Building excellence

Newly appointed Cladtech president and CEO Henrik Christiansen reveals his plans for the Middle East's leading installation giant.

Henrik H Christiansen is the new president and CEO of Cladtech International LLC. Christiansen is very busy as he is also the president and CEO of UNIPODS LLC, an innovative company manufacturing pre-engineered bathroom and kitchen pods with a modern, 45,000 sq m factory in Ras Al Khaimah.

Cladtech International specialises in customised glass finishing, aluminium powder coating, design and production of curtain wall systems. The company has invested millions in state-of-the-art facility and machinery, based in RAK.

The purpose-built factory, which covers 90,000 sq m, is equipped with some of the latest and most advanced machineries and technology in the industry today.

Cladtech International has been through a change of management recently. Please tell us what this change was?

Cladtech International is a very strong supplier of aluminium, glass, doors and windows, high-tech curtain wall packages including project management, design, production and installation. The previous management of the company had some difficulties adjusting the strategy of the company to the current market situation, so on June 1, the owners of Cladtech asked if I would accept the positions as new president and CEO of the company.

My task, together with the Cladtech team, is to build a strong company and to ensure that the company becomes the preferred supplier to the construction industry in the GCC.

The change of management and strategy means a new, leaner and meaner Cladtech, ready to compete with the best in all markets we choose.

How would you characterise your style of management?

I suppose my style of management is very Scandinavian; open, direct, and honest and based on good, strong teamwork.

I firmly believe that any good CEO should surround himself only with the best of the best from the industry that the company operated within. Challenging each other's ideas and opinion in the management team is in my humble opinion, the best way for a company to develop and progress. I have seen too many CEOs and MDs fall into the trap of employee managers or directors that looks like a "weaker" version of themselves, but what is the point of that?

I am properly a bit demanding to work for and I know that I am very impatient. I practice hands-on management which is needed in Cladtech, but I support and empower the work and decisions of the teams, so we together can meet the targets and goals set for the company. I believe that nothing can replace hard work, I don't like to stand still and I fully trust and value and synergy of teamwork.

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