Company Profile:
Darat Jordan Holdings, a Jordanian company established in 2008 with a diversified business plan for investment in different economic sectors: financial, industrial, commercial, agricultural, services; as well as, real estate and tourism through establishing subsidiaries owned partially or totally, or investing in existing companies working in similar fields. Up to this point, we are working through five subsidiaries.
Globe Williams Jordan: a joint venture with Globe Williams International. This company is offering total facility management services like maintenance, catering, energy saving, cleaning, security, pest control and others to several entities in Jordan.
How did you start your business?
Jordan has many investment opportunities. It has always been an attraction to local and regional businessmen. The idea started with a group of well experienced investors in both the private and public sectors; to join efforts and establish this holding company. The employees were skilled, highly experienced and carefully chosen.
Darat Jordan Holdings was established in December 6th, 2007 as a Public Shareholding Company, and registered in Amman Stock Market with a capital of 15 million Jordanian dinars (about US$21 million). 11 million JD’s were divided among the founders while 4 million JD’s were offered to the public share.
When you first started your business, were you expecting that it would become not only your full-time occupation, but also a growing company?
Investing in Darat has proven to provide great expectations. The company is growing successfully despite of all the economic pitfalls lately. I have never thought of any business as a full-time occupation, rather than a personal investment, whether it really was or not.
What is the most rewarding thing you have accomplished and why do you cite it above all your other accomplishments?
Many rewarding accomplishments in my career life come to mind. Among those, my participation in Jordan accession WTO and Jordan FTA with the United States of America where I received my first Royal Decoration- the Independence Legion of the 2nd Order.
I am also proud of my accomplishment in the Social Security Corporation in which I received my 2nd Royal Decoration- the Independence Legion of 1st Order. I cannot forgo my accomplishment in Academia in which I received at a young age the Shoman Prize for Young Arab Scientists in the field of Economics & Finance. These achievements were crowned by my successful accomplishments in packaging Darat Jordan Holdings as a promising investment opportunity.
Of course, I had the support and presence of many well known esteemed persons and institutions lining up with me to create and support its cause.
What were the biggest challenges you faced as an entrepreneur and how did you overcome them?
Challenges never end; however, the beauty of them are the opportunities that surface alongside. This is one of the biggest challenges at Darat. So far, we are doing great in that aspect. Another challenge would be knowing how to live up to the expectations of our board of directors and shareholders.
What do you think it takes to be successful in the industry your company competes in?
We work in different industries, but the key success factors are usually the same: bringing the right people who blend well together and are committed to deliver, winning the trust of stakeholders, coming up with innovative ideas, and knowing how to attract and maintain strategic partnerships.
What advice would you give to those contemplating starting their own business?
Work smart and work hard. It is also important to find the most competent people and get them to work with you and not for you. There is no greater incentive than the taste of achievement.
What is the question I did not ask, but should have?
The Question is “How do I look into the future in the line of my business and what are the prospects there?”
I’m not going to answer this question now; I will leave it to the second issue of your 101 Top Business Leaders. Or shall I say 102 top business leaders!
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