Spending long working years with a company may not be a big deal if you are a sincere employee. But starting your career with a company as a junior staff and climbing the pinnacle up to the ‘General Manager’ in a multibillion dollar company is not a small thing. This is what makes Ravi Varrier different from others.

Ravi Varrier has spent 40 productive years in Kuwait and has thoroughly enjoyed his tenure with Al-Rashed International Group. He has been an inspiration to the Indians living in Kuwait. Started his career as a junior staff and over a period of 40 years grown to the level of GM in the same company.

Al Rashed International Shipping Company has spread it wings all over the world catering to all types of shipping requirements. No doubt, they are a leading edge shipping industry in Middle East.

In an exclusive chat with indiansinkuwait.com, Ravi Varrier shares his experience in shipping industry and life. Excerpts:

IIK: You have spent 40 years of life in Kuwait. How do you feel?

Ravi Varrier: It has been exciting, and enjoyable and an honor for me to complete 40 years of service in the same company. Not many will be lucky to achieve this Milestone. Thank God and Al Rashed family for this achievement!

IIK: What drew you to Kuwait at the age of eighteen? Could you also explain Kuwait of those years and your early experience?

RV: At a time when it was just a dream for many Indians to come to Gulf, Thanks to the support of my aunt who lived in Kuwait, I got a Visa and reached Kuwait on 6/6/77. Within 10 days of reaching, I commenced my career in Al Rashed International Shipping Company and the journey still continues. During those days Kuwait was full of opportunities and for someone who wanted to grow by working hard, was the right place to be.

IIK: From a position of junior assistant to the top management level of the company, how was your journey with this company?

RV: I started working with Al Rashed Company as a junior assistant. I was young and full of dreams about the future. Did all sorts of jobs, always keen to learn from my seniors and worked very hard. I was fortunate to work directly under GM Ghassan Zein. Whom I consider as Godfather. Thereafter, my career graph took off. In 1989, I was promoted to the middle management as a shipping manager and in 1992, I was elevated as The General Manager of the company. "Success makes sacrifices worthwhile" Thank God! :)

IIK: You were here while Gulf war broke out. How do you recall?

RV: The previous day of the attack was a Thursday. I had been to Al Mohallab Mall to watch a movie and went to bed late night. The next day morning I was shocked to see tanks rolling up the streets of Kuwait City....it was Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait, a 2-day operation which resulted in the seven-month-long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait. During this time, many of us returned to India! To reach Mumbai we had to fly to Bagdad via Basra. and to Jordan and take another flight to Bombay.

Back in Kerala, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life! I used to spend time watching BBC, visiting my close friends and A small temple where I was just praying for normalcy be restored soon!

Once the news of Kuwait liberation broke on midnight of February 25, 1991, I immediately got a call from the Al Rashed family and here I am..

IIK: Followed by a call from the Al Rashid family in 1991 you came back to Kuwait. What was the condition of the war hit Kuwait and the company then?

RV: Kuwait was war ravaged and bore a pitiful sight. There were dark smokes all around. Iraqi troops had plundered and looted the city of Kuwait.

We had to start all over from scratch, cleaned up the office and stayed here for almost 8 months. Many days The conference hall doubled as my bed room!

Gradually, few of Old employees returned. Some from Dubai, and some from other countries

Dubai was booming then after the Iran-Iraq war, in 1989 and the Iraq-Kuwait war, in 1990 and I could visualize a great Opportunity lying ahead.

IIK: After a few months of non-operation, the economic and security crisis, how did the company pick up and flourish to the top of business?

RV: "Sometimes the fall kills you. And sometimes, when you fall, you take off and fly. “I didn't see it then, but it turned out that this was the best thing that could have ever happened to me..

When we resumed work after the crisis, being a beginner again, less sure about everything, freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

We recruited new employees. Soon I was made the General Manager.

I somehow had the courage to follow my intuitions, and much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on!

Again, Thanks to God for making it happen and Alrashed family for the free hand given!

The situation in Kuwait was entirely different. We were short of machineries, manpower etc.

Yet we managed. We were mostly depending on Dubai during that phase.