Industry, Logistics & Shipping

Germany's Hellmann Logistics names top Dubai executive as COO

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, a leading German transport and logistics company, has appointed its Dubai-based Regional CEO (India Middle East and Africa) Madhav Kurup as the new Global Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Airfreight, Seafreight, and Contract Logistics and also a Member of the Management Board. 
 
In this role he will be responsible for the global strategic development of these products and further expand present and future product and vertical joint ventures.  
 
This is the first time in the company’s 150-year history that a non-German member has made it to the Global Management Board, and the first time a Hellmann Board member will be based outside Germany, thus reflecting the company’s commitment to global expansion and diversification.
 
Lauding the appointment, Dr. Thomas C. Lieb, Chairman of Hellmann Supervisory Board, said: "Our strong performance in recent years demonstrates that Hellmann is built on a solid foundation. Now it is time to fully unlock this potential and further expand the company's global footprint across all product areas – not only in its home market of Europe but globally."
 
Kurup, he stated, has exceptional product and strategic expertise, with a strong track record in driving growth projects. 
 
He has transformed Hellmann from the traditional freight forwarding organization to a fully integrated service provider by achieving market leadership in automotive, healthcare, and expanding into e-commerce. 
 
The company has grown from 100 employees in 2008 to more than 2000 employees with 20 operating entities in 14 countries within the IMEA region, he added. 
 
Kurup has been with Hellmann for 16 years as Regional CEO initially for the Middle East, and then expanding geography to Indian Sub-Continent and later to the African continent. He has been a member of the International Executive Board since 2018.
 
Born and raised in Kerala, the southern state of India, he studied in local schools to then complete a master’s degree in finance. His previous business experience includes Maersk Line agency, Schlumberger IPM, and RHS Group prior to joining Hellmann in 2008.
 
On his elevation, Kurup said: "Hellmann's growth is driven by strategic investments in people, infrastructure, and systems with a great culture."
 
"I look forward to continuing our commitment to creating value for our customers and being a part of the exciting journey ahead for Hellmann," he added.-TradeArabia News Service

Industry, Logistics & Shipping

Takatuf turns cornerstone investor for Umm Al Qura IPO

Saudi-based Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction today (February 18) announced it has issued a supplementary prospectus and signed a binding investment undertaking agreement for its Initial Public Offering (IPO) with Takatuf Holding Group Company - a limited liability company wholly owned by Abdullah Sulaiman Al Rajhi Holding Company (ASAQ) - as its cornerstone investor. 
 
As the cornerstone investor, Takatuf has committed to a subscription of 8.87 million shares, representing 6.8% of the offer shares, it stated. 
 
A specialist in financial investments, Takatuf is also involved in the development of large-scale, multi-use projects in the kingdom through its subsidiaries. Takatuf Holding Group is a key investor in the Saudi markets. 
 
According to Umm Al Qura, the Cornerstone Commitment represents approximately 0.62% of the company’s share capital after the Offering.
 
A key Saudi-based group, Umm Al Qura was established in 2012 for undertaking the development of King Abdulaziz Road in Makkah which originally contained six unplanned settlements neighbourhoods; the project site area is known as Masar Destination. 
 
The Saudi group had recently announced the price range for its IPO as well as the commencement of the institutional book-building period for participating parties.
 
The company had set SAR14 to 15 per share price range for the Offering.
 
On December 24 last year, the Capital Market Authority had given the go-ahead to Umm Al Qura for the registration of its share capital and the offering of 131 million shares.
 
Speaking on the occasion,  CEO Yasser Abdulaziz Abu Ateek said: "We are pleased to welcome Takatuf Holding Group Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Abdullah Sulaiman Al Rajhi Holding Company, as a cornerstone investor for our IPO."
 
"This step reaffirms the attractiveness of the investment opportunities Umm Al Qura offers and its ability to attract investors. It also reflects Takatuf’s confidence in the company’s business model and growth strategy. We are delighted to collaborate with such a distinguished partner to create sustainable value for our shareholders," he added.
 
Umm Al Qura said the institutional book building period will end on February 20 and the final offering price will be determined at the end of the book-building process.
 
For the key listing, Umm Al Qura has signed up Albilad Capital as joint financial advisor, lead manager, bookrunner and underwriter; GIB Capital and AlRajhi Capital as joint fnancial advisors, bookrunners and underwriters as well as Alinma Invest as joint bookrunner and underwriter.
 
Lazard has taken up the role of company advisor and FGS Global that of media and communications advisor.-TradeArabia News Service

Industry, Logistics & Shipping

VentureOne, Adasi team up to integrate autonomous flight tech

As dual-use technologies increasingly drive economies of scale worldwide, Adasi, a leader in UAV system manufacturing, has announced their adoption of two advanced autonomous flight technologies by Abu Dhabi’s VentureOne: Perceptra, a new cutting-edge GPS-less navigation technology, and Saluki, a high-security flight control technology for autonomous systems.
 
These technologies, both developed by the Technology Innovation Institute, are designed to deliver secure, resilient operations in the most challenging environments. 
 
They have been optimized for UAV manufacturers, offering enhanced resilience, precision, and security for autonomous aerial operations, it stated. 
 
The agreement between VentureOne, Adasi, and TII was formalized at IDEX 2025, the Middle East’s largest defense exhibition, at which Saluki and Perceptra were unveiled.
 
Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has long been a fundamental pillar of navigation, supporting applications from everyday smartphone use to critical defense and military operations. 
However, this widespread reliance on GPS has exposed vulnerabilities that can be exploited through techniques like jamming and spoofing. Jamming occurs when signals on the same frequency overwhelm GPS receivers, preventing accurate location tracking, while spoofing involves transmitting counterfeit signals to deceive receivers into calculating incorrect positions or times. 
 
These vulnerabilities pose significant risks across sectors that depend on precise navigation, including autonomous drones, commercial aviation, and military aircraft.
 
In defence and security, compromised GPS signals can impact mission success and personnel safety, while in aviation, navigation errors may cause flight path deviations and operational disruptions – reports of which have the aviation industry and international regulators such as IATA and European regulator EASA seeking urgent solutions for GPS interference, according to one Reuters report in 2024.
 
For autonomous systems like drones and self-driving vehicles, the inability to maintain accurate positioning can create safety hazards, particularly in dynamic or high-risk environments, from aviation to defence. 
 
As the use of GPS-dependent systems continues to grow, the need for resilient, alternative navigation solutions has become increasingly critical. Perceptra and Saluki overcome many of today’s numerous challenges with advanced vision-based navigation, delivering reliable, resilient performance.
 
Dr Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII, said: "Perceptra, with its GPS-less capabilities, and Saluki, with its sophisticated Zero Trust architecture, represent a significant leap in autonomous navigation with the potential to transform multiple sectors."
 
"From supporting safe travel in commercial flights, search-and-rescue missions with precise navigation, to enabling efficient urban drone logistics for deliveries in densely populated cities, these technologies have broad real-world applications," noted Aaraj. 
 
"Their adaptability also makes them invaluable in defense, ensuring secure and resilient operations in even the most challenging environments. This collaboration reflects our commitment to developing advanced, dual-use technologies that serve both civilian and defense needs while positioning the UAE as a leader in next-generation autonomous systems," he added. 
 
Perceptra is a vision-based system that ensures reliable navigation without GPS, allowing aerial platforms to operate in GNSS-denied environments. 
 
It features visual relocking, low navigation errors, and easy integration across platforms for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare.
 
Saluki is a secure, high-performance flight controller and mission computer with Zero Trust architecture. With PX4 compatibility, Gen AI capabilities, and 300 TOPS compute power, it supports multi-vehicle management for mission-critical defense applications.
 
"At Adasi, we integrate only the most advanced, field-proven technologies to ensure our UAVs operate with unmatched precision, resilience, and security, even in the most contested environments," remarked its CEO Juma Al Kaabi.
 
"Perceptra and Saluki provide exactly what next-generation UAVs require: secure, GPS-independent navigation and AI-powered mission control," he added. 
 
Reda Nidhakou, the Acting CEO of VentureOne, said: "We are dedicated to ensuring that cutting-edge research becomes reality to make a positive impact and transform industries."
 
"Saluki and Perceptra are just two of many new innovations to come that will help ensure more resilient and safer drone operations in different sectors, starting with defense. We are working on a more comprehensive air autonomy and security portfolio that will play a central role in future drone operations," he added.-TradeArabia News Service