December 2016 61 www.bahrainthismonth.com Waleed was just four years old when his father sadly passed away, but his brothers took charge and decided to grow the business in their dad’s memory – hence the decision to change the company’s name from Green Auto Stores to Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo. Waleed beams with pride as he acknowledges his brothers’ perspicacity. He says: “It was a bold decision to try and build the company but, ultimately, it was a great success and I’m very proud of them.” Waleed officially joined the group in 1996 and started right at the bottom as a customer relations officer, dealing with complaints. “I never asked for any special treatment because I knew the value of learning the business from the ground up,” he says. In fact, it was the experience he gained from his first role that prepared him for the rest of his illustrious career. He explains: “If people complain, they are doing us a favour because they’re telling us areas in which we can improve. Ebrahim Khalil Kanoo’s motto is ‘quality service’ and we take that very seriously; we want to make sure our customers get the best and are happy each step of the way.” Waleed’s incredible work ethic sees him assume several different roles throughout the company, giving him a broad scope and a clear view of ‘the big picture’. Motor City is the dealer for a plethora of brands from across the world and Waleed believes that the Chinese automotive sector, in particular, is a sleeping dragon starting to stir. “We represent a number of Chinese car companies and I’ve been working personally on all these franchises for many years,” he says. “I’ve gone through the challenges of working with what are known as tier two brands. But that’s the thing, when we represented some Korean brands many years ago, it was a risk, but it paid off. “We don’t know which marque is going to be the best so we cover commercial and passenger brands and nurture them like a small plant. We plant the seed and, hopefully, in time, the seed becomes a plant which will grow and become fruitful.” Waleed’s passion for his brands is beyond a shadow of a doubt and he wants people to see them the same way he does. Part of that, he says, means experiencing them for yourself. He explains: “I don’t like the phrase ‘test drive’ when it comes to our vehicles, I want people to experience them. We want them be inspired by the car, try it and feel it.” This year has been a challenging one for many businesses both in Bahrain and abroad. Oil prices, inflation and other obstacles have caused waves and Waleed believes the storm isn’t over yet. He says: “As much as we are hoping for 2017 to come with good signs and indicators, it’s going to be another challenging year. However, as a group, we won’t stop our projects, because we know it’s a cycle. We will continue to invest and build, it’s business as usual. “If we stop our projects, we become part of the cycle and we slow down. Today we are making wiser decisions because we can see the way the economy is changing, so we have to be careful with the way we spend, but we don’t stop. “We have already planned several projects for the coming few years. New showrooms, service centres and a new spare parts centre are in the pipeline.” Waleed says his company sees business as a marathon, not a sprint, and he’s in it for the long run. He explains: “We have a family legacy to follow and it’s time for us to expand it and make it even better for the next generation. These are my golden years and I love to do as much as I can because one day I won’t be able to anymore. I want to leave my kids the same legacy my father left me.” Waleed believes life is about give and take, and finding a balance between the two is the key to longevity. He explains: “Our corporate sustainability programme is something we take very seriously. As a market leader, we take pride in giving back to the community in which we operate to show our appreciation. We partake in many charitable endevours including the building of mosques, hospital wings and cultural centres, illustrating our care for the community and the long term benefits thereof.”
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