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IN THIS MAGAZINE 5 LIFELINE HEALTHCARE GROUP

gets creative on healthcare delivery

6 ACCUMED

keeps healthcare revenue stream flowing

8 FOURWINDS

bets big on the Middle East

10 AL GHASSAN MOTORS in high gear

12 THOMAS BELL-WRIGHT INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS turns up the heat

13 GCC SERVICES

CEO: ‘Giving back creates a sustainable business’

14 ISYS GROUP

expands globally through one vision

16 ZAHARA GROUP

an energy powerhouse

18 AL MASRAF

A bank with a greater vision

20 DELTA INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE Publisher, Editor-in-chief: Kalle Salmi CEO, Content Group International: Johan Ehrström Project Managers: Lauri Stevens, Maryam Shoaei, Danielle Francisco, Benjamin Khalaf, Christian Ehrström Art Director: Petra Pirinen Journalists: Criselda Diala-McBride, Elin Lindberg Photographers: Hiten Nainaney, Aaron David, Bader Al-Bather, Maksym Poriechkin Concept owner: Content Group International, HDS Business Center, Cluster M, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.contentgroupinternational.com A Gulf News Sponsored Supplement, published by Al Nisr Publishing.

Does Dubai really need another real estate broker?

22 TELR

bullish on e-commerce in MENA

23 CAPAROL PAINTS

enjoys bright prospects

24 NOVUS AVIATION Capital flies high

25 LUNATUS

Your preferred partner for healthcare markets

26 UCWF

Shanth aims to create business powerhouse

27 CAVOTEC

Innovation is high on the agenda for Cavotec

28 GULF PETROCHEM

Sudhir Goyel drives diversion to fuel growth across GP Group

29 FOCUS SOFTNET

keeps eye on innovation

30 TASC OUTSOURCING

CEO Mahesh Shahdadpuri: “Being the best is a moving goal post”

31 SONY MOBILE

perfects the ‘selfie smartphone’

32 THE FIRST GROUP Leading the pack

34 AQUACHEMIE

A 7-year no-itch relationship

Lifeline Healthcare Group gets creative on healthcare delivery Lifeline Healthcare Group has firmly established itself as the leading innovator in the UAE healthcare market, says Executive Chairman & CEO, Advet Bhambhani.

Advet Bhambhani, Executive Chairman & CEO of Lifeline Healthcare Group.

erial entrepreneur Advet Bhambhani believes that while healthcare providers must adhere to stringent protocols of clinical care and quality, the means of delivery should not be confined to a rigid cookie-cutter approach. He remains true to this philosophy as he steers a steady course laden with growth and success for Lifeline Healthcare Group (LHG), where he currently serves as Executive Chairman & CEO. Since launching in 1996, LHG had been quick to test new waters, launching initiatives that were novel to a thriving yet competitive healthcare market like the UAE. “We’ve always wanted to be a pioneer, not a follower in our field,” says Bhambhani.

Among these initiatives was the first corporate clinic, the first boutique hospital and 800 DOCTOR, a doctor-on-call service launched in 2009, which aims to reach patients within an hour from the time a request was placed. The service is available throughout the year, 24/7 and provides the first line of treatment covering a wide spectrum of services, including nursing, general practitioners, internal medicine, paediatrics, physiotherapy, pathology and medical equipment rental. Another initiative developed by LHG are the Lifeline Express Clinics, which provide on-site healthcare services to large-staffed corporate organizations. “Traditionally, healthcare is a regimented industry. It involves a set of processes that are standardized and there is hardly any room for creativity. But that doesn’t mean that we cannot be creative in the avenues we adopt for provision of service and how we engage with our patients,” says Bhambhani. “That, I think, is what sets LHG apart from the competition. We are able to deliver premium quality of healthcare services that patients demand while innovatively creating new delivery options to fill gaps in the market and extensively leveraging technology to achieve our objectives,” he adds. Multi-demographic strategy LHG has grown from a single polyclinic in 1996 to one of the UAE’s most established brands in healthcare services. The group presently operates a total of 9 medical facilities with 6 more under construction which will take the total to 15 by the end of 2015. The facilites are a mix of hospitals, day surgery facilities, polyclinics, corporate wellness centres and diagnostic centres. Lifeline also operates Lifeline Ambulance Services, which aims to be the largest

private sector ambulance services entity in the UAE. Bhambhani says the group takes a community-centric approach, which is why its facilities are strategically located in some of the city’s most populous and prominent residential areas. “We do our best to develop the bond of faith and trust between the institution and patients. Top-notch doctors are a vital element to build patient satisfaction and loyalty but alongside this nurturing allegiance to Brand Lifeline is also of paramount importance to us. The institution will endure beyond the individuals,” he explains. LHG has also sought to cast a wider net by developing brands that cater to the needs of the UAE’s diverse demographics. “While Lifeline is our premier brand, we have launched a new brand called DUA which offers heavily subsidized care to the lowest economic strata of our society. DUA network is located in key areas where the target population of this demographic work and reside. The response so far from large corporates and insurance companies has been phenomenal and we expect this brand to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years,” says Bhambhani. But whatever price point or target segment, he emphasizes that customer care is at the core of LHG’s offerings. “In recent years, there has been rapid commercialization of healthcare with many non-core players entering the industry with the sole objective of earning huge profits but I believe, making money should never be the key driving force for something as sacred as healthcare. Ensuring lives are saved, cared for and enhanced every single day in the most ethical and humane manner possible at each of our facilities is my razor-sharp focus and that is what we stand for at Lifeline,” he concludes.

hen Dr. Ayham Refaat founded AccuMed, a UAE-based revenue cycle management (RCM) outsourcing company, he knew rightly that he was not just setting up an organisation, but also laying the foundation of a potentially lucrative industry. Outsourcing RCM functions has been prevalent in markets such as North America and Europe, where it has effectively freed up healthcare providers’ resources and time, allowing them to focus on providing quality healthcare to their patients. As an essential ad m i n ist r at ive function, RCM involves the handling of patient information, insurance claims processing, payments and revenue generation. This is accomplished through the automation of transactions, giving healthcare providers the capability to effectively deal with various insurance carriers, manage and analyse big data, as well as track claims and payments status, while building a sustainable profit margin. In the Middle East, however, it remains a nascent field. In fact, prior to launching AccuMed in 2008, Refaat says RCM was a relatively unheard of concept in the UAE and in other parts of the GCC region. Yet across the globe, RCM was – and remains – a thriving industry.

In the United States (US), for example, RCM is currently valued at US$7.7 billion, with the potential to expand to US$10 billion by 2016, according to Black Book Market Research. In Europe, the value of the RCM market is expected to reach around US$1.2 billion by 2018, as per Micro Market Monitor’s estimates. An industry pioneer Like any new venture, AccuMed came to life seven years ago to fill a gap in the market. Refaat, who was a trained dentist and maxillofacial surgeon before holding senior-executive positions in multinational insurance companies, had a firm understanding of the trends that will eventually shape the UAE’s healthcare market. Abu Dhabi was then just starting to implement its mandatory health insurance policy, which saw demand for healthcare services rapidly increase, together with non-cash transactions. This translated into more, and rather complicated, billing process between hospitals and insurance companies. “In order to carry out this complex billing process effectively and make sure that hospitals, clinics and medical centres get paid in a timely fashion, specialised skills and software had to be used,” says Refaat. “So we trained our own staff, imported a software from the US, created a process based on that platform, and implemented the test system in a small medical centre in Dubai.” AccuMed’s initial attempt, however, turned out to be a complete disaster, its founder admits. “We failed miserably. We couldn’t process any claim or issue any invoice.” The root of the problem was the soft-

ware itself. Designed with the US market in mind, the software could only recognise unified protocols that are implemented in heavily regulated American healthcare and insurance sectors. Needless to say, the platform proved useless in the UAE, where each healthcare provider and insurance company has its own protocol. But instead of throwing in the towel, Refaat and his team went back to the drawing board and designed a system from scratch, which is more responsive to the UAE market’s needs. “It took us about 1.5 years to design the process and the basic software that can cater for all the different categories and protocols in the UAE. We soft-launched it at the end of 2009, but it still took us some time to educate the market about RCM and what we can actually do for healthcare providers,” the managing director explains. Slowly, but surely By 2010, AccuMed was able to sign up its first client, a polyclinic. It was slow to begin with, but the company’s efforts gradually paid off. “We had 80 invoices to process as part of the software’s test phase in June 2010. It took us 35 days to complete the processing. Out of those days, four actually involved us sleeping in the office,” Refaat narrates. Fast-forward to 2015 and AccuMed, which has a highly experienced team, can now confidently process 120,000 invoices every 25 days. In addition, it has excellent key performance indicators (KPIs) that outperform market standard. For example, the UAE market’s average insurance rejection rate is between 10% and 15%, while AccuMed’s has stood below 5% over the past five years. “That means we’re giving hospitals an average extra income of 10%, which they can invest in doctors, nurses, new equipment or technology,” he said. “We also have a zero tolerance policy for insurance abuse & frauds, which means that if we encounter a claim where we believe a physician may has requested extra tests that were not supposed to be ordered, we return it to be written off instead of submitting it to the insurance company. This has helped us build an excellent relationship with the insurance industry as well.” AccuMed’s client base has also expanded to around 67 facilities ranging from small medical clinics to large hospitals across the UAE. The company boasts an

Dr. Ayham Refaat, Managing Director of AccuMed.

extremely high client retention rate, and Refaat attributes this to their proven track record and the fact that more and more healthcare providers realise the benefits of outsourcing the management of their revenue cycle processes. “RCM is a non-core function for hospitals, but it has such a massive implication to their business because it deals with their revenue stream. It requires the right people. But for most hospitals, bringing this high level expertise in-house is very costly so outsourcing is the reasonable and logical way to go,” he says. Rosy outlook After AccuMed’s pioneering efforts, new players are testing the UAE’s RCM waters, says Refaat, which is what the industry

needs for it to grow. “We haven’t seen serious competition yet in terms of companies that are well established and capable of delivering the whole revenue cycle solution from A to Z. But more players mean the sector is moving in the right direction,” he noted. The company is currently setting its sights further afield as it hopes to bring its technology to the much larger Saudi market by Q3 2015. It is also in discussion with several health authorities in the GCC and by 2016, it aims to be able to commercialise some of its proprietary software that will enable verification of claims eligibility, coverage and medical necessity by healthcare providers to take place instantly at the point of service. So despite the initial hiccups, outlook for AccuMed’s future remains healthy.

FourWinds bets big on the Middle East “The region has all the right ingredients to attract investments,” says Vivek Rao, Chief Executive Officer of FourWinds Capital Management.

he Middle East offers a fertile ground for investments. Countries across the GCC, in particular, are increasingly attracting global investors as governments actively advance economic diversification efforts, while implementing reforms and pursuing expansionary fiscal policies that promote sustainable growth, according to Vivek Rao, Chief Executive Officer of FourWinds Capital Management. He has held senior roles in the UAE previously as CEO of Meraas Capital, among others. “Public spending is encouraging economic growth even as oil prices decrease.

I think further reforms will sustain this with reserve surpluses that favour the GCC relative to other markets. The region’s oil GDP versus non-oil GDP growth forecast (4.5% vs 6%) this year is already a good indication,” he said. FourWinds Group of Companies, a subsidiary of Tharwa Investments, is a specialist global asset management company with expertise in real asset investments and projects. The Group’s interest spans a wide spectrum of industries from real estate, education and logistics, to manufacturing, infrastructure and energy. “Investing in large-scale projects in countries with relatively low debt and strong credit ratings reduce risks substantially and makes good business sense for our Group of companies,” Rao added, “In addition, the Middle East’s regional demographics are highly attractive in terms of consumer growth and spending. The strategic location and the plethora of wellplanned industrial zones from Kizad in Abu Dhabi to Jazan in Saudi Arabia support cross-border trade and reduce import and export costs, a prime component of the projects we develop,” he mentioned. Growth markets FourWinds Group of Companies has offices in Boston (USA), London (UK), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Hong Kong, and officially opened its Middle East office in Dubai in 2013. The Group also has a presence in Abu Dhabi and Cairo. Soon, it plans to open offices in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Amman, Jordan. Before establishing its offices in the Middle East, FourWinds Group of companies has been active in the region since 2008 through its parent company, Tharwa Investments, and its affiliates. Tharwa’s

presence in the region was part of its global investment strategy that identifies value added investment opportunities around the world and engages in delivering and sponsoring world-class performance in sustainable projects. As Rao explained, “Our current focus industries are specific hard and soft infrastructure where we can make a positive impact, such as power, oil and gas, manufacturing and education. In addition to financial returns, we strategically embark on new projects that raise the quality bar dramatically and set fresh new precedents in each market”. In Egypt, for example, Tharwa Investments signed an MOU with the government in March 2015 to develop the world’s largest single site coal-fired power plant with a capacity of 6,000 megawatts. The project will create over 15,000 jobs. “FourWinds Capital Management also launched a US$1-billion infrastructure investment fund in Egypt. We are also about to break ground on an advanced foundry facility in Abu Dhabi,” the CEO said. Tharwa Investments and its subsidiary FourWinds Group of Companies focus on growth markets and provide new technology, advanced production and quality standards, progressive business models, unprecedented transaction structuring and real asset investing at the global level. “In terms of our investments in the region, our projects go through rigorous testing before we consider establishing them here. Then we carefully select the ones that stand to benefit most from supply chain synergies, resource access, skilled labor, and other efficiencies in the Middle East and we act as their incubators here,” he noted. The GCC, the UAE and Saudi Arabia remain a main focus for the company.

Vivek Rao, Chief Executive Officer of FourWinds Capital Management.

Building Abu Dhabi’s automotive capability The automotive sector represents one of the several industrial sectors that it has invested in recently. Last March, an agreement between the Abu Dhabi Ports and Advanced Manufacturing Solutions (AMS), a FourWinds subsidiary, was signed to announce the construction of a US$140-million steel foundry in Abu Dhabi, which will position the UAE capital as a global auto spare parts exporter. “AMS will produce state-of-the-art technology break discs and callipers for the global auto industry guaranteed by off-take agreements with major European suppliers, such as Continental Teves AG,” according to Rao. The steel foundry products will be supplied to dependable leading automotive parts companies that demonstrate long-term interest, for end use by the world’s largest high-end vehicle manufacturers such as BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and others. “As a result, AMS will be well positioned to play a very strategic and critical role in fulfilling this requirement. The Phase 1 installed capacity alone of 75,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) far exceeds its

peers. The site, once the three phases are complete, will house a total approximate capacity of 300,000 MTPA.” A recognised group of regional banks are supporting the US$140-million transaction alongside FourWinds. Within the automotive sector, the Group is also defining its interests in the Aluminium and Rubber parts manufacturing industries. Rising above the challenge Projects face a number of challenges during the planning and construction phases, which include technical, cost, schedule, quality and project scale. Depending on the market, there are also regulatory and environment compliance issues to contend with. However, Rao believes that by carrying out only projects that have guaranteed offtakes and locking in optimal funding long before construction is expected to commence, they are able to mitigate pitfalls. “We also hire the best specialist teams for each project and we agree on seconding professionals from the off-takers to minimise quality and planning and delivery risks. Senior management works closely with regulators to anticipate changes that will affect the industry,” Rao said.

In pole position “Our business model is simple: participate in sectors where market size, not market share, is the key dynamic. Our projects are in unique high growth segments where demand clearly outstrips supply and is increasing at a pace that far exceeds future supply,” the chief executive said. Tharwa Investments and its subsidiary, FourWinds Group of Companies will continue to strategically invest in unique value added sectors based on market needs, ensuring the use of the latest technologies through strategic partnerships to transfer knowhow and exploit its structuring abilities to deliver world class projects. FourWinds goes further to ensure its lead position by looking to meet demand that is highly discerning. It invests in the planning, development and delivery of quality output well in advance. “Again, our attention to human capital, including relevant specialist expertise, means that we are engaged in projects that are breakthrough in their field, tested successfully in other markets and of strategic mutual benefit to being based in the region. This combination always ensures us a head start,” Rao said.

Al Ghassan Motors in high gear Sheikh Ghassan Abdulrahman Al Sulaiman, CEO of Al Ghassan Motors, says the company is roaring ahead as demand for luxury cars gathers speed. significant investments in the business. “We believe that we can expect the market to continue this rate of growth, and we see these investments as key to our future and continued success,” he said. A car aficionado’s haven

Sheikh Ghassan Abdulrahman Al Sulaiman, CEO of Al Ghassan Motors.

espite Saudi Arabia’s highly competitive automobile market, the performance of luxury car dealer Al Ghassan Motors continues to rev up. The company, home to some of the global car industry’s most famous brands, has been posting an average annual growth rate of over 30%, according to its CEO Sheikh Ghassan Abdulrahman Al Sulaiman. The kingdom remains the Middle East’s largest car market, with imports reaching US$20.5 billion per year, with the luxury cars segment accounting for 18% of the market share, leaving Al Ghassan Motors in good stead.

“It’s true that the market has seen consistent and significant growth, year on year, for some time now and the luxury sector especially so. In addition to the growth that the Saudi market has seen, all of our manufacturer partners have been aggressively updating and extending their product range, which undoubtedly boosts our business growth,” Al Sulaiman said. The upbeat scenario comes with its own challenges, however, in terms of the need for more trained personnel and strategic locations for showrooms and service centres. But the CEO said the company is facing the obstacles head on, starting with

Al Sulaiman said the company has managed to beef up its product portfolio over the past 23 years. With brands such as Bentley, Lamborghini, McLaren and Infiniti in Saudi Arabia, Lamborghini and McLaren in Bahrain, as well as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin in Cannes (France) guaranteed to attract lovers of high-end cars. Although he does not totally discount the possibility of bringing in new brands into the market, Al Sulaiman said expanding their current list is not part of a near-term plan. “Each of our brands requires close and individual management and focus. We work hard to ensure that this is always the case. The most recent addition to our business was Infiniti and we have recruited an entire team of management and staff for this brand, as well as opened three dedicated sales and after-sales facilities,” he begins to explain. “Taking on an additional brand is like starting a new business. We currently have no plans to begin another business with a new brand partner, but we are fortunate to attract the interest of luxury brands that might be seeking a partner in the region. So, ‘never say never’!” Currently, Al Ghassan Motors is active in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and France. It has 18 dedicated facilities for sales and aftersales in five key cities – Jeddah, Riyadh, Al Khobar, Manama and Cannes. With the current rate of market growth expected to continue and with new models coming

Saudi customers, like any other customers, are attracted to high quality brands, which is what we offer. All our partners have built a global reputation for producing cars with outstanding quality. For our part, we complement this by providing second-to-none after-sales service and support.

cars offer them. For this reason, we have formed various owners clubs, where we invite our customers to gather at events, so they can meet like-minded people and enjoy their cars together,” he said. Passion drives growth

out of its brand partners’ production line, Al Sulaiman is optimistic about their future performance. “We will launch the Bentley Bentayga (SUV) very soon and we predict that this model will increase our Bentley sales volumes alone by 25%. Bentley will continue to bring new and replacement models, as will our other partners and we will continue to develop our network to support our customers’ requirements,” he added. Quality is the name of the game Staying ahead of the curve requires a firm commitment to quality and customer service, Al Sulaiman commented. “Saudi customers, like any other customers, are attracted to high quality brands, which is what we offer. All our partners have built a global reputation for producing cars with outstanding quality. For our part, we complement this by providing second-to-none after-sales service and support,” he mentioned. As a result, Al Ghassan Motors has been investing heavily in building facilities and

training its people to ensure that they offer a high level of customer service on a par with some of the best markets worldwide. During the past 12 months, for example, the company has more than doubled its staff in line with their business’ robust performance. It continues to recruit aggressively to meet evolving requirements. “Our brand partners support us in the training of our people, but the initial recruiting process is a challenge because we’re keen to get suitable people. Locating suitable premises and the management involved in developing new facilities is also a challenging task. Of course all of this needs to be supported by an ongoing focus and development in our business processes that is required to ensure that they evolve to meet the demands of a growing business,” said the CEO. Such initiatives, he added, give confidence to potential customers looking to buy a car, while promoting loyalty among existing clients looking to switch or buy another vehicle. “I believe that our customers are keen to experience the lifestyle aspects that their

Asked why he decided to venture into luxury car dealership, Al Sulaiman said it is all about passion. “I believe that most people in this business would answer that question in the same way. I have a passion for quality cars. Without that, it would be a difficult business to be in, to be honest. It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to be able to bring these amazing cars to the market and give customers the opportunity to own one. These are the kind of cars that become a part of you. There is a genuine joy in owning one of these cars and I feel the same about owning my business,” he explained. Optimism reigns supreme in Al Ghassan Motors, with sales expected to grow exponentially as a result of a continuously expanding market, as well as the product plans confirmed by its manufacturer partners. Brand equity, according to Al Sulaiman, is directly linked to the company’s capability to properly represent its brands in the market. “I believe that we have a solid business plan and our approach is robust and proven,” he said. “In short, I intend to continue to develop our business in terms of facilities, processes and people to support the forecasted growth, with a firm focus on quality customer service. This is the foundation of Al Ghassan Motors’ success.”

Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants turns up the heat CEO and Chief Technical Officer Thomas Bell-Wright says his company has been providing value-added services to the construction industry in the UAE and beyond for 20 years.

Thomas Bell-Wright, CEO and Chief Technical Officer of TBWIC.

ome to the GCC’s first fire-testing laboratory, Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants (TBWIC) has helped further raise building fire safety standards across the region through its expanding portfolio of services. Twenty years young and operating out of Dubai’s Ras Al Khor Industrial Area since 1999, TBWIC has established a name for itself in the regional construction industry as a leader in providing Façade Consulting and accredited testing for building products. In 2009, it made headlines when it launched the region’s first furnace for testing fire-rated doors and partitions used in the construction of commercial, public and office buildings. In December 2014, the company was accredited to provide the United States’ National Fire Protection Association test NFPA 285, for Fire Propagation in building cladding – an extremely useful test for a country like the UAE, with such a large

stock of high rise buildings. Thomas Bell-Wright, CEO and Chief Technical Officer of TBWIC, pointed out that their testing services have made a huge difference in helping companies and local authorities comply with GCC building department regulations. “The NFPA 285 test is a great asset for the region as it ensures that a building’s exterior wall system complies with the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code, the Abu Dhabi International Building Code and other US-based codes around the region. TBWIC is proud that their accreditation for the NFPA 285 test is with IAS, which is a part of the International Code Council, publishers of the ‘model’ code, the International Building Code,” he said. Product Certification In 2014, TBWIC also became accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service

(UKAS), to provide Product Certification services in accordance with ISO 17065. “This is a very big deal,” said Bell-Wright. What this means is that when a component such as a fire door appears on site, the purchaser can be confident that it is the same, in every particular, as the specimen that was tested. This is because the Certification Body has inspected the factory and their records on a periodic basis to ensure it is so. Aside from fire testing and product certification, TBWIC’s expertise also include Façade Consulting -- design review work for curtain walls and curtain wall testing, which – unlike fire testing – are not mandated by regional governments, but are nonetheless crucial in ensuring that the building is safe and secure for the occupants inside. “These services serve as insurance for the building owners because the façade systems typically represent around 15% of the cost of the building. Curtain walls are repetitive systems so any bad workmanship or design is likely to be throughout the building. Repair is usually not possible and replacement requires an empty building since the outside walls are to be replaced. “So if a problem does manifest during the life of the building, it can be too expensive to repair and mean the end of the building. In that respect, it is very worthwhile to spend a small amount of money during construction to make sure that what’s being installed is done correctly from the beginning,” Bell-Wright explained. As the business continues to gather pace, he said TBWIC will be relocating this year into a new 95,000-square-foot facility in Jebel Ali – three times the land area of its current site.

GCC SERVICES CEO: ‘Giving back creates a sustainable business’ “There is no better recipe to achieving a healthy and self-sustaining economy than through proactive participation in employment, training, and procurement of local resources,” says Rashad Sinorkot, CEO of GCC Services.

CC SERVICES is an integrated remote site services company, offering construction, camp services and catering for a range of customers including project operators, contractors and humanitarian organisations in the oil & gas, defence, mining and construction sectors. Headquartered in Dubai, GCC SERVICES operates in nine countries through 10 service offices across the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Australasia. “We are active in a wide range of project environments, including some of the world’s most challenging and hostile regions,” Sinokrot says, adding; “We look very closely at the specific aspects of operations to offer our clients the best possible service such as working onshore vs. offshore, logistics, labour and subcontracting challenges, as well as security issues.” The company recently received ISO 9001 certification for its services in Basra, Iraq, making them the first integrated remote site services company to be ISO 9001 certified in the city. Sinokrot comments, “Our clients want to ensure that services offered to them do not compromise their code of conduct, so we ensure that all of our employees, suppliers and contractors go through training on a regular basis on ethics and business conduct according to our code of ethics. Given the tough environment our clients operate in, they would like to offer their staff a consistent high level of service. We focus on quality, safety and execution excellence through all our operations, in order to better serve our clients.” Heavily involved in CSR programmes all over the world, and an award winner in excellence in CSR, the GCC SERVICES leadership believes a sustainable business requires a strong commitment towards

Rashad Sinokrot, CEO of GCC SERVICES.

local communities. “Our business strategy, culture and daily operations focus on fair labour standards, environmental protection, improving local employment opportunities and training, and competitive, transparent contracting,” Sinokrot explains. “We operate in difficult environments, often with limited infrastructure and poor governance and rely heavily on the market knowledge and adequate experience of locals in order to respond immediately to our client’s requirements and have management capabilities on the ground rapidly.”

The unique and difficult challenges of remote sites demand flexible solutions. “We have a reputation amongst our clients for providing customised and innovative solutions with a personal touch and can offer an all-round capability of strong resources, know-how, corporate support and experience in supporting remote site operations and, above all, assurance of a quality service,” Sinokrot concludes. “Clients know they can count on us for tenacity, responsiveness, initiative and creativity to bring effective and proactive solutions to their needs in a safe way.”

ISYS Group expands globally through one vision When Mohammed Al Rashidi founded Isys Global in 2004, he had a clear vision and a product so innovative the technology hadn’t yet been perfected. Here he talks about future-proofing the mobile financial services market and how the Internet of Things will shape the future of the industry.

Mohammed Al Rashidi, owner and CEO of ISYS.

SYS Global Trading Group is a Kuwaitiowned, multi-vertical platform, OTT services provider currently operating in 12 countries across the Middle East and Africa. With a strong global strategy, Isys is also represented through branches in the US and Europe, offering its customised solutions and products across a wide range of verticals including mobile financial services, telecommunications, healthcare, merchandising, e-, and m-commerce, smart government solutions, travel & tourism and other value-added services such as notification services.

Al Rashidi’s brainchild, and the initial idea behind Isys, was a pre-paid payment card for petrol stations, using similar technology to how Dubai’s Salik works today. “Back then, the technology was too complex to deploy”, explains Al Rashidi who decided to postpone the project and wait for the technology to become available, and instead look at other avenues for the business. Isys’ ‘Trio Vision’ launched in 2006 through a strategy aiming to converse three different verticals – IT, telecom and media, across three continents – the Middle

East, Africa and US – within three years. “As a newcomer to the market, we had a very aggressive plan”, Al Rashidi explains, “Our first product under Trio Vision was a value-added service via lifestyle SMS notifications.” Isys was soon awarded ‘Innovative Partner’ by MTC Kuwait (now Zain) after successfully providing services such as the Talky MMS, SMS speech, the ‘MMS Souvenir’ and other value added services. Under its ambitious expansion plan, by 2007 Isys was operating in Egypt, Nigeria and Jordan as well as offering their services to Lebanon and Iraq.

The rise of mobile finance According to a forecast by MarketsandMarkets, the global mobile money market is expected to grow from US$12.34 billion in 2014 to US$78.02 billion by 2019, at a substantial CAGR of 44.6%. In terms of regions, MEA is expected to be the biggest market in terms of market size. After the first iPhone launch in 2007 the mobile smartphone market was gaining momentum, and in 2009 Isys saw Sudan as the first country to launch the first mobile money transfer service, Sarraf Mobile, using Nokia phones. Payit followed a couple of years later in Kuwait, Bahrain, Nigeria, and Uganda and has since become Isys’s premium product, offering a complete payment portal where users can top up their phones, pay bills and redeem vouchers with a range of companies worldwide. Today, Isys is recruiting for its San Francisco office, working with licenced and regulated bodies in the States to ensure a successful launch of Payit in the US. Building on the huge success of Trio Vision, Isys made a strategic cross-platform move into lifestyle, healthcare and travel & tourism services through a new 10-year strategy, the ‘ONE’ vision, in 2010. “Under ONE, we are looking to integrate vertical market services within Cloud computing and mobile M2M, making sure all the solutions are in line with customer expectations across the three markets in Africa, US, and the Middle East, via mobile/wearables, tablets, PC and TV”, Al Rashidi continues. “The Cloud offers unlimited data storage capacity and computing power, allowing us to offer all our services to not only smartphone users, but also to owners of low-cost feature phones in less developed regions. “Our innovative solutions include payments, banking, content, consultancy and applications to third parties and telecom companies”, Al Rashidi explains. “Isys will never compromise on our customer’s experience and usability.” Already halfway through the 10-year plan, Al Rashidi is looking ahead at 2015 and beyond; “Our goal is to fulfil our ONE vision by establishing operations in Malta, Spain and Romania and continue to offer our services in all countries able to obtain the financial licenses required to operate.” In the next few weeks, Isys is launching another mobile finance service – Payit Wallet – across Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Libya, and the

US, under the licence of the Central Bank of Bahrain. Isys is currently seeking financial licensing through the Central Banks of Jordan and Egypt, as well as Malta. “We work very closely with financial regulators across the world”, says Al Rashidi. “It’s an integral part of our accreditation as a reliable financial provider”. Future-proofing services At the heart of Al Rashidi’s vision is Isys’ R&D department, currently made up by 60% of the global workforce with centres in Kuwait, Jordan and India. “Our R&D team thrives on developing technologies and adapting them for ease of use by people across different mobile platforms across the globe”, Al Rashidi explains. “We offer a complete eco-system, from idea to delivery of the product to the customer and beyond. The R&D team have already registered one cryptographic patent in the States this year that enables payment orders to be completely virtualised in the Cloud”. A second patent is pending, also offering unique features to the merchant/consumer platform. With the IoT (Internet of Things) expected to become a US$1.7 trillion market by 2020 according to research firm IDC,

Al Rashidi predicts a transformation of the current infrastructure of the financial sector; “The current financial infrastructure is not ready for the future.” We need to transform the current financial ecosystem and come up with a new open platform that liberates financial services from financial institutions to meet the demand generated by the IoT offerings, especially in mobile finances and healthcare.” Poised to hit US$117 billion by 2020, the IoT healthcare market segment is only a slice of the enormous IoT cake, and by innovating to keep up with market expectations, Isys is developing new mHealth solutions, such as the Vaccine App, offering telemedicine services to rural Africa where accessible healthcare still remains a huge challenge. Plans for using their own Cloudbased pharmaceutical system are underway and Al Rashidi is working closely with main logistics players in Africa to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of medications to patients; based on the diagnosis and treatment prescribed by the remote physician. “Isys has a global body with a local heart”, Al Rashidi concludes. “Through a mobilised lifestyle, our aim is to deliver efficient, simple solutions to our customers, no matter where they are in the world.”

Zahara Group: an energy power house Energy is at the core of all major economic and development challenges that the world faces today. Radwan Azam of Zahara Energy gives an insight into their business.

Radwan Azam, Managing Director of Zahara Energy.

AHARA Group is a privately owned business spearheaded by the founder and Group Chairman, Mohammed Azam, and managed under his guidance and expertise by his two sons. The company was established in India in 1990, and extended their operations to the UAE in 2003. The groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary opera-

tions consist of manufacturing, refining, distilling, recycling and trading of a vast range of downstream petrochemical products. Zahara Group is constantly working on its credentials and is now established as one of the most trusted traders in the industry, operating across the Middle East, Asia and North Africa.

I meet with the eldest son and Group Managing Director Radwan Azam at ZAHARAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brand new, state-of-the-art corporate HQ in the Mazaya Business Avenue Towers in JLT, Dubai. At the helm for more than eight years, Radwan, together with his younger brother Fardan Azam as Group Director, is carrying on the vision, ambitions

and company ethos built by their father. The competition is brutal in the petrochemical field so my question is – How do you stay ahead? “Our success is determined by how well we can communicate the value we can create for our customers, our brand strength and the access to efficient distribution channels,” says Radwan. “To avoid having to compete just on price, we offer a product that is technologically differentiated. We always ask ourselves: How can we add value? We must consistently serve quality products in a holistic, reliable and trustworthy manner to add credible value to our business partners in order to stay successful.” ZAHARA currently has 280 employees globally, 70 of which will be housed at the new HQ. “We are extremely proud of our multi-skilled and experienced management and workforce and we value them highly,” Azam comments. “These are the people who have demonstrated excellent dedication, skills and initiative to propel the group to higher achievements. With our current growth, we expect to employ around 500 staff across the globe by March 2016.” Despite the volatile energy market, the organisation is going from strength to strength. ZAHARA is currently going through a transformation from an onshore trading base to building a large-scale off shore international trading base in Geneva and Singapore, with a focus on R&D and

collaborations with renowned international companies. Azam explains the plans: “This move will give us a global presence through a carefully nurtured network of clients, partners, associates, agents, and distributors. We are constantly working towards incorporating and implementing best practices on corporate governance and compliance, facilitating the smooth expansion across multiple countries.” To support trading and product movement, the Group is also developing a logistics desk and adding new capacity buildings across the UAE, India and the Far East, working with world-reputed suppliers such as Shell, BP, Vitol and Petronas. With a third of global oil exports passing through the region, ZAHARA’s addition of an oil terminal is set to take their trading capabilities to the next level. The stateof-the-art terminal in Sharjah will have a storage capacity of around 75,000 CBM in phase one and is expected to open for business in September 2015. Changes in the energy industry Today, 82% of the world’s energy is provided by coal, oil and natural gas. In 20 years their share will be only slightly lower, around 75–80%, however, there will be a shift in the mix amongst conventional fuels. While coal use will increase in China and India due to its use as an inexpensive fuel

for generating electricity, it will decline in the States. Natural gases will gain a market share globally. Renewable energy will, no doubt, continue to experience spectacular growth for the foreseeable future, but Azam remains calm: “ZAHARA’s downstream petroleum product supply range will always remain in demand and we don’t foresee any direct impact as such with the increasing demand in renewable energy. We have not seen any serious impact on the turnover or the bottom line due to the reduction in oil and gas prices either, as we have sustained and secured mechanisms to mitigate trade risks. ZAHARA has built a well diversified product- and customer portfolio to leverage and sustain any market volatility.” He continues: “We have a clear strategy and a detailed implementation plan to improve investor confidence allowing the business to follow an optimal course, even under changing circumstances.” The experience the Group has gained from decades of trading in petroleum products has paved the way for a better understanding of market demands and preferences of their customers. Azam is philosophical: “We face new challenges in our business every day and every day we learn something new. We are a growing company working in a highly competitive environment where we need to constantly be doing more in order to achieve our goals.”

A bank with a greater vision Faisal Galadari, CEO of Al Masraf, ascribes the bank’s impressive growth in 2014 to customer relationships.

Faisal Galadari, CEO of Al Masraf.

n business since 1976, Al Masraf focuses on corporate banking and trade finance, currently operating through a network of nine branches across the UAE and in Libya’s capital Tripoli. Al Masraf is jointly owned by the Federal Government of the UAE, Libyan Foreign Bank and Banque Extérieure d’Algérie and is the only bank in

the country where the Federal Government of the UAE has a direct shareholding. Faisal Galadari was appointed as CEO in 2013 and has since led the bank through a major transformation journey with the main objective to reposition and strengthen the bank with a focus on customer engagement and retention.

“From the get-go, we put a three-year business road map in place, directing the growth of the bank,” he explains. “This covered customer segmentation, brand visibility, enhanced relationship-based banking initiatives, staff competency, and improved IT systems.” His plan proved fruitful with Al Masraf achieving a growth rate of 38% on loans and advances, seeing the net profit going up by 41% in 2014. In addition, the Non-Performing Loans Ratio was brought down from 23% to less than 9% using an innovative approach to deal with the bank’s impaired assets. “We dealt with each case based on its merits, and in deserving cases, we offered suitable restructuring concessions,” Galadari explains. “We believe in investing in continuous relationships with our customers, even when they are facing challenges. This has helped us in winning their loyalty and improve the overall health and growth of our lending portfolio.” Galadari further credits the significant 2014 results to the bank’s internal capacity strengthening strategies and carefully choosing its customers, along with a strong personalised service; “We believe that a dedicated service, with quicker decisions and continuous customer engagement are the key to our success.” To further improve services, the bank is re-launching its credit cards with attractive loyalty benefits, opening Islamic banking operations and increasing the network of branches and ATMs. Al Masraf’s 2014 growth rate was four times higher than the industry trend, both in asset booking and profitability, and Galadari is proud of what his team has accomplished in such a short time: “It would not have been possible without the guidance of the Board and the support of our staff. We may be a smaller bank, but we have a greater vision and we are already achieving significant growth.”

Does Dubai really need another real estate broker? With close to 2,400 real estate broker agencies in Dubai, Elin Boyd meets Salah Tabakh, the founder and CEO of Delta International Real Estate, to find out how he plans to create a real estate agency different from any other.

nly established in September 2014, Delta International has already amassed a property inventory worth AED4bn. “We’re here to complete the circle,” Tabakh explains. “We are not traditional brokers who take the commission and disappear. Instead, Delta International offers a new type of service to investors where a full service agreement means that they offer support when purchasing the property; they manage the handover and make sure that investors get the return they have been promised. “We sell exclusive stock directly from the developer, manage it and add value to the property by offering our investors a one-stop shop for all their needs, ranging from financial and rental advice, to snagging.” Delta is currently working on impressive recruitment plans to establish its property management and facility management divisions and will be adding more services such as interior design and property auctions by the end of 2015. Having worked for Dubai Properties for nine years before setting up Delta International, Tabakh understands the needs of a developer very well. “We provide a solution to developers that they like. We are the missing link between building the project and selling it.” Today, one of Delta’s biggest clients is developer Tamiyat. Positioned along the E311, Tamiyat’s AED 7bn Living Legends development seems almost mysterious, hidden from view along a winding road lined by heavy greenery. The full-service community consists of 500 villas and 3,000 apartments lining a sprawling golf course, and by the end of 2016, will offer

its residents a 150-shop mall, boutique hotel, an international school and a medical clinic. With the first phase of villas about to be handed over, Delta’s dedicated handover department has spent the last two months working on landlord’s behalf, making sure that each property is perfect and ready to move in to, even before the keys are handed over.

We sell exclusive stock directly from the developer, manage it and add value to the property by offering our investors a one-stop shop for all their needs, ranging from financial and rental advice, to snagging 70% of Delta’s employees are non-sales and pride themselves on building longterm relationships with their investors. “I would rather have a thousand loyal customers than 10,000 customers that will never come back,” explains Tabakh, who takes a very personal approach to serving his clients. Since the crash in 2008, the market is no longer about what the developer wants to sell, but what the buyers wants to buy and Tabakh is firm: “We build our services around what our clients need. They tell us about their hopes and dreams, their finances and talk about their children. The relationship between a realtor and his client is, and should be, a very personal one.”

Flippers and speculators were a huge reason the Dubai real estate market crashed in 2008. This type of investor is slowly being removed from the market, after the government’s introduction of the 4% transfer fee and 50/50 mortgage terms. “We are not interested in re-selling properties. Before the crash, flippers were gambling with money they didn’t have, panicking at the first signs of a drop in prices, but since the increase in fees, they can no longer buy a property in the morning only to sell it in the afternoon, driving prices through the roof. This is very good news for the market, we are creating a sustainable, long-term investment platform.” Exporting Dubai property Another key to Delta International’s diversification is just that, the word ‘international’. £1.65bn was spent in the UK purchasing Dubai property in 2014 and Tabakh is of the opinion that, in order to stabilise and sustain Dubai’s property market, the government must attract more non-resident investors to buy property. Currently setting up an office in London’s Knightsbridge, in a strategic location next to Harrods, Tabakh is keen to extend Delta’s services to international investors. “As a tax-free country, Dubai is attractive to overseas investors. By opening in London, we take away the hassle of dealing with a Dubai-based broker that disappears after you have paid your commission. We are there to help you buy, market the property and rent it, and deal with any issues on your behalf. As we exist in the UK, you can do your business there, receive the money there, and you can feel

Salah Tabakh, the Founder and CEO of Delta International Real Estate.

safe in that you don’t have to fly to Dubai every time there’s a problem.” Delta has recently initiated negotiations with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank in London to offer safe transactions and develop

protection for investors abroad, but Tabakh would like to see more government backing in attracting foreign investment in property: “RERA has got great vision, and programmes are being put in place to

protect and support buyers from abroad. Our job is to change the perception of Dubai’s real estate market and open different channels for investment, building that trust in the market.”

Telr bullish on e-commerce in MENA Sirish Kumar, CEO and Co-Founder of Telr, says they have enabled small and medium-sized merchants to tap into the social networking phenomenon. media environment. We have seen numerous small and casual sellers tapping into Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to reach out to their potential buyers. Mobile plus social media, we believe, will be crucial in driving e-commerce growth,” he said. The observation holds particular significance since out of the 135 million Internet users in 22 Arab countries, more than half or 71 million are active users of social networking technologies, according to the Arab World Online 2014 report published by the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government. Not just a payment gateway

Sirish Kumar, CEO and Co-Founder of Telr.

s far as emerging markets go, nowhere is e-commerce perhaps more promising than in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where Internet and smartphone penetration rates have skyrocketed in recent years. But another key factor that Sirish Kumar, CEO and Co-Founder of Telr, believes will serve as an important component of the e-commerce revolution in the region is the growing usage of social media platforms. “The MENA region has a predominantly young population and a thriving social

Telr, which launched its regional presence in 2014 through its Dubai office, is capitalising on this phenomenon. More than a payment gateway, Telr provides services that are critical to the business growth of merchants – both those who have and do not have websites. “Merchants who do not have websites transact through social media platforms. We have the technology and expertise to allow them to carry out transactions securely and easily. In addition, we have several mobile solutions, which make it more convenient for buyers to fulfil a transaction without having to repeatedly enter their details,” Kumair said. Another innovation that Telr has brought to the MENA e-commerce table is the capability to allow merchants to adopt online payment processes in the currency of their choice. “Previously, there was a lack of option in as far as making payments in local currencies are concerned. By addressing this issue, we have increased customer conversion rates and allowed more transactions to be completed successfully,” he explained. But Telr seeks to go one step further and offer a one-stop solution to doing business by solving other merchant pain points like

logistics, for example. Soon, the company will also enable buyers to use their own online bank accounts to fund certain transactions in a merchant’s website. Telr is able to provide all these valueadded services because of its wide network of partners in the region, which include Aramex, Visa, MasterCard and major banks.

The MENA region has a predominantly young population and a thriving social media environment. We have seen numerous small and casual sellers tapping into Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to reach out to their potential buyers. Mobile plus social media, we believe, will be crucial in driving e-commerce growth. SMEs to lift e-commerce Kumar, who prior to setting up Telr was Head of Finance at PayPal for Southeast Asia and India, said their business model remains focused on small and medium-sized merchants, which is relevant to MENA. According to the International Finance Corporation, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute around 64% to the GDP and 62% to employment creation in the region. “Start-ups’ entrepreneurial spirit is driving agility and innovation in the e-commerce space. And that is why we are very bullish about the e-commerce industry here. We see social media and the mobile platforms propelling consumers to go online and SMEs are behind this fresh wave,” he said.

Caparol Paints enjoys bright prospects Sustainable and eco-friendly products combined with German quality standards have given Caparol Paints LLC the competitive edge, say General Manager Martin Rosocha and Head of Sales & Marketing Mowaffaq Balish. demand for durable paint and insulation solutions that the Caparol brand has been known for,” the general manager said. Painting the region green

Martin Rosocha, General Manager of Caparol Paints.

ith large-scale projects in the pipeline ahead of the Expo 2020 in Dubai and the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Doha, the GCC region’s construction industry is making great strides. And related sectors such as paints and coatings are following suit, said Martin Rosocha, General Manager at Caparol Paints LLC. To participate in the positive dynamics of the region, Caparol, part of the DAW SE Group in Germany, one of Europe’s largest paint and insulation manufacturers, is expanding the business from the production base in Dubai. “In 2013 we opened our modern production plant in Dubai Industrial City. This move has allowed us to meet the increased

A thriving market such as the GCC has undoubtedly attracted several industry players, but Rosocha said having sustainable and environment-centric products combined with a strong focus on German quality gave Caparol an advantage. “The focus of our product development is besides offering technical sound solution for the extreme climate conditions, always also on the effects our products may have on the end-users, applicators and the environment. This is why sustainability is a core business value for us,” he explained. “Another product that sets us apart is our external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) since many paint companies only focus on paints and not on thermal insulation to save energy. To insulate the outside walls of buildings with the Caparol thermal insulation system can lead to substantial savings in cooling bills.” For Caparol, innovation plays an important role in continuously developing products that are not only eco-friendly, but also meet the various demands of consumers. Among these products include CapaCare, which are odourless as well as solvent- and plasticizer-free interior paints developed with family consumers in mind. Balish said they are looking at adding another product to the CapaCare range by the end of July. Caparol has also developed CapaStone, which provides natural stone-like paint effect that brings out the character in any structure; as well as the CapaDecor range, which is a collection of interior creative finishes, including shimmering metallic

Mowaffaq Balish, Head of Sales & Marketing.

and wall coverings that allow for enduser’s unique individual expressions. Quality and customer service Balish said the company is keen on increasing its market share in the UAE in the coming years, but is also looking at other key markets such as Saudi Arabia, where it will establish presence in 2015. “We are growing and expanding our retail partners in the UAE. With the construction market back on track and a slew of projects needed to be completed before 2020, Caparol will be focusing a lot of its energy on providing exceptional customer service and high-quality products,” he added.

Novus Aviation Capital flies high Safwan Kuzbari, President and CEO of Novus, says the company’s unique business model has allowed it to play an active role in financing aircraft in the MENA region.

Safwan Kuzbari, President and CEO of Novus.

ovus Aviation Capital is riding the growth wave on commercial aircraft leasing and financing, as airline industry fundamentals remain strong. Globally, aircraft on operating lease represented 40.7% of the 10,600 world fleet, worth over US$200 billion in 2014 – and the trend is expected to further grow, according to Novus’ President and CEO Safwan Kuzbari. “The global air travel industry is witnessing robust air traffic growth especially in the Middle East and Asia, while high liquidity and low-cost financing have rendered the market more competitive than ever. Airlines are benefiting from cheap cost of money to develop their fleet and

the demand for leasing and financing solutions is increasing,” he said. Novus, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014, is raking in the rewards of this upbeat industry by focusing on quality versus quantity transactions. With offices in Geneva, Dubai, Hong Kong and Beirut, the company boasts a portfolio comprising 25 aircraft, mostly wide-body, under both operating and finance leases. “In our most recent transactions, we closed the purchase and leaseback of several A330/ B777 with various airlines. The latest acquisition brings the Novus overall portfolio value size, including leasing and financing transactions, to around US$3 billion,” said Kuzbari.

Despite industry challenges such as fluctuations and cyclicality, the CEO said Novus has remained a privately held company, maintaining its independence and the ability to pioneer new business models, such as the first Shariah-compliant aircraft leasing fund sold to investors in the MENA region. “Recently, we launched Tamweel Aviation Finance, an alternative leasing vehicle in partnership with Airbus and other prominent partners from Asia and Europe. Novus is currently in discussions with various airlines worldwide on different aircraft types, mainly wide-bodies, and looks forward to closing new aircraft deals on both financing and operating lease basis,” he noted.

Lunatus, your preferred partner for healthcare markets

Dr. Lina Kouatly, Managing Director and Founder of Lunatus.

unatus offers turnkey representations for multinational healthcare companies looking to enter the region. Having launched its first product in 2004, Lunatus, headed by Managing Director and founder Dr Lina Kouatly, is zooming towards a brilliant future in the brutally competitive world of healthcare products and pharmaceuticals with a double-digit growth year on year. “We offer a complete representation for multinational companies, i.e. from feasibility studies, business plans, regulatory affairs, ordering, staff training, marketing, selling and distribution; everything,” explains Dr Kouatly when we met at the Lunatus HQ in Dubai. “We are not just a distribution company amongst a hundred others, and this is how we’re different. We control the business and make sure it’s in the best hands and gets the best attention.”

Lunatus offers their services to large multinational organizations as well as medium size manufacturers and suppliers that are lacking the critical mass to have their own presence in the region ensuring that they are introduced and developed in the Arabian Gulf and Middle East markets. “Having said that, we have had companies where we grew their business exponentially that they have moved their operations to the region,” says Dr Lina “offering mainly scientific support to end users leaving all other aspects of the business to Lunatus who ensures optimum performance for them.” Lunatus made an impressive entry at number 40 on the recently published Dubai SME 100 list, a remarkable performance for a company that has only been operating since 2003. “I know we are growing. I know we’re doing well, but to

be recognized by such a respectable and impartial government body is an achievement I’m very proud of,” says Dr Kouatly. “The majority of people in business only see the larger companies, but this puts us on the map. By establishing and creating our brand and being recognised for what we do, it also helps to attract highly talented professionals to work with us.” The company is currently employing 100 members in offices across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE, creating and building companies’ brands and presence in the healthcare market. “I pride myself on my human capital,” says Dr Lina. “Together we have built up a strong brand and a powerful reputation in the industry and have companies knocking on our door, wanting to work with us. We are very fortunate that we can be selective in which companies we represent.”

Shanth aims to create business powerhouse Young entrepreneur Sharath Shanth has created a successful group of businesses by going against the grain.

Sharath Shanth.

hanth started his first venture U Call We Fix, a Dubai-based facilities management company, at the tender age of 20, just as the global recession hit in 2008. At the time he was working for Dubai Bank but spent his spare time setting up the business. “It was a difficult step moving from a salary to being self employed as I didn’t have anyone believing in the concept,” he explains. “My family was completely against it. I was doing well, even getting promoted, yet I felt I could do more. I figured that if I was successful in setting up a business in time of recession, I would be

fine when the market recovered.” Shanth’s prediction was spot on and the company was profitable within six months. It didn’t stop there, Sharath has since acquired a wide range of businesses across five different countries; ranging from coffee and brick production in his native India, to IT in Qatar and is a shareholder in a listed company in Kuwait that sells aggregate and limestone. It hasn’t always been plain sailing, but that doesn’t seem to have deterred him from diversifying his portfolio. “Initially I added complimentary ranges to the existing company, such as adding

agencies to the facility management firm, strengthening the core business to create a more organic growth.” As the company expanded, Shanth looked into other fields such as IT, technology, and FMCG products with no correlation to his existing business. “I did it, so if the winds changed direction, I would still be able to catch another wave.” Sharath spends a lot of time travelling looking for trends and opportunities. “It’s amazing what happens when you deal in more than one market,” he muses. “A successful business model achieved in one city can not necessarily be directly translated to another, but with an open mind, a solid business plan and the right timing I can migrate ideas from one place to another, even inspiring me to start a new concept in both areas.” Sharath explains that many of his ideas are grown out of frustration when he finds himself in a situation where he can’t find a solution: “If no solution exists, I find out if anyone else has attempted it, then I reengineer the idea and research the potential in getting into that scope of work.” Putting together the business plan could mean six months of hard work, starting from scratch only to realise that it’s not a viable project, but Sharath remains philosophical; “It is disheartening when that happens, but every step is a learning curve, and I’m always glad I learnt something without physically losing money.” Sharath’s vision is clear: To grow on a calculated risk and create a powerhouse of a group. With ventures in Bahrain and the US coming up, the goal is to be a venture capitalist and enter areas of business where he can contribute to the growth of the economy and help governments in different regions. “I want to push forward, creating opportunities and helping others on my way.”

Innovation is high on the agenda for Cavotec

Juergen Strommer, Group COO for the EMEA region.

ounded by three Swedish friends in the 1970’s, supplying reeling solutions to Sweden’s mining industry, Cavotec has grown to a € 232 million turnover, multinational Group presented in some 40 countries, supplying customers worldwide with innovative engineering systems across four main market units: airports, ports & maritime, mining & tunnelling and general industry. I meet Juergen Strommer, Group COO for the EMEA region, in Cavotec’s Middle East head office in Jebel Ali, Dubai. With the company since 2007, Strommer has seen Cavotec become a well-associated

name in the region, serving a diverse range of customers such as Dubai Airports, Abu Dhabi International Airport, Bahrain International Airport, Hamad International Airport in Qatar, Muscat International Airport, Mumbai International Airport, DP World-Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port-Abu Dhabi, Port of Salalah-Oman, Port of Beirut-Lebanon, DEWA, Dubal, Lamprell and Drydocks among many others. “We have made a clear footprint in this region,” Strommer says. “We have accomplished major well-known projects such as Concourse 1, 2, 3 and 4 at Dubai Airport, and developed MoorMaster™, a revolution-

ary, vacuum-based mooring solution for ports, offering safer and more economical loading and off-loading of ships. We also installed the first sub-freeze system in the world at Bahrain Airport to help cool widebody aircraft such as the A380, without the use of auxiliary power units and without causing any air pollution.” The Group prioritises innovation, and through its seven Centres of Excellence with factories across Europe and the US, constantly develops new systems and improves existing technologies to find new and better ways of doing things. “We work very closely with our customers to find solutions to their problems and challenges,” explains Strommer. “We must be flexible, quick and understand their needs on a very deep level, making sure we innovate every single day”. Cavotec has had a healthy start to 2015, registering a large project for MoorMaster™ at Salalah Port in Oman. Strommer puts the company’s continued success down to working on a combination of these types of larger projects, together with day-to-day business, making the company more stable than a business solely relying on projects. “This eliminates the fluctuation to a certain extent and our four market units also helps that we’re not exposed to only one side of the market, and not as vulnerable to ups and downs.” In the EMEA region, Cavotec’s future lies in airports and ports, but also see activity from countries in the region diversifying away from oil and gas to invest in manufacturing and renewable energy. As the environment has not always been the number one priority in this region until recently, Strommer is proud to be part of this development. “Today, the mentality is changing and the UAE government is putting a lot of work into creating clean energy. Our Group stands for environmentally friendly solutions in all segments and pride ourselves on our expertise in this area,” explains Strommer. “Therefore, we are at the right place with the right potential for the future.”

Sudhir Goyel drives diversification to fuel growth across GP Group Managing Director Sudhir Goyel has been at the forefront of GP Group’s strategy to venture into multiple businesses.

ulf Petrochem Group’s success story has always been grounded in integration across the business function but growing inorganically will play an important role in realising our aspiration” said Sudhir Goyel, the Co-founder and Managing Director of Group. Together with his elder brother, he started the business of trading in petroleum products in the UAE in 1993. As a result of his successful ventures in various manufacturing and trading initiatives, he established Gulf Petrochem in the UAE in 1998. Since then, his drive to diversify into new businesses has led the group to look at inorganic growth by acquiring other healthy businesses, as well as recognising those that are undervalued and improving their efficiency and profitability. As part of his growth strategy, the group acquired Sah Petroleum Ltd (now GP Petroleum’s Ltd), a 40-year-old public limited Indian company, which specialises in the manufacturing and marketing of industrial and automotive lubricants and greases. Under Sudhir’s astute leadership, within eight months, GP Petroleum’s Ltd has more than doubled its market capitalisation. Beyond petroleum Being at the forefront in driving diversification in his personal capacity, Sudhir has a diverse portfolio entering into many businesses through joint venture partnerships, such as opening a chain of high-end Lebanese restaurants called ZIZO in India, which recently won the coveted Times of India ‘Times Food’ award in 2015 in the category of ‘Best Arabian and Lebanese restaurant’.

Sudhir Goyel, Managing Director of GP Group.

Under his leadership the Goyel family also ventured into the steel business and acquired a 50% stake in a steel plant called Trimula Industries Ltd in India. Trimula Industries was recently awarded Meral coal mines in Jharkhand, India which has substantial extractable reserves. Healthcare has been a sector that the family has shown interest in, particularly physiotherapy. This will now come to fruition as a result of a joint venture with KRV Healthcare and Physiotherapy, one of India’s leading providers of physiotherapy services. The long term plan is to roll these

centres out across India and Singapore. With a dream of providing quality education, Sudhir was instrumental in the establishment of Aspam Indian International School in Sharjah, UAE. The school is renowned for providing an international standard of education at a local level that is accessible and affordable. He is now looking at establishing a chain of such educational institutions across the Middle East and India. Likewise the US$100 million. ‘GP Property Fund’ is sponsored and driven by Sudhir which is a first of its kind India-focused real estate fund, registered at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Moving forward, Sudhir’s vision for the future is very focused and clear as he points out, “From 2013 we have been growing consistently at a rate of 30% YoY. In the future we see our group expanding our global footprint on all viable fronts in most corners of the world. We will continue looking at inorganic growth by acquiring other businesses as well as restructuring businesses to realise valuable equity and potential.” In recognition of his business achievements, Sudhir was named as one of the Top 100 Indian Leaders in the Arab World by Forbes Middle East in May 2014 and again this year in 2015, acknowledging his contribution towards the region’s energy industry. Under his proactive and astute leadership, the organisation has created a unique proposition across different geographies as it provides integrated services to its customers. His passion and vision continues to fuel the group’s exponential growth and we only see a very bright future ahead for this organisation.

Focus Softnet keeps eye on innovation Helping companies grow their businesses has been central to Focus Softnet’s ongoing operations, says Nisith Naik, Regional CEO - UAE - Asia Pacific - Oceana.

n today’s highly competitive business environment, being nimble is no longer optional. As a result, smart organisations are adopting business process management (BPM) solutions to get ahead of the game and improve the efficiency of their operations, said Nisith Naik, Regional CEO - UAE - Asia Pacific - Oceana at Focus Softnet FZ LLC. The software development company, which was established in Hyderabad, India in 1991, has built a name for itself in the cutthroat ICT industry with its premium enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. Over the past years, Focus Softnet’s innovative BPM systems have been instrumental in driving efficiency and productivity in over 45,000 companies worldwide, according to Naik. “The needs of businesses, whether in the GCC region or elsewhere in the world, are changing rapidly. Because of this, systems have to be highly adaptable, flexible, scalable and accessible – factors that define all of Focus Softnet’s products,” he said. “We have designed our solutions to fit our clients’ needs, rather than the clients adjusting their business models to fit the solution.” The move has allowed Focus Softnet to add value to their customers and adapt their products to any business, spanning a wide spectrum of industries such as aviation, education, general trading, healthcare, manufacturing, retail and services. The company’s products also blend well with social, mobile, analytics and cloud (SMAC) technologies to help businesses remain competitive. “Aside from ERP and CRM, we also have third-party management solutions and educational solutions, which are compatible with SMAC technologies. Each of our solutions has its own mobile apps and

Nisith Naik, Regional CEO - UAE – Asia Pacific – Oceana.

internal business intelligence tools. Soon, our products will also be available as software as a service (SaaS),” Naik explained. Casting a wider net Since the early 1990s, Focus Softnet’s growth has been strategic and steady. From its hub in India, the company opened its first offshore branch in Dubai in 1996. Today, its global footprint covers 27 offices in 16 countries across Africa, Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Oceania and North America. In the GCC region, Focus Softnet has four offices in the UAE, three offices in Saudi Arabia and at least one each in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar. Naik tells Gulf CEO that each of these offices are directly managed by Focus Softnet consolidating their commitment to the GCC region. “The strategy of having an office in each of the markets we serve is influenced by our commitment to deal directly with our

customers and partners in those areas. This, I believe, is what sets us apart from the competition. By listening to their feedback, we were able to create solutions that adapt to their specific needs,” he said. Milestones and the future Focus Softnet has had several achievements during its 24-year history, including the launch of its high-value ERP software, Focus 8. Most recently, it developed its CRM from an on-premise model into a SaaS or on-demand model. The company’s growth in the GCC has also been exponential, boasting 5,000 customers in the UAE alone and close to 8,000 regionally. “In the future, our goal is to move all our products into the SaaS model. We will also continue our interaction with our clients and develop products that can really add value to our customers,” Naik added.

TASC Outsourcing CEO Mahesh Shahdadpuri: “Being the best is a moving goal post”

Mahesh Shahdadpuri, CEO of TASC Outsourcing.

hen I meet Mahesh Shahdadpuri in his office in Dubai on Sheikh Zayed Road, he has just been awarded the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award 2015 and been listed amongst the top 100 Indian leaders in the Arab world by Forbes. These latest awards come on the back of a string of other accolades, from being ranked the fastest growing outsourcing company by Arabia500 in 2012, to winning the prestigious Middle

East CEO of the Year Award for the sourcing and staffing industry in 2014. TASC Outsourcing is a staffing and talent solutions company founded by Shahdadpuri in 2008. The company has since grown exponentially to employ more than 3,000 staff from more than 50 nationalities across 40 different job functions in 11 industries such as IT, aviation, telecoms, retail, banking, and business support, only recently extending their

services into the oil & gas sector. “Another initiative for this year is our focus on managed services,” Mahesh says. “By offering services higher up in the value chain, we enable our customers to focus on their core business.” Mahesh is a passionate and committed leader with a clear vision: To create ‘the best company’ in the region. “For me, best simply means that the people around me are happy and fulfilled in their role. By winning these awards, I hope it creates a sense of pride amongst my people and a feeling that they are working for the ‘best’ company.” The process of finding the right candidate starts with a deep understanding of what the customer needs. TASC employ key accounts managers, employee care professionals and specialised recruiters who know their industry inside out, using up to 15 different avenues from headhunting and site visits to referrals and social media to find the right professional for the role. “Last year we were recognised as one of the most influential brands in the UAE by LinkedIn, a portal we use everyday to source talent”, Mahesh explains. TASC manages the complete employment lifecycle on behalf of their clients; guiding the employee through the onboarding process, payroll and deal with any employee queries. “It’s a long, rigorous process and our recruiters must not only understand the needs of the client, but also how to attract the candidate, not only to the role, but also to Dubai.” Mahesh is a people man. His goal is to build an inspirational company where clients feel truly cared for and employees have a sense of fulfilment when they arrive at their desk every morning. “I want to think of my team as a family where we forgive mistakes, help each other grow, reprimand and recognise our efforts.” Being the best is not the finishing line; it’s a moving goal post.”

Sony Mobile perfects the ‘selfie smartphone’

Rüediger Odenbach, Vice President of Sony Mobile Communications MEA.

e all love a selfie, right? Sony Mobile Communications are once again hitting the nail on the head with the upcoming launch of their next generation ‘selfie smartphones’: the Xperia Z3+ Dual, a premium addition to the flagship Xperia™ Z3 series, and the Xperia™ C4 Dual. We get a moment with Rüediger Odenbach, Vice President of Sony Mobile Communications MEA, only days ahead of the Xperia Z3+ Dual and Xperia C4 Dual

regional launch to talk technology versus design and the region’s importance to the brand. Odenbach, a Sony veteran, has been with the company for the last 15 years. Based in Dubai’s Internet City, he is responsible for developing, setting up and managing the global sales operation across 80 countries in the Middle East and Africa. “It’s really interesting to see how user behaviour is changing,” Odenbach says, referring to the relatively new selfie

trend. “Camera technology is such an important feature of smartphones today, so both the Xperia Z3+ Dual and Xperia C4 Dual feature a 5MP front-facing camera and 25mm wide-angle lens that lets you capture perfect selfies, making sure you fit everything, and everybody, in the shot.” A creative suite of in-phone camera apps caters to, not only the Instagram generation with its new gourmet mode for food shots, but even the most discerning photographers, offering superior camera technology rivalling most DSLR cameras. “We don’t have to compromise on design versus technology anymore,” Odenbach continues, “We can make a really smart looking phone, and still deliver on display and performance features, offering a waterproof device, with up to two days of battery time.” This year, 94% of all Internet usage in the Middle East will come through mobile phones, making the Middle East and Africa very important regions for Sony Mobile. Contributing to about 10% of global sales, the region has enjoyed a year on year double-digit growth since the introduction of the Xperia Z range three years ago. “The mobile penetration rate in the Middle East and Africa is excellent,” Odenbach explains. “... And with the current shift from feature phones to smartphones, our product portfolio, in particular the premium range, fits the demographic perfectly.” Releasing updated versions of the Xperia Z range almost every six months has helped build Sony Mobile’s market share in the region. “What we have built in the last three years is quite amazing. A doubledigit growth doesn’t come by chance – it’s a combination of strategy and strength of the products we can offer the market.” “The team here is making a significant contribution to the Sony Mobile family globally, and growing the brand in the Middle East and Africa.”

Leading the pack The First Group’s commitment to excellence is setting new standards in Dubai’s booming property development sector.

s one of Dubai’s leading property developers, The First Group has not only forged a reputation for quality and professionalism, but also an enviable track record for developing landmark projects in the Emirate. The company’s commitment to excellence is reflected in the exclusive partnerships it has forged with the likes of Wyndham Hotels Group – the world’s largest hotel management firm – and respected local names such as Jumeirah Group, Etihad Airways, and authorised Mercedes-Benz distributor in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, Gargash Enterprises. Its dynamic and rapidly expanding property portfolio located in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, has earned it plaudits in the form of numerous CNBC International Property Awards and Arabian Property Awards in recent years. Established in 2006, The First Group’s rapid rise to prominence reflects Dubai’s own growth story. The company owes its visionary approach to the leadership of co-founders Danny Lubert and Gary Shepherd, whose 30-year professional partnership has resulted in a string of landmark development projects across the globe. It was Lubert and Shepherd’s flair for identifying markets with huge but latent potential that drew them to Dubai in the mid-2000s and led to the creation of The First Group. “The early- to mid-2000s marked a period of massive change for Dubai, particularly in regards to the property sector,” says Rob Burns, chief operating officer of The First Group. “The introduction of the freehold property law in 2006 meant we could now offer investors 100% freehold property titles in upcoming developments such as Dubai Sports City, TECOM and Dubai Marina. This was the impetus that transformed Dubai into, arguably, the

world’s hottest property market.” The First Group moved quickly to consolidate its reputation as one of Dubai’s most professional property developers. The company’s first project, The Diamond in Dubai Sports City, attracted massive interest from investors, quickly selling out upon its launch in 2007.

International investment is crucial to Dubai’s future. There is huge interest from property investors in these countries looking to capitalise on the Emirate’s growth. Our regional offices promote the benefits of property investment in Dubai as well as everything else the Emirate has to offer. Even during the downturn that began impacting the property market in 2008, The First Group remained one of the Dubai’s most prolific – and successful – developers. Unlike many of its rivals that shelved development plans during the downturn, The First Group had the foresight and confidence in Dubai’s ability to recover quickly and ultimately fulfil its massive potential. “From the outset, we took a long-term view of the development of our business in Dubai,” says Burns. “We believe and trust in the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to transform Dubai into one of the world’s leading centres for tourism, commerce and trade.” Today, The First Group’s portfolio spans 12 properties spread across city,

with a further two – Wyndham Dubai Marina and Sky Central Hotel – currently in development and more in the pipeline. The company also owns and operates most of the $210 million gated resort community, Yasmin Village at Ras Al Khaimah. In a further demonstration of its commitment to Dubai, The First Group has invested heavily internationally in support of its local operations, opening sales and marketing offices in Saudi Arabia, Russia and the CIS, and Africa. These regional hubs manage client relations and promote the benefits of investing in The First Group’s burgeoning property portfolio. “International investment is crucial to Dubai’s future,” says Burns. “There is huge interest from property investors in these countries looking to capitalise on the Emirate’s growth. Our regional offices promote the benefits of property investment in Dubai as well as everything else the Emirate has to offer.” The company also offers a unique Discover Dubai Experience that provides potential investors the opportunity to visit Dubai at relatively low cost and explore its many attractions. “We believe this is a vital first step in demonstrating our commitment to building long-term relationships with our clients,” says Burns. “Our dedicated concierge travel division not only ensures our clients enjoy Dubai’s greatest attractions, but are provided with all the information they need to ensure they make the right investment decisions based on their personal requirements.” The First Group also operates an innovative loyalty programme that offers clients various incentives, including travel and tourism rewards in conjunction with aforementioned partners Etihad Airways and Jumeirah Group. “We believe in rewarding our clients for

Rob Burns, Chief Operating Officer of The First Group.

their investment decisions,” says Burns. “It’s another way we demonstrate our commitment to building a long-term relationship with them.” Dubai’s successful bid to host the World Expo in 2020 will transform the emirate’s economy, with more than AED25 billion worth of infrastructure developments planned. The event itself is expected to play a key role in generating AED4 trillion in foreign trade receipts in 2020, an almost four-fold increase on the 2013 figures. Burns says Dubai’s stated goal of attracting 20 million visitors by 2020, up from 13.4 million in 2014, demonstrates

the government’s commitment to establishing tourism as one of the pillars of the emirate’s economy. “Our role as one of Dubai’s leading property firms is to help realise this goal by developing affordable, large-scale, sophisticated and luxurious accommodation offerings,” he says. “We are currently developing two more new hotel projects – The One Dubai Marina and The One JVC – which will set new standards in this respect. “Our latest completed and near completion properties, Wyndham Dubai Marina and Sky Central Hotel, which we are currently developing in conjunction

with Wyndham Hotels Group, are also reflection of this strategy.” Indeed, the landmark partnership between The First Group and Wyndham Hotels Group – the world’s largest hotel firm with more than 7,300 hotels under management – is testament to The First Group’s growing stature internationally, given that the developments mark the debut of the Wyndham brand in the UAE. “We are proud to be collaborating with such a respected name in the global hotel industry on these projects,” says Burns. “Both properties will showcase the very best of what The First Group has to offer.”

A 7-year no-itch relationship

n early 2007, V Anandkumar and Subrato Saha left their high profile jobs in GE to carve out a niche for themselves. Just over a year, they dabbled with real estate boutique solutions, leveraging the unprecedented growth of the sector. Late 2008, the duo switched back to their core competency to start AquaChemie, a chemical supply and services company. What began as a local enterprise soon metamorphosed into a free-zone operation – “AquaChemie DMCC” – from its own premises in Jumeirah Lakes Towers. “Headquartered in Dubai, the company now has full-fledged operations in the UAE (both Dubai and Abu Dhabi), Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman, including corporate offices and multiple warehouses. Kuwait and Bahrain operations are run from both Dubai and Saudi Arabia,” says Anand. AquaChemie primarily caters to the Oil & Gas industry, from upstream oilfields to refinery and petrochemical plants. It also has a key presence in supplying chemicals to Power & Desalination, as well as water and wastewater treatment units and other specialty chemical manufacturers. Alchemy of growth The Middle East is currently at the core of the alchemy of growth, both in terms of scale and efficiency. With the chemicals and catalysts industry for Oil & Gas sector estimated as USD 25 billion per annum in the region, AquaChemie has achieved high double digit, year-on-year growth, since inception. “We are very confident that we can sustain the current growth and the company is well poised to conservatively cross the USD 100 million mark in the

In our business, it’s the people that matter, say founding partners of AquaChemie.

next 3 years”, says Anand. AquaChemie was named as one of the fastest growing UAE-based export houses by Dubai Chamber of Commerce. Stiff competition The region’s chemicals supply industry is specialized and knowledge-based, with several large-scale and well-established players. Both multi-nationals and local manufacturers compete in the same space. “AquaChemie’s constant pursuit to add value in customer operation, raising the bar in technical and service levels, building key-supplier relationships and focusing on the final supply-chain, have been the success mantra”, says Subrato. “Internationally acclaimed principals and manufacturers, looking to grow their business in the Middle East are choosing to partner with AquaChemie, for the local reach and right representation.” Selling the vision Major challenges that AquaChemie initially had to overcome was attracting Quality workforce, as well as Quantity of

working capital, credit facility that banks were unwilling to extend for a new company’s sales cycle. Diluting investments, borrowing from friends, and selling the vision to old colleagues to join, were all part of building up; literally, brick-bybrick. Today, AquaChemie is supported by the enthusiasm and commitment of around 50 talented team members and many financial institutions to support the growth generously. According to management, the major share of AquaChemie success is down to its people; “In our business, it’s the people that matter,” both Anand and Subrato resonate in agreement. Complimentary styles Anand and Subrato’s prior experience in multi-nationals, such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Sabic and GE, along with premier chemical engineering education, laid the foundation to understand the intricate and diverse chemical industry. The duo has a complimentary style of functioning. While Anand spearheads the technical sales with precision and innovation, Subrato reinforces the growth through strategy, systems and science. They demonstrate exemplary partnership (without the 7 year itch) based on unequivocal trust and independent space to work for the common objective of growing AquaChemie. The shared vision is to make AquaChemie as the most professional, technology-oriented, safety-conscious, customercentric solution provider, for bulk and specialty (or performance) chemicals. With the target of more than 200 people on its pay roll, it should be amongst the top 5 major chemical suppliers in the region, by 2020.

V Anandkumar and Subrato Saha of AquaChemie.

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