A focused approach to business

Through better experiences, there is always room for progress and expansion. Through better experiences, there is always room for progress and expansion.

Kamal Vachani, Group Director, Al Maya Group, wears many hats. Al Maya Group is a very well diversified group with interests in retail and distribution for more than 36 years in the GCC. He is also the Honorary Regional Director of Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC) for the Middle East for nearly two decades. ESC is India's apex trade promotion organisation mandated to promote India's electronics, telecom and IT export to global markets. "I would say my professional growth has been steady from electronics to retail. I learnt a lot during my professional life. I am still learning as life is all about learning every day," he says in an interview with Khaleej Times.
What does he consider are factors that enable corporate success? Vachani replies, "Factors are hard work, focused approach, timely decisions, business partners' cooperation, teamwork, networking and developing relationships with people besides taking calculated risks, accepting failures and learning from the mistakes."
The group director believes that through better experiences, there is always room for improvement and expansion. "But I would say we are very fortunate to be based in Dubai as the UAE has an excellent business environment where the UAE government is providing tremendous support to all, especially the business community," he notes.
Vachani believes that being kind to colleagues is paramount. "I try to understand their personal and work-related problems. I go the extra mile to help them as my team members are my major assets of the business."
He admits that it is challenging to pinpoint his greatest achievement. "If you are positive and optimistic, then successes keep coming with big achievements. I am purely outgoing, and I am a people's person," he notes.
About the future of retail business in the UAE, he adds, "I see a very bright future for retail companies in the country as there are numerous reasons including business and investor-friendly environment provided by the government along with ease of doing business and the opportunities arising from Expo 2020 Dubai. The retail industry in the UAE has scope for further growth."
Vachani's vision: "To be one of the biggest and largest FMCG distribution companies in the Gulf region and strives to achieve excellence through innovative business solutions, continuous development of company infrastructure, modern information technology integration and manpower capabilities."
- suchitra@khaleejtimes.com

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