ASHRAF ABU ISSA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO, ABU ISSA HOLDING
AbuIssa Holding is a global diversified company with a network of production and commercial branches worldwide.
A family owned business, AbuIssa Holding operates in nine countries with more than 4,000 dedicated employees, working towards market expansion and global presence.
Representing a network of market leading businesses, AbuIssa Holding is positioned as one of the most diverse and progressive establishments in Qatar. With a portfolio that supplies the best in talent, innovation, expertise and resources, AbuIssa Holding continues to challenge the regions it operates in with its high level of expertise.
In just over four decades, Blue Salon has firmly established itself as brand of international repute in the fashion world. After starting out in 1981, Blue Salon continues to grow thanks to company’s eagerness to change with the times. The future clearly looks bright for Qatar’s premier retailer.
In an interview with Qatar Happening, Ashraf Abu Issa, the chairman and CEO of Abu Issa Holding, gives us a background into how he managed to turn it into a success story. Excerpts:
Since when have you launched your operations in Qatar and what has been the response so far?
My father established Blue Salon in 1981, but passed away just six years later. So by that time, I realised the huge responsibilities which came with becoming the head of the family and business at such a young age.
So I stepped into leadership and business management at the age of 19 where I was the youngest entrepreneur in Qatar. It was literally an emergency crisis management and the need of the hour, as I took the reins of the family business, while putting a hold on my studies and basketball career, taking one thing at a time.
Later on, I took over the family business with my brother Nabil. Primarily in Retail & Distribution business, the company grew to be one of the most distinguished groups with severalactivities and more than 100 stores in the region and more than 3,000 employees.
Retailing is a competitive business across Qatar. Abuissa Holding always stayed a step ahead of other retailers. Additionally, I have been always inspired to create my own concepts and find the gaps in the market. I generated most of my businesses from unique ideas.
Your retail shops linked with Qatar Rail would have been launched much earlier. What’s been the response of the public at metro station shops?
It is a unique feature which has made travel a special experience for visitors to get in and around the city as you can find a number of shops, foods, beverage and service shops inside the metro stations, which is literally, all you need to enjoy a short or a long travel around Qatar.
How many online orders are received on a daily basis through FIFA website and what’s the normal time it takes to deliver merchandise?
We are having an exceptional amount of orders and they are delivered within 24 hours.
Was it difficult to prune and select staff locally? How’s their performance been so far?
Wem at Abu Issa Holdingm always strive to develop our business strategies to better deal with the market’s ever evolving requirements as they arise, and that not only the Qatari market but the global market as well. So, the process of selecting staff follows a full cycle of picking the right qualifications to fit our position. Taking under consideration the skills, abilities, knowledge, versatility, education and experience levels.
What’s the order traffic going to be like once the World Cup kicks off? How many orders a day would be handled on average?
In the past few days, we noticed 50% increase of orders. Moreover, we have high expectations but are well prepared to receive huge amounts of orders during the World Cup.
Could you please elaborate on the 20 categories of merchandise you have promised to tackle?
We will offer different official merchandise items, including ladies’ scarves, ghutra (traditional head coverings), luggage, backpacks, work bags, candles, travel accessories, cups, home textiles, bed coverings, towels, and blankets.
