6 Survival tips

Giampiero Alessandrini.

5- Be flexible
Flexibility is a survival essential. Companies that have been unable to adapt are starting to struggle. “No management team or company can survive if they do not have the flexibility to adapt to a changing environment,” says Saleh Muradweij. “Drake & Scull has always had the vision and the willingness to change as the market changes. In 2006, we began developing green solutions. In 2007, we acquired a civil construction company to expand our business. In 2008, we expanded our geographical reach into Sudan and Bahrain.”

“What has worked for us has been carefully-planned expansions. It is imperative to have the ability to adapt and be flexible to change.”

6- Play a team game
The importance of the human element has also been pinpointed as a key factor in the success of Drake & Scull.
“We have an excellent team of dedicated professionals, each of which has been individually picked based on their experience and skills,” says Muradweij.

“It

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is because of our team that we have enjoyed excellent planning and great execution, which has definitely given us
an edge in what we do. We also believe in our people and their development. We are taking advantage of these tougher times to invest in our current team, as well as attracting further talent.”

“A company’s strength lies solely in its human assets, and these assets have to be taken care of and nurtured,” he says. The same applies even more strongly to businesses that have developed out of a family background, as Zeyad Al Jaidah will attest. He and his business partner, Abdulla Alansari, developed TechnoQ, one of Qatar’s largest and most comprehensive systems integrators.

According to Al Jaidah, tradition and family were crucial to his initial success and remain so, especially in the midst of the global recession. The fact is, he says, he is simply not allowed to fail.

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