Executive Management

Jafar Ali, Ph.D.

Chairman

Jafar Ali serves as the Chairman of KGL Logistics, a post he has held since July 2008. As a Chairman, Jafar is responsible for leading the operations and affairs of the Board, and facilitating proper governance to ensure the Board is effective in setting and implementing KGL Logistics's direction and strategy.

Jafar holds a professor position in the Management Information Systems Department at Kuwait University. He has also served as a faculty member in the Department of Quantitative Methods and Information Systems, College of Business since 1996.

Jafar earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Bradley University, Illinois, USA in 1989, and a Master of Science degree from the same Institute in 1991. Jafar earned a Ph.D. degree in Information System from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1995. His research has been published in several local and international journals and presented at various regional and national conferences. Jafar is currently an Executive Advisory Board member at KGL Holding.

Michel Saab

Vice Chairman and Managing Director

Michel Saab serves as the Vice Chairman and Managing Director for KGL Logistics, a position he has held since September 2007. Michel leads Business Development activities ranging from the formulation of the group’s strategies, investment activities, business planning for the group entities and coordination of major projects covering Government and military contracts.

Prior to joining KGL Holding, Michel was a Senior Vice President with Al Mal Investment Company where he oversaw investments, deal valuation and structuring. Michel also has a solid track record in the Logistics business with Agility where he spent 4 years. He started Agility operations in Qatar and headed the operations for Kuwait and Iraq. Michel has extensive experience in business development and project management in Europe. He spent over 12 years in Paris working with telecom blue-chip companies: Nortel, Cegetel and Sagem. He served in various management and analyst positions including operations management, business development, strategy and finance. He has successfully implemented various major Pan-European telecom networks and the startup of several new projects.

Michel earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Saint Joseph, Beirut in 1988. He holds a Master of Science degree in Telecommunications from the University of Limoges, France in 1990, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA in 2002. Michel is currently an Executive Advisory Board member at KGL Holding.

Sameer Panjwani

Chief Financial Officer

Sameer Panjwani Serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of KGL Logistics, a position he has held since October 2008. Sameer leads on the company’s financial strategy and is responsible for corporate finance, accounting, and reporting, in addition to the allocation of financial resources for KGL Logistics.

Sameer brings over 11 years of experience in Accounting and Financial Management. Prior to joining KGL, Sameer served with Agility for 10 years in various positions, the latest being the Country Finance Manager position for Agility, UAE based out of Dubai. He also had a short stint with Global Investment House before joining Agility. Sameer’s experience covers various areas of accounting, finance and management including financial turnaround, implementing cost controls, fixed assets management, budgeting & forecasting, investment analysis, performance reporting and business advisory support. He has been involved in several major US Army Logistics projects and successfully managed the accounting and finance functions for these projects. Sameer has been responsible for rolling out major systems & process changes and has been part of various system implementations.

Sameer earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from Delhi University, India in 1996 and a Master in Business Administration from the Institute for Integrated Learning in Management with a concentration in Finance in 1998. He is currently an Executive Advisory Board member at KGL Holding.

George Keyrouz

Regional Freight Director

George Keyrouz serves as the Regional Freight Director of KGL Logistics, a post he has held since October 2009. Prior to that, George was the Country Manager of KGL Logistic- Kuwait since November, 2006. George currently manages on a Regional level all Logistics related activities covering warehousing, freight forwarding and project cargo.

George joined KGL Logistics in October, 2005 and was part of the initial integration team that founded the company in Kuwait, during which he helped draft the incorporation policies and procedures, thereby structuring the organization during his leadership to the Human Resource Department. George’s effective management and sales skills paved the way to a considerable growth of the company and the introduction of new value added services, ranging from warehousing, freight forwarding and project cargo operations.

George earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Civil Law from La Sagesse University in 2000 and a Master degree in Business Law from the USEK, Lebanon in 2004.

George was also certified in 2007 by IATA under the Air Cargo Management. George is currently an Executive Advisory Board member at KGL Holding.

Esmail Eshaghi

Stevedoring Country Manager

Esmail Eshaghi serves as the Stevedoring Country Manager of KGL Logistics, a post he has held since February 2009. Esmail manages and oversees all Stevedoring related activities of KGL Logistics in Kuwait.

Esmail joined KGL group in 1984 as Director of KGL Waste Management and was a member of the group’s Executive Committee. Within his responsibilities, Esmail has come across many achievements and has given his major contribution in the development and success of what KGL Waste Management Company is today. In 2004, he was assigned a General Manager position for Gulf Coast Company, to establish the business and run the operation. Being tenure within KGL, Esmail gained the capacity as General Manager of KGL General Services Company in 2006 that owns both the Waste Management and Gulf Coast entities.

Esmail earned a Diploma in Business from Manchester in 1982 as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Iran in 1983 and is currently an Executive Advisory Board member at KGL Holding.