Member Article

Coventry maritime firm hires new director to lead expansion in Middle East

A pioneering maritime company which uses ultrasound to help ships become more fuel-efficient has hired a new director to lead its operations in the Middle East as it looks to expand rapidly in 2024.

Riyami Mohamed has been hired by Coventry-based Sonihull to head up its office in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as the company looks to double its turnover over the course of the year.

He joins Sonihull after a decade's experience within the maritime sector at Rolls Royce and Kongsberg.

Most recently, Riyami led strategic programmes at tech giant, Amazon, where he delivered several strategic programs including the launch of electric HGVs into its European fleet and making the transportation business Brexit ready.

Sonihull, which won a King’s Award for Enterprise last year, uses a range of products to emit ultrasonic soundwaves across a ship’s hull to prevent marine wildlife such as algae, molluscs and weeds from binding to the surface and reducing fuel efficiency.

It also means toxic biocidal coatings which are traditionally used to stop marine life binding no longer need to be used.

The company has also launched a new product, Agitate, which uses the same technology to prevent debris build-up in pipes used in many industrial sectors.

And after an excellent 2023 for the firm, Riyami decided to join Sonihull to take its growth to the next level.

He said: “Sonihull is at a key juncture right now, and I thought it was a really exciting time to join them especially with its office in Abu Dhabi.

“The maritime sector in the Middle East is huge, and there is potential to greatly expand Sonihull’s influence in that market with the right strategy.

“My background in the maritime industry and my knowledge of how the supply chain works, alongside the strength of what Sonihull’s products can offer shipping and industrial companies, makes me confident of success.

“If we can establish a strong reputation early on in the Middle East and provide excellent customer service beyond the initial sale, I believe we can really make great strides in growing Sonihull throughout the region.”

Darren Rowlands, CEO of Sonihull, added: “We are really pleased Riyami will be joining Sonihull as we look to rapidly scale-up our operations.

“The Middle East is a major growth region for us, and Riyami’s track record in the industry as well as Amazon means we think he will be an excellent person to lead our operations there.

“2024 is set to be a very exciting year for Sonihull, and it’s fantastic that Riyami will play a key role in that at our Abu Dhabi office.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .