Meet HEC Paris 2023 Participant: Mohammed Khalifa Al Naimi, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Green Energy Water Treatment

Meet Mohammed Khalifa Al Naimi, HEC Paris in Qatar Specialized Master’s 2023 participant and co-founder of Green Energy Water Treatment?(GEWT), a company that aims to ensure a constant local supply of potable water using filters manufactured in Qatar. Passionate about helping the world navigate through its environmental and climate challenges, Mohammed co-founded Green Energy Water Treatment (GEWT) to help sustainably replenish the nation’s underground aquifers for future generations.

His goal, you ask? Mohammed aims to make GEWT the first company in Qatar to commercialize environmental practices. His goal is to dispel the ‘green stigma’ which involves businesses considering environmental sustainability efforts as an unnecessary expense. Mohammed believes his work will prove?that businesses can benefit both the economy and the environment simultaneously.

This idea has received significant interest from local institutions and investors—GEWT?has been awarded more than half a million Qatar riyals by Qatar Foundation for Research, Development, and Innovation (QFRDI). Over the coming years, the organization envisions becoming one of the key players in the global desalination market.

GEWT and Qatar

Mohammed’s project is particularly relevant for Qatar as water conservation is high on the nation’s water security agenda. He believes that GEWT’s main competitive advantage lies in filters that have a longer lifespan by at least 12-20%—this is because one key challenge in the maintenance of water treatment filters is fouling. Filter “fouling” is a phenomenon that renders filters useless and requires their disposal earlier than their normal life, reducing efficiency while increasing energy consumption. Replacing filters due to fouling or cleaning them with chemicals is often highly expensive. GEWT’s filters save money and energy for water treatment plants by increasing the time it takes for ‘fouling’ to occur in the filter. Hence, by producing energy-efficient filter units for Qatar’s growing water demand, GEWT?is directly contributing towards Qatar National Vision 2030.

Mohammed has directed his efforts mainly toward research and development as he believes that knowledge and innovation bring endless opportunities. It is through innovation and adaptability that he has overcome many challenges from sourcing investment and partnering with government institutions, to licensing intellectual property (IP) rights for water filter manufacturing and field demonstration. To this end, as a managing director, he regularly deals with different stakeholders within and outside his team. The skills and knowledge Mohammed acquired from the renowned HEC Paris in Qatar Specialized Master’s pushed him to view his interactions with professionals from a variety of angles as he learned that everyone has their own way of being inspired towards motivation and efficiency.

GEWT and HEC Paris in Qatar

For Mohammed, joining HEC Paris in Qatar was a dream come true. His life’s goal was to become a business leader and a world-class entrepreneur. HEC Paris provides an exceptional environment for entrepreneurs to grow their skills, knowledge, and network. The institution helped him understand the enablers for business success. Mohammed used the analytical and planning tools he learned in the classroom to fine-tune GEWT’s value proposition and go-to-market strategy.

Entrepreneurship is highly important in Qatari society, with creative ideas and innovative thinking being essential to building a successful business. HEC Paris in Qatar has helped Mohammed learn the skills required to be a successful entrepreneur and an effective leader. Through these skills, he developed an entrepreneurial ecosystem and now trains more high-performing leaders, contributing his own unique role in Qatar’s drive to transition into a knowledge-based economy.

Starting in the Middle East over 10 years ago, HEC Paris in Qatar continues to expand its footprint across the region to attract promising talent into programs and mentor them to reach their organizational goals.