Rachid Mohamed Rachid is a prominent entrepreneur and investor who started his career in the Middle East before expanding his business into Europe and the USA. Rachid also held a cabinet position in Egypt as Minister of Trade and Industry between 2004 and 2011 leading Egypt’s push to liberalize its economy.

Rachid is the Founder of the Swiss based Alsara Investment Group, which invests in companies in creative industries in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, with a focus on design, innovation and technology. Rachid is also the CEO of Mayhoola for Investment, which invests in high-end brands, and is the Chairman of Valentino and the Chairman of Balmain; two of the leading luxury fashion companies in the world. He is also a board member of the Katara Hospitality Group and is the Vice Chairman of Lipton Teas and Infusions.

Rachid earned a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alexandria in 1978 and an Advanced Management Diploma from the Harvard Business School in 1996. After his graduation in 1978, Rachid joined the family business and within years he transformed it into one of the biggest FMCG companies in the region. During that time, established several leading food manufacturing and distribution businesses, such as Dreem and Fine Foods and eventually partnered with Unilever.
In 2000, Rachid joined the Board of Directors of Unilever, and became the President of Unilever North Africa, Middle East, and Turkey. In that capacity, he led several of Unilever’s largest international companies in various countries.

Notably, Rachid was awarded the Cavaliere di Gran Crose, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, the highest order of merit in Italy and in 2024.