HOW GLOBAL SHIPPING & LOGISTICS IS INVESTING IN GROWTH AND ONGOING SUCCESS WITH ITS TECHNOLOGICAL STRENGTHS AND A CUSTOMER FOCUS
GSL: LEADING THE UAE’S LOGISTICS INDUSTRY
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Global Shipping & Logistics is focused on continued success and growth, and COO Frank Courtney is at the forefront of the company’s ongoing development; he describes the many ways in which GSL holds a strong competitive advantage
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stablished in 1975, four years after the United Arab Emirates itself was formed, Dubaibased Global Shipping & Logistics LCC (GSL) has been fulfilling the supply chain needs of local businesses ever since. The business came on the scene in response to the UAE’s swift growth and development, with a view to instate itself early as a trusted logistical business. Starting off in shipping, GSL soon became more of a freight forwarding organisation, before building its first warehousing facility in 2006. From this point on, the number of warehouses it operates has grown rapidly year-on-year. The company’s dedication to high quality,
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Khalid Al Shirawi CEO Global Shipping & Logistics Chief Executive Officer, Khalid Abdulla Al Shirawi, is a UAE national based in Dubai. He studied Business Administration at the University of Southern California, followed by a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems at Boston University. Becoming a Member of the Board of Directors for Oasis Investment Company in 1986, Al Shirawi has remained in this role, ensuring he continues to hone his expertise in logistics, manufacturing, engineering, and other vital industries whilst guiding the various companies that comprise the group. Al Shirawi later took control of Global Shipping & Logistics as CEO, and helped lead the business in its drive to be among the UAE’s best and most trusted logistics companies. Today, GSL is leading the industry in Dubai. Al Shirawi lives with his wife and five children.
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“I believe the level of sophistication that we have in the business when it comes to cold chain is unique... I understand this is where we must focus, because we’re very good at it” KHALID AL SHIRAWI, CEO OF GLOBAL SHIPPING & LOGISTICS
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customer-driven service is paying GSL began investing in ISO off; GSL now sits at the forefront of certification in 2007, and after an its industry. As part of the quest to audit in 2008, it was awarded ISO continue its success, it last year hired certificates in every category for Frank Courtney as its Chief Operating which it applied. The company is Officer, who has around 30 years currently the only 3PL business in of experience in logistics covering the Middle East with this level of air freight, sea freight, transport certification, officially proving its management, warehousing, dedication to being the safest, inventory, and everything most secure, and most in between. reliable logistics player “I was brought in the region. High into the company customer demand because GSL is outside of the UAE looking to grow,” he is now beginning to The year says. “What I found draw GSL further that GSL was when I joined was a afield, with GCC founded very professionally-run nations catching wind company that really of GSL’s reputation. integrates the ISO principles The business is allowing this and practices into their business. client need to guide its expansion. It’s really a part of how they operate, and it’s the first time I’ve come The people across that in the Middle East. The confirmation of GSL’s service “I believe that GSL is really unique quality is further supported by in this market, and my mission in the skilled staff it employs, and terms of joining the company is now despite the fact that Dubai has a to expand their service offering in the very transient labour force, the UAE and thereafter into the GCC.” company puts a great deal of
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effort into hiring the right people. “We would rather take longer to find the right resource than bring on somebody who’s not a proper fit,” Courtney explains. “It’s about finding people who have the same values, because at the end of the day, people are going to do what they intrinsically do. If you get the selection right, it’s a lot easier to function as a team. The first step for us is always making sure we’re bringing on people of the same fabric.
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“At GSL there’s a number of people with many many years of service, and I think that’s indicative of the culture of the company.” The same goes for GSL’s strategically-picked partners, who are also chosen for their aligning beliefs. As is the nature of logistics – especially with a range of services as diverse as GSL has – there are peaks and valleys in demand and it isn’t realistic or profitable to hold onto assets. As such, building
strong relationships with partners is vital: “Be it additional transport or maintenance of the cooling equipment, you’ve got to get the right partner who has the same service ethic as you, because you become absolutely dependent on those people. Otherwise you’re going to disappoint clients.” An array of capabilities The range of services GSL offers
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Q&A with Khalid Al Shirawi, CEO of Global Shipping & Logistics How do you ensure the entire company follows your vision of personalised care for clients? We have socialised the vision into the business at all levels. It is not a line on a wall – it is part of our ethos, the way we do things. This is done though communication and incentives/rewards in the business to encourage the desired behaviour. Having the understanding and buy-in of the team is paramount to ensuring the entrenchment of the requisite practices and behaviours. Through real time measurement of the critical control points we ensure that we have immediate visibility and control of what is happening throughout the business.
What, in your own words, makes GSL’s cold chain service unique? Our people and our culture. All companies have the same opportunities to purchase the same equipment and facilities. The differentiation comes from the orchestration of all the assets in our business to produce harmonious results. How our team interacts with our suppliers, our systems and our clients is where the magic happens. That intersection is what makes our service unique.
Do you believe your ‘boutique’ logistics offering will ensure GSL is set apart from competitors for years to come? We are working to delight our customers, not to be different from our competitors. They may try and copy our boutique logistics offering, but customers will stay with GSL for what GSL does. In a fragmented market like logistics there are few game changing initiatives but many ways to achieve small advantage. What GSL needs to do is focus on continuously evolving to meet our clients personalised requirements, exceeding their expectations at every opportunity will guarantee a fruitful longstanding relationship with GSL. 10
allows it to specialise in more than one area, but a focus for Courtney is highlighting the company’s cold chain expertise: “I believe the level of sophistication that we have in the business when it comes to cold chain is unique and that is hard to replicate,” he states. “I understand this is where we must focus, because we’re very good at it.” This sophistication is a given for GSL, as its high levels of technological capability further cements its status as an industry leader. As a technologically-enabled business, GSL has an inherent competitive advantage, but it isn’t just about having the best resources. “There’s a lot of technology that companies implement which aren’t used fully,” Courtney explains. “One of the things we drive really hard is that if we invest in a piece of technology, it’s fully utilised. You hear a lot of stories about businesses spending huge amounts of money on implementing a fancy ERP and then only using 10 or 20 percent of its functionality. We prefer to
take small bites and fully utilise each bite, and when we review our technologies, any investment is from the point of view of what value it adds for the customer and for us.” Courtney believes that even if multiple companies all owned the same state-of-the-art equipment, they wouldn’t provide the same services, because it is the people and how they interact with customers and equipment that enables a business to differentiate itself. “Having this team and the stability of this team is what gives GSL that extra edge,” he says. “An old facility might give sublime service, and a new facility might give absolutely rubbish service. It’s about how your people operate as a team, and about leadership. If the leadership is clear on what it’s trying to achieve, the rest of the company can align itself to that.”
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Dubai Investment Park, Dubai, UAE
T +971 4 885 1566 www.gsldubai.com