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HE Saeed Abdul Jalil Al Fahim

UAE, ABU DHABI - Industry

Deal on

Chairman, Al Fahim Group

Bio

HE Saeed Abdul Jalil Al Fahim is the Chairman of Al Fahim Group. He is also the Chairman of the International Investment Bank (Bahrain), President of the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award, and Chairman of the Mubarak & Brothers Property & Financial Investment LLC. He has a degree in Business Administration from Bowling Green University. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration for his contribution to rural development in 1995.

What steps has Al Fahim Group taken to attain its current position in the UAE automotive industry? The late Abdul Jalil Al Fahim (mercy upon him), my father and the […]

What steps has Al Fahim Group taken to attain its current position in the UAE automotive industry?

The late Abdul Jalil Al Fahim (mercy upon him), my father and the founder of Al Fahim Group, left strong values that have guided us toward making the right decisions. These values include substance, foresight, humanity, honesty, and we have recently added innovation. These values have guided investment in flagship facilities and a focus on our staff and customers that ensure we deliver excellent products and services across all our businesses. Customer satisfaction is number one in our business, and we change processes and offers constantly to ensure we maintain our leading position. We have a clear strategy based upon the “product leadership” value discipline, which has enabled the business to clearly focus on its priorities and innovation to strengthen our position. Clear key performance indicator (KPI) targets and performance-based management systems provide clarity and drive the business forward.

What opportunities do you see in the UAE’s automotive sector?

The sector is vibrant and growing. We will always seek to offer new solutions to meet our customers’ needs and new complementary products that fill market demand. We see growth in the premium sector, especially within the small car segment. For instance, when the Fiat 500 designed by Gucci and the Fiat Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari were launched in the market we increased YoY sales by 50%. Mercedes-Benz has also grasped the opportunity provided by this segment in the UAE, having recently launched the long-awaited A-Class. Our first consignment virtually sold out within a few days. In 2012, we saw a growing interest in requests for customizations, confirming the trend in the market for individuality. We now have a “Bespoke” edition of the CLS/ML and GL, offering a much sportier look to the V8 models. We also have a range of super luxury Vito vans available for our customers. In parallel, we also look to grow our share of the super luxury sector further with the new S-Class Mercedes-Benz, which is among the favorite models of high-income businessmen and VIPs. On a broader level, we are witnessing a more environmentally aware generation emerge, which indicates the growing popularity of hybrid cars.

Coming off the back of a high-performing year, how do you plan to sustain growth?

Our expectations continue to rise and we have a growth strategy for 2013 and beyond. Our management is targeted to deliver customer expectations and grow market share. We are supported by strong principles and have the best facilities. We are investing in Al Ain this year, and look forward to growth and success across all of our operations. In the city of Abu Dhabi, we will be announcing an expansion of the Airport Road facility for Emirates Motor Company. As for Central Motors & Equipment, another of our automotive business units, we are opening TYREPLUS, a new tire center to provide convenient and quality tire services through our sole distributorship of Michelin. We also intend to expand our operations with ADNOC to offer Bosch Car Service to everyone in the community. On a more tactical and customer-focused level, we have corporate affinity programs in place, as well as flexible payment solutions for individuals. We are also participating for the second time in the Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award, using the opportunity to showcase our development since our last involvement in 2007. To succeed you have to keep improving, and this ambition is central to our success.

How are Al Fahim Group’s dealerships encouraging Emiratis to enter the workforce?

Al Fahim Group has implemented a special employment strategy in line with the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, including the Absher initiative to enhance the participation of UAE nationals in the labor market. We have established this exclusive recruitment strategy in line with the Absher initiative’s four main pillars: the provision of job opportunities in all sectors, rehabilitation and training, guidance and counseling, and encouraging nationals to work in the private sector to support the policies of Emiratization.

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