Catching up with our MIP Alumni, Lebanese/Canadian Hadi Ghader has recently ventured into Kuwait’s e-commerce sector. Born and raised in Kuwait, Hadi completed his undergraduate in Supply chain Management from the John Molson Business School at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Right after graduation, Hadi moved back to Kuwait and began his journey in the FMCG industry.
“With several years in the retail industry, I wanted to start a business but didn’t feel I was ready for the big step yet. I needed to refine my business and interpersonal skills to better equip me for an entrepreneurial career. This is when I decided I needed an MBA degree and MIP was my first choice due to its unique MBA program and a chance for a European market exposure.”
Hadi received his MBA in 2012 from MIP and moved back again to Kuwait, but this time more ready and prepared for his entrepreneurial journey.
What have you been doing after your MBA?
I have always been an admirer of the Food & Beverage (F&B) industry and thus continued in this sector after graduating. I joined SADITA group as a Business Development Manager overseeing new brand acquisitions, tenders and other retail projects. However, my entrepreneurship experience at MIP was always on the backburner. At the same time a board member of SADITA Holding was contemplating to create an online business to be built on SADITA’s strength in F&B.
Building on Kuwait’s new reputation as an emerging foodie country in the Gulf region, the concept of an online Gourmet store was developed by our joint efforts as well as our third partner; the CEO of one of Kuwait’s leading F&B distribution companies: Food Choice.
This was the time when GourmetME.com was launched!
What is the impact that the program has had on your life and business?
MIP and its MBA program have represented the essence of the business foundation.
In particular, the classes I took in Entrepreneurship and Design & Luxury Management equipped me with the skills and hands on approach to startup businesses. This is why MIP was a perfect fit! The school helped me in my career to shape GourmetME.com and moreover, which better country stands out for its cuisine and food culture than Italy!
GourmetME.com is Kuwait’s first online gourmet foods grocery and our mission is to make the latest culinary trends and their relevant selected international brand easily accessible, so as to offer quality products and services for an improved and unique eating experience.
Can you tell us a key moment you recall of your MBA journey?
A key moment I recall from my MBA journey which has tremendously been instrumental in my career was the Business PlanProject. The project was to be carried out by a team with the goal to develop a business plan about a real idea and evaluate its economic feasibility. This project was influential as it was a real world hands-on experience aimed at developing a new business and as a team we had to analyze and develop a consistent strategy for all facets of the business, from finance, operation, to marketing. Going back to this project has in fact helped me in developing GourmetME’s business plan and I am thankful for it!
Hadi Ghader
