GAC Group makes a trio of significant management appointments

After working as GAC's group sales director, Stuart Bowie has taken over as the managing director for GAC Dubai where he will be responsible for the profitable management of GAC's single largest operation. The 30-year veteran in freight forwarding brings in-depth experience across the Middle East, Europe and Asia to his new role. His international perspective combined with local knowledge gained from eleven years in Dubai has given him a strong grounding in driving GAC Dubai's business forward, says the group.

In his place, Gurumurthi Shankar has been appointed as GAC group sales director, based in the Jebel Ali corporate headquarters.

Prior to this appointment, Shankar served as regional business development manager for Asia Pacific where he was instrumental in setting up GAC's 3PL operations across Asia.

Meanwhile, Romanian-born Constantin Draghici has been appointed as GAC group HSSE (Health Safety Security Environment) manager to drive awareness and consistent implementation of the best health, safety, security and environmental practices throughout the GAC group.

Draghici has a wealth of hands-on operational experience, having served onboard vessels as a deck officer and chief officer before coming ashore to work as a safety engineer and HSE (Health Safety Environment) co-ordinator. Since 2007, he worked as HSSE Manager with GAC Turkmenistan, guiding the safe working of GAC's shipping, logistics and marine professionals working in and around the Caspian Sea.

On the starting grid

Meanwhile, GAC has taken pole position in backing student racing team, Team RedShift, in the 'F1 in Schools' technology challenge, supporting the "champions of tomorrow" as a diamond sponsor.

In line with its commitment to promote emerging young talent across the Middle East, GAC is supporting the four students from Dubai College who make up Team RedShift, who will represent the United Arab Emirates at the grand finale of the 'F1 in Schools' challenge in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 19 to 21 September. They will be among 23 teams from 17 countries competing in the final.

The F1 in Schools programme is the only multi-disciplinary challenge that gives school students an insight into the real world of Formula One racing and aims to change their perceptions of engineering, science and technology by creating a fun learning environment and developing an informed view about careers in mathematics, science and technology as well as business, marketing and finance.

Elsewhere, GAC has shown its artistic side by delivering Chinese art pieces worth approximately USD 235,000 for an exhibition at the Louvre Museum in Paris this August. The Jinling Art Exhibition featured the works of 56 renowned artists including Bai Junjie, Deng Tao, Shang Yadong, and Lou Wenyong. GAC China's dedicated logistics team successfully and safely shipped the valuable artworks from Nanjing to Paris and back again once the exhibition ended. GAC is a global provider of shipping, logistics and marine services, including OOG, heavy lift and project cargo movements.