CEO Insights Magazine

It is easy to look at successful business leaders and marvel at their accomplishments. Yet, these highflyers did not just appear out of thin air. They worked towards success with humble beginnings beyond all obstacles, to becoming successful with dedication and effort. CEO Insights’ exclusive team engages in a conversation with one such accomplished business leader, Alain Arida, CEO, Gulf Markets International who has been driving dynamic results for businesses with his exceptionally advanced strategic, creative, and analytical skills and hunger for new ideas.

Alain began his career at the age of 18 in an MNC where he had unique exposure to the field of sales, marketing, and customer satisfaction. Thereafter, he has been associated with multiple reputed organizations working remarkably in leadership positions. The year 1999 was a turning point in his career, and since then he has been associated with the top management level in the mining and metals industry, which eventually led him to the position of CEO of Gulf Markets International. He is a business development expert and deals with strategic business planning, including commercial & operation, budgeting, risk management, HSE, HR, and other functions to achieve objectives with entire abidance to business ethics. He is successfully spearheading teams at Gulf Market International and empowering them to provide clients with effective business solutions in addition to high-quality industrial products and technical services.

Let us hear it from him.

How has your path to success been and what is your success mantra?

I have always believed in a simple yet powerful phrase – ‘Nothing is impossible’. Whenever I look around and see the successes and the failures across history, I land up questioning myself ‘Where am I among all this?’ I work towards my own strength and give myself a valid reason to believe in my strength and ability. Throughout my journey, I have realized, to succeed, we must know where we are placed currently and where we are determined to go; we must use the rocks that are thrown at us to build our empire and consider feedback as gifts. If we can handle it, one plus one is not equal to two in life - one failure plus one failure is equal to 10 successes. As leaders, we must create equal opportunities for people; teamwork is like a puzzle - everyone has a role and a place, and it is up to the leader to place them appropriately.

How would you define Gulf Markets International WLL as an organization and its current position in the market?

Gulf Markets International is a very old and young organization - old in its experience, geographical spread, customer base, suppliers base, and variety of products it offers and very young in its approach, decision-making, spirit, ability to face challenges, and market instability. We are unique in what we do and in what we offer. We are the hub for any industrial company that is looking to secure its needs for materials and services. The company is currently embracing the global trend of Industry 4.0 and energy-saving initiatives across various industries; this is being developed in close collaboration with well-known and reputed global organizations.

Tell us about your leadership approach, and the methodologies you follow to lead your team.

Leadership, in my opinion, is a myth. It has been defined across history in various ways and interpreted in various methods. Leadership is a way of life; it is how people see us and how we accept how they see us and the amount of passion we deploy in anything we do. It is like yogurt; we can grow it with only a little amount and in the right environment. A leader must be a great communicator, a champion of change, a decision-maker, and someone who is able to link their world to the outside world. I believe it is close to impossible to be able to manage people. One can only manage a system by leading people. Leading people comes in various stages, and this depends on how they are ready. The leadership cycle starts from telling to delegating and during the whole journey the leader’s role is to empower people.

What would be your advice for budding industry leaders?

My suggestion for budding leaders would be to read history and monitor the cycle. There are always new entrances in every industry and field, and some of them are well acquainted with what they are about to do and have enough business acumen. They become very tough competitors. But there are others who lack enough information to lead a business, and their casual attitude towards the industry makes them erode margins causing a gradual loss in a business's profit over a period of time. Also, clients need to understand that due to the open markets and easy communication tools and platforms, the world has become smaller than a chessboard. They must take enough care of new entrants, encourage the ones that deserve to be among us, and block the ones that cause harm to the organization.

Alain Arida, CEO, Gulf Markets International WLL

An advocator of continuous learning & self-improvement, Alain has an MBA in International Business, a Six Sigma certification in Business Improvement & lean management, and 24+ years of extensive professional experience. In addition to being a business leader, he is also a certified international trainer & coach for personal development and a certified international arbitrator.