As Chief Operating Officer , Ports & Terminals at DP World , one of the largest logistics companies in the world , he has had to navigate the COVID- 19 pandemic and unprecedented supply chain disruptions while still having one eye on perhaps his greatest challenge – climate change .

Belgian national Tiemen has sailed those choppy waters and fixed the weakest links in that supply chain . So how did he cope ?

“ I ’ m very focused on what I call a positive environment ,” says Tiemen , talking exclusively to Business Chief . “ Even if results are under pressure or things are not going your way , you need to create an upbeat , positive , fun environment . People need to work through the highs and lows .” Starting life 51 years ago as a single operation in Dubai ’ s Port Rashid , DP World is now an integral part of global trade , with 150 companies spanning six continents and revenue of US $ 17bn . The leading provider of smart logistics solutions is not just an essential part of the worldwide supply chain , it also contributes an incredible 23.8 % to Dubai ’ s GDP .

The very term ’ supply chain ’ entered the public consciousness during the COVID-19 pandemic when the status quo of fullystocked supermarket shelves and next-day delivery of any product imaginable ground to an unexpected and terrifying halt . The chain was broken , shipping containers were in desperately short supply , and then the Suez Canal – one of supply ’ s great arteries – became blocked . It was the perfect storm , the nightmare scenario .

“ We moved from a world of just-intime , where everything is about minimising

Customer vessel docking at Jebel Ali terminal

working capital , where there is plenty of capacity and plenty of competition so companies could book last minute and get a great price . That established way of working literally fell apart ,” says Tiemen .

“ What happened then was panic mode . As long as people could get their goods , then they were happy . I think we learned from that . When it comes to resilience , the first thing that we ’ ve all learned is transparency and visibility , because even today a customer can live with a slower transit time , can live with a higher cost , but you need transparency and predictability , because then at least you can plan accordingly .”

26 June 2023