Q Life Magazine Issue 8 | Page 43

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 .
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