Q Life Magazine Issue 8 | Page 22

Issue 8 MOHAMMED RASHID AL MATWI Our priority is our community With ambitions to support his country in its response to the global pandemic, Mohammed Rashid Al Matwi, Founder and CEO of ‘The Perfume Factory’, rapidly transformed his perfume business into one that is creating life-saving sanitisers. How did you get started in the perfume industry? I always wanted to create a meaningful enterprise that would speak to the community and help unlock new opportunities. My passion for the perfume industry, which has a long heritage in the region, inspired me to take concrete steps towards this goal when I completed a degree in business in 2015. I was very fortunate to receive support from my family and community, particularly Qatar Development Bank, who saw my vision and guided the initial stages of the venture until we were ready to open our doors in 2017. How did the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic impact the trajectory of ‘The Perfume Factory’? I wanted to create a business that would support future generations. The pandemic redefined this vision when we had to think of ways to lend immediate support to our country and our community. The team worked tirelessly and by mid-March we had virtually transformed into a hand sanitiser factory ready to support the local market. We sold sanitisers below market price; our goal was to help people protect themselves. 22