In early-March 2015, the Maintenance Management Group (MMG) announced that it had secured two contracts for Banque Bemo Saudi Fransi. The first oversees the management of the bank’s offices in Damascus, while the second contract covers the construction of a branch in As-Suwayda, located 100km south-west of the capital.
As one of the few remaining facilities management providers still operating in the Syria, MMG not only continues to endure, but somehow manages to thrive despite the ongoing political instability. The years have brought both success and hardship, but even more invaluable are the lessons the FM company has learned during its time.
Formed back in 1999 in Lebanon, MMG quickly grew as a facilities management company, fostering a reputation within the nation’s banking sector.
Following a natural expansion of the sector beyond the confines of Lebanon’s borders, the FM provider joined a number of banks as they launched branches in Syria around 2007.
“A lot of banks, eight or nine years ago developed in Syria, because the country back then only had one bank. They [government] gave licenses to banks, so most of Lebanese banks entered from Lebanon’s markets,” explains Youssef S. Abillama, CEO of MMG Overseas.
“We followed most of our customers there and today we are still serving banks. We are very strong in that sector in Syria, because even though it is a turbulent time, most decided to stay and to wait for the recovery. So we are also waiting and servicing.”
Despite the ongoing war, MMG has compiled an impressive portfolio in Syria’s banking sector. Its list of clientele includes Banque Bemo Saudi Fransi, Byblos Bank, BSO and QNB. The FM provider also services a number of insurance companies, such as Adir and Arope, and it manages a number of operations of Total, the French petrochemical firm.
“Coming from a Lebanese background, you know we’ve experienced war for almost 20 years. For us, we have developed a kind of instinct on how to balance things and to thrive in difficult situations,” explains Abillama.
According to MMG’s CEO, success within such a challenging environment requires businesses to be both flexible and creative, as well as capable of adapting to changes on the fly. Sometimes a company will lose access to email as the local network is temporarily knocked offline.
Another instance may see the building’s power turned off for a few hours. In both these scenarios, a third-party messenger service becomes quite handy in helping the daily operation run smoothly.
As one might expect, one of the main concerns faced by companies in Syria is the issue of security. In this regard however, MMG’s answer is rather a simple one.
“The first priority is to not compromise on security. Whenever there is a security issue on a project, we simply decline. We manoeuvre in places where security is acceptable,” explains Abillama.
While certainly a factor that has led MMG to pull out from contracts with dangerous parameters, a more distressing issue for the company lies with the occasional disruption of the supply chain. It is an issue that all companies in Syria have to contend with, but one that is particularly troublesome for FM providers.
Without access to basic supplies and equipment, FM companies are hard-pressed to deliver an efficient service, if one at all.
The simple rule is to stock early and with plentiful suply, but partnering with the right supplier is also key.
It has also been a challenge for MMG to identify and introduce fresh talent into its organisation. While there is no shortage of technical skills to be found in the local market, thanks to Syria’s traditional reputation as an industrial country, the primary issue lies communication. Specifically the lack of English-speakers amongst the populace.
“The main challenge is on the communication side — the use of English … you can find good technical individuals, but to find a good manager is very challenging,” shares Abillama.
The CEO adds that prior to the start of the war, MMG drew the majority of its management talent from neighbouring GCC countries.
While the number of expats employees relocating to Syria have diminished significantly as of late, MMG has been lucky enough to retain managers who have been on the ground since the start.
The Syrian branch currently numbers roughly 600 staff members, relatively small when compared to companies in other markets, such as Dubai, Kuwait and Qatar. Focusing solely on hard services, MMG outsourcing demand for soft services to third-parties.
The impact of the conflict however, has driven the company to incorporate renovation services into its core offerings. The added revenue stream has gained traction amongst MMG’s clientele, especially those operating in areas affected by the ongoing hostilities.
Abillama explains: “Renovation is now a key area. Project management, especially in remote areas is where the banks rely on us.
“They don’t want or they don’t have the resources to send their own people. They rely on us and we act as their project management to organise renovations and projects.”
While the current state of affairs is far from ideal, the FM company continues to endure and even flourish amidst the adversity.
A question that is often asked to Abillama, inquires why MMG opted to remain behind in Syria, especially while so many other firms opted to leave at the first sign of trouble. The answer lies on the horizon.
“After storm, there is always the sun. So after war there is always recovery and opportunity. The people that are there first will be better equipped to handle this,” concludes Abillama.
