Sandeep Ponnappa
Managing Director
As TruKKer's Managing Director in the UAE and Oman, Sandeep is leading numerous initiatives, and inspiring teams to facilitate organi-zational growth. In the evolving landscape of the Middle East, his vision to leave a legacy for the future generation sets him apart as a leader to watch.
Engaging in an interaction with CEO Insights magazine, Sandeep shares his strategies, leadership guidelines, and future roadmap for TruKKer. Let's delve into it.
How would you define TruKKer as an organi-zation and its current position in the market?
As a leading freight platform in the MENA region, TruKKer serves over 1000 enterprise customers in several countries and has over 60,000 trucks. We are renowned for transforming the fragmented freight market through digitizing and streamlining the entire logistics process. Our platform acts as a comprehensive ecosystem between shippers and carriers to enhance the reliability and efficiency of service through cuttingedge technology.
With the recent introduction of Omnilog, which is our expansion into the air and maritime freight services, we have made a calculated move into the freight forwarding sector. This is a crucial step for us because it diversifies our product offerings and improves our capability to provide multi-modal logistics solutions. Omnilog offers our clients comprehensive service coverage and added value through integrated logistics solutions that
cover land, air, and sea.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the methodologies that you follow as a leader?
For me, leadership is all about leading with passion and a positive mindset. I employ the 3F rules in my leadership which were imparted by my father, which comprise - being fair, being firm, and being fun when leading the team.
I believe that a leader should be fair and transparent towards their team, conveying organizational goals through effective communication channels. Sometimes as a leader, we are faced with adversities and challenges, and this is when the leaders should be firm with the team to make an informed decision to achieve our Objectives.
The third is to be fun, even when we are striving to obtain our goals and leading our teams towards them, we should never forget to make it fun. Along with the 3Fs, I also advocate continuous learning through podcasts, audiobooks, physical books, and the internet. Constant upgradation is immensely crucial to keep oneself abreast of the latest trends in any industry.
How do you stay abreast with ongoing industry trends?
Today, when access to the Internet and social media has become increasingly convenient, it has become easier to share and receive knowledge. I rely on the information available on the Internet, Linkedin, and digital magazines to constantly learn and evolve since they provide real-time updates on industry happenings. Attending conferences and seminars is a great way to learn about emerging developments. These meetings also facilitate engaging with various industry colleagues, exchanging experiences, and knowledge, and learning from their insights.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
We have high aspirations for TruKKer as we look forward to pur
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the methodologies that you follow as a leader?
For me, leadership is all about leading with passion and a positive mindset. I employ the 3F rules in my leadership which were imparted by my father, which comprise - being fair, being firm, and being fun when leading the team.
I believe that a leader should be fair & transparent towards their team, conveying organizational goals through effective communication chan-nels
I believe that a leader should be fair and transparent towards their team, conveying organizational goals through effective communication channels. Sometimes as a leader, we are faced with adversities and challenges, and this is when the leaders should be firm with the team to make an informed decision to achieve our Objectives.
The third is to be fun, even when we are striving to obtain our goals and leading our teams towards them, we should never forget to make it fun. Along with the 3Fs, I also advocate continuous learning through podcasts, audiobooks, physical books, and the internet. Constant upgradation is immensely crucial to keep oneself abreast of the latest trends in any industry.
How do you stay abreast with ongoing industry trends?
Today, when access to the Internet and social media has become increasingly convenient, it has become easier to share and receive knowledge. I rely on the information available on the Internet, Linkedin, and digital magazines to constantly learn and evolve since they provide real-time updates on industry happenings. Attending conferences and seminars is a great way to learn about emerging developments. These meetings also facilitate engaging with various industry colleagues, exchanging experiences, and knowledge, and learning from their insights.
What is the future destination you are heading towards?
We have high aspirations for TruKKer as we look forward to pur
suing the IPO for growth. We have recently ventured into the European market and plan to expand our reach in the same. As a technology based aggregator for trucks, TruKKer is poised to focus on our two stakeholders, the client organization and our network of drivers and trucking partners. We aim to create value, and quality experience amid the ever-changing landscape of geo political and several systemic challenges.
Sustainability is another aspect that we are dedicated to and will continue to reduce waste and environmental impact through eco-friendly solutions over the next five years. We are investing in deep tech and enhancing AI and machine learning algorithms to optimize route planning and load matching and reduce carbon footprints to improve operational efficiency. We also plan to expand our electric vehicle initiative to achieve our overarching goal of leaving a positive legacy for future gene- rations.
What advice would you give to budding industry leaders?
With over 2 decades of experience, I would advise them to first and foremost understand that success requires not just hard work, but also clever tactics to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. Second, make inclusion and diversity one of the top priorities because it helps establish a setting where everyone is made to feel heard and appreciated. It also promotes creativity and flexibility. Finally, give your all to your work and never settle for anything less than excellence. If you develop a passion for what you do, you can turn your job into a quest for fulfillment.
Sandeep Ponnappa, Managing Director, Trukker
Sandeep Ponnappa has an MBA in Retail Management and HR from the National Institute of Management and a Diploma in Computer Science. With over 2 decades of experience, he has excelled in various roles, including General Manager at RSA Global, and Manager at Flipkart, Snapdeal & Souq. Sandeep is also a Certified NLP Practitioner, and Coach from Neoway Academy, Bangalore.
•Favorite Hobbies: Playing sports, Off Roading, and Reading
•Favorite Cuisine: Kodava (Coorg)
•Favorite Book: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
•Favorite Travel Destination: My Hometown, Coorg
Sustainability is another aspect that we are dedicated to and will continue to reduce waste and environmental impact through eco-friendly solutions over the next five years. We are investing in deep tech and enhancing AI and machine learning algorithms to optimize route planning and load matching and reduce carbon footprints to improve operational efficiency. We also plan to expand our electric vehicle initiative to achieve our overarching goal of leaving a positive legacy for future gene- rations.
What advice would you give to budding industry leaders?
With over 2 decades of experience, I would advise them to first and foremost understand that success requires not just hard work, but also clever tactics to maximize efficiency and effectiveness. Second, make inclusion and diversity one of the top priorities because it helps establish a setting where everyone is made to feel heard and appreciated. It also promotes creativity and flexibility. Finally, give your all to your work and never settle for anything less than excellence. If you develop a passion for what you do, you can turn your job into a quest for fulfillment.
Sandeep Ponnappa, Managing Director, Trukker
Sandeep Ponnappa has an MBA in Retail Management and HR from the National Institute of Management and a Diploma in Computer Science. With over 2 decades of experience, he has excelled in various roles, including General Manager at RSA Global, and Manager at Flipkart, Snapdeal & Souq. Sandeep is also a Certified NLP Practitioner, and Coach from Neoway Academy, Bangalore.
•Favorite Hobbies: Playing sports, Off Roading, and Reading
•Favorite Cuisine: Kodava (Coorg)
•Favorite Book: Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
•Favorite Travel Destination: My Hometown, Coorg