DHL: Connecting Kuwait to the world, seamlessly, efficiently, quickly

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DHL’s operations in Kuwait are particularly focused on facilitating global trade and serving the growing e-commerce sector, with innovative services like DHL easySHOP. We pride ourselves in connecting Kuwait to the world.

In an exclusive interview with Country Manager of DHL Express, Makram Raad, The Business Year discussed his career journey, beginning with his experience in Dubai and Bahrain before arriving here in Kuwait. Raad sees Kuwait as a country full of untapped potential, with a promising Vision 2035 that can position it as a leader in the region. He emphasized DHL’s long history in Kuwait, servicing the country since the 1970s, and praised its strategic location for global trade, as well as its safe, tax-free environment, ideal for foreign investment.

Can you provide an overview of your role and the evolution of the Kuwaiti market within DHL Express?

I began my career at DHL about 12 years ago, starting as a territory manager in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone. After eight years in the UAE, I moved to Bahrain to serve as a commercial manager, where I experienced the challenges of the global pandemic. This is where purpose prevailed, and it was obvious that we were saving lives, improving lives, and connecting people, which was essential for us.

I moved to Kuwait at the beginning of 2023 as the head country manager. Kuwait is a country full of potential yet to be fulfilled. It has the strongest currency in the world, hedging against any possible fluctuation, unlike the euro or dollar. Kuwait 2035 is an excellent vision, having identified the main pillars that need to be built upon with the right diversification plan away from the oil and gas sector for greater sustainability. The country has the potential to flourish and beat any of its neighboring competitors, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

What specific services does DHL offer, and what are the advantages of being positioned in Kuwait?

DHL has been servicing Kuwait since the 1970s; DHL aircraft land in Kuwait every day, except for Friday, unlike its competitors. Our mission is to ensure that Kuwaiti products can be sold abroad, breaking down barriers and telling the story of Kuwait globally.

There are no taxes in Kuwait. It is a safe environment, economy- and security-wise, which gives companies the perfect ecosystem to set up shop. Geographically, it is in a strategic location for transit between the East and West. DHL is heavily invested in Kuwait because we believe we are part of that offering for foreign investments coming into the country. We pride ourselves in connecting the country to the world.

What impact has the growing e-commerce sector had on the company’s operations?

E-commerce volumes globally have softened in the last two years, though we still see it as a significant way forward because every retailer is becoming an e-tailer. Every platform is strengthening its sourcing power to facilitate global trade. We recognize the opportunity, and our vision is focused explicitly on this as DHL Express Kuwait.

The fabric of society is heavily skewed toward social sellers, namely small-time, authentic product manufacturers of prayer beads, abayas, and traditional garbs, especially now that we are entering the Holy month of Ramadan. This is the peak season for such businesses, and we work with all SMEs to give them the perfect ecosystem to promote their products, not only in the region but worldwide.

Could you elaborate on the DHL easySHOP service and its benefits for customers in Kuwait?

Kuwait is an inbound market, and unfortunately for the region, some websites or online retailers are still not servicing the area directly, specifically Kuwait. We have recognized the opportunity and are explicitly dedicated to delivering products from the US and UK. Buyers from Kuwait can use our local US or UK address to shop and get their items forwarded to Kuwait seamlessly.

What innovative solutions has DHL Express implemented to ensure timely delivery?

Delivery time is vital to us internally—we measure our service quality daily, and if there are any exceptions, we jump on this issue straight away. One of DHL’s main pillars is being the provider of choice, and we can only achieve that by delivering excellent quality. We are not the cheapest in the market because we pride ourselves on offering our partners exceptional quality. We are in the business of time. In recent years, we looked at areas of improvement, and we are improving transit times, lane by lane. That is our core product. We look at every aspect to determine potential areas of efficiency so we can improve them and compare them year after year. Globally, we measure ourselves on this.

[Makram Raad is Country Manager of DHL Express, Kuwai. A certified international specialist with an MBA in Finance from Notre Dame University. With previous experience in the financial sector and managing multinational partners across diverse industries, he has been with DHL for over 11 years. A seasoned leader, he began his work with DHL in the UAE before heading to Bahrain to head operations there. He took over as country manager of DHL Kuwait in 2023.]