What makes the races unusual is that the camels are mounted with robots and controlled remotely by their herders.

The robots have replaced child jockeys, who were commonly used until 2005, when Qatar and the EU took measures to outlaw the custom as it violated human rights laws.

A modern solution to sustain an ancient culture

Camel races keep local traditions and folklore alive while celebrating the significance of the camel in Arabian history. Domesticated animals enabled early Arabs to explore the deserts of the Middle East, develop and dominate ancient trade routes, and establish trading centres in northern and central Arabia. They were also a vital source of food, wool, transport and wealth.

The sport of camel racing can be traced to the 7th century, where it started as a form of entertainment at weddings. Today, Qataris can still enjoy one of their favourite pastimes thanks to the addition of a little modern technology.

Moving to Qatar soon? Contact us!

Mr. Husain believes 2016 to be AGS Dubai’s most successful year to date, with the branch expecting to further increase its permanent staff members in 2017. The branch has built its business considerably since inception and its objective remains to be the most-preferred moving company in the Middle East, Mr Husain said. AGS Dubai and AGS Abu Dhabi complete around 20 to 25 moves per day in the summer.

The Dubai and Abu Dhabi branches have also decided to combine their activities and now share one warehouse which is easily accessible to both branches. This has proved to be a productive operational decision and the group believes it will result in long term cost-effective solutions for its customers.

Mr Taïeb remains highly optimistic about the future of the UAE branches and reiterated that the AGS Group will continue to support and assist them. Mr Taïeb was joined by the Group’s 2015 Top 12 Managers when they visited Dubai at the end of October.

The Top 12 Managers initiative was established in 2010 and represents the best performing branch managers for the past year. They’ve been selected based on a specific set of criteria and proved to be the group’s most excellent performers based on their wealth of experience, expertise and excellence, among other qualities. The relaxed, casual vibe of the trip to Dubai did enable managers an opportunity to engage with each other and build relationships outside of the work environment. Together with their partners, the Top 12 Managers visited some of Dubai’s most renowned tourist destinations after the customary half day workshop, spent sharing the reasons of their respective success.

Although still new, AGS Movers Qatar benefits both from AGS’ international network and the rich experience of its Branch Manager, Frederic Blanchon – who served AGS for seven years in Sudan prior to his transfer to Doha.

Frederic reveals that he hasn’t wasted any time in growing the fledgling branch!

“My goal from the start has been to get into business as quickly as possible,” he explains. “On our very first day of operation we received our offices at 11:00, and on the same day at 17:00 I was performing my first survey at a client’s premises. I’m happy to say we won the job!”

AGS’ global promise to clients is ‘You deserve the best’, and the team at AGS Qatar have certainly also taken that to heart.

At the end of the branch’s first week of activity, Frederic received an urgent request to perform a client survey on a Friday – the client was returning from Dubai over the weekend specifically to get his removal arranged.

AGS confirmed the removal and the customer’s household belongings were packed by the very next day, Saturday!

“Like any business it’s unfortunately not always possible to deliver same-day or next-day service, but we do our best to meet and exceed our clients’ expectations,” Frederic says.

An office with a view

In a city with as many high-rise buildings as Doha, it is perhaps no surprise that AGS Qatar also enjoys a relatively rare base in the removals industry: its office is located on the eighth floor of a gleaming business tower: The Gate (Tower 2) in Doha’s Maysaloun Street.

This locates it ideally within the city’s new business district of West Bay, which shares boundaries with the Laguna district and the diplomatic district – where the embassies and most diplomats can be found – and AGS has easy access to the airport, port and popular residential suburbs of Al Khor and Wakra.

Onwards and upwards

Frederic confirms that AGS Qatar is now fully operational and actively seeking new staff to meet the growing demand for the branch’s relocation services. Qatar is home to over 4 500 French nationals, and AGS is perfectly positioned to serve this market.

“Having a first-class moving company with a French- and Spanish-speaking manager adds value for customers with these mother tongues,” Frederic says. “It makes things so much easier in terms of culture, communication and understanding exactly what clients’ concerns and desired responses are.”

It is clear that he is applying his business philosophy to his personal life as well, because Frederic reveals that he has already joined a French rugby team in Doha – the Blue Falcons – and participated in French community meetings.

AGS wishes Frederic and his team all the best, as they benefit the region with their passion and expertise!

Super Typhoon Haiyan, which left a massive trail of devastation, ripped through the islands at wind speeds clocked at up to 315km/h. The storm has left many thousands without essential medical and food supplies.

The local branch of the UFE is busy collecting donations; the Red Cross will be responsible for distributing the supplies once they have been unpacked in the Philippines. The main goal is to get the supplies to those in need with extreme efficiency.

AGS Movers Abu Dhabi hopes their efforts make a difference and is proud to be part of the international relief effort as aid streams in from all corners of the globe.

Now Mr Charpentier, a top executive at AXA Corporate Solutions, has rated the service he received as top-notch, proving that his confidence in AGS Movers Paris was well-founded.

He was particularly impressed by the attitude and availability of AGS representatives, the handling of his requests and the accuracy of the quote provided by the branch. The movers’ punctuality, friendliness and presentation, as well as time management, technical expertise and competence, was also highly rated.

When Mr Charpentier arrived in Dubai, he was as impressed with the service he received on arrival as at departure. AGS staff proved that they provide consistent top quality service from door to door.

Joelle Castro, Global Agent Development Director, presided over the opening ceremony and cut the ribbon to officially launch the branch on 21 February 2011.

AGS Movers UAE is headed by Zia Husain who brings a wealth of knowledge to the job with over 16 years’ experience in the removals industry and 10 years spent in the Middle East. He is supported by a young and dedicated team of highly-skilled staff who are ready to take on the challenge of a new branch.

Zia said, “Our vision is to provide a complete removal service to our customers, backed by the highest quality, professionalism, facilities, and responsiveness. The objective is to be the most-preferred moving company in the Middle East for our corporate and private customers.”

Bound to become a mover and shaker in the Middle Eastern removals market, AGS UAE already has 21 employees, and has secure storage capacity of 12,000 sq ft in Dubai, and a further 8,000 sq ft in Abu Dhabi. All personnel speak fluent English, and are also able to assist clients in French, Arabic, and many other languages.

With 50 moves carried out in less than 3 months, the dynamism of the newest AGS branch is already being revealed.

The contact details of the branch are as follows:

1907, Jumeirah Business Centre – Bldg. 5
Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai.

P.Box 27049, Dubai

Tel: +971 4 454 1531
Email: zia.husain@agsmovers.com