Entrepreneurs
Dahabshiil: The Backbone of Africa’s Remittance and Financial Growth
Dahabshiil’s story began in 1970, founded by Somali entrepreneur Mohamed Said Duale in Burao, a small town in Somaliland. Initially, it was a general trading business. However, as more Somalis migrated to Gulf States during the 1970s, there was an increasing demand for sending money back home. Dahabshiil shifted its focus to facilitate remittances, evolving into a remittance brokering business that catered to the growing Somali diaspora. Despite the Somali Civil War in the late 1980s, which temporarily disrupted its operations, Dahabshiil was resilient. Duale, along with his family, leveraged a robust network in the Gulf and other regions to rebuild the business from scratch.
By 1989, Dahabshiil had opened its first office in London, managed by Duale’s son, Abdirashid Duale, who has since expanded the company to a global scale. With offices across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, Dahabshiil is now a world-class financial services provider, especially for the Somali diaspora, offering reliable, fast, and low-cost money transfer services.
Dahabshiil operates in more than 144 countries, with over 24,000 agent locations worldwide. The company employs over 2,000 people globally and has developed an extensive network of branches, including in major financial hubs like Dubai and London. In Somalia, Dahabshiil is the largest financial service provider, handling around two-thirds of all remittances flowing into the country. What sets Dahabshiil apart from other financial service providers is its commitment to affordability and accessibility. Unlike Western Union or MoneyGram, Dahabshiil charges significantly lower fees, often ranging between 3% and 5%, depending on the amount being transferred. This affordability has made it the go-to service for migrant workers and those who send money to support families back in Somalia and other parts of Africa.
Dahabshiil isn’t just focused on profit. The company has a strong commitment to social responsibility, investing 5% of its annual profits into community projects. These initiatives are aimed at improving education, healthcare, sanitation, and agriculture in Somalia and other regions where Dahabshiil operates. By doing so, the company has played a key role in rebuilding infrastructure and fostering economic growth in war-torn and underdeveloped areas. Dahabshiil sponsors various cultural and social events, such as the Somali Week Festival and Somali Youth Sports Association in the UK. These initiatives help to unite Somali communities abroad while also celebrating their rich cultural heritage.
Dahabshiil’s success has also allowed it to diversify its offerings. In 2008, the company acquired a majority stake in Somtel, a Somali telecommunications firm, to provide mobile and internet services in Somalia. The acquisition also marked Dahabshiil’s entry into the mobile banking sector, enabling Somali users to conduct financial transactions via their mobile phones, a service that has rapidly grown in popularity due to the limited formal banking infrastructure in Somalia. In 2009, Dahabshiil took a bold step into the banking industry by launching Dahabshiil Bank International, an Islamic bank headquartered in Djibouti. The bank offers Sharia-compliant financial services to businesses and private clients, reinforcing Dahabshiil’s commitment to serving the financial needs of Muslim communities worldwide.
Dahabshiil’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. In 2013, Barclays Bank threatened to close Dahabshiil’s UK account due to regulatory concerns, leading to a high-profile legal battle. However, with widespread support from legislators, Somali communities, and high-profile figures like Olympic champion Mo Farah, Dahabshiil successfully won an injunction to keep its services running. This event highlighted the importance of Dahabshiil’s services, not just for Somali communities but also for humanitarian organizations operating in the region.
Entrepreneurs
Luxury Sneakers, Supercars, and Boxing Gloves: The Many Facets of Rashed Belhasa
He is more than the son of Dubai’s construction tycoon, Saif Ahmed Belhasa, and known widely by his social media moniker “Money Kicks.” Born into one of the wealthiest families in the UAE, Rashed could have chosen a life of quiet luxury, but instead, he has pursued his passions, making a name for himself as a fast-rising influencer, YouTuber, and entrepreneur.
Despite being born into elite circumstances, Rashed has still proven himself to have self-made success. He has tapped into his interests-to name a few, luxury cars and sneakers as well as professional boxing-and built a personal brand that speaks to millions of fans around the world. Today, Rashed’s YouTube channel has more than 3.59 million subscribers, and his streetwear business and boxing career further speak to the versatility of this public figure.
Rashed has always been passionate about luxury goods. At the age of 16, he started buying expensive cars and snickers. These items for passion turned into a lifestyle. His car collection with Ferraris, Rolls-Royces, and Lamborghinis reflected an individual style. Those are not the regular cars; they are designer-wrapped cars—Louis Vuitton and Supreme, which makes it quite luxurious and exclusive. He also possesses a fantastic sneaker collection, and according to some estimations, the value of his sneakers goes over $1 million. Sneakerheads and fashion enthusiasts are highly interested in Rashed’s obsession over these extraordinary, exclusive sneakers. As it turns out, these high-end shoes become more than a hobby-it has become a successful business, where Rashed is at the forefront of a trend.
He possesses the excellent quality of turning passion into profit. The YouTube channel Money Kicks, which started out as just a site showcasing his sneaker and car collection sites but has evolved into many forms of celebrity interviews and vlogs and behind-the-scenes moments in his real life. Whether it be collaborations with world icons such as Floyd Mayweather or even his high-profile boxing matches, Rashed’s content shows the audience the glamorous yet authentic life of a young entrepreneur. His videos, which are almost always featuring Dubai’s excesses, have catapulted him to fame on social media. The grotesque lifestyle, alongside the down-to-earth characteristics, makes for a compelling narrative that keeps his viewers peeled.
Apart from YouTube, Rashed has had other businesses up his sleeves. Recently, he took up professional boxing, just like some of the biggest names in the sport. He reappeared in the big boxing match in 2021, reminding everyone once again of how ready he is to face all new challenges outside of his comfort zone. Rashed’s commitment to fitness and sports only adds another dimension to this multi-versed personality. Rashed is quite an innovative music artist as well and has made videos with multiple artists. His musical life mirrors his energetic lifestyle, reaching out to a much younger and diversified crowd.
While his fame was yet still getting its base in social media and luxury collections, Rashed had to play out his entrepreneurial spirit by establishing his own streetwear brand. His line is urban clothing, a reflection of the impact that global streetwear trends have brought. He made sure, with stiff emphasis on quality and exclusivity that his brand rose to the top spot among fans as well as fashionistas.
Many may consider that Rashed earns the success for his family, but entrepreneurship experiences say something else. He has managed to build a considerable personal fortune because of his passion and hard work. He keeps evolving as a businessman, an influencer, and a public figure; always an example for the young around the world – proving that success isn’t in our blood but is achieved.
Entrepreneurs
Aviation Powerhouse: dnata’s Global Reach in Ground Handling, Cargo, and Travel
It was in the year 1959 when dnata was born as an initiative to manage air travels within the rapidly developing Dubai. Starting from five employees, the main focus of this company was to handle the needs of local air travels, but long did it take before this firm set its sight to more expansive horizons. It was in the year 1993 when its operations would traverse outside the UAE shores, marking the beginning of its international footprint. Subsequent to this, the company pursued further strategic acquisitions and partnerships, and this augmented its growth in such strategic acquisitions and partnerships as the acquisition of Alpha Flight Limited in 2010-the acquisition saw the company expand its catering service to 62 airports in 12 countries.
The company again pushed its bold move into 2015 by acquiring RM Ground Services in Brazil, which enabled the company to provide outsourced ground handling, cargo services, and meal catering to international airports. These mergers have significantly improved the services that can be offered by this company to its clients in almost every corner of the world. Its growth has gained status as it journeyed from being a national agency to becoming the world’s leader. In terms of performance, the company’s achievement has been nothing short of miraculous. Currently, dnata employs more than 41,000 people worldwide. The companies it serves are more than 300 airlines across the globe, amounting to an annual income of USD 3.6 billion. Whether it’s aircraft ground handling, cargo management, or travel services, dnata has a global network that cuts across five continents and allows customers to get the best service anywhere in the world. Its range, from aircraft ground handling in high-traffic cities like London Heathrow and Singapore Changi, to cargo management in small, remote towns like Juba in South Sudan, makes it clear that dnata is the name people can trust across the geographic boundaries.
Travel management is another significant service offered by dnata, though mainly focusing on offering corporate, leisure, and government travel solutions in the GCC and beyond. Owning and operating numerous brands in the United Kingdom in Travelbag, Travel Republic, and Netflights further reiterates this influence on the global horizon of the travel industry. Ground handling and cargo are the core activities of an operation by dnata. Being a mega cargo airport with millions of tons of cargo in a given year handled within its home base at Dubai International Airport, dnata clears the air of logistics for airlines, freight forwarders, and cargo operators worldwide. In the global cargo industry, dnata occupies an important place in ensuring timely transportation of goods around the world within a safe environment.
It also has specialized aircraft ground handling where they give services from bulk baggage loading to ensuring that the plane is totally ready for takeoff. With operations in international airports around the globe such as in Australia, Germany, Brazil and United States, nothing even comes close to dnata when it comes to international expansion.
As a company leading services in an airport, dnata also does really well in travel management. Particularly, dnata Travel caters to leisure, business, or government clients with a whole host of services. Dnata Travel has emerged as the most trusted travel partner in GCC with more than 200 locations in the Middle East. From premium holiday packages to corporate solutions and even visa services, dnata ensures that every one of its clients has hassel-free, seamless travel experience. Of course, in UK, dnata Travel has earned a great foothold by buying several travel brands. Among the flagship brands of dnata are Gold Medal Travel Group, Travel Republic, and Netflights, offering bespoke luxury holidays to budget-friendly travel solutions. These acquisitions have propelled dnata to the top rung of the European travel market as a robust player in catering to diverse traveler segments.
Another leading arm of dnata’s operations is its in-flight catering services. Operating over 120,000 meals a day across its network of 62 airports, this has placed dnata world-class in in-flight catering. Since acquiring Alpha Flight Limited, dnata delivers excellent meal services to all airlines around the globe. Its thrust into quality, innovation, and sustainability in every meal served on board gives expression to the high quality it is known for in every aspect of life.
Entrepreneurs
DataFlow Group: Trusted Partner for Global Document Verification and Professional Screening
DataFlow Group was incorporated in Dubai to fulfil one clear mission: to bring accurate and reliable verification on the global level. In the world where trusted documentation is of prime importance, DataFlow services become indispensable to professionals seeking recognition, especially in regulated fields like health care, education, or finance.
One of the most distinguishing features of the company is that it has more than 100,000 issuing authorities and reaches over 200 countries. DataFlow Group offers the most wide-ranging Primary Source Verification (PSV) in the world to the highest international standards with such a vast span. Applicants mostly who apply for governmental or quasi-governmental positions in UAE as well as in other GCC countries opt for DataFlow due to its official format, as more entities accept only their verifications for equalization processes.
For example, the Ministry of Education UAE collaborated with DataFlow to speed up qualification verification acquired out of the UAE. Here, through this collaboration, DataFlow’s credibility does not only shine but also occupies an important position in helping professionals navigate intricate regulatory spaces.
DataFlow Group repute attracted international eyeballs as it was acquired by EQT Mid Market, the biggest private equity firm in Northern Europe, in 2014. This acquisition was more than a simple financial transaction, but it marked the beginning of the expansionist era for DataFlow Group. With EQT by its side, DataFlow further enhanced its capabilities, increasing international footprint and diversifying service offerings into many new industries and regions. Now, EQT has helped expand the business to cover many diverse sectors and geographies, and it boasts government, quasi-governmental, regulatory, and multinational organizations as some of its esteemed clientele. This growth reflects the ability of DataFlow to meet the increasingly complex verification needs of today’s global workforce.
DataFlow Group is geared toward guaranteeing the authenticity of professional documents with a roster of wide and varied services. The Primary Source Verification (PSV) services provided by DataFlow Group are trusted by employers and regulators worldwide, assuring one that qualifications and credentials have been verified properly. It’s a very strict process whereby the authenticity of such documents as certificates, licenses, and employment certificates is verified by direct communication with the issuing authorities. DataFlow also offers specialized background checking against internationally recognized standards such as Joint Commission International (JCI) guidelines and Service Organization Controls (SOC) compliance. These standards ensure the customers that DataFlow services maintain the highest security, confidentiality, and reliability levels.
The corporation allows organizations to access proprietary databases and international watch lists, thus making it possible to screen candidates against red flags that may arise from fraud, criminal activity, or possibly something more sinister.
For companies like those in healthcare, finance, and education, these tools have become priceless since stringent regulatory compliance is of the essence.
Notwithstanding the numerous benefits and wide acceptance of DataFlow Group’s services, the company hasn’t been without some flak. Online complaints from those who applied for verification processes in the UAE report delay, absence of customer support, and communication problems. As the company progresses in its operations and improves service delivery, the aforementioned issues are crucial to improving reputation. Given the multiple clients of the company all over the globe and the high variety of services, perhaps one of the major milestones in the development of DataFlow into a worldwide leader in document verification as well as background checking was the resolution of these issues for its customers.
As the world becomes this never-ending network, the requirement of verified services will keep rising and soaring high. Therefore, DataFlow Group remains one of the firms leading in the provision of the best verification technologies and innovative solutions to smooth the verification process and reduce the waiting time to serve the client with the most efficient service.
Using data-driven technologies in verification in order to accelerate and get higher accuracy will remain at the core of DataFlow’s focus areas going forward. With the resultant growing harnessing of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to accelerate part of the verification process, the company will sooner or later be able to deliver fast, unbiased results. By being keenly committed to innovation in its usage of technology, DataFlow is sure to position itself at the forefront of the verification industry for many years to come.
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