Logistics News returns once again with a comprehensive list of the Power 25 logistics leaders in the Middle East
Ranking 6
Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo
Nabil Sultan’s career spans close to three decades in commercial operation roles within Emirates.
Educated in the United States, Nabil holds a Bachelor Degree in Computer Science and Management Information Systems from the University of Portland.
He began his career with Emirates in 1990 in the IT department. And two years later joined the company’s management training programme within the Commercial Operations Department.
Between 1995 and 2008, Nabil gained extensive commercial experience at Emirates, working in various management and leadership roles both within and outside the UAE, heading commercial operation as Vice President for both the UK and then India for more than 8 years after which he moved back to UAE as a Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations West Asis, followed by Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Gulf, Middle East, and then Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations for Europe & CIS.
In 2009, Nabil was promoted to Divisional Senior Vice President, Revenue Optimisation and Distribution for the Airline.
In June 2013, he was appointed to his current position, as Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates SkyCargo.
According to the Emirates Group’s financial results for 2019/2020, Emirates SkyCargo continued to deliver a solid performance in a highly competitive market, contributing to 13% of the airline’s total transport revenue.
With the lingering weakness in air freight demand over most of the year, Emirates’ cargo division reported a revenue of AED 11.2 billion (US$ 3.1 billion), a decrease of 14% over last year.
Freight yield per Freight Tonne Kilometre (FTKM), after two consecutive years of growth, declined by 2%, largely impacted by the reduction in fuel price, and a strong US dollar.
Tonnage carried decreased by 10% to reach 2.4 million tonnes, due to the capacity reduction with the retirement of one Boeing 777 freighter and reduced available bellyhold capacity in the first and last quarters of the year. At the end of 2019-20, Emirates’ SkyCargo’s total freighter fleet stood at 11 Boeing 777Fs.
Emirates SkyCargo continued to develop innovative, bespoke products. In October, it launched Emirates Delivers, an e-commerce platform that helps individual customers and small businesses consolidate online purchases in the US and have them delivered in the UAE. More origin and destination markets are being planned in the future, leveraging Dubai as a hub for regional e-commerce fulfilment. During the year, Emirates Skycargo also strengthened its pharma capabilities with the opening of new facilities in Chicago and Copenhagen.
Ranking 7
Bengt Ekstrand, GAC Group President
At a time of global disruption and uncertainty, Bengt Ekstrand is a steady hand at the GAC Group’s helm.
Since being appointed Group President in January 2013, he has focused on the Group’s strategic plan to ensure GAC is structurally and operationally fit for the 21st century’s challenges.
In 2020, that strategy has been put to the test as the COVID- 19 pandemics took its toll on countries worldwide. GAC’s solid foundation and corporate resilience have set it in good stead to weather the storm and chart its course for the future. The Group continues to grow, as Bengt oversees expansion in the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Indian Subcontinent, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
Bengt told LNME: “2020 has taught us in a spectacular manner how the best-laid plans can be thrown into disarray. We have seen this many times and in many locations throughout GAC’s history of more than 60 years, but the disruption brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic is perhaps a first in terms of its global impact. Nonetheless, GAC’s strategy of a long-term approach, looking well into the future rather than chasing a quick profit, has served us well both in the past and amid the current crisis. Based on our solid foundation, financial security and corporate resilience, we believe we will weather to coronavirus storm and continue our course for the future.”
Before his appointment, Bengt was Group Vice President for the Asia Pacific from 2009, accountable for the GAC companies’ effective and profitable management in the region. Before 2009, he was Regional Director for the Middle East for more than six years. He joined GAC in 1992, working in several stations in the Gulf before taking on his regional responsibilities.
Ranking 8
MOHSEN AHMAD, CEO – LOGISTICS DISTRICT, DUBAI SOUTH
Mohsen Ahmad oversees Dubai South’s entire Logistics District as its CEO. Having set up its free zone and established the Dubai Logistics Corridor, which connects Jebel Ali Port with Al Maktoum International Airport via a single, custom-bonded zone, Mohsen leads the overall execution of the district’s operations, manages its financial planning, and is responsible for setting the district’s strategic directions and goals. He was also instrumental in laying the groundwork for future developments to ensure the district’s sustainable growth.
Anticipating the rapid growth of e-commerce and witnessing the growing number of international and regional movers in Dubai, Mohsen championed the development of EZDubai, a purpose built e-commerce hub that supports the growth of the sector through state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure within the Logistics District.
Additionally, as an industry veteran, he played an instrumental role in developing Dubai’s overall e-commerce strategy to consolidate the emirate’s position as a hub for global e-commerce.
Mohsen joined Dubai South in 2008 following more than twelve years’ experience in the supply chains and logistics sector, having held management posts at Al Futtaim Logistics and tenure as head of inbound logistics at Dubai Aluminum Company (DUBAL).
He had set his sights early on a career in supply chain and logistics, with a bachelor’s degree in logistics and transportation from the University of Tennessee, USA and a Master of Science in logistics and supply chain management from Cranfield University School of Management, United Kingdom.
