A new generation of purpose-driven entrepreneurs is shaping Qatar’s business landscape, with alumni from HEC Paris in Doha leading a shift towards ventures focused on health and sustainability. Graduates Layla al-Dorani, Nuwaid Pocker, and Ghanim al-Sulaiti exemplify this movement, building impactful companies that reflect a growing consumer consciousness in the region.
Layla al-Dorani’s Plant-Based Vision
Layla al-Dorani, the founder of plant-based food and beverage factory Raw Middle East, credits her time at HEC Paris in Doha with fundamentally changing her approach to business. “It gave me the confidence to take calculated risks and view challenges as opportunities for transformation,” she said. Al-Dorani explained that the programme was not just about learning business frameworks but about cultivating a mindset to create real impact.
Her university network has been instrumental to her company’s growth, providing a community of innovators and leaders who offer mutual support. As awareness around health and sustainability increases, Raw Middle East is focusing on education and accessibility. The company has made sustainability central to its operations, from composting food waste to setting a goal for 100% sustainable packaging by 2027 and exploring partnerships with local farms to reduce its carbon footprint.
Nuwaid Pocker’s Data-Driven Health
Nuwaid Pocker, founder of the diet centre Dieture, has since launched FoodCare, a data-driven ecosystem that integrates meals with diagnostics and health guidance. He says HEC Paris in Doha transformed his thinking on scale and disciplined execution. A capstone project challenged him to design growth strategies for Dieture, pushing him to develop structured, testable business theses instead of just good ideas.
This rigorous approach was key to evolving the initial meal subscription concept into FoodCare, a scalable platform that combines clean food with personalised health insights. The university’s network provided vital mentorship, access to industry leaders, and early customers. Pocker believes HEC Paris is raising the standard for entrepreneurship in Qatar, noting that the school’s broader impact is evident as Doha’s strong healthcare and positive outlook create a fertile ground for such health-tech ventures. “This is proof that the school is shaping leaders, not just teaching frameworks,” he stated.
Ghanim al-Sulaiti’s Sustainable Movement
Ghanim al-Sulaiti founded Evergreen Organics and Enbat Group with a mission to reconnect people with real food. “I realised how disconnected we’ve become from what nourishes us, especially the younger generation,” he explained. What began as Qatar’s first fully plant-based café has expanded into a wider movement encompassing sustainable packaging through Papercut, wellness with Botany, and global reforestation with the Forest Smoothie initiative.
Al-Sulaiti joined HEC Paris in Doha eight years after launching his business, a decision he describes as a turning point that refined his mission. This strategic education is a key theme at events like the upcoming Qatar Investment & Innovation Conference, which features sessions from the university. “Before HEC Paris, Doha, I was driven purely by passion; and then after completing my programme at the business school, I learned how to sustain that passion through strategy,” he said.
These entrepreneurs demonstrate a clear trend of combining passion with strategic acumen to build businesses that are not only profitable but also beneficial to society. Their success stories highlight the growing influence of specialised business education in fostering a new, impact-oriented entrepreneurial culture in Qatar.
