Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Zeid Hreish had no idea that his family’s history in jewelry trading would plant an endless fire for the corporate world. After spending several of his summers as a teenager helping his family run their business, Hreish’s craving for the world of sales, customer service, marketing and operations began. In 2007, he moved to Lebanon and enrolled at the American University of Beirut to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in business, specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. During his three years studying in Beirut, Hreish spent his summers interning for some of the region’s leading companies such as HSBC, the Arab Bank, and Deloitte & Touche. “I also had my own on-demand delivery side-business,” Hreish adds. “Delivering sweets and snacks during certain occasions; sometimes we even had Santa on-demand for Christmas.” All these experiences helped him get the entrepreneurial aspect on track and see what it takes to survive in the business world.
After graduating from university in 2010, Hreish spent the next five years paving his career path, by working with Deloitte and A.T Kearney in the UAE and Saudi Arabia as a management consultant. He then decided to leave and join Uber Technologies (an American international transportation network company that was just starting to expand in the Middle East) as Senior Operations Manager. Over the past two years, Hreish has managed to launch and oversee Uber operations in Qatar, Bahrain, Riyadh and Jeddah “I’ve launched more than five cities in the GCC,” Hreish adds. “And I’m currently looking after the biggest markets in the Gulf by leading Uber's strategic growth, operations and logistics.” Hreish is currently based in Dubai, however, he jumps around major cities in the GCC on a weekly basis to work with the local operational teams to lead the growth, operations and the logistics of Uber.
Zeid's day usually starts around 8:30 AM, which is the time he takes to catch up on major tech and entrepreneurial insights in the region. At around 9:00 AM he begins checking-in with remote teams working in operations, analyzing city performance, optimizing processes, and planning and thinking through strategic initiatives. The end of his day comes at 8:00 PM, which is when he goes to the gym with his wife, has dinner and then the rest of the night is dedicated for reading, especially interviews with successful people and stories of small businesses. “It’s important to follow small businesses, because in big companies you are a very small part of the process,” he adds. “Whereas in small companies you will learn about passion and dreams that will help you aim even higher.” To keep up with his busy schedule, Hreish believes in prioritizing and organizing his daily tasks very well. “I start my day usually by spending one or two hours in the early morning working on initiatives that are important but not necessarily urgent for the day,” Hreish says. “These tasks require a very fresh and problem-solving mindset.” At Uber, Hreish plays a major role in hiring candidates for different departments, including operations, marketing, business development, and strategy and planning. “I look for people who can raise the bar,” He says. “I normally hire optimistic leaders who are themselves, challenge the status quo, and can get the job done while making the right decisions.”
As Uber grows in the Middle East, so do the job opportunities. Uber is always on the hunt for great talent. “At Uber, the best idea always wins and we empower our team to find creative solutions to difficult problems.” Hreish adds. “Join Uber if you want to have a global impact because every role matters and everything that you work on affects the daily lives of people around the world.” Hreish’s success so far has trickled from his ability to learn from his mistakes and explore the business world around him. The bold risks he takes have helped him learn and become a quick problem solver. “My career advice to all fresh graduates is to explore the business world and always work on your story.” Hreish says. “It’s all about your story. Work on it and move if you feel that you’re not being yourself or that you‘re unable to grow or pursue your dreams.”
