CXO INSIGHT

EIAD ABUSHAIREH , CIO AT NEFC GROUP :

Can you give me a brief overview of NEFC Group ?

NEFC Group is strongly engaged in the construction , infrastructure , transportation , agriculture , mining and power generation industry in East Africa . We specifically focus on ensuring that we are delivering to our customers a reliable product with local support , which maximises the value of each investment . The group has established its presence in five different countries with a collective population of over 150 million and GDP of US $ 100 billion . NEFC employs over 1,000 staff members across nine distinct companies . Our annual turnover is approximately US $ 100 million and has a rich history of presenting and expanding a diverse range of leading international brands .

How has the company grown in recent years ?

We have experienced significant growth in recent years , expanding our presence to several countries in East Africa , including Ethiopia ,

Eiad Abushaireh , CIO at NEFC Group , and Mohammed Mandil , Heavy Equipment

Business Manager at NEFC Group

Djibouti , Somalia and South Sudan . Our subsidiaries , which were established in Ethiopia back in 1965 , have played a key role in the economic and infrastructure development of the country and Ethiopia remains the biggest market for us . Djibouti is also an important trading hub and the NEFC presence there has been critical to its geographical expansion .

In Somalia and South Sudan , we have established local companies to access the significant growth opportunities in these countries , including road construction , power generation and primary services .

Despite the instability in Somalia , we believe in nurturing local talent and establishment to drive growth and deliver massive potential in these countries . Our position is to provide a high standard of service that enables us to build the trust with our customers and grow as a key player in the development of East Africa .

Describe the Digital Transformation journey in NEFC .

As a CIO , my primary goal is to ensure that our organisation ' s IT infrastructure and technology system are aligned with the overall business strategy and goals . When I first joined NEFC , my immediate focus was to start our Digital Transformation journey , which has been a challenging task , especially since East Africa is still a green field in terms of Digital Transformation .

“ In NEFC Group , we are proud of our use of modern technology to improve our customer experience .”

NEFC Group is a Dubai-based holding company that operates dealerships supplying machinery and heavy equipment in the Horn of Africa . It has nine subsidiaries and has more than 1,000 employees . The company supplies heavy equipment from major brands , including Hyundai CE , Massey Ferguson , Nissan and Cummins . It has recently deployed Infor M3 , a powerful equipment-focused enterprise resource planning ( ERP ) system to help it gain greater control of its business while raising efficiency and agility . Intelligent CXO spoke to Eiad Abushaireh , CIO at NEFC Group , and Mohammed Mandil , Heavy Equipment Business Manager at NEFC Group , about the company ’ s own Digital Transformation and how it is focusing on helping its customers embrace digital .

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