Ibrahim Al Shami, Managing Director of Jotun Egypt, believes his viewpoint as a Millennial leader plays a unique role in shaping organizational culture at one of the world’s leading paint and coating manufacturers.
Taking an approach that focuses heavily on transparency and interaction across all levels of the company, Al Shami hopes to show all employees that these core values are genuinely coming from the C-suite.
“The Jotun culture, or what we call the ‘Penguin Spirit’, is something we live every day,” he explains. “It’s about showing our values not only in our work but also in how we interact with our employees, our customers and all external partners.”
The ‘Penguin Spirit’ may seem an odd thing to refer to the company culture, but that’s because at Jotun, all employees are called ‘penguins’.
“It’s our way of reinforcing unity and teamwork,’ he adds.
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While new employees might find it a little strange when they are called penguins in meetings or emails, it soon becomes clear that the nickname reflects the strong culture where each member is integral to the whole team. Once a ‘penguin’, employees are treated as a crucial part of Jotun, with this commitment from the company extending to long-term career development.
“We hire for life,” Al Shami says proudly. “The majority of our people stay with the organization for decades. We try to implement the mobility approach, moving employees from one country to another to take on new roles. That’s how we build true competency.”
Sustainable expansion
The strategic plan that further builds Jotun Egypt into an organization that’s an export hub for Africa is well underway. Led by Al Shami, the business has recently finished construction on one of the biggest factories in the region, located in 10th of Ramadan City, Egypt, with an investment value exceeding US$100 million.
“We’ve already started exporting and the progress is well underway,” he explains. “We’re looking at our Africa roadmap, where we’re discussing increasing our level of investments. This approach will enhance our resilience against any challenges that could arise in the region.”
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Of course, Egypt remains central to Jotun’s regional ambitions. There’s no question competitors are working hard to take the lead, but Al Shami is confident in his pursuit of the ultimate goal: leading the paint industry in the region as the number one brand across all segments.
“Through the investments we’re putting on the ground and by exporting to several African countries and other Jotun entities, we see Jotun Egypt almost doubling its profitability in the next five years,” he predicts.
Caring for its own
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when a lot of competitors were terminating or dismissing employees, Jotun decided to stick to the long-standing penguin spirit, even when times were hard. Thanks to retaining these skilled employees, Jotun was in an ideal position as the world emerged post-pandemic.
“I believe these actions proved highly successful, delivering record-breaking profitability despite the pandemic,” he reveals.
“Our approach not only restored growth, but also positioned us ahead of market trends after the pandemic, compared to our competitors.”
Innovation and sustainability are essential elements in the future of Jotun. Major investments are also being made across the enterprise to meet sustainability targets.
“When we talk about sustainability, it’s not just within our operations or factories,” Al Shami emphasizes. “It’s also about our suppliers and our customers and making sure we hit our targets in line with Jotun’s global direction.”
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Likewise, heavy R&D investments are being made to gain a competitive edge, following on from the world-class R&D center in Norway.
“We’ve invested in a cutting-edge R&D center in the region, setting new standards for innovation and giving us the competitive advantage both regionally and globally. Globally, we’re also investing in hubs – one of the biggest is in Malaysia,” he adds.
Global partners
Al Shami and his leadership team at Jotun have made it a priority to keep all partnerships in the supply chain as deep as possible and go far beyond just transactional relationships.
“Building strong partnerships has always been one of the key aspects of our success,” Al Shami says. “We don’t just buy from suppliers, we see them as close partners.”
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Firms like Synthomer, a specialist in high-performance polymers and additives, and Omya International, a leading global producer of industrial minerals, are two partners Jotun has fostered close relationships with.
In everything from product development to sustainability and major investments, Al Shami involves suppliers to ensure goals are aligned.
“We’ve even seen suppliers that have actually invested in new factories for the sake of Jotun,” he explains. “We also support their investments in strategic areas where we see clear potential to drive significant volume growth.”
Jotun manages supplier relationships centrally to both build stronger connections but also to ensure consistency in communications.
“Of course, we have close regional and local interactions, but we always look at Jotun as one global company. That’s what keeps our supply chain stable,” he says.
It’s thanks to these solid lines of contact that, during times of regional and international crises where disruptions across the supply chain are common, Al Shami can rely on the network. A large group of suppliers work with Jotun, including leading packing firms Saudi Arabian Packaging Industry and Jokey Egypt Industries, alongside local mineral suppliers like Jordan Carbonate Company.
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For Al Shami, it’s possible to track success beyond spreadsheets and bottom lines, with the legacy of Jotun’s paint and coating products being visible throughout the world.
“When you see the Burj Khalifa or the Egyptian Presidential Palace painted and protected by Jotun, that’s success,” he says.
“It’s our journey and mission to protect and beautify the properties, ensuring our brand remains a symbol of excellence in every home and every city across the region.”
