First Abu Dhabi Bank has US$186bn in assets and US$26bn in equity. The bank hopes that the merger will be an engine for UAE growth, will help to drive further investment and economic diversification, and will advance the ambition of entrepreneurs and their employees. The bank offers a range of retail banking, corporate, wholesale and investment banking, wealth management and private banking; as well as Islamic banking, brokerage, property management and leasing. www.bankfortheuae.com

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September 2017

MIDDLE EASTERN BANKS

01

Qatar National Bank Qatar National Bank (QNB) was founded in 1964 as the country’s very first domestically-owned commercial bank. Since then, QNB has steadily grown to be the biggest bank in Qatar and indeed, the Middle East, with assets reportedly reaching over US$198bn in 2017. In recent months, Qatar has been boycotted by some of its powerful Arab neighbours and faced isolation. The Qatar National Bank is considering options to raise financing, as the diplomatic standoff with its Gulf neighbours threatens to weaken liquidity in the gas-rich country. For the meantime, however, Qatar National Bank is financially sound and one of the strongest banks in the Middle East by assets. www.qnb.com 39

HEALTHY BUSINESS IN UAE HEALTHCARE Written by: Fran Roberts Produced by: Stuart Shirra

Currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, Arabian Ethicals (AE) is one of the best-established pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare distributors in the Gulf region. In this milestone year, Rawhi Al-Khatib, GM at AE, describes the company’s success and development

A

ccording to the Government of Dubai, under a recent MoU signed by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), the UAE is looking to attract international pharmaceutical firms, with investment of up to AED 2bn (approximately US$544mn) annually. Such investment is aimed at transforming Dubai – Arabian Ethicals’ (AE) home city – into a regional hub for medical tourism as the country prepares for the post-oil era.

“Arabian Ethicals was established in 1977 in Dubai as an agent for pharmaceutical and medical equipment, alongside consumer health products. Over the last 40 years, AE has grown to become

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September 2017

a major distributor for many multinational brands such as Merck Serono, Acino, Sandoz, Ferring, Himalaya, API, Medpharma, Avalon, Dr. Theiss, Naterra, Lohman, Norbrook and many others specialising in a wide range of pharmaceutical, consumer, and veterinary medicine,” reveals General Manager, Rawhi Al-Khatib.

“AE is a part of a larger regional Group, Aban Investments, which has a presence in various industries such as chemical manufacturing, oil and gas, retail, F&B, IT, and digital office imaging and office services, with a strong financial capability.

Currently, AE has offices and pharmaceutical standard logistical hubs in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as regional distribution

H E A LT H C A R E

w w w. b u s i n e s s re v i e w m i d d l e e a s t . c o m

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H E A LT H C A R E

partners,” details Al-Khatib.

While AE is based out of the two most populous cities in the UAE, its scope is not limited to them. “We actually cover the entire UAE from these two hubs, which operates a large fleet of MOH licenced vehicles and qualified sales teams.

We cover various channels including pharmacies, government sectors, hospitals, clinics, retailers, veterinary clinics and animal farms in the UAE, and we have a strong appetite for growth regionally,” explains Al-Khatib.

“The development of the healthcare market in the UAE, and the ongoing government initiatives to attract international renowned healthcare players and manufacturers, has been a key factor to AE growth. Alongside this, the support of the government to build state-of-the-art healthcare insurance systems and relevant healthcare facilities, with best-inclass technology infrastructures,

has created a favourable environment for the growth of the UAE healthcare market.”

Growing market In 2016, the market value of pharmaceuticals in the UAE amounted to AED 9.61bn (US$2.6bn), according to figures published by the Government of Dubai. Furthermore, the Government of Dubai predicts that by 2020, spending on medicine is expected to reach AED 13.13bn (US$3.5bn) and by 2025 AED 21.74bn (US$5.9bn), driven by population growth – a 21.9% increase is predicted from 2015 to 2030 – alongside changing morbidity and the use of modern medicines such as biotechnology drugs. Such trends are reflected across the region, with the MENA region projected to grow by 8.8% year-on-year from 20152020 in the pharmaceutical sector, according to a recent report by Business Monitor International.

Such growth has resulted from many major players entering the UAE market in recent years. “More pharma businesses and pharma

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ARABIAN ETHICALS

manufacturing investors came in, alongside the emergence of chain pharmacies in this part of the world, for example Aster, Life, Boots and Bin Sina. These pharmacies are now contributing up to 70% of the pharmaceutical retail business in the UAE,” comments Al-Khatib. “All of this helps grow the market and the business for us, and we will continue to complement our portfolio with new innovative brands and healthcare related technologies.”

quality assurance departments, which perfects and supports our operations,” notes Al-Khatib.

Moreover, this dedication by AE to its goals is reflected in the relationships the company enjoys with its business partners. “We want to develop longterm, sustainable relationships with our suppliers and customers.

We strive to build our business around our core values which are respect for people, excellence in all aspects of the company, customer focus Outstanding and satisfaction, Number of service transparency and employees at AE As part of its mission, communication, AE aspires to provide honesty and integrity, high quality products and and building trust at all outstanding service to its clients in levels,” reveals Al-Khatib. various fields. “We are certified by the UAE Ministry of Health, Dubai Continual focus on development Municipality and relevant Ministries, The high level of training offered to alongside being ISO certified.

AE staff is a reflection of its parent Our internal bylaws are governed company, Aban Investments. “It’s in-line with industry standards, a priority and an ongoing focus for as well as our internal code of the Group to remain competitive ethics. We have effective HR and and as an employer of choice. We

150-250

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ARABIAN ETHICALS

“WE HAVE OVER 150 EMPLOYEES FROM 25 DIFFERENT NATIONS, EXPERIENCES AND BACKGROUNDS. THIS MAKES US AN INTERNATIONAL AND DYNAMIC TEAM WORKING UNDER A LOCAL GUIDANCE UMBRELLA” RAWHI AL-KHATIB, GENERAL MANAGER

Pioneering research and evidence based natural medicine since 1930. Present in more than 80 countries with a mission to make herbal wellness a part of every home.

Vision Our vision is to bring wellness into every home through scientifically researched herbal solutions for the entire family.

Innovation at Himalaya We have filed 83 global patents. We have already been granted 7 patents for noval discoveries.

Research & Development Himalaya’s Research & Development Center has over 100 multidisciplinary scientists.

Global Presence Himalaya is present in over 80 countries with hub offices in India, USA, Middle East, South Africa, Latvia and Singapore.

Today, Himalaya’s products are prescribed be over 400,000 doctors worldwide.

The Himalaya Drug Company FZCO Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority, 4 E, B Block, 4th Floor, P.O.Box 54637, Dubai - U.A.E.

ABOUT NATERRA The company recently celebrated its new partnership with Arabian Ethicals – known for curating a collection of sought out brands – is set to introduce consumers to leading Naterra brands made in the U.S.A. including Tree Hut, creator of America’s favorite body scrubs and butters, TIGI Cosmetics, professional makeup and skincare line, and Baby Magic, iconic baby care brand.

Since 1923, Naterra has been committed to developing and manufacturing personal care products of the highest quality to promote a better lifestyle. The company is dedicated to representing reliability, integrity, and honor in their products and will continue its legacy in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East and North Africa regions.

For more information on Naterra and its brands, visit www.naterra.us

H E A LT H C A R E

have a learning and development department, talent acquisition team, alongside motivation and incentive systems. We are constantly investing in the latest technologies and applications in order to keep on developing staff experience and build new skills,” says Al-Khatib.

AE’s high standards and the employees maintaining them have been key to the company’s success over the past 40 years. “We are a 40-year-old company, but we are the most dynamic and young organisation at heart. Diversity and Inclusion are at the heart of our business that makes AE unique.

Our international and cross-cultural team experience brings in diverse different talent,” Al-Khatib details.

“We have over 150 employees from 25 different nations, experiences and backgrounds. This makes us an international and dynamic team working under a local guidance umbrella,” advises Al-Khatib. “We are forever evolving to meet the expectations of our stakeholders.

Therefore, we are investing in new technologies and infrastructures, especially in logistics and distribution, as well as in our people.”

The Future Al-Khatib continues: “Supported by Aban Investments, we plan to bring innovative healthcare businesses and investors into the region and the UAE specifically. As part of our organic growth strategy, we are currently expanding our distribution footprint in the GCC and the Middle East,” Al-Khatib explains.

“Being a local Emirati Company, we have a social responsibility towards our country and community.

Therefore, we strive to work closely with relevant health authorities and our business partners to continuously create health awareness in our society and bring innovative affordable medical solutions to combat prevailing illnesses in this part of the world especially obesity, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.”

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GSL: LEADING THE UAE’S LOGISTICS INDUSTRY

Written by: Nell Walker Produced by: Heykel Ouni

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Global Shipping & Logistics is focused on continued success and growth, and COO Frank Courtney is at the forefront of the company’s ongoing development; he describes the many ways in which GSL holds a strong competitive advantage

E

stablished in 1975, four years after the United Arab Emirates itself was formed, Dubaibased Global Shipping & Logistics LCC (GSL) has been fulfilling the supply chain needs of local businesses ever since. The business came on the scene in response to the UAE’s swift growth and development, with a view to instate itself early as a trusted logistical business.

Starting off in shipping, GSL soon became more of a freight forwarding organisation, before building its first warehousing facility in 2006.

From this point on, the number of warehouses it operates has grown rapidly year-on-year.

The company’s dedication to high quality,

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Khalid Al Shirawi CEO Global Shipping & Logistics Chief Executive Officer, Khalid Abdulla Al Shirawi, is a UAE national based in Dubai. He studied Business Administration at the University of Southern California, followed by a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems at Boston University.

Becoming a Member of the Board of Directors for Oasis Investment Company in 1986, Al Shirawi has remained in this role, ensuring he continues to hone his expertise in logistics, manufacturing, engineering, and other vital industries whilst guiding the various companies that comprise the group.

Al Shirawi later took control of Global Shipping & Logistics as CEO, and helped lead the business in its drive to be among the UAE’s best and most trusted logistics companies. Today, GSL is leading the industry in Dubai.

Al Shirawi lives with his wife and five children.

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GLOBAL SHIPPING & LOGISTICS (GSL)

“I believe the level of sophistication that we have in the business when it comes to cold chain is unique... I understand this is where we must focus, because we’re very good at it” KHALID AL SHIRAWI, CEO OF GLOBAL SHIPPING & LOGISTICS

Security Services, Sofa and Carpet Shampooing Factory and Warehouse Cleaning, Office & Shop Cleaning, External Glass Cleaning

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DUBAI SHARJAH AJMAN Tel: 04 3499217, 04 3445431 | Fax: 04 3447285 P.O Box: 37166, Dubai - United Arab Emirates Email: delmon.services@yahoo.com Email: dbcleaning@delmonservices.ae

Phone: +971 6 552 9244 sathees@wavelogix.net | www.wavelogix.net

S U P P LY C H A I N

customer-driven service is paying GSL began investing in ISO off; GSL now sits at the forefront of certification in 2007, and after an its industry. As part of the quest to audit in 2008, it was awarded ISO continue its success, it last year hired certificates in every category for Frank Courtney as its Chief Operating which it applied. The company is Officer, who has around 30 years currently the only 3PL business in of experience in logistics covering the Middle East with this level of air freight, sea freight, transport certification, officially proving its management, warehousing, dedication to being the safest, inventory, and everything most secure, and most in between. reliable logistics player “I was brought in the region. High into the company customer demand because GSL is outside of the UAE looking to grow,” he is now beginning to The year says. “What I found draw GSL further that GSL was when I joined was a afield, with GCC founded very professionally-run nations catching wind company that really of GSL’s reputation. integrates the ISO principles The business is allowing this and practices into their business. client need to guide its expansion.

It’s really a part of how they operate, and it’s the first time I’ve come The people across that in the Middle East.

The confirmation of GSL’s service “I believe that GSL is really unique quality is further supported by in this market, and my mission in the skilled staff it employs, and terms of joining the company is now despite the fact that Dubai has a to expand their service offering in the very transient labour force, the UAE and thereafter into the GCC.” company puts a great deal of

1975

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GLOBAL SHIPPING & LOGISTICS (GSL)

effort into hiring the right people.

“We would rather take longer to find the right resource than bring on somebody who’s not a proper fit,” Courtney explains. “It’s about finding people who have the same values, because at the end of the day, people are going to do what they intrinsically do. If you get the selection right, it’s a lot easier to function as a team. The first step for us is always making sure we’re bringing on people of the same fabric.

The smart way to handle goods Ensuring safe and efficient loading/unloading since 1977, with over 40,000 product installations in the UAE, ASSA ABLOY is successfully delivering a full range of industrial doors and docking solutions to the distribution and logistics segment. We thank Global Shipping & Logistics for choosing ASSA ABLOY as a trusted partner for their business needs. info.ae.aaes@assaabloy.com Tel. 048852888 assaabloyentrance.ae

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The global leader in door opening solutions

September 2017

S U P P LY C H A I N

“At GSL there’s a number of people with many many years of service, and I think that’s indicative of the culture of the company.”

The same goes for GSL’s strategically-picked partners, who are also chosen for their aligning beliefs. As is the nature of logistics – especially with a range of services as diverse as GSL has – there are peaks and valleys in demand and it isn’t realistic or profitable to hold onto assets. As such, building

strong relationships with partners is vital: “Be it additional transport or maintenance of the cooling equipment, you’ve got to get the right partner who has the same service ethic as you, because you become absolutely dependent on those people. Otherwise you’re going to disappoint clients.”

An array of capabilities The range of services GSL offers

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GLOBAL SHIPPING & LOGISTICS (GSL)

Q&A with Khalid Al Shirawi, CEO of Global Shipping & Logistics How do you ensure the entire company follows your vision of personalised care for clients?

We have socialised the vision into the business at all levels. It is not a line on a wall – it is part of our ethos, the way we do things. This is done though communication and incentives/rewards in the business to encourage the desired behaviour. Having the understanding and buy-in of the team is paramount to ensuring the entrenchment of the requisite practices and behaviours. Through real time measurement of the critical control points we ensure that we have immediate visibility and control of what is happening throughout the business.

What, in your own words, makes GSL’s cold chain service unique?

Our people and our culture. All companies have the same opportunities to purchase the same equipment and facilities. The differentiation comes from the orchestration of all the assets in our business to produce harmonious results. How our team interacts with our suppliers, our systems and our clients is where the magic happens. That intersection is what makes our service unique.

Do you believe your ‘boutique’ logistics offering will ensure GSL is set apart from competitors for years to come?

We are working to delight our customers, not to be different from our competitors. They may try and copy our boutique logistics offering, but customers will stay with GSL for what GSL does. In a fragmented market like logistics there are few game changing initiatives but many ways to achieve small advantage. What GSL needs to do is focus on continuously evolving to meet our clients personalised requirements, exceeding their expectations at every opportunity will guarantee a fruitful longstanding relationship with GSL. 58

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allows it to specialise in more than one area, but a focus for Courtney is highlighting the company’s cold chain expertise: “I believe the level of sophistication that we have in the business when it comes to cold chain is unique and that is hard to replicate,” he states. “I understand this is where we must focus, because we’re very good at it.”

This sophistication is a given for GSL, as its high levels of technological capability further cements its status as an industry leader. As a technologically-enabled business, GSL has an inherent competitive advantage, but it isn’t just about having the best resources.

“There’s a lot of technology that companies implement which aren’t used fully,” Courtney explains.

“One of the things we drive really hard is that if we invest in a piece of technology, it’s fully utilised. You hear a lot of stories about businesses spending huge amounts of money on implementing a fancy ERP and then only using 10 or 20 percent of its functionality. We prefer to

take small bites and fully utilise each bite, and when we review our technologies, any investment is from the point of view of what value it adds for the customer and for us.”

Courtney believes that even if multiple companies all owned the same state-of-the-art equipment, they wouldn’t provide the same services, because it is the people and how they interact with customers and equipment that enables a business to differentiate itself.

“Having this team and the stability of this team is what gives GSL that extra edge,” he says.

“An old facility might give sublime service, and a new facility might give absolutely rubbish service.

It’s about how your people operate as a team, and about leadership.

If the leadership is clear on what it’s trying to achieve, the rest of the company can align itself to that.”

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DUBAI’S LIQUID ASSETS WRITTEN BY: FRAN ROBERTS PRODUCED BY: HEYKEL OUNI

MAI DUBAI

BUSINESS REVIEW MIDDLE EAST SPEAKS WITH CEO JAY ANDRES ABOUT MAI DUBAI’S PLAN TO TAKE ON THE BIG THREE PLAYERS IN THE UAE’S BOTTLED WATER MARKET

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“

My first day here, I sat there drawing an organisation chart detailing what I felt the company should look like in a years’ time – brainstorming what the core values of the company should be. I was the first and we now have 765 employees,” reflects Jay Andres, CEO at Mai Dubai. “As we hired people we worked to adjust that vision and our strategies. One thing was to think about how to be competitive, how can we beat our competitors.”

After a brief period of retirement, Andres relocated from the US to the UAE to help Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) start Mai

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M A N U FA C T U R I N G

Dubai. “The CEO of my first employer here, knew my former CEO in the US and was asking around for people to manage his water operation. After nearly two years there, I joined Mai Dubai. I was the first employee in January 2013, and at that point, they were a brand name with a tender for the construction of a facility and nothing else,” Andres reveals.

Having been in the business for 31 years, Andres was an ideal candidate for the position. “I came up through the sales side and progressively got bigger responsibilities, which exposed me to all aspects of business. I moved around a lot and worked through a lot of diversity and challenges,” the CEO states. “And this helps me with Mai Dubai. The US is a pretty diverse culture, not too dissimilar from Dubai and this helped me prepare for the diversity here.”

765

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AT MAI DUBAI

PRODUCTION EXPANSION With just a brand name and a construction tender in place, Mai Dubai took some time to launch.

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200 vehicles on the road. We’re exporting to 12 different countries and in the midst of an expansion that’s worth in excess of AED 600mn [US$163mn],” Andres explains.

Naturally, much of the export business is centred on the GCC. However, Mai Dubai has also sent its products further afield – to Singapore, South Africa and the UK. Continued expansion is key to Mai Dubai’s plans for the coming years.

“We intend that by 2020 we will have doubled in size” Andres adds. “The expansion will put us in a position that will allow us to compete with the three largest companies in the country in terms of production. We have to go out and sell it, not just produce it, but the expansion will help us on that.” Mai Dubai plans to expand production to 50mn units by 2020, up from 16mn last year.

THE RIGHT FORMULA With each resident drinking an average of 250 litres a year, the UAE is believed to have one of the highest rates of bottled water consumption in the world.

Understandably, competition is intense,

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“ ONE THING

WAS TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO BE COMPETITIVE, HOW CAN WE BEAT OUR COMPETITORS”

– Jay Andres, CEO

M A N U FA C T U R I N G

Mai Dubai is looking to take on the big three competitors in the UAE bottled water market

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Future Plast’s products are exported to more than 30 countries globally with current capacity of 2.4 Billion units of Preforms and 3.0 Billion units of Closures with further expansion plans for the year 2018. Current range includes preforms and closures with: • 30/25 high neck finish and 29/25 neck finish for Stilled Water • 28 mm PCO 1810 and 1881 neck finish for CSD, Water and Juices As part of our service to our customers, we provide technical assistance such as process intervention, blowing process optimization, new product development, light weighting, proto typing & customization of Preforms to suit customer’s needs on turnkey basis.

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M A N U FA C T U R I N G

and Mai Dubai needed to differentiate itself in the market in order to compete with Masafi, Oasis and Al Ain. “Water is by definition supposed to be tasteless, colourless and odourless.

So, it’s difficult to differentiate. There is some nuance to taste, so we needed to get our formula right. But every decision we made was centred on how we can be different,” Andres reveals.

“One of the big points of differentiation, and we know this through feedback, is our unique packaging. The goal was to mimic glass and our bottle looks like crystal and features our iconic skyline of Dubai image.

“We asked for it in red. There were sceptics, believing that red would symbolise danger or stop, and noting that our competitors are green and blue. We used red because of that.

We have to stand out, it’s a cluttered field,” Andres continues. “Once we launched, we did very well. We asked store managers why we are doing so well, and they pointed to the fact it looks different. Customers buy it, try it and buy it again. A lot of our success comes from that branding.”

2012

THE YEAR MAI DUBAI WAS FOUNDED

www.businessreviewmiddleeast.com

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GROWING PAINS

CONTINUAL CHALLENGES

Another key factor in Mai Dubai’s success is the company’s commitment to quality. “Over the last two years we’ve received the highest quality score of any food factory in Dubai. When we opened we were very quick to gain regulatory approval and were recognised as one of the best and most efficiently run,” comments Andres. “We are trying to offer the best service and execution.

Its challenging – when you grow as rapidly as we are, you experience a fair share of growing pains.”

To combat those growing pains, Mai Dubai has worked to embed a strong corporate culture within its operations. “We’ve tried to have a culture of being the ‘Employer of Choice’. We have specific plans on how to communicate to staff, motivate, recognise and reward them.

We try in many cases to promote from within,” Andres states. “Our culture that we have created has been a true team effort, it’s given us a real competitive edge.”

Mai Dubai’s swift expansion has brought some unique challenges for the business. “Because of our rapid growth we ran out of capacity in terms of production. Therefore, we had to invest in additional machines early on,” Andres advises. “Our latest challenge is storage – we can produce the water but we need to move it out of the warehouse quickly and that causes issues in our efficiencies.”

Many of Mai Dubai’s competitors have moved into different beverage segments but the company intends to remain solely as a producer of bottled water – at least for the present.

“Right now, we are focused on water.

Many water companies deliver other liquid items, but we want to stay with our core business for now. As we start getting the brand equity and share that we want to achieve, we will look at other beverage and complementary businesses that can help the corporation grow,” Andres concludes.

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Huge quantities of Mai Dubai water is loaded onto trucks every weeks

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