Aaron Portero is a European entrepreneur and currently the Managing Director of Connect Group and Connect Resources. We got a chance to interview him and learn about the valuable solutions the Connect Group brings to the table.
Thanks to the visionary moves of Aaron, Connect Resources is the first-choice workforce solutions provider in the UAE and the backbone of Connect Group. The company provides a wide range of operational business support services to foreign entrepreneurs who want to anchor in the UAE and to ambitious local businessmen expanding to other states, regions, and continents.
Currently, Connect Group serves multinational corporations and local businesses from every sector of industry, including but not limited to finance, technology, healthcare, retail, and telecommunications throughout new lines of business – created and introduced to the market under Aaron’s leadership – such as Connect Resources, Connect Middle East, Connect HR, Connect Staff, Connect Freelance, Connect legal, The talent point, Digitizenandgrow and others.
Let’s learn more about Aaron Portero and his company through our interview below.
Explain the background of you and the company in detail.
I got my education from the law faculties of Spanish and Norwegian universities. Further, I gathered business knowledge while working in Spanish, Swiss, pre-Brexit UK, and UAE corporations, which became the synonym of Connect Resources’ growth and expansion from the moment of getting behind its steering wheel as managing director back in 2016.
Before my time, Connect Resources was known as a mid-tier outsourcing firm with potential but lacking the drive to obtain its rightful place among UAE’s most valuable brands.
One can say that 2016 was favorable to many companies operating in the workforce solution segment due to high market demand. However, service demand means nothing if the quality of available solutions is low. Since I was familiar with the expectations of western corporations and had their own high standards, I focused on the quality of deliverables. This was the right thing to do, allowing Connect Resources to seize the opportunity and grow exponentially.
What are your goals?
Quality in everything we deliver. Past experience showed us that the more we invest in enhancing our lines of business, the more trust in the market we earn. The more market recognition we gain, the bigger impact on it we have. These few years have proven that Connect Group is the market maker, the game changer, and the trendsetter. Even after being listed among the top 3 UAE headquartered companies, we will continue doing so.
What do you feel is the biggest strength of yourself/company right now?
People first. Connect Group wouldn’t be where it is right now and wouldn’t have a bright future ahead if not for the team we managed to gather and the talents we inspired. I wanted to be surrounded by specialists who, just like me, are keen to go the extra mile, take an extra step, and are not afraid to stand for their beliefs. I must admit I was and am lucky in this area. The team working with me makes Connect Group one of the best companies in Dubai. To show my gratitude and appreciation, I do my best to make Connect Group also the best employer in Dubai.
What was the path you/your company took to get to where you are today?
I believe we had the best starting position to build a successful business anyone can dream of – we had nothing and had to start from scratch. The business became what it is right now, thanks to multiple failures, wrong directions, and the superhuman eagerness of our team members. We observed our competitors, we listened to our clients (and almost all clients), and every time was able to learn our lessons. This brought us where we are today, and I know it will take us much further.
Why did you start (or want to be the head of) this company?
Connect Resources existed long before I joined. During my first interactions with the company, I noticed so much potential in it and in the market it operates. I was honestly puzzled and couldn’t grasp what limits Connect Resources from getting to its rightful place. When I joined, I was far away from the MD position. This allowed me to look at the machinery from the inside and check what “clicks” and what doesn’t. With that knowledge, hard work, and well-business-backed ideas, I started to drive the change in the organization. The ‘machine’ started to work better, and my efforts brought me to the current position.
What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I remember the beginning. We had a large client who unexpectedly closed the company. We had to relocate hundreds of employees. During two intensive weeks requiring nearly surgical precision and full focus, we have managed to relocate more than 85% of the client’s staff.
Give us one word that describes you the best.
Impatient
What makes you excited about Mondays?
Each Monday is a new beginning. I see it as the beginning of new ventures and new projects, as well as an impulse to improve the existing ones. I cherish weekends as the time to pull together thoughts that were “orbiting” during the finished week and structure the ideas with which I can come on Monday to the office. However, that would mean nothing if I could not share these ideas with my colleagues and hear their thoughts when they return after a well-deserved weekend rest. This is what really motivates me.
What do you value most about your culture and vision?
We value the strength that we put to be the top and our “white collar” strategies that we follow to make this happen.
Tell us about a project that forced you to be innovative and creative.
We suddenly received a big requirement from one of our existing clients. We had to manage the payroll, leaves, reimbursements, work timings (and more). We developed (and we are the only workforce company offering this) an amazing software used currently by hundreds of companies all over the GCC. This solution makes managing multiple processes as easy as a few clicks and allows instant communication with employees.
What are your company’s strategies, and how do they stand unique from your competitors?
I would summarise it in one word: “Innovation.” We own (self-developed) different pieces of software, ERPs, and systems, making our client satisfaction outstanding.
What are the key values which helped you to overcome the roadblocks/challenges in your career? Tell us something about your memorable incident in your leadership.
Mentorship. Talking to life and business experienced entrepreneurs.
How do you see the company changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating that change?
I am confident that Connect Group is on the right track to being recognized among the top 3 most valued companies in the UAE. How do I see myself nurturing the change? Well, we have been working on this for the past few years. Our strategy is not disclosed to the public, but I believe that you might have spotted a few hints in our discussion.
Where is your leadership going? What benefits do your clients get from your company in this competitive world?
The business is as strong as its clients’ comfort and satisfaction levels. Happy client comes back for more while the unhappy one looks for alternatives.
Furthermore, there are no identical clients, two identical businesses, or two identical needs. We learned that and understood it perfectly. Without deep business understanding, commercial approach, and human touch, we wouldn’t be able to help our clients as we are right now. Without that, we wouldn’t move forward and grow.
Due to that, our clients (whether they are small local operators, medium-sized entrepreneurs, or multinational corporations) can count on tailored support from our team members.
We want our clients to feel that our specialists and advisors are in their team and working towards the same business goals (they are just on someone else’s payroll).
Moreover, looking at the market offering, Connect Group is currently the only one capable of delivering a range of in-house solutions (either to setup or opt for outsourcing, for instance).
What are the services/solutions or products offered by your company on par with the current industry standards? Tell us something about your upcoming products or services.
– PEO services
– Manual Payroll
– Payroll through our system.
– Staff outsourcing
– company relocation
– Tax advice
– Job portal
– Staff mobilization (car and housing rental, schools, bank support), immigration.
– Employee management and benefits.
– Mobility services
– Freelance services
– Marketing services
– Legal services
– Management Consultancy services
Connect with Aaron Portero on LinkedIn.
Find Connect Group on LinkedIn.