CEO Monthly Issue 8 2018

10 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 8 2018 , The Giant for Consulting & Training is the leading specialised Sales &Debt Collection Training firm in Saudi Arabia. At the centre of The Giant’s success is Chief Executive Officer, Abdulrahman A. Abukhalid, Ph.D., who has revolutionised the training & consulting sectors in theMiddle East. In recognition for his continued efforts in the region, CEOMonthlyMagazine has named Dr Abdulrahman “The Best Sales & Collection Training CEO of 2018” as part of our flagship Global CEO Excellence Awards programme. Offering Expert Sales and Debt Collection Training Throughout the Middle East The Giant for Consulting and Training in 2010 represented an important landmark on the extensive Saudi Arabian business landscape - Dr Abdulrahman is the first and only specialised debt collection trainer in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this, The Giant has capitalised on an entirely novel area of business for the region, an area that - by all regards - was sorely lacking. Indeed, in a country that advocates for business innovation, and champions corporate development, Dr Abdulrahman has cornered a niche market that has swiftly grown in demand over the last eight years. Dr Abdulrahman’s results speak volumes about his expertise and talent in sales training - reinvigorating profits and driving sales into a new period of growth for any company that engages his notable skills. We started the interview by asking about Dr Abdulrahman’s impressive career history, which has spanned sectors and positions of leadership, we quote: “I am an ex-banker, with 18 years of practical hand-on experience in various roles, such as National Sales Manager and Head of Direct Sales and Tele-Sales for a team of almost 400 people. Also, I have been the Head of Asset & Liability Products Development, Head of Customer Segmentation, Chief Compliance & Permanent Controls Officer, Retail Risk Manager, and Marketing Manager for four major banks in Saudi Arabia”. When it comes to new clients, Abdulrahman highlights the importance of the bespoke approach to his work - business requirements are very personal to the business, there is no such thing as a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. “First and foremost, we do not offer generic nor off-the-shelf training courses - on the contrary, we first conduct an interview with our clients to learn more about their participating trainees, and their job profile, and conduct a performance GAP analysis to better understand their current challenges to improve the outcome, aligned with their learning/training needs and objectives, and in compliance with their internal policies and procedures”. “Once we have custom-designed the training material and exercises, GCE18045 we seek our clients’ final review and approval. And upon delivering the first course, we’ll seek feedback from the first group of attending trainees, and their organisation, to further fine-tune the training, if it is needed”. Sales & Collection are “profit centres”, and all other departments are either direct or indirect “support functions” to their Sales and Collection team/ department. Unlike similar services, Dr Abdulrahman ensures his expertise is front and centre of the training, taking an all-important hands-on practical approach to his work. “Another major factor that makes us stand out as unique training service providers, is that I personally conduct the actual training myself, as a passionate, specialised and experienced practitioner, as appose to assigning it to academic, unexperienced, trainers or free-lancers. Following these strategies has given us a strong competitive edge and built our reputation as genuine, professional practitioners and market leaders in what we do best”. Through this approach, clients can rest assured that they are getting the full impact of Dr Abdulrahman’s practical, professional training as meant to be delivered, without being filtered through the perspective of others. Coming to the end of the interview, the conversation moves to the future aspirations of The Giant for Consulting and Training, which involve, primarily, expansion into new markets. “Given the impact and success our professional training has contributed to our clients in Saudi Arabia, and my exposure to international conferences as a key speaker in Europe, and The United Kingdom, I believe it is now time for us to expand beyond our borders, starting with the United Arab Emirates. We want to achieve further growth by working in collaborating with other reputable training firms, to deliver training in both Arabic and English. Eventually, we will also further expand into other areas of the Middle East”. And as a special note of gratitude, Dr Abdulrahman expresses; “I owe this 2018 Global CDO Excellence Award to my valued clients, and equally important, to my family for their continuous and unconditional love and support, especially during times of long working hours and days/nights, and for enduring and bearing my absence during my continuous business travels”. Company: The Giant for Consulting & Training Name: Abdulrahman A. Abukhalid, Ph.D. Web Address: www.TheGiant.com.sa Address: Jeddah | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Telephone: 00966 55555 1969 / 00966 9200 24372