The Covid-19 Pandemic rocked the global economy in many ways; one massive area that was impacted around the world was shipping and supply chains. Just over a year ago, record numbers of ships were stuck in LA ports, causing massive disruptions to the supply chain and impacting economies all over the world. For most consumers, how their products get from point A to point B isn't something they have to worry about; it just happens. But this was a wake-up call for people all over the world; shipping was disrupted, labor challenges exacerbated the problem, and it snowballed from there. Understanding the relationship between global shipping markets and the legal implications that come with them is a detailed, technical area of expertise, but Fida Husain has dedicated his career to this very niche.
Resolving congestion in ports in the US and the rest of the world takes a lot of time, energy, and a deep understanding of how things work. It quickly became apparent that maritime experts with global exposure were the only ones who could help the world unweave this mess. In fact, that "fixing" is still happening, over a year later. Fida Husain's work in restoring supply-chains for Qatar following the unexpected blockade by GCC countries is now used as a template for resolving similar situations. Under a political siege, he was responsible for carving out critical supply-chain operations in the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and shifting them to other countries in a record time. This move not only restored an essential supply-chain for Qatar but also averted an impending humanitarian crisis. Since then he has been advising firms and multinational organizations on how to resolve and ease the congestions concerning the global shipping industry.
Fida's career started in law school, as a typical legal career does. He graduated from India and went on to further his studies at the National University of Singapore and East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai. Throughout his years of schooling, he focused largely on international business law and worked with international law firms and investment banks before joining his current company, Milaha.
Milaha is where Fida shaped his professional career; he spent 4 years as a legal counsel advising business units and commercial departments on legal risk management, port management, compliance issues, carriage of goods by sea, and more.
It wasn't long before he was promoted to Vice President of Legal at Milaha, - at the time, Fida was one of the youngest heads of legal in any blue-chip public shipping company. His role as the Vice President is structured in such a way that Fida oversees legal, compliance, and government relations. He specializes in maritime, international shipping, and the oil & gas sectors with an emphasis on the LNG segment.
Fida's tenure at Milaha is filled with impressive accomplishments, such as supporting the company's business expansion in Singapore, France, Norway, India, Africa, and the GCC region. Of all the legal cases the organization has been involved in, 94% have resulted in either a win or a settlement in Milaha's favor. Fida's hard work has been internationally recognized; in 2021, he was selected as a "Top 20 Under 40 Leading Individual" in the maritime sector in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Indian Subcontinent region. In 2022, he was named in the impressive GC Powerlist for India curated by Legal 500 UK.
Shipping is much more complex than just the transportation of goods, but with Fida's legal expertise helping to overcome some of the biggest global challenges related to shipping and logistics, this complexity becomes manageable. His skills are unique and highly sought-after on a global scale. Considering the demand, pressure, and challenges that exist in this area, Fida is one of the few individuals that can help shape how shipping and logistics will look in the future.
