OTHMAN ALJEDA

CEO, ARAMEX

Othman Aljeda was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aramex in May 2021, where he is responsible for leading the successful development and execution of the company’s long-term global business strategy. Mr. Aljeda has over 27 years of international experience across logistics, supply chain management, and e-commerce sectors. Prior to his current role, he served as Aramex’s Regional CEO in Europe, North America, and Asia. In addition to his regional CEO responsibilities, he also served as interim Chief Operating Officer for six months in 2020.

Aramex itself is an Emirati (Jordanian Origin) multinational logistics, courier and package delivery company based in Dubai. It is the first Arab-based company to be listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange and the company has approximately 18,000 employees in 70 countries.

Aramex is making major strides in the Middle East by revolutionising eCommerce. In 2022, it entered into a binding agreement to fully acquire Access USA Shipping LLC (MyUS), a global technology-driven platform that enables cross-border e-commerce, for a cash purchase price of US$265 million.

MyUS is a US-headquartered, technology-driven, and cross-border e-commerce platform, providing costeffective package forwarding solutions to millions of customers who shop from retailers based in the US, UK, and China. The acquisition is in line with Aramex’s strategy to expand its cross-border operations and to capitalize on the attractive growth opportunities from a fast-growing US$4 trillion global e-Commerce sector.

Commenting on the acquisition, Othman Aljeda said: “We look forward to soon welcoming MyUS’s customers and employees to Aramex. MyUS’s business and expertise are a natural extension of our solutions, a complementary to our flagship product- Shop & Ship, and we see significant benefits to be derived from this acquisition. We believe this transaction will open new trade lanes for both companies, as well as increase trade flow from major global trade hubs into the Middle East, where Aramex is a leading player. We are acquiring a profitable business and this transaction is value accretive to Aramex and our shareholders. It will also create great value for our customers and partners.”

More recently, Aramex signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi Ports Group to set up a joint venture to serve the freight forwarding industry. The new non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) enterprise will be 51% owned by AD Ports Group, while Aramex will have the remaining stake, Aramex said in a statement to the Dubai Financial Market, where its shares are traded that the NVOCC company will provide “tailored solutions to all freight forwarding industry players” and will serve their oceanbound container cargo.

The company added that it will be vital in “enhancing and developing shipping connectivity across the GCC, Indian, and East and West African markets with a target of 10,000 containers in the short-term”.