1. M O S T P R O M I S I N G C AT E G O R Y
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M O S T P R O M I S I N G C AT E G O R Y
HEMANT KAMBLI
CEO
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
2007
Dhofar 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 AT 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.AcaseinpointishowhemadeaforayintotheZa’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
atyroin2007,DhofarGlobalisnowtheyoungturkintheindustry
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 BECOME
AN 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 offers 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 offices 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 Office: 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