The Business Year

Search
Close this search box.
Mehrdad Fakher

IRAN - Transport

Special Delivery

CEO, Tipax Holding

Bio

Mehrdad Fakher has been the CEO of Tipax since 2011. During his career in the company, he was Vice President from 2005 to 2011, CEO Executive Deputy from 2004 to 2005, CEO Branches Deputy from 2002 to 2004, and the CEO Representative from 2001 to 2002. Fakher holds a bachelor’s in business administration from Adamson University in the UK. He also has an MBA, a DBA, and a PhD in management from the University of Industries and Mines.

TBY talks to Mehrdad Fakher, CEO of Tipax Holding, on the company's illustrious history, its strategies for expanding overseas, and staying ahead of the competition.

How has Tipax evolved over its 55-year history to its current leading position in the Iranian courier market?

My father established Tipax 55 years ago as a courier service covering a wide range of activities. As a result of the war with Iraq, some of the services we were offering could not be done privately and passed over to the government’s hands. Moreover, our activities abroad were interrupted; 35 years ago we had international branches in London, Frankfurt, and Dubai; however, we had to close them down as we were unable to operate internationally. However, with the lifting of sanctions the doors for Iran and for Tipax are opening. Currently, we are the biggest private courier company in Iran, with 200 branches across the country and 3,000 staff. In order to grow as a holding we are diversifying our activities. First, we started two years ago in the retail business managing three brands in Iran: Lion of Porches, Pepe Jeans, and Pablosky. We are also active in the decoration and furniture industry, mainly office equipment, and are now entering the e-commerce market.

How important is it for Tipax to have an extensive global network of branches abroad and connect with foreign counterparts?

It is part of our strategy to expand to other countries by opening branches. We were able to choose our partners and become international 35 years ago, and now we have the opportunity to move abroad again. We have been signing contracts and partnering with foreign counterparts and are also in talks with European courier services to bring them to Iran and to be our partner in Europe. However, we are not just looking at Europe; at the end of this year, we are going to open a new office in Dubai. The Middle East is definitely another region that we are focusing right now.

How do you assess the competition in the courier market in Iran?

Although there is a lot of competition in the market, Tipax has maintained its leading position for 55 years because we have the trust of Iranian society. People rely on our services, which is our main advantage in comparison to other local or foreign competitors. We provide the fastest courier services in Iran; our price, speed, and accuracy are our three main strengths. Looking at our portfolio, half of our clients are from the general public, while the other half belongs to the business community. In this sense, we do not target any specific sector. Tipax is currently one of the few logistic hubs in Iran, and we are concentrating on modernization more than before. We are conscious of the strategic position this country has in the Middle East to connect Europe and Asia and are going to benefit from it after the lifting of sanctions.

What are your expectations for the year ahead?

We expect much more after the signing of the JCPOA with regard to the ambitious plans the country has for the future. However, I am sure that next year will be much better to do business and Tipax is drafting a plan for this. We will expand outside of Iran by opening an office in Dubai and other branches in Europe and the Middle East. The plan is to have more than 500 branches and to increase our staff to 5,000 people in the courier service. The final objective is to become an international courier service that can compete among the top five in the world with well-known companies like DHL, FedEx, or TNT.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

You may also be interested in...

Ata Ghotbi

IRAN - Agriculture

Satisfying Iran’s fast-food hunger

Interview

Chairman, ATA Corporation

Masoud Zarringhalam

IRAN - Energy & Mining

Established just after the ending of the Iran-Iraq War

Interview

Managing Director, Sazeh Pardazi Iran Consulting Engineers Co.

Dr. Mehdi Fazli

IRAN - Economy

Trailblazer

Interview

CEO, Golrang Industrial Group (GIG)

View All interviews

Countries

Countries

Become a sponsor