Family, outdoor games & regular exercise keep this businessman going
Russians believe, “He who doesn’t take risks, never drinks champagne” which means fortune favors the brave than those who don’t take any risk at all.
The country’s past and present may be complex but there’s no doubt it has great contributions to humanity’s progress inventing the Periodic Table of Elements; transformers; unique models of planes; the helicopter; synthetic rubber; Sputnik 1, the world’s first satellite; the AK47, the Russian vodka; radio; tape recorder, literary masterpieces, to name a few.
In today’s interconnected world, Russians are also making an indelible mark in different parts of the world, in their own ways. Roman Gilmanov, Partner & CCO at Global Service Solutions (GSS), is one of them.
Headquartered in Sharjah, one of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, GSS continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the global air cargo industry under Gilmanov’s helm, deploying much needed humanitarian goods to far flung areas in Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, and elsewhere, reeling from the impact of a lingering pandemic.
Supporting airlines with its own fleet of aircraft and adding load to existing routes, GSS has become an important partner of many carriers since its inception a decade ago. The company also offers unique aviation solutions for heavy or outsized cargo, dangerous goods, military cargo, perishables, live animals, etc. It also offers group charters.
“The pandemic has brought unique challenges and opportunities for the air cargo industry proving our resiliency and agility,” said Gilmanov. “We are facing a very important time in our history and our team at GSS are always ready to support our customers’ needs.”
“Let us also take this opportunity to let our esteemed patrons and beloved well-wishers know that we have also added URC (Xinjiang, China) to our CCAR 129 during this phase. Under the CCAR129 certification, we also operated many humanitarian flights from all parts of China like Shanghai (PVG), Guangzhou (CAN), Nanjing (NKG), Tianjin (TSN) and Xinjiang (URC) to different parts of the world like Azerbaijan (GYD), Georgia (TBS), Delhi (DEL) and Kuwait (KWI),” he added noting that during these challenging times, GSS has also done multiple flights to Africa, delivering 900 tons of multi-category cargo.
An Economics graduate at Moscow International University, the first private university in Russia, Gilmanov believes combining hard work with responsibility yields growth for any company.
Since joining GSS five years ago, Gilmanov has successfully struck monumental deals such as buying one Boeing 747-200F, setting up AOC in Moldova and Romania, safely transporting uranium on behalf of the US government and negotiating for the acquisition of three Boeing 747-400F.
Gilmanov, who also studied English for four years in Switzerland’s Aigion College, said he is motivated to keep GSS growing, saying, “I am encouraged by the trust that our clients give us. And the trust of our staff that we will take care of them. Working together as a responsible team, we are capable of realizing our full potential as a company.”
This busy father of two girls said while the company keeps him motivated, his family provides him much needed encouragement and support that no money can buy.
“Spending time with family, playing outdoor games and maintaining that exercise routine well, takes care of my mind, body and soul,” he sums it up, adding, every vacation he takes is meaningful as long as his family is with him.
Family is indeed that unbreakable shield we all come home to when the going gets tough, empowering us to recharge and face the world again just like another day.
