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John Knight, Regional Group Head
West Asia Group, Dubai, U.A.E.
My journey at OOCL commenced in UK sales where I worked directly with customers to understand their requirements, expectations and problems. It quickly became apparent that differentiation, innovation and strong service quality were significant enablers for retention and expansion of the customer base. Understanding and adapting to individual customer requirements remains at forefront of our ethos and Customer Focus remains a pivotal Core Value.
At the age of 25 I was given the opportunity of country manager for Ireland; a role which offered tremendous variety coupled with strong growth. Living and working in a foreign country was a great experience at a young age. After six years in regional roles, I transferred to the European head office in London to join Trans-Atlantic Trade Management, and two years later was promoted to General Manager and subsequently Director, Trans-Atlantic Trade, Europe.
In 2011 the Trade Management positions of Asia Europe, Europe and Intra Europe were combined. I was responsible for the joint Trade team for four years, whereby we focused on value generation and consortia operations to strengthen our capability and improve our cost structure. In 2015 I transferred to Dubai as the Regional Group Head of the West Asia Group and became responsible for 20 countries across the Middle East, Subcontinent, Red Sea and East Africa, a role that is both challenging and rewarding. Working with a talented and committed team, our objectives for industry leading service quality, innovation and partnership are firmly underpinned by our strong culture and Take It Personally spirit.
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OOCL has provided me with an enjoyable 21 years and I often talk to younger colleagues about their future and expectations. When colleagues enquire about my OOCL journey I share two observations: 1) there is opportunity for any colleague who is committed, capable and has a good attitude, and 2) that I have never experienced the same day twice. Being part of a company which encourages colleagues to think, make recommendations and take decisions, provides an enriching and rewarding environment in which to work. Cross functional collaboration is routine and there are no limits to individual potential. The opportunity for extensive travel throughout Europe, North America and West Asia has been enriching personally and professionally. It is a privilege to be part of a strong brand with global reach and a family feel.
