Ziad Rayess
CV
- The author spent the first years of his life in Germany, then migrated with his father to Latakia, Syria and began learning Arabic. He started elementary school in Latakia, and finished secondary school in 1980.
- In 1981, he enrolled at King Abdullah University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia after receiving an academic scholarship. He completed his university studies there, graduating from the Faculty of Civil Engineering in 1986.
- He got married the same year and entered the engineering market. He worked at some of the largest real estate companies in Saudi Arabia and implemented numerous urgent and massive projects. He was very successful in implementing projects rapidly and successfully. He continued to work in the engineering sector until 1993.
- At the beginning of 1994, he switched careers and entered the food, commerce, and nutritional industries field. He became the CEO and founder of the holding group for International Food Services (IFS), where he worked on the following:
- In 1994, he founded a rations and food supply company, which expanded and eventually produced about 100,000 meals per day for the largest construction projects in Saudi Arabia.
- He managed and founded a group of foodstuff marketing and distribution companies, first in Saudi Arabia, then in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Syria.
- He founded a group of fast-food restaurant and franchise chains (Hot and Crispy, Capo Gabo, and Versailles Pan).
- He founded a mini market chain in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt.
- In 2009, he founded a group of six food factories in several Middle Eastern countries: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria.
- He founded two packaging factories in Saudi Arabia.
- He contributed to establishing and developing several brands that went global (Golden Fields, Misa, Mama Choice, and Hot and Crispy).
- He worked at, invested in, directed, and founded numerous start-ups in several countries, including:
- A Middle Eastern confectionery factory (Bosphorus confectionery factory in Istanbul).
- Musa Car rental car company in Istanbul.
- He contributed to economic feasibility studies for many projects.
- Throughout his long professional journey, he worked with many types of partners and various social groups and institutions.
- He established several social and humanitarian projects, such as those concerned with serving refugees and displaced persons, and projects for the education and training of people with special needs.
- He started the concept of applying the idea of implementing a franchise system at charitable endowments.
- He’s interested in supporting and developing methods to train students in the world of money and business.
- He’s interested in keeping up with and developing advanced technology that can help with global food security.
