M O S T P R O M I S I N G C A T E G O R Y

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M O S T P R O M I S I N G C A T E G O R Y

HEMANT KAMBLICEO

DHOFAR GLOBAL TR. CO. LLC

ACUMEN IS SECOND NATURE.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS WHAT SHAPES IT

AS THE FIRST STEP TO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

TYRO TO TURK. CHANGE IS WHAT DEFINES EVOLUTION. AND THE EVOLVED IS THE ONE WHO STAKES HIS CLAIM AND ESTABLISHES HIS MARK.

Mr Hemant Kambli, CEO, Dhofar Global Tr. Co. LLC is a successful business leader with over 23 years’ experience in the Consumer Products Industry. He is the CEO of one of the most amazing success stories in the Tissues Industry, a category he has virtually redefined.

Born in Mumbai, India, Hemant graduated in the Arts Discipline. From a young age what always fuelled him was his penchant for winning. As a talented cricketer who represented Bombay University, Hemant believes his passion stems from the game. “Sunil Gavaskar, the Little Master and batting legend said that Mumbai’s cricketers were successful because they were ‘khaddoos’ – which means they valued their wicket. Similarly, I was someone who was a fighter – I would ensure that if I were to lose, I’d do that fighting on the battlefield. This sowed my strong skills to succeed at business, no matter what the situation.”

Hemant’s career began with MNCs such as P&G and Motorola in Oman. He cut his teeth in Sales and was doing well, but soon was disenchanted by what he feels was a ‘straight line focus’ which didn’t allow for too much experimentation. In 2005, he happened to be in Dubai, and joined Excel International, a company that dealt in tissues. He set up the business from bottom up and thus began his journey in the Tissues Industry.

Excel was dealing in over 20 brands, and business was steady. But Hemant being the eternal Outlier, he wasn’t satisfied with the straight line focus once again. He soon joined Tanmia Trading who specialized in Towels. These experiences helped him analyze

and understand the challenges and opportunities. A key lesson he derived from both these companies is that one should first consolidate before expanding. “Better a Master of one trade, than a Jack of many.”

“In the Tissues Industry, no one really wanted to innovate or even ask consumers what they actually needed. I smelt an opportunity and decided to become an entrepreneur”, says Hemant.

In 2007, destiny came calling in the form of Dr. Amer Al Rawas who was a client during Hemant’s Motorola tenure and in due course became a very good friend. When he pitched his business plan to Dr. Amer, the latter trusted his business acumen and immediately supported him with an initial investment of just AED 30,000 and Dhofar Global was born. It was Dr. Amer who gave him the opportunity to give life to the embryo called Dhofar Global.

His first order for Dhofar Global was for a consignment of imported Turkish Towels valued at AED 60,000 done for Mr Fazal Akbar of InterContinental Hotel, Dubai. He was emboldened by this, but soon realized the market was tough. All big companies in Europe were already in tie-ups and it was difficult for a new entrant to open doors. When he attended Celtex in Italy, he asked for a chance to prove his innovative skills – that he had the nous to deliver on customizing tissues. “I told them that if you give me 100 dirhams of business, I shall give you value worth 500 dirhams.” The die was cast thanks to his confidence.

Hemant also knew the market demanded quality and that there was no one to deliver it. But, at that point, the global recession dawned and even the Middle East wasn’t spared. For Hemant, back to the wall was the only way to move forward, and he decided it was time to rise up like the Phoenix from the ashes.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2007Dhofar Global was born In 5 years the company has

transformed into an AED 100 Million business from a company that started with just AED 30,000 and 3 people

Today, Dhofar Global’s client list includes a majority of the Emirates’ hotels, shopping malls, restaurant chains, airports, government and utility companies

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M O S T P R O M I S I N G C A T E G O R Y

He approached Carind, a category leader, and pitched his case. It was Mr. Sergio Santapaolo who supported him and with them Hemant had more flexibility to customize products. Using Carind’s positioning as a market gap filler, Hemant slowly filled in the blanks with new and customized products and categories. He ensured flankers were introduced and made sure consumers had tissues that gave them quality as well as value.

Customization also meant that one had to push the entire chain of personnel at the customers’ end to believe that this change was needed and beneficial in the long run. “I educated and proved the benefits of these new innovations to the entire man machinery of purchasers – from Hospitality Purchase Managers to Chefs, F&B Directors to Cost Controllers. I built the network zealously and the sales followed suit.”

Defining Hemant’s success was his absolute confidence in his knowledge. A case in point is how he made a foray into the Za’abeel Palace in Dubai. He offered to change all the tissues in the Palace – more than 300 cartons – free of charge. It was a massive exercise and required outsourcing to external resources, but it was a risk Hemant was willing to take to prove his mettle. And the same mettle once again shone brightly, when in the midst of recession as cashflows became tight, he managed to get a 6 month credit line from his suppliers. This is a sheer testament to the commitment and confidence he brought in to the business and thus helped build the trust with all he dealt with.

What followed thus is a story of amazing success. A company that started with just AED 30,000 and 3 people transformed into an AED 100 Million business in just 5 years. Today, Dhofar Global’s client list includes a majority of the Emirates’ hotels, shopping malls, restaurant chains, airports, government and utility companies.

In the tissues segment alone, Dhofar Global boasts of over 500 SKU’s. The company has been honoured with an array of awards, including the prestigious Star of Business Award in the Excellence in Trade Category at the SME Award Event in November 2014 and recently bagged the “Global Award for Perfection, Quality & Ideal Performance” by OMAC, France on 23rd March 2015 at Berlin.

Having expanded to Qatar last year and Oman this year, Dhofar Global is now looking at scaling to meet the requirements across the GCC and also global shores. The company is growing annually at 40-50% – a rate which has been consistent year on year.

“Teamwork has been our real success secret. In 7 years, no one has left the organization. Creativity needs the space to grow and we offer it. Besides, we have a simple philosophy – winning is the only mantra. We choose the right products to the right consumers, and everything else just follows.”

So who does Hemant finally credit for his success? “Dr Amer Al Rawas without whom the dream wouldn’t have turned to reality; my wife Preeti Kambli my greatest support and my friend and colleague, Mr Michael Anthony, who was one of the inspirations in my endeavour to build the Dhofar Global Dream.”

And what a Dhofar Global Dream it has been. From what began as a tyro in 2007, Dhofar Global is now the young turk in the industry horizon. One that sets the trend and keeps offering something better. Hemant completes the story with an appropriate phrase that best describes his success, “Always pick a winner. And since I am a cricketer...remember, every ball can be hit for a 6!”

“I WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS A FIGHTER – I WOULD

ENSURE THAT IF I WERE TO LOSE, I’D DO THAT

FIGHTING ON THE BATTLEFIELD. THIS SOWED

MY STRONG SKILLS TO SUCCEED AT BUSINESS,

NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION.”

WELL, IN JUST 5 YEARS WE’VE BECOMEAN AED 100 MILLION+ COMPANY.

HOW DO YOU MEASURE TRUE SUCCESS?

The leading

regional specialist

in delivering quality

hygiene products

Established in UAE in 2007, Dhofar Global o�ers the

best in hygiene care and quality products – from Italian

hygiene paper products, washroom care, non-woven

products and state-of-the-art dispensers. In just 5 years,

Dhofar Global has grown to become an AED 100 Million

company and a leader across the Middle East and Asia

in its category.

With keen expertise & market acumen, combined with

a philosophy to provide the right product to the right

customer, Dhofar Global caters to leading five and

four-star hotels, MNCs, banks, ministries and private

companies. With newly-opened o�ces in Oman & Qatar

and a vision to expand across the Middle East & spanning

global shores, Dhofar Global is a name to reckon with.

Winner of 5 prestigious Awards in just 5 years, including:

• First International Award on ‘The Global Award for

Perfection, Quality and Ideal Performance’ by

OMAC France in March 2015

• Star of Business Award in ‘Excellence in Trade’

category in 2014

• Arab Investment Award for ‘The Best Disposable

Hygiene Company’ in 2013

• Arab Investment Award for ‘Best Green Investment

Project’ in 2011 & 2012

Dhofar Global Tr Co LLC: 105 Al Zain Tower, Al Nahda, PO Box 70580, Sharjah, UAE. T: +971 6 5302525. F: +971 6 5302626. E: dhofart@eim.ae

Dubai Investment Park O�ce: Phase 1, W-16/598-289, PO Box 90138, Dubai, UAE. T: +971 4 8856556. F: +971 4 885 6566.

At Dhofar, we go far.

www.dhofartr.com