Ms. Reema Jogani, Director at Reema Transport Pvt Ltd (RTPL). I am part of the second-generation entrepreneurship team of RTPL.

After my Post Graduation Diploma in Business Administration (PGDBA) majoring in Marketing, I worked with companies like KPMG, E&Y, large media house like Star Movies, National Geographic and Bloomberg UTV. While it was always fun working with large professional companies, I was excited to join the family business as I believe the entrepreneurial genes in me made me want to make a mark of my own.

I joined RTPL 10 years ago. The Company was founded by my father, Mr. Ashok Kothari. He is a self- made entrepreneur and started his Transport Business with a 3-wheeler vehicle. RTPL is today a full- blown Transport organization with a fleet of over 100 trucks. RTPL is into cold chain road transportation and ambient transportation servicing to Western, Southern and Central India.

RTPL was established in 1983, as a partnership firm between 2 families – Kothari’s & Naiks. I always wanted to step into my father’s shoes professionally and aspired to join and grow the family business. Like every daughter my father was my first HERO and has been my role model. He inspired me to take over the family business.

The journey so far has been very challenging and interesting – every day there is something new to learn. There is never a dull day in this industry. It’s like being part of a non-stop action movie. There are organization and industry level challenges and opportunities. Success and growth require managing daily operations efficiently as well as constant adjustment to strategy to ensure that we remain at the forefront of the industry that is fiercely competitive and rapidly evolving. Also, the industry is now becoming very technology driven.

From a business which was traditionally male dominated it is now a business which welcomes gender diversity and has many female employees. Women leadership is a welcome change in a male dominated industry as women tend to be more empathetic and view situations more compassionately which helps to bring a human angle to complex situations.

I am actively involved in the Business Development and Operations part of the Business. We are in the business of Pharmaceutical Transportation of critical temperature sensitive cargo such as vaccines, medicines, blood plasma etc. My role keeps me on my toes and being an inquisitive person I am always looking for areas of development.

I am a people’s person and enjoy interacting with people – this helps me tremendously in making deep client connects and also getting more customers on the table. My endeavour is to make the company a well-oiled delivery engine with systems and processes that add value to our customers in such a way that we are partners in their growth story and they in ours.

I like to keep myself abreast of the latest developments in the industry and keep constantly educating myself. I therefore enrolled myself for the MPOWER program, a Certification program in collaboration between IIM Ahmedabad and Mahindra (The Management Development Programme for Youth Transporter – IIM Ahmedabad – 2019) I have also attended the special edition of Mahindra Mpower workshop with collaboration with IIM Ahmedabad called “Empowering Your Transport Business amid COVID -19”- June 2020.

I like participating in Panel discussions and thereby get more insights and views of other professionals in our industry. I have attended many seminars and forums also been a speaker in some of the forums. Been a speaker for Commercial Vehicle Forum for Zee and various others. I also

publish articles in our industry magazines like Cargo Connect, Cargo Talk, Transtopics, Etc hoping to put forth our views across the sector.

Recently was a part of the panel discussion on ‘Highway Heroes’ organised by TV9 Bharatvarsh Shriram Transport Finance Company Limited & Apollo Hospitals at Delhi.

LSC (Logistic Sector Skill Council) on International Women’s Day – Women Achievers in Logistic Sector 2021 awarded me as Entrepreneurship in Logistics to honour the Women Logisticians. It was a great honour to receive the same. This award forum was introduced for the first time by LSC.