NAVIGATING NEW ROUTES

Kami Viswanathan, president of the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Africa at FedEx, has driven the region to double-digit growth since taking office in 2022. Now, she is focusing on digital capabilities, deepening local collaborations, and prioritizing SMEs.

- BY HAGAR OMRAN

The global logistics sector is navigating heightened complexity as shifting trade routes, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain pressures reshape the flow of goods worldwide. The broader market itself is poised for substantial expansion, with the global freight and logistics market estimated to hit $6.4 trillion in 2025 and projected to reach $8.1 trillion by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of about 5%, according to Mordor Intelligence.

At the center of this dynamic landscape is FedEx, the world's third-largest transportation company. In this year's Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's biggest companies, FedEx placed No. 212 globally, behind United Parcel Service at No. 172 and Uber at No. 199.

As regional geopolitical shifts test operational resilience, FedEx is doubling down on its risk frameworks and collaborations with local authorities to protect personnel and ensure business continuity. “From an operational point of view, we have built agility into our network, with our hub in Dubai and with our FedEx freighters, as well as partner capacity and our road network in the Middle East, which connects seven countries,” says Kami Viswanathan, President of the Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Africa (MEISA) at FedEx. This extensive road network encompasses the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Jordan. Overall, the MEISA region encompasses 85 countries and a direct workforce of more than 7,000 for FedEx.