ISME April 2018

Editorial Thinktank
Mishal Kanoo,
Deputy Chairman,
The Kanoo Group
Mishal Kanoo serves as
the Deputy Chairman
of The Kanoo Group,
one of the largest,
independent and longest running familyowned
group of companies in the Gulf
region. He is also one of the most iconic
business figures in the Middle East, featured
on various magazines and listed in the ‘Top
100 Powerful Arabs 2013’, and ‘The 15
Wealthiest Arab Businessmen in the World
2012’, among others. Subsequently, he
worked at Arthur Andersen in Dubai as an
auditor before taking up his current position
in 1997. Mishal Kanoo adheres to family
values and ideals in pursuit for quality and
excellence which has greatly influenced his
corporate policies and goals for ‘The Kanoo
Group’ as a reputable company.
Reg Athwal,
Founding Partner
& MD, RTS Global
Partners
Reg Athwal is the
Chairman of RAW
Group and the
Founding Partner &
MD of RTS Global Partners, the leading
family business advisory firm in Africa,
Middle East and Asia. The company has
been supporting hundreds of clients in over
150 disciplines spread across 57 countries
with offices in Dubai, UAE and Nairobi,
Kenya. Reg’s vision is to grow into a major
company of 1000 members in 22 countries
by the year 2022 with the primary aim of
transforming 22,000+ family businesses
and impacting millions on the way.
K. Rajaram, CEO, Al
Nabooda Automobiles
K. Rajaram has more
than three decades
of experience in the
automotive industry,
starting his career in Oman
in 1983. He moved to the
UAE in 1996 to lead Al Nabooda Automobiles,
the exclusive dealer of Audi, Porsche and
Volkswagen in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
Under his leadership, Al Nabooda Automobiles
has changed the face of the UAE automotive
market by setting the highest benchmarks in
customer service and pioneering the automobile
ownership experience.
Rizwan Sajan,
Founder & Chairman,
Danube Group
The Danube Group was
founded and established
by Mr. Rizwan Sajan in
1993. Over the last 22
years, the group has come
a long way since its humble beginnings of a
small trading shop in Deira to being the region’s
leader in construction, building materials,
home interiors and shop fitting industries. The
head office & logistics facilities are present at
the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA). Danube has
coursed a path that transformed only one shop
with three employees to over 40 locations in
nine countries worldwide including UAE, Oman,
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Africa and India,
in addition to procurement offices in China with
employee strength of over 2,200 people. Being a
top ranking business icon, Mr. Rizwan Sajan has
been a source of inspiration for driving Danube’s
business by leaps and bounds.
source of inspiration for driving Danube’s
business by leaps and bounds.
Intelligent SME | April 2018
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