DHL Global Forwarding forms Arabian Cluster; appoints country managers

March 11, 2020: DHL Global Forwarding has formed an Arabian Cluster (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq), to further capitalise on the region’s growth prospects by synergising resources and expertise. 

Sue Donoghue is the country manager in Saudi Arabia and will also oversee operations in Bahrain, while Firas Sukkar will be the country manager in Kuwait and also manage operations in Iraq. Both of them will report to Moustafa Elbanhawi, CEO Arab Cluster, who is also head of industrial projects and business development in the Middle East & Africa.

Elbanhawi said, “The Middle East is an important region for our network. A recent World Bank report commended four Arab countries including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for having implemented the most number of reforms to ease international trade. These include improvements to Jeddah Port’s infrastructure and new electronic clearance systems at Kuwait’s borders – to help the region’s economic wheel turn faster.”

“Putting in place the right leaders is crucial to deliver the best business results for our customers. With the regional and technical expertise, Sue and Firas bring, it will further strengthen our business and tap on growth opportunities.”

An industry veteran who has been with DHL for 14 years, Donoghue first joined the business as head of industrial projects in London back in 2006. From there, she progressed to global business process manager leading major industrial projects in the petrochemical, mining and construction sectors. Skilled operations and project manager, she moved to Saudi Arabia in 2017 to become its project director, before being promoted to MD of DHL Global Forwarding Saudi Arabia in 2019.

Donoghue said, “We have made the strategic decision to set up a team based in Saudi Arabia we see immense opportunities, a result of a remarkable economic transformation in the wake of Saudi Vision 2030. I’m confident in our team’s ability to raise customer excellence to new heights even as we explore increasingly innovative service offerings for the Kingdom.”

Sukkar said, “It is an exciting time to be in Kuwait, especially at a time when the country’s economy moves towards diversification and expected to take an upswing, thanks to the completion of government infrastructure projects. We are committed to growing our business here, by maintaining strong networks with our partners to leverage new opportunities in this dynamic marketplace.”

He joined DHL Global Forwarding in January this year, bringing with him decades of experience working with various companies based in Turkey, Iraq, and Kuwait. With a successful track record of supporting operational excellence, profitability, and growth, his expertise lies in executive leadership, freight management, and customs brokerage. He also holds a Master of Science in procurement, logistics and supply chain management from Robert Kennedy College and Salford Business School, United Kingdom.