Most of the time, ‘leadership position’ and ‘leading’ are perceived the same and deemed more synonymical than the innate contextual difference. In substance, proving ROIs and constantly winning in leadership differs from leading hundreds or thousands of minds toward the same vision. One must connect deeply, inspire, and spark a sense of ownership of shared goals to lead. “Leading others well means leading yourself the best way possible – who will believe in you if you don’t, yourself,” says Gaurav Biswas, Founder and CEO of TruKKer.
TruKKer is MENA’s pre-eminent digital land freight ecosystem, with around 60,000+ trucks hauling across 40+ countries in the MENA, EU, and CIS regions and catering to multifarious logistics needs of 1,000+ enterprise shippers. The company’s proprietary technology stack sports immense usage of deep tech – and the same allows for harnessing the power of real-time data for maximum network leverage.
TruKKer’s expansive freight network has been instrumental in developing the China-Asia-EU trans-national tradeway that efficiently links key industrial hubs and economic zones in the EU and countries in China with Central Asian markets.
Before TruKKer, Gaurav held distinctive leadership roles at international consulting firms such as AECOM and Arup for over 12 years. Under Gaurav’s stewardship, TruKKer received the region’s most considerable Series A funding from any startup and the Middle East’s first venture debt back then. The company has also received substantial backing from marquee investors like Investcorp, Mubadala, ADQ, STV, and Riyad Taqnia Fund of Saudi Arabia. TruKKer has raised over US$200 million in equity and debt funding.
“Two big challenges characterize how you lead today,” Gaurav opines. “Ripening yourself with complex demands while staying pragmatic. And coping with the unusual disruption pace that causes these needs and urges innovation.”
The company uses a 4-pillar strategy to build and refine its offerings – communication and collaboration, efficiency, experience, and brand. “Our platform collates data from each interaction at every touchpoint, and the self-learning algorithms identify usage patterns and behaviours, which helps us become more relevant to our customers,” he informs.
Attributing innovation as the company’s core success factor, Gaurav also speaks highly of Saudi’s national policies and the upward trend they have created. “There is backing at the highest level. We also think the current evolution will increase in the coming years as investors and governments play a more active role in creating value globally. Businesses like TruKKer are on a journey from MENA to the world!”
TruKKer is always looking for opportunities for expansion into fresh markets that harbour strong synergies with the operating business while gearing up for its IPO, and Gaurav is eagerly awaiting the journey ahead. “We’re gearing up for an exciting year in 2024,” he expressed.
“We anticipate sustained growth in the Gulf markets, fuelled by robust infrastructure development in Saudi nations as they diversify into non-oil sectors. As for our European business, we’re getting ready to navigate the ongoing macro challenges in that sphere, aiming to fortify our presence and resilience in our markets. Our ultimate vision is to become an iconic Arabian brand with a global footprint, extending our services and network beyond the Arabian region. I envisage more regional businesses making significant marks on the world stage.”