CAFU, the Middle East’s first on-demand car service, appoints Basil Hovakeemian as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for CAFU Petroleum. Basil will be responsible for leading the operational and logistics function of CAFU’s fuel division, unlocking new levels of development and business success.
CAFU operates under one brand and is split into two groups of companies. While CAFU Tech focuses on the technology platform, ancillary products and support services enabling customers to connect and place their orders; the CAFU Petroleum function brings core services to customers, taking care of operations and logistics.
“Every day CAFU challenges convention through continued product-led innovation, to solve problems for the benefit of our customers. In doing so, we recognise that without a focus on consistent delivery, disruption doesn’t benefit the consumer,” said Rashid Al Ghurair, Founder, Board Chair & CEO – CAFU. “To accelerate the delivery of our innovation, we have chosen to separate the fuelling business from the tech side of the business, further improving the focus on both technology and the service operation. This also provides greater organisational agility in anticipation of market expansion. I am delighted that Basil has joined CAFU to lead CAFU Petroleum and to focus on deploying our capabilities within the UAE & beyond, where he will be responsible for driving the continued growth of the fuel distribution and delivery business.”
Basil has built his experience over 15 years in leadership positions across the transportation, tech, strategy consulting, and consumer goods sectors. Most recently as CEO of Hala, the RTA-Careem joint venture, he oversaw the growth of the business into the largest ride-hailing service provider in Dubai. He started his career with Proctor and Gamble in North America and Germany, before moving to the region as a strategy consultant with Roland Berger, advising public and private clients in areas such as strategy, market entry, reorganisation, technology, and digitalisation.
“I am very proud to join CAFU’s dynamic leadership team and support the continued disruption of the car services sector. I look forward to bringing the outstanding core services in the local market and globally, taking the Petroleum function to the next phase. The focus on continually challenging conventional thinking and refusing to accept generationally held norms is an incredibly exciting environment to step into. This is a sector that is in a significant state of flux with the adoption of new fuels, connected and autonomous vehicles and a consumer mindset that is looking for improved experiences but with a significant focus on environment. I am looking forward to driving CAFU Petroleum to new levels of capability and service delivery for our clients and consumers,” said Basil Hovakeemian, CEO – CAFU Petroleum.