In order to help companies coping with the impact of COVID-19 and to prepare for the future or the ‘new normal’ as it gets referred to, RoadSafetyUAE reached out to a range of Top Executives in our eco-system for their views.
We sincerely want to thank the participating companies and their Top Executives for sharing their valuable views!
Kay-Wolf Ahlden
President & CEO, Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA
Q: In what ways has your business been impacted by COVID-19?
The purpose of Daimler Trucks & Buses is to keep the world moving. To meet this goal during the COVID-19 pandemic, we took measures to bridge the suspension of production of our factories. By now, most of them are back again and resume their operating mode with strict procedures in place to protect the health of our employees. Our General Distributors in the MENA region made sure from their end to maintain their capacity to service customers vehicles while complying with government directives and prioritizing the health and safety of customers and workers. Our trucks & buses are being deployed to deliver food and medicine, to conduct sterilization drives, and to transport front line workers to where they are needed most. We are proud to see our products being used to help our communities during this time.
Q: Where do you see your business in 12 months’ time?
The COVID-19 pandemic put the spotlight on the importance of transportation of goods and seamless supply chains worldwide. Making sure that our customers’ fleets are running and communities are receiving essential goods now and in the future is a big motivator for the team. Our focus remains to support our customers with the best possible solutions for their business.
Q: What are the major changes (internal & external) you foresee for the ‘new normal’ post COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a digital disrupter. All of our employees are working remotely from home and in most cases equally or even more efficiently than from the office. We have learned how to deal with the particular challenges and I can imagine that working from home as well as virtual meetings and training will be the ‘new normal’.
Q: In which ways will you adjust your business?
The way we collaborate with each other has changed and this is helping us to embrace the digital world more than ever. I expect adaptations to our business and innovation mainly in the field of digitalization. We have seen people all around the world, and in our very own company, think creatively and decisively to produce inventive solutions. Our purpose remains to ‘keep the world moving’ – but ‘how’ we do that may change.
