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Parvez Sultan Rupani Listed by Worldu2019s Leaders Magazine Under Worldu2019s Most Powerful Entrepreneurs in the Middle East, 2023
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Vol. 04 | Issue 01 | APRIL 2023 www.worldsleaders.com Parvez Sultan Rupani Chairman | DGTX Holdings A World-renowned Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Visionary Chairman of Dgtx Holdings
World’s Most Powerful Entrepreneurs in the Middle East, 2023 Building a Hub for Entrepreneurship The Middle East region has long been known for its rich cultural heritage, strategic geographic location, and vast oil reserves. However, in recent years, the region has also become a burgeoning hub for entrepreneurship, with an increasing number of start-ups and a growing interest from investors. Fostering entrepreneurship requires a multi-faceted approach from investors. One way to support start-ups is through early-stage investments that provide the necessary capital to scale their businesses and achieve their goals. This not only benefits start-ups, but also grants investors access to potentially high-growth opportunities. Rupani's vision and ability to anticipate and adapt to new trends have been pivotal in the company's achievements. The coveted Arabian Best of Best award for digital transformation is a testament to his unwavering dedication and hard work, a great honor. Another best practice for investors is to build a diverse portfolio of investments, which can help manage risks and maximize returns. By investing in a variety of sectors and industries, investors can avoid being limited to a particular market. Rupani's commitment to delivering innovative solutions to his clients has been unwavering. He has quickly identified trends and opportunities that others might have missed, giving DGTX Holdings an edge over its competitors. The 'Arabian Best of Best Award' for digital transformation is a recent accolade bestowed upon him. The latest edition of the World's Leaders, titled "World's Most Powerful Entrepreneurs in the Middle East, 2023," showcases numerous names that are breaking the mold in the Middle Eastern business scene. In this special edition, let us share similar, inspirational tales and interviews with many such dedicated leaders in order to raise awareness about their contributions to making the world a better place. The cover has Parvez Sultan Rupani, the Chairman of DGTX Holdings, is an accomplished entrepreneur with a proven track record in driving digital transformation. He has consistently been at the forefront of innovation as a leader, contributing significantly to DGTX Holdings' success and its emergence as a leading player in digital transformation. Have a lovely read!
CREDIT PAGE Editor-in-Chief Steve Sanchez Managing Editor Jagdish Chincholikar Executive Editor Nicole Williams Assistant Editor Gayatri Bhujbal Art & Design Director Jack Anderson Business Development Manager Mia Oliver Business Development Executive Natalie, Jerrey Associate Designer Kevin Rust Digital Marketing Manager Victor Clarke Sales Manager Casey Simpson, Irfan Shekh Marketing Manager Tom Swann Technical Specialist Barry Jones Circulation Manager Danny Parker APRIL 2023 3296 Westerville Rd #250, Columbus, OH 43224, USA Copyright 2023 WORLD’S LEADERS Media Tech LLC, All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from WORLD’S LEADERS Reprint rights remain solely with WORLD’S LEADERS. Follow us on :
08 Parvez Sultan Rupani A World-renowned Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Visionary Chairman of Dgtx Holdings
20 Alessandro Redaelli 24 Alice Veglio 30 Diego Granese Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram 34 40 Maqbool Al Wahaibi 44 Noor Al Muhaideb 48 Renata Liuzzi 54 Saifi Ismail 58 Tariq Chauhan
Parvez Sultan Rupani A World-renowned Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Visionary Chairman of Dgtx Holdings 08 | APRIL 2023
COVER STORY COVER STORY COVER STORY COVER STORY worldsleaders.com | 09
Prior Journey Parvez Sultan Rupani, the Chairman of DGTX Holdings, is an accomplished entrepreneur with a proven track record in driving digital transformation. He has consistently been at the forefront of innovation as a leader, contributing significantly to DGTX Holdings' success and its emergence as a leading player in digital transformation. Having been born in Pakistan, studied in the United States, and lived in Dubai, Rupani has gained diverse and extensive global exposure. He has run several businesses, managing teams of up to 300 or 400 people in various parts of the world, giving him a unique perspective on business mentality and market trends. Rupani's vision and ability to anticipate and adapt to new trends have been pivotal in the company's achievements. The coveted Arabian Best of Best award for digital transformation is a testament to his unwavering dedication and hard work, a great honor. Rupani believes this experience has given him an edge in anticipating market shifts and adjusting strategies accordingly. Thanks to his deep understanding of the market pulse, he is confident in his ability to predict future trends and prepare for them proactively. Rupani's commitment to delivering innovative solutions to his clients has been unwavering. He has quickly identified trends and opportunities that others might have missed, giving DGTX Holdings an edge over its competitors. The 'Arabian Best of Best Award' for digital transformation is a recent accolade bestowed upon him. Rupani moved to the United States after completing high school for higher education. He worked in school stores, gas stations, and other part-time jobs to finance his education. He ventured into entrepreneurship and experienced successes and failures. Through these experiences, Rupani learned valuable lessons and gained the strength to overcome obstacles and setbacks, which he now uses to inspire and mentor others. This prestigious award is granted to exceptional individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the digital transformation industry in the Arabian region. Rupani's notable achievements in this field have earned him this recognition, highlighting his outstanding contributions and commitment to the industry's growth and success. In 2009, Rupani relocated to the UAE from Pakistan with his brother and partner, Asif Ahmed, with no established business then. Starting with a small six-person 10 | APRIL 2023
operation, they worked hard to become the number one partner of Etisalat by 2016, earning multiple awards within just a few years. Their team has since grown to over 200 people, and they have developed their own product, DGTX, which Etisalat now sells. needed to be an existing mechanism. Small businesses in the country were not handling any accounting. The POS system was essential because it allowed the collection of the additional 5% tax that consumers paid. Additionally, a company or person was necessary to calculate the taxes owed and file them properly, keeping archives of all documents for five to ten years. In case of any issues, such as report errors, a tax agent or local lawyer was required to represent the business. All five components were challenging for small businesses to manage, making it difficult to comply with the new taxation laws effectively. Taxation, recognized the challenges small businesses face in complying with the new taxation laws in the Middle East and offered them a comprehensive solution. For only 500 Dirhams, DGTX offered to handle all aspects of taxation, including providing a point-of-sale system, calculating taxes owed, archiving documents, representing businesses in case of issues, and providing a tax agent. DGTX DGTX is an acronym for digital taxation, and it was established in response to the introduction of direct taxation in the Middle East three years ago in the form of value-added tax (VAT). The government taxation authority required businesses to have a proper point-of-sale (POS) system to record all sales because there This service was a significant success, and DGTX registered 16,000 businesses and now serves over 4,000 active customers. However, the challenge of collecting payments remained, which DGTX overcame by partnering with Etisalat, a company DGTX, which stands for Digital worldsleaders.com | 11
Words of Wisdom Rupani advises emerging leaders to believe in themselves and their vision, even if others doubt them. He encourages taking calculated risks and taking the necessary action to succeed. He emphasizes that knowledge alone is insufficient and action is the key to achieving goals. It's important to remember that even the wealthiest person in the world was not predicted by their school teacher, emphasizing the need to have faith in oneself and one's abilities. Rupani also focuses on the importance of helping others achieve success, a valuable lesson for emerging leaders. It highlights the fact that success is not just about personal gain but also about making a positive impact on others' lives. By being a leader who empowers and uplifts others, one can create a culture of growth and success that benefits everyone involved. Moreover, Rupani's emphasis on the "human touch" is crucial in today's business world. In a world where technology is rapidly advancing, it is easy to forget the importance of human connection and empathy. However, successful leaders know business is ultimately about building relationships and understanding people's needs and desires. worldsleaders.com | 13
with a significant presence in the UAE's business community, to include the 500 Dirhams in their monthly bills. This partnership provided DGTX with Etisalat's brand and collection mechanism, making it easier to collect payments. DGTX is certified by the FTA and is gearing up to introduce Corporate Tax in June 2023, where they plan to offer even more services to their customers for the same price. Overall, DGTX's comprehensive approach to taxation has made compliance easier for small businesses, and its partnership with Etisalat has made payment collection more accessible. With a customer base of over 4,000 active clients and FTA certification, DGTX is well-positioned to expand its services to corporate taxation, which will be introduced in June 2023. The company aims to target 10,000 customers in this area and has a top-of-the-line infrastructure, software system, and customer service team to provide the best back-office setup. DGTX was valued at $56 million in 2021 and aims to expand its services beyond tax solutions in the next five years, including data mining and other services. The company plans to expand its reach beyond the UAE to other GCC countries. The ultimate goal is to help businesses grow and succeed by providing them with the tools and expertise they need to comply with regulations and achieve their goals. 14 | APRIL 2023
Facing Challenges to Becoming a Success Story Rupani's biggest challenge has been gaining credibility and making people believe in his vision. Despite having a solid intuition for predicting future trends, making successful decisions, and persuading others to see things, his way has sometimes been challenging. Rupani understands that success often has many fathers. Still, failure is an orphan, meaning people quickly claim credit for success but shy away from taking responsibility for failures. However, he remains committed to his vision and perseveres in making people understand and believe in his ideas, even if it takes time to convince them. Rupani thinks that becoming successful involves making good decisions, which come from experience, including learning from bad choices. Vision For Future Rupani's perspective on success is holistic, emphasizing the importance of defining success for oneself and recognizing that success can take many different forms for different people. Additionally, Rupani emphasizes the importance of looking beyond individual companies and investing in industries that have the potential for growth in the future. This requires anticipating and forecasting industry trends, which Rupani sees as a superpower. Ultimately, Rupani believes that while hard work is necessary, success is finally in God's hands. Rupani envisions himself dedicating his time entirely to philanthropic work and aiding others, aiming to empower young individuals by providing them with knowledge, opportunities, and funding to achieve their goals. He seeks to accomplish this within five to ten years and views this as a challenge to overcome. In contrast, Rupani sees his company, DGTX, as a leading taxation firm in the Middle East that caters to large-scale businesses. He foresees DGTX as a cutting- edge company that utilizes data mining to help small and medium enterprises grow. He anticipates that DGTX will become a prominent brand in the market within three to five years, offering high-quality customer service at a reasonable cost, comparable to obtaining a Mercedes for the price of a Suzuki. https://www.instagram.com/psrupani/ https://twitter.com/ParvezRupani https://www.linkedin.com/in/ parvez-sultan-rupani-14738224/ https://www.facebook.com/ ParvezSultanOfficialsultan-rupani-14738224/ worldsleaders.com | 17
Alessandro Redaelli A distinguished Hotel Professional with Years of Work Experience E Every successful hotel manager is aware of how important it is to deliver excellent client service. However, excellent customer service abilities aren't the only thing you'll need if you want to head a successful hospitality team. In the ?eld of hospitality management, you'll need to be able to build a strong team that will enable your business to operate at peak efficiency. Alessandro is a well-known hotel expert. Despite having worked in the hospitality industry for more than thirty years, he only recently joined Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers. He can guarantee you that no day is ever the same. He shares, "Some of my ?rst memories of working in the ?eld are back from Italy doing a Kitchen & Service diploma, aer which I went on to study hotel management in Switzerland.” Alessandro Redaelli | General Manager | Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers worldsleaders.com | 21
Alessandro has a very pleasant personality, is sincere in his enthusiasm for service, and is well-versed in the foundations of the hotel industry. He is an exceptionally gifted general manager who works and socializes with grace to please all of his guests. others in the hospitality industry focus their efforts on "people," always seeking to motivate and uplift those around them, whether it be their staff or clients. The Conrad staff wants to give guests an exceptional experience in addition to a place to "stay." It is their responsibility to go above and beyond, anticipate the wants of the guests, and offer them individualized services to make sure they have the most enjoyable experience possible. Since that time, Alessandro's job has brought him all over the globe, providing him the chance to collaborate with numerous companies, including Hilton and Mövenpick Starwood. His most recent out-of- station job was opening the Kempinski Nikoolskaya in Moscow in 2013. He then moved to the United Arab Emirates, where he worked in Ras Al- Khaimah and Dubai before settling in the lovely capital city of Abu Dhabi. often a slow process, and we aim to constantly better ourselves to ensure we're putting our best foot forward.” Apart from that, Alessandro places a high priority on honesty and integrity in both his personal and professional lives. He thinks these are the driving forces behind the team's and his own personal growth. He discovers that straying from these principles and work ethics frequently results in rifts in interpersonal relationships and negative effects at work. But when he does come across a circumstance where things might not be in order, he keeps in mind to handle it gracefully and professionally, making sure that everyone feels heard and satisfied with the outcome. Work Challenges Oftentimes, when Alessandro is working on projects, and there have been hours and days of work and planning put into the projects by the teams, his eagerness to watch the plan unfold can sometimes have him on edge. He says, "While I wouldn't say it's a barrier, it can be a little dull waiting for change to bear fruit, as it's Aligning with Work Values Alessandro thinks that the company's values—putting people first—are extremely similar to his own. He and Breaking the Routine Structure Alessandro is not a true believer in always sticking to routine, as he believes routine can sometimes set people on autopilot, which can lead them to lose touch with themselves and their immediate experience. He likes to start off his day in the office with his espresso while catching up on world news, which always puts him in a productive state of mind. He says, "The way you begin your day sets the tone for the day ahead." What helps Alessandro most with maintaining a work-life balance is setting aside hours to spend quality time with his family and himself. He shares, "It is really important for me to spend time with my wife, Larissa. Since both of our sons are studying abroad, we live alone, and as we both have 22 | APRIL 2023
busy schedules during the week, it is important that our weekends are spent together enjoying one anothers company and catching up." He believes it's important to take out time for himself to rest and replenish to give the work that one does and is passionate about 100%. During the week, Alessandro enjoys cycling to get a change of scenery while enjoying the fresh air, and it is also good for team spirit because he is frequently joined by Director of Food and Beverage Carmine and Director of Engineering Nicholas. Success "Your success is defined by how your connections with people are. The more successful you are at nurturing and sustaining relationships with people, the more successful you are," says Alessandro. Before anything else, he thinks it's very important to recognize the people who got him here. The people Alessandro surrounds himself with have been the key to his continuous growth and success. He states, "From my family and friends to my teammates, colleagues, and the people I've had the pleasure of meeting and learning from. I am very grateful to have a strong support system that constantly inspires and pushes me to do my best.” “As a leader, you set the tone for your team; they look to you for support and guidance, so when your team hits a roadblock, you have to step up and get through it with them.” his teammates: the opportunity to be approachable and to provide people with the freedom to discover and realize their full potential. Understanding Others by Stepping into Their Shoes Alessandro strongly believes that hotels and teams are really only as good as their people and learn about them as a person such as hobbies and their family. He says, "Having a simple, meaningful conversation can go a long way." While being a leader can open up many doors for one, it comes with its fair share of challenges. He further adds that, as a leader, one is the voice of his or her team and the bond that holds them together. He assert, "It's important to be persistent in standing up for your team as well as the values that you hold." While you're on that journey of progress, Alessandro thinks it's important to pay it forward and give back to the community for everything they've done for you. Throughout his career, he has had mentors who have taken the time out of their busy schedules to teach him, sometimes starting from scratch, in order to help him learn, grow, and gain insightful knowledge that has helped him go a long way. He is incredibly appreciative of them, and that is one thing he truly appreciates and aspires to provide for Alessandro gives advice to all the leaders in the making to swap places with their own team members for a day. As a manager, he often steps into the shoes of his team by working in positions such as bellboy and breakfast barista, which gives him first-hand insight into the workings of the organization as well as the challenges faced by his colleagues. worldsleaders.com | 23
One of Italy’s Best Emerging Leaders Diego Granese is a prominent Italian business consultant, entrepreneur, influencer, and global marketer who has made a name for himself by owning various well-known national and international businesses. Among his notable enterprises are El Original S.r.l, a beverage innovation company that has launched brands such as Aviva Wines (the world's first coloured sparkling wines) and Au Vodka (the best-selling golden vodka in the UK) in Italy, and Juventus Beer (the official beer of the famous Juventus Football Club).Fitup Europe one of the most important gym chains in Europe. He is also the founder of Billionaire Group, a UAE-based consulting company. In addition, he has established several innovative startups both domestically and internationally, including Unlike Agency(a major international marketing agency) and Offshore (an offshore-related clothing brand) . 30 | APRIL 2023
The focus of the Billionaire Group shifted towards internationalization, taxation, and international tax planning in 2015, quickly becoming a leading company in transferring Italians to Dubai, with over 500 clients and assets. The company specializes in opening businesses in tax-advantaged countries, primarily in Dubai, obtaining residency, financial strategy and planning, business consulting, foreign market consulting, opening business accounts, and other related services. Granese has achieved significant notoriety in Italy, where he has appeared as a guest on numerous television programs such as Mediaset's LIVE non è la D'urso, Pomeriggio 5, and Rai3's BLOB. He has garnered attention from various prominent media publications and magazines for his exceptional business skills and acumen, including Libero Quotidiano, ANSA, IlTempo, TGCom, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, Millionaire, IBtimes, Disrupt, Vents Magazine, Medium, Influencive, Thrive Global, Metropolitan, American Daily, and others. The Group of Companies El Original S.r.l. is an Italian-based innovative beverage company founded in September 2019. The company's primary objective was to distribute Aviva Wines' products exclusively in Italy. However, due to its efficient and effective business model, El Original S.r.l. quickly became a significant player in the Italian beverage industry. Early Life Developments El Original S.r.l. is known for its unique and innovative products, including Aviva Winer, the world's first colored sparkling wine,AuVodka, the gold-bottled vodka with colored flavors that is the best- selling in the UK, and Juventus Beer the first official beer of a famous, international football team. The company is committed to producing and distributing high-quality beverages that stand out in the market. Diego was born in 1990 in Vigevano, a town near Milan, Italy. Despite coming from a family without any entrepreneurial background, he always dreamed of starting his own international companies and being independent. At the young age of 21, he embarked on his entrepreneurial journey by opening his first business, a gym, with no financial assistance from anyone. Although he faced many challenges, he persevered, and after two years, he sold the gym and invested in a gym brand that would soon become international with his assistance. Following the success of his gym brand, Diego expanded his business ventures and founded his first consulting company, "Landmark International," which provided services such as business consulting, strategy and product development, and marketing. Over time, the company grew and evolved into the Billionaire Group, with its headquarters based in Dubai and additional offices in Hong Kong, London, and New York. Thanks to its success in Italy, El Original S.r.l. is now looking to expand its presence on the international market. The company is planning to launch its products globally, offering unique and innovative beverages to consumers worldwide. The company's strategic focus on innovation, quality, and exceptional customer service has made it worldsleaders.com | 33
The actions you have taken up to this point have led you to where you are in your career. “Every action you take, including taking risks, forging new relationships, and mastering new skills, has the potential to lead to a path of success.” Renata Liuzzi, CEO & Founder of Axis Partners, encourages everyone to invest in learning for career advancement and personal growth as the key to success, as well as creating a trusted network around you that will support you on the desired speed of growth. Renata Liuzzi | CEO & Founder | Axis Partners 48 | APRIL 2023
