BiBNT Member Profile: Meet David Gouedreau

Continuing our BiBNT Members Profile series… meet David Gouedreau of AGS

30 seconds to tell us what you do…

David Gouedreau of AGS

I have been working for the last 8 years in the international moving industry (nearly 6 years in Romania, 1 year in Canada and, since end 2009, in Toulouse) including AGS for 7 years. AGS provides international removal services of personal effects and vehicles from and to anywhere in the world.

Now how about sharing a little more detail? …

The last decades have seen a strong trend of companies willing to move overseas due to globalization, to China, for example. This also means people are on the move. Not only skilled staff and top management but also diplomats and military force personnel.

A need for specialized and trained people to organize the removal of personal effects was developed and this is how AGS was born in the late 70’s.

AGS group is a family run business, with nearly 130 subsidiaries worldwide based in Africa, Europe and South East Asia. AGS keeps going forward with new offices most recently opening in Seoul, Tripoli and Dubai.

We offer door to door solutions, by air, sea and land. Each AGS branch has it’s own crew, packing materials, fleet of light trucks and storage facilities.

In the last years, AGS has also developed archive management through the brand ArchivSystem.

What has been your favourite project over the years?

In 2008, the French government decided to settle a military base in Abu Dhabi, thanks to cooperation from the United Arab Emirates. As the number of French families relocating to Abu Dhabi was increasing, AGS decided to dedicate one person to coordinate and manage the moves.

I was lucky to be the elected one and in 2010 I spent quite some time in Abu Dhabi preparing everything with our local agent to secure smooth deliveries, especially during Ramadan time… AGS successfully moved 75% of the relocating families.

In 2011 I am still managing the Abu Dhabi project but the stakes are a lot higher, over 100 families will be moving from France to Abu Dhabi this summer. However I will have the support of our brand new AGS UAE subsidiary.
Here are some related links:
France 24: Sarkozy opens French military base in Abu Dhabi

BBC News: French President Sarkozy opens UAE base

Can you tell us your mission statement?

In France, I am in charge of AGS business development in South West France, more specifically in the Toulouse area and I am trying to give an international touch to our offices based in South West.

And your business’s values and vision?

AGS’s main concern is the wellness of the families we move. The key is to anticipate their needs and to keep communicating. This is especially true when you move to a destination where customs processes can be long and tricky. Our main mission is to advise our clients prior their move and to provide them with accurate information and recommendations rather than simply selling a service.

Why do your customers pick you over your competition?

The AGS group offers worldwide expertise and skilled staff. Personally, I guess I have brought my international experience, my overview on the industry and my network of agents and partners. I have also moved overseas, twice, so I have first-hand experience of moving a family abroad. thus I have got to know what it means to move with a family.

How long have you been a member of the bibnt?

If I remember correctly, since the beginning of 2009.

How has business networking benefitted your company?

Definitely it has helped me to know our potential market and our competitors better.  Thanks to other BIBNT members, I’ve succeeded in approaching some companies I could not reach before.

Website: http://www.agsmovers.com/

Thanks for sharing with us David. It’s great getting to know our members better!

See others posts in the BiBNT Member Profile Series :

Penny Dickinson of Toulouse Walking Tours
Daren Birchall of Pigcom,
Penny Sadoudi of Greenfrog Garden Design
Olivier Consales of Sopyrec
Martin Parker of Guide2MidiPyrenees