CEO Today Middle East Awards 2023 - UAE - - 53 - only to its partners and customers but also adds value to the local community and country in general. That is why we are careful of what projects we undertake. We do not want to promise anything we cannot fulfill. We are not interested in growing a portfolio just for the sake of the number of flags we can put in the ground. We look upon an opportunity where there has to be value gained by all parties involved. My personal thinking on this matter, and one l pass on to my staff, is very simple. If a country trusts you with the operation of its port, it is almost as if they are trusting you with the keys to the front door of their house. The port is the gateway or door for all goods to enter and leave. So it has to be operated productively and securely. It is also the first thing that sea-traveling visitors will see; therefore it has to provide a very good first appearance. They trust you to represent the country. It is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly. This kind of consideration sets us apart from most of our competitors. The second, and arguably most important, thing that sets us apart is the work ethos of our staff. Since taking over the reins of Gulftainer in 2006, after climbing the ladder from superintendent to terminal manager to operations manager to general manager to CEO, l have always treated the company as a family and applied family values. We encourage inward growth and promotion within. We are keen to help people develop and grow as this in itself helps the company grow. We instill pride in our people, where everyone counts. Everyone is valuable. This has led to a very loyal workforce whose intentions are always to do their best. Gulftainer understands that our workforce are humans and come with all the personal problems that effect us all at times. We take time to help with those problems as any family would. That is what sets us apart we operate best as a family which embraces its customers as part of an extended family. Our clients know we care about their business, and we will help them prosper, as obviously their success is our success. From myself down we are hands-on we know our customers personally. We establish relationships. What are the future plans and goals for Gulftainer, and how do you see the industry evolving in the years ahead? Gulftainer, following the pandemic, spent the last two years regrouping and defining its forward growth strategies. We have rebuilt our senior management, bringing people fit for purpose. The purpose is resuming our global growth while building stronger foundations in our existing assets. We are hungry! The whole team, the family have an appetite to grow successfully by increasing our capabilities and the number of assets we operate. The industry as a whole is continuing its usual cycle of events where the shipping lines who have enjoyed riding the wave of the last two years of huge revenues are seeing the shipping industry start its descent into the trough of lower freight rates and overcapacity brought on by the over ordering of vessel tonnage. This has been played out many times over the last thirty-six years, yet no one seems to learn from it. I don’t mean to sound cynical. In fact, l am an optimistic person at heart, as regardless of this “routine,” the port industry will continue to serve the shipping industry in the best way possible. It makes our jobs more difficult, but as in the past, we will continue to find ways to improve our abilities, continue to grow our capacities, and continue to treat our customers as part of the same family. What does this award mean to you? The award means so much to me personally, as, at times, you always question yourself. I am very self-critical. I take full responsibility for the performance of Gulftainer, the good and the bad. I view myself as a father figure and Gulftainer, my family. There are always going to be those out there, the supposed” experts”, who will critique your every move; however, life is just too short to worry about negatives. So yes, l am very pleased and honored to receive this award, but emphasize once again that l would not be where l am, and Gulftainer the success it is if it was not for the excellent workforce l have. “If a country trusts you with the operation of its port, it is almost as if they are trusting you with the keys to the front door of their house. The port is the gateway or door for all goods to enter and leave. So it has to be operated productively and securely.”
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