UAE taxi service Hala has appointed Basil Hovakeemian as its new CEO, replacing Clemence Duterte who has served in the post since 2019.
The leadership shuffle at Hala, a joint venture between Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and ride-hailing app Careem, follows top management changes at Careem and Hala. Former CEO Duterte is set to become the vice president of marketing for Careem and a board director for Hala.
The new head of Hala Hovakeemian served previously as the company’s director of strategy and expansion for two years.
“Since launch, Hala has been able to play a central role in connecting our city, providing a seamless and trustworthy booking solution for Taxis in Dubai. I am incredibly proud of our achievements, and I am extremely excited about our potential to bring Hala to more riders and business verticals… to have the opportunity to build from such a platform is a great privilege, and I am confident we will continue to deliver the highest standards our riders deserve, whilst working to ensure our service is accessible for even more journeys,” Hovakeemian said in a statement.
Newly appointed CEO Basil Hovakeemian
The statement said: “In his new role as CEO, Basil will continue to drive the company with a focus on elevating customer experience. He is passionate about empowering people through a culture of trust and autonomy, shaping an environment that brings out the best in people, where innovation thrives.”
Hala is available on the Careem app, which Uber bough in a $3.1 billion deal, and in July 2020 the service expanded to Ras Al Khaimah.
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