Aqil Ashique is the CEO of Driver Logistics, an integrated logistics company that evolved from family-run C&F operations into a 3PL service provider. Grounded in first principles, he focuses on dense network design, disciplined tech adoption, and data foundations as the levers for sustainable and cost-effective logistics growth.
Kerala is the key state you are operating from. What are the unique challenges of the state?
Kerala behaves like a long, narrow “single city” with evenly distributed demand. Demand is predominantly inbound due to the shift towards a more consumer-driven economy.
The intercity roads are narrower. So a 600 km stretch in Kerala runs slower than in Tamil Nadu or Karnataka.
Hacking the union dynamics in the state can be a little tricky.
The state receives a large amount of rainfall every year. How do you adapt to it?
Peak monsoon overlaps with Onam, so expectations and communication are key; the team proactively over-communicates and ramps customer support. A major shift from open vehicles with tarpaulin to closed containers has significantly reduced rain-related damages and improved reliability.
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AI and Data: How is AI used today?
AI is not yet embedded in daily ops; the focus is on building strong data foundations, governance, and master data management to enable meaningful analytics and LLM use in the next 8–12 months. The team uses AI to accelerate internal development and code reviews while prioritizing process maturity before automation.
What is the key to building a sustainable supply chain?
The key to building a sustainable supply chain is creating a dense hub network. This means that fewer vehicles running overall and maximum utilization of goal capacity, decreases cost and decreases emissions per km. The goal is to maximize 32 ft container hauls across the hubs.
Also, we dont expand too fast too soon. We perfect the network chains in one state before moving to the next.
What skills matter when you are hiring supply chain managers?
The ideal manager sits at the intersection of ground ops, finance/cost, data/technology, and learning agility. This matters more than any knowledge of pre-existing tool skills.
What is one thing in your career that you wish you had learned earlier?
One thing I wish I had learned earlier is not to rush to adopt technology just because everybody else is doing it. Getting the workflows and processes in place and perfecting them should be the first focus. Digitalisation won’t work without it.
