Othman Aljeda

At Aramex, we’ve witnessed significant growth in volumes, revenues and improved profitability on the back of strategic actions that we are taking and which are positioning us at the forefront of our industry in our core markets. For the first nine months of 2024, we demonstrated robust growth and resilience, achieving an 11 per cent rise in group revenues, a 7 per cent improvement in gross profitability and a 29 per cent improvement in earnings before interest and taxes.

Efficiencies and good cost management helped deliver stable margins and a stable SG&A structure, thereby unlocking value in our bottom line. Our focus on financial discipline enabled us to reduce debt by $43m, underscoring our commitment to long-term financial health. Our sales specialism and the strength of our network have been pivotal in driving this growth.

The GCC region was a major contributor to our success, posting 11 per cent YoY revenue growth in for the first nine months of 2024 and accounting for 39 per cent of the group’s total revenues. Our other markets in MENAT also demonstrated significant growth with a 47 per cent YoY revenue increase for the first nine months of 2024, while our business in Oceania improved both revenue and profitability as part of the ongoing turnaround plan.

Today, Aramex operates in over 600 cities across 70 countries, employing more than 16,000 professionals. With a legacy spanning over 40 years, we continue to redefine logistics and transportation.

We are focused on leveraging two key industry trends to drive sustainable growth. First, nearshoring — which is the practice of bringing, holding and fulfilling inventories closer to end consumers. Our warehousing business plays a strategic role in supporting this trend, allowing us to provide customers with efficient and reliable fulfillment solutions. The second, direct injection, is the demand for international freight forwarding where brands and e-tailers consolidate their inventory for the initial leg of their journey overseas and then inject the stock directly into our network. These two trends align perfectly with our strengths and provide a pathway for sustainable growth for Aramex, strategically utilising our full infrastructure.

This means that we are seeing increased volume flows towards services such as domestic express, and warehousing and fulfillment, in addition to freight forwarding and international express. The investments we are making across infrastructure, technology, and capabilities in each of our products, are providing Aramex with a competitive edge in this new market environment.

Our strategic goal is to sell two to three products to each customer and offer an integrated solution that enhances their supply chain capabilities.

While we celebrate our successes, we also acknowledge the challenges that come with operating in a dynamic and competitive industry: We see volatility in the freight forwarding market, disruptions at the Red Sea and fierce competition in express and last mile deliveries. We have demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges.

During 2024 we supported our customers in enhancing supply chain resilience, reducing transit times, optimising costs, and increasing sales. This aligns with our broader goal of driving sustainable growth while maintaining operational excellence.

While the logistics landscape continues to evolve, our commitment to delivering exceptional service and innovation remains constant. Our investments in strategic areas of our business have positioned us as a key partner for e-commerce, retail, energy, pharma, and other sectors – and we look forward to building on this growth story in 2025.