Khalid Al Qoud is the CEO and Founder of PRINCE Events Management and Al Qoud Consultancy and founder of the Bahrain Corporate Social Responsibility Society, in addition to being a speaker and leadership coach. The main backbone of his business is the concept of Corporate Society Responsibility and the center piece of this is the internship program that Khalid has set up to train youth, university students and fresh graduates to work in the marketing, events management, business, graphic design, consultancy and information technology fields. So far this program has trained more than 60 interns since its launch in 2013.
The strength of the program primarily comes from Khalid’s strong belief in the need and duty of developing the youth sector in Bahrain, seeing it both as part of companies’ corporate social responsibility and his responsibility as a citizen of the country.
“Education prepares you… but unless you do it practically you can’t master these skills,” he said. Explaining that one of the issues he believes Bahrain faces is the high number of graduates being rejected by employers because they don’t have work experience. “But in the end it’s not the government’s job to do 100% because those major companies also receive support and funding from the government so it is their duty to support Bahrainis and create sustainable living for everyone living in this island.” If each department in these major companies train just three interns, then in three years Bahrain would have thousands of trained employees, headded, “The world became a small village due to the advance in technology but we are not advancing in supporting the youth.”
Tellus abit about yourself
I come from a family that supports their children. Although everything was ready for us, I wanted to prove to myself that I can build myself using the knowledge of the family but without the resources of the family and by using my own skills. My first desire was to be an air force pilot with the military where I took my first step but that was against my grandfather’s wishes, so I started from zero as an operator at the smelter of Aluminium Bahrain Alba in 1995. I worked and studied at the same time until I moved gradually from labourer to become a public relations officer in Alba. All of this took me 13 years. Then I moved to YBA Kanoo as a public relations manager. I learned a lot from this respected family while also trying my best to learn more about the consultancy and events management fields. In 2010 we started Prince Events Management and then in 2012 we started Al Qaoud Consultancy which was when I started to focus on developing the needs of youth in Bahrain. Now we have served more than 50 companies since our establishment. What’s one thing you’re deeply proud of — but would never put on your résumé?
The first motorbike that I bought was my lesson in life to learn how to ride a motorbike but I ended up in a wall followed by a coma that made me forget what happened that day. What’s going to be carved on your (hypothetical) tombstone?
Lived to serve his country. If you could sit down with your 15-year old self, what would you tell them? First I will say to myself: “what the hell have you been doing?” But I will also say to those who are in the same age: “Don’t waste your time with fun, mix it with education. Listen to those who have wisdom in life and experience because without them you can’t move thewheel.
” What’s your most urgent priority for the rest of the year?
Complete the process to open a branch of Al Qoud Consultancy in Saudi Arabia.
Would you like to write a book? About what? The Leadershift – A book about the critical thinking of decision makers and the skills needed to overcome challenges in life which include career challenges, life challenges, economic challenges and financial challenges.
Are you living your LIFE PURPOSE — or still searching? I figured out my life purpose in January 2015. Life is not about achieving things as much as it is about how you achieved. In life you have to understand that you are the only judge for what you see. You should not have time for people who talk around, you should have the whole time for people who love to succeed.
