Hanif Yusoof is the founder of EFL Global, an international supply chain and freight management company that grew from a small Sri Lankan freight forwarder into a global logistics enterprise. Over more than four decades, Yusoof helped transform the company from a modest startup in Colombo into a multinational logistics network serving industries such as apparel, technology, pharmaceuticals, and automotive manufacturing.
Yusoof founded the company in 1982 in Colombo, originally under the name Expolanka Freight. The business began with just five employees working in a small 300-square-foot office. At the time, Sri Lanka’s logistics industry was still developing and international supply chains were expanding rapidly across Asia. Yusoof identified an opportunity to build specialized freight and logistics services that would connect Sri Lankan manufacturers with global markets, particularly in the fast-growing apparel export sector.
From these early beginnings, the company steadily expanded its operations across Asia and beyond. Over time the logistics arm of the Expolanka group evolved into EFL Global, reflecting the company’s international footprint. Today the company operates more than 70 offices in over 30 countries and employs more than 3,000 logistics professionals worldwide. Its network spans North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, providing multimodal supply chain services across air freight, ocean freight, contract logistics, and supply chain management.
One of the early innovations introduced under Yusoof’s leadership was the development of garment-on-hanger logistics for the apparel industry. This system allowed clothing manufacturers to transport finished garments on hangers rather than folding them into cartons, preserving garment quality and reducing handling time for global fashion brands sourcing from South Asia. The innovation helped strengthen Sri Lanka’s reputation as a reliable apparel export hub.
During the late 1990s and early 2000s, Expolanka Freight became Sri Lanka’s leading air freight forwarder and was ranked the country’s number one IATA freight forwarder between 1998 and 2003. The company handled a significant share of Sri Lanka’s air cargo exports during this period, particularly shipments destined for European and North American retail markets.
Beyond freight forwarding, Yusoof also guided the growth of Expolanka Holdings into a diversified multinational group with interests in logistics, international trade, and investments. The company eventually became publicly listed in Sri Lanka, raising more than US$20 million in capital to support its expansion. These resources enabled the group to invest in international offices, logistics technology, and infrastructure that strengthened its position in global supply chains.
Yusoof also played a role in developing logistics infrastructure in Sri Lanka, including the establishment of a free-port logistics hub designed to support regional distribution and international trade. Such investments helped position the island nation as a logistics gateway linking South Asia with global shipping routes.
Throughout his career, Yusoof emphasized long-term customer relationships and service reliability as the foundation of logistics success. This philosophy helped the company build enduring partnerships with multinational manufacturers and global retailers operating complex international supply chains.
In recognition of his contributions to logistics and entrepreneurship, Yusoof has received several industry honours, including the Legend of Logistics award from the Sri Lanka Logistics and Freight Forwarders Association and the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Special Achievement Award.
After more than forty years in the logistics industry, Hanif Yusoof remains widely regarded as one of the pioneers of Sri Lanka’s modern freight forwarding sector. Through the creation and expansion of EFL Global, he demonstrated how a logistics enterprise founded in a small South Asian economy could evolve into a global supply chain organization connecting manufacturers and markets across continents.
