Alghanim Industries
Encyclopedia
Alghanim Industries is one of the largest privately-owned companies in the Gulf region, predominantly in Kuwait
. A multinational company in outlook with operations in 40 countries, Alghanim Industries is a multi-billion dollar conglomerate with more than 30 businesses.
The firm has established strongholds in the Middle East, India and Turkey, dealing with over 300 global brands and agencies. Right now, however, Harvard-educated Omar Alghanim has his eyes set firmly on expansion into the East.
In 1932, Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim returned to Kuwait from his studies abroad and took over his father's business which he built into a successful company.By the end of the 1930s, he had established the reputation of Alghanim throughout the Middle East and was employing a labour force of more than 4000 people.Under the guidance of Yusuf, the organisation grew and diversified over the next 40 years which further entrenched the Alghanim name across the Middle East.
One of the key steps in this expansion was an association with General Motors
(GM) to introduce American-made vehicles in Kuwait - the genesis of what is today one of the largest GM agencies in the world. During this period, the group became known as Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons.
From the early 1970s, Yusuf's son, Bassam, led the organisation and installed a western-style management structure and decentralised decision-making processes.They positioned the company as a diversified multinational corporation, well-placed for continued success locally and abroad.In the late 70s and the early 80s, the holding company became known as Alghanim Industries with several business units and brands operating under its umbrella.Some of the leading brands that Alghanim associated with include Hitachi
, British Airways
, Philips
, Kirby Building Systems
, and Frigidaire
.
Throughout the 1990s and following the second Gulf War in 2003, the company formed marketing collaborations and strategic alliances with corporate giants such as Xerox
, Whirlpool, Haier
, Lofra and American Express
.It also continued to open markets within the GCC and expand operations globally.
Yusuf's grandson, Omar Kutayba Alghanim, joined the management ranks of the company in 2002. Omar Alghanim is the strategic architect of Alghanim's international growth strategy and continued drive. Prior to joining Alghanim Industries, Mr. Alghanim worked as a financial analyst with Morgan Stanley
in London, focusing on corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions in the Middle East. He received his MBA from Harvard and his undergraduate degree from the Stern School of Business.
.
, Sony Ericsson
, Samsonite
, Samsung
, Siemens
, Nokia
, Motorola
, Kenwood
, Fujitsu
, IBM
, Dell
, Casio
, Cannon
, Daewoo
, Electrolux
, Compaq
, Minolta
, Philips
, Toshiba
, Whirlpool and Xerox
(among others).Brands include Safat Alghanim, Alamana, Yusuf Alghanim Automotives, Wansa
, X-cite by Alghanim Electronics, Bumper -to- Bumper, -Cruzer-, -Kirby-, Kimmco, Rockwool (India) Ltd, Alghanim Freight, Impact & Echo, Alghanim Travel. An Al-Ghanim Industries affiliate, the Gulf Trading and Refrigerating Company represents Mars, Kraft Foods and Colgate Palmolive. Outside of family business, Bassem Alghanim is board Member of the Kuwait based Gulf Bank of Kuwait
, in which Alghanim Industries holds a stake.
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. A multinational company in outlook with operations in 40 countries, Alghanim Industries is a multi-billion dollar conglomerate with more than 30 businesses.
The firm has established strongholds in the Middle East, India and Turkey, dealing with over 300 global brands and agencies. Right now, however, Harvard-educated Omar Alghanim has his eyes set firmly on expansion into the East.
Alghanim story
The Alghanim family was among the original families to populate what would become Kuwait, and has a long history as commercial merchants in the region.In 1932, Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim returned to Kuwait from his studies abroad and took over his father's business which he built into a successful company.By the end of the 1930s, he had established the reputation of Alghanim throughout the Middle East and was employing a labour force of more than 4000 people.Under the guidance of Yusuf, the organisation grew and diversified over the next 40 years which further entrenched the Alghanim name across the Middle East.
One of the key steps in this expansion was an association with General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(GM) to introduce American-made vehicles in Kuwait - the genesis of what is today one of the largest GM agencies in the world. During this period, the group became known as Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons.
From the early 1970s, Yusuf's son, Bassam, led the organisation and installed a western-style management structure and decentralised decision-making processes.They positioned the company as a diversified multinational corporation, well-placed for continued success locally and abroad.In the late 70s and the early 80s, the holding company became known as Alghanim Industries with several business units and brands operating under its umbrella.Some of the leading brands that Alghanim associated with include Hitachi
Hitachi
Hitachi is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology.Hitachi may also refer to:*Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan*Hitachi province, former province of Japan*Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi, members of the Japanese imperial family...
, British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, Kirby Building Systems
Kirby Building Systems
Kirby Building Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary company of Alghanim Industries. The company was established in 1976 and centers its operations on Pre-engineered buildings. It has manufacturing facilities in Kuwait, Ras Al Khaimah, Hyderabad and Haridwar with a production power of over 400,000...
, and Frigidaire
Frigidaire
Frigidaire is a brand of consumer and commercial appliances. Frigidaire was founded as the Guardian Frigerator Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and developed the first self-contained refrigerator in 1916. In 1918, William C...
.
Throughout the 1990s and following the second Gulf War in 2003, the company formed marketing collaborations and strategic alliances with corporate giants such as Xerox
Xerox
Xerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
, Whirlpool, Haier
Haier
Haier Group is a multinational consumer electronics and home appliances company headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong, People's Republic of China. Its products include air conditioners, mobile phones, computers, microwave ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, and televisions...
, Lofra and American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
.It also continued to open markets within the GCC and expand operations globally.
Yusuf's grandson, Omar Kutayba Alghanim, joined the management ranks of the company in 2002. Omar Alghanim is the strategic architect of Alghanim's international growth strategy and continued drive. Prior to joining Alghanim Industries, Mr. Alghanim worked as a financial analyst with Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley is a global financial services firm headquartered in New York City serving a diversified group of corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Morgan Stanley also operates in 36 countries around the world, with over 600 offices and a workforce of over 60,000....
in London, focusing on corporate finance, mergers & acquisitions in the Middle East. He received his MBA from Harvard and his undergraduate degree from the Stern School of Business.
.
Today
Alghanim Industries holds the agencies for Acer, YamahaYamaha
Yamaha may refer to:* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services** Yamaha Motor Company, a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company...
, Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB is a joint venture established on October 1, 2001 by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson to manufacture mobile phones....
, Samsonite
Samsonite
The Samsonite Corporation makes luggage with its products ranging from large suitcases to small toiletries bags and briefcases. It was started in Denver, Colorado, USA in 1910 byJesse Shwayder, as the Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company. Shwayder named one of his initial cases "Samson", after the...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
, Nokia
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation that is headquartered in Keilaniemi, Espoo, a city neighbouring Finland's capital Helsinki...
, Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
, Kenwood
Kenwood
- Places :England* Kenwood , a part of Hampstead Heath, London, the location of** Kenwood House* Kenwood, in the parish of Kenton, Devon* Kenwood, St. George's Hill, John Lennon's home in Weybridge, SurreyUnited States* Kenwood, California...
, Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
, IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, Casio
Casio
is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio is best known for its electronic products, such as calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches...
, Cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
, Daewoo
Daewoo
Daewoo or the Daewoo Group was a major South Korean chaebol . It was founded on 22 March 1967 as Daewoo Industrial and was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999...
, Electrolux
Electrolux
The Electrolux Group is a Swedish appliance maker.As of 2010 the 2nd largest home appliance manufacturer in the world after Whirlpool, its products sell under a variety of brand names including its own and are primarily major appliances and vacuum cleaners...
, Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
, Minolta
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
, Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
, Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
, Whirlpool and Xerox
Xerox
Xerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
(among others).Brands include Safat Alghanim, Alamana, Yusuf Alghanim Automotives, Wansa
Wansa
Mira Khatun Wansa, Wansa Ismail el-Amawy or simply Wansa — Yazidi princesse, in 1934-1938 wife of Mir Sa'id Beg. Wansa was a daughter of Ismail Beg, she also had brothers: Mua'wia, Abd el-Karim and Yezid Khan....
, X-cite by Alghanim Electronics, Bumper -to- Bumper, -Cruzer-, -Kirby-, Kimmco, Rockwool (India) Ltd, Alghanim Freight, Impact & Echo, Alghanim Travel. An Al-Ghanim Industries affiliate, the Gulf Trading and Refrigerating Company represents Mars, Kraft Foods and Colgate Palmolive. Outside of family business, Bassem Alghanim is board Member of the Kuwait based Gulf Bank of Kuwait
Gulf Bank of Kuwait
Gulf Bank Kuwait is one of the largest commercial banks in Kuwait.-History:Gulf Bank Kuwait was first incorporated on November 23, 1960 and commenced business on October 5, 1961. The Bank opened in a rented flat on Fahad Al-Salem Street in Kuwait City with a total of 50 employees and 1.8 million...
, in which Alghanim Industries holds a stake.