The Abu Dhabi Joint Venture
Interview with Syed Basar Shueb, GM of PAL Group
When one looks at the list of companies that
compromise the PAL Group, the most striking thing
is the sheer diversity of industrial sectors represented.
This multi-disciplinary approach encompasses green
building, utilities, logistics, travel, construction,
fisheries, property development, engineering, district
cooling centres and even robotics. Given the varying
fields of endeavour in which the PAL Group can
claim proficiency, it is reasonable to view the group as
a case study in joint venture best practice.
Founded in 1999 by General Manager, Syed Basar
Shueb in conjunction with the Royal Group, PAL is
an indigenous conglomerate that grew organically
by identifying opportunities in the marketplace and
making the right business partnerships with key
companies. The group has grown to now employ
6,000 overall throughout the eleven member
companies, seven of which are fully owned. Shueb
sits on a further twenty boards due to the various
interests that PAL has acquired along the way. In
terms of management, each of the group’s companies,
(Al Jaraf Travel, Al Jaraf Fisheries, Al Jaraf Logistics,
Aleron, Ambrosia, PAL Systems, PAL Robotics,
Hydra Trading, Infinity TV, PAL Technology and
Royal Falcon) runs an autonomous operation, with
the noted exception of HR and finance which are
centralised at the group’s headquarters.
This disparate variety of interests necessitates a
further enquiry into how equilibrium is maintained
when managing them collectively. CEO Financial
spoke exclusively to the group’s General Manager in
order to explore the issue.
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