الرئيس التنفيذي لمجموعة أغذية الإماراتية لـ CNBC عربية: الشركة تمكنت من سداد 840 مليون درهم خلال العام المالي
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00:00 Let's continue with the results of the companies' work.
00:04 The Board of Directors of Aghdia Group, with a total of 2023 cash profits,
00:10 is estimated at 18.5% of the total share,
00:13 in addition to the grants, which are 5% of the total capital.
00:17 The total distributed profits for the year are 146.5 million dirhams,
00:24 which is an increase of 12% compared to the annual profits distributed in 2022.
00:31 The net profit of the group, which was announced, was 9.9% annually,
00:38 to reach 299.6 million dirhams for the entire year.
00:43 The net will of the group, which was announced, was 12.1% annually,
00:48 to reach 4.5 billion dirhams.
00:52 With strong performance in light food sectors, agricultural, water and food sectors.
01:00 Alan Smith, the CEO of the Emirati Aghdia Group, is with us now.
01:08 Welcome, Mr. Alan.
01:11 Before we start, let's talk about the positive results,
01:17 on the level of profits and wills for the entire year.
01:20 What did you do to achieve this?
01:23 I think, first of all, just a reflection on the numbers,
01:29 we're very pleased with the numbers that were released.
01:33 We have a net will of 2.1% and profits after the benefits and the cash inflows,
01:40 which were also 1.2%.
01:44 We faced challenges in Egypt and challenges in the supply chains,
01:49 and also challenges on the cost level.
01:51 So, it's good to see these numbers on the group level.
01:55 The three main sectors had very strong performance in the company,
01:59 and in terms of these main results,
02:02 8.1% of the growth was in the sizes,
02:07 which indicates the health of the work.
02:09 30% of the growth in the last three years was from innovation.
02:13 So, we see strong support and strong performance in general.
02:18 And even 50% of our sales today come from international markets.
02:23 This shows that Aghdia is not only a strong company in the UAE,
02:27 but it is expanding and reaching international markets.
02:31 How is your financial situation, Mr. Allen,
02:37 and also in terms of loans, if you have any?
02:40 Tell me about this financial side.
02:44 I think during the course of the year, we focused very excitedly
02:49 on the financial growth.
02:51 If we look at our centers,
02:53 we had one, two, three, after we had two, three last year,
02:57 and we were able to pay down to 840 million dirhams.
03:01 The value of the loans during the year has helped us, of course,
03:04 to be able to deal with the high interest rates,
03:07 and to adapt to the high interest rate environment.
03:09 So, a very healthy financial center for that.
03:11 A healthy and sound public budget.
03:14 This is what we are building for 2024 and beyond.
03:17 We are talking about the distribution,
03:20 and the distribution was approved by 18.5% to one share.
03:25 How do you see these distributions in light of your profits and your will?
03:29 Look, we've been very consistent in terms of our dividend policy.
03:36 We've been very consistent in terms of our dividend policy.
03:41 We were at 5%, and we tried to maintain the same rate of interest rates
03:46 and profit rates.
03:48 It was good.
03:50 So, we saw that we had to compensate for the debt.
03:53 We had issued a 5% dividend from the capital to pay off the debt.
03:58 We want to thank the debt payers for their support,
04:01 and we want to show them that we trust the company's results
04:04 and its future strategies.
04:06 You recently launched the Investment Capital Fund,
04:10 in partnership with EDQ,
04:12 to achieve many goals and content related to creating space for innovation,
04:17 as well as reviewing investment plans.
04:20 What was the stage of these plans?
04:23 What has been achieved so far in this difficult period?
04:26 So, I think Ventures was set up around July of this year,
04:32 and the first year we set up Ventures was around July of 2023.
04:36 And we actually managed to run two deals.
04:39 The first deal was in the coffee industry in the United States.
04:44 We invested 2.2% in this area.
04:46 And I think, of course, there are other opportunities
04:49 to translate the innovation and the potential of innovation
04:53 in the United States,
04:55 which we were able to do to help increase growth in this area.
04:59 When we look at innovation,
05:02 innovation is not just what we are trying to do.
05:05 We are also focusing on the growth of the body.
05:08 And from this growth, 12% of the year,
05:10 130 million dirhams were from innovation.
05:13 You are well in the Egyptian market,
05:17 and your last direction was in this direction,
05:20 60% of the shares in the share market in Egypt.
05:25 Now, with all these changes that are happening in this country,
05:30 and we were just talking about the change,
05:32 even looking at the future,
05:34 how do you look at the Egyptian market?
05:38 You have suffered, as I said,
05:40 and I mentioned the differences in the exchange rate in these investments.
05:44 So, if you look at our strategy in Egypt,
05:49 it hasn't really changed.
05:51 We haven't changed from this strategy.
05:53 We have 100 million shares,
05:55 and we consider our long-term investments as the most profitable.
05:59 We have two strong companies in Egypt,
06:02 despite the changes in the exchange rate and the fluctuations in the results,
06:05 which were very good for the past year,
06:07 which allows us to continue,
06:09 even with more profits,
06:12 before the benefits and the tax and the payment of 165,000 dirhams.
06:17 The last estimates are expected,
06:19 but we found the results in the last 12 months,
06:22 and we were able to confirm that we can handle these fluctuations.
06:27 We will continue to build our unity in the business world,
06:31 and we will increase our business,
06:33 and this is a big part of our success in the market.
06:36 After the geopolitical turmoil, Mr. Alan,
06:39 the markets and companies are in turmoil,
06:41 especially those that rely on the support chains,
06:44 from the first level, the leaders,
06:46 and the export and import movement, and so on.
06:48 How did you affect?
06:51 Look, I think over the last few years,
06:54 we've seen the very positive developments in the export chain,
06:57 and during this period,
06:59 Aghdiyah has been able to show its ability
07:02 to have a rapid and effective response,
07:05 and to maintain the abundance of raw materials.
07:08 Nothing has changed in Aghdiyah.
07:11 We still maintain our centers,
07:13 and of course, when there is a disruption in the export chain,
07:16 we increase the pressure and the pressure of the market,
07:19 and this is to ensure the abundance of raw materials
07:22 to continue the supplies.
07:24 We've seen an increase in costs
07:26 due to the increase in shipping costs,
07:28 and at the same time, we are actively improving
07:30 in general in the production centers.
07:32 In our opinion, we have managed to have good management,
07:35 and we are confident in continuing to provide supplies to our customers.
07:39 Mr. Alan, you know that there are two words
07:42 that are most present in the world now
07:44 regarding countries and companies, or even individuals.
07:47 Technology, first and foremost,
07:49 and artificial intelligence, and this revolution,
07:51 and energy, and the environment,
07:53 and the ability of companies to co-operate with environmental requirements.
07:58 What have you done in this direction?
08:00 What are your strategic directions in these two important areas?
08:05 So, look, we've been very vocal in terms of our investments.
08:11 We've made big investments in the digital sector.
08:16 We've appointed a digital CEO,
08:19 and we've also made big investments in the digital sector
08:23 to improve our focus on customers and customer experience,
08:27 to understand the data and what they need,
08:29 and also to increase efficiency in the workplace.
08:32 We've made big investments,
08:34 and we've made a big progress in this area over the year.
08:37 As for sustainability,
08:39 we've always been a part of the nuclear fuel for food.
08:45 We've launched new technologies in the water reserve.
08:48 We've launched a set of reactors that can recycle 100% of the environment.
08:53 We've also added locally-made reactors
08:56 and 100% RPAT products.
08:58 If we look at energy efficiency,
09:01 we've also made big investments in solar energy
09:06 and in the UAE,
09:09 without focusing on carbon dioxide emissions
09:12 and reducing water use.
09:14 This is a big part of our agenda.
09:16 In the UAE, we're working on a 2030-2050 strategy,
09:22 and we're trying to meet these goals.
09:26 One last question.
09:27 According to your foreign strategy, Mr. Alan Smith,
09:30 have there been any external expansions,
09:32 or is it still under study?
09:35 Yes, we continue to look at the international expansion.
09:39 We're exporting to 60 different markets worldwide.
09:43 50% of our revenues come from abroad.
09:46 This is a big part of our goals,
09:49 and we're trying to achieve this through integration and acquisition.
09:53 We're looking for opportunities in the region,
09:55 and even further in the sectors that can improve our business.
09:59 We're clear about that.
10:00 Everything we do in the field of integration and acquisition
10:03 needs to add value to the people we carry.
10:05 We're looking for the right deals at the right time.
10:08 And if we have a meeting in thinking,
10:11 we can make progress in those deals.
10:14 We can't take them with us in these deals.