We recently had the privilege of interviewing Saad Anwar, the Co-Founder and CEO of Senyar Arabian Trading Company and European Segment Company. A self-made millionaire, investor, serial entrepreneur and inspiration to dreamers, Saad Anwar places great value on trust and teamwork in both his personal and professional life.
In this insightful conversation, Saad Anwar shared his beginnings, career journey, challenges, successes and future plans.
The Beginnings
We started by asking about his career path and educational background. Saad shared, “When I was very young, I moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2003 for my father’s work. I come from a humble background and started my professional career at the age of 18. After graduating from high school in 2016, I started working as a Client Relations Executive at a consulting firm. Due to an organizational restructuring, my employment lasted for about 5 months.”
He added: “Until 2017, I held several positions in different organizations. Then, in March 2017, I started my own company. The following year, I opened SHM to develop young talents in Jeddah and served as a board member for a year. In 2018, I joined Senyar Arabian Trading Company as a co-partner and became its operations manager until 2022. In 2021, I bought European Segment Company in Slovakia. Together with my partners, I took over Senyar Arabian Trading, becoming our official foreign investor in Saudi Arabia. Since 2022, I have been the CEO of Senyar Arabian Trading Company. After being featured on the cover of Business Outreach magazine in 2023, I started investing in local businesses.
Being an effective leader
We asked him about his leadership style. Saad Anwar said, “Leaders reinforce idealism and encourage the development and growth of the team. Success is a partnership with like-minded people, and a company grows when the team grows. Diversity, inclusion and equality are important, and I encourage my employees to push their boundaries.”
Adaptability amidst uncertainty
When asked about significant hurdles, Saad Anwar replied, “In 2017, I faced difficulties in starting my business under Saudi Arabian regulations. My creativity and zeal were often taken advantage of, but I used those times as a reminder of my path. Starting Senyar was challenging, but I took it upon myself to manage the front-end departments such as accounting, operations, sales and marketing. The department provided jobs in these areas, and as operations manager, I focused on management, financial control, planning and development.” Starting Senyar was challenging, but I took it upon myself to manage the front-end departments such as accounting, operations, sales and marketing. The department provided jobs in these areas, and as operations manager, I focused on management, financial control, planning and development.”
Valuable milestones
We asked him about his company’s biggest achievement so far. Saad Anwar said: “In October 2021, Saudi Arabia allowed foreigners to start companies, which was a huge success for me and my team. In July 2022, I took over Senyar Arabian Trading Co. This success enabled me to start an investment company for small and medium-sized enterprises, where I also serve as a mentor. I have never taken a day off and am fulfilled by my achievements.
Plans Ahead
As he moves forward, Saad Anwar remains true to his goal of creating a better and more prosperous future for the generations to come. With innovation as his compass and compassion as his guiding star, he continues to carve a path towards a future full of hope, opportunities and possibilities.
We were curious about his future plans and asked: “Can you tell us more about your services/products and your next plans?”
Saad Anwar shared: “Currently, I am an international investor focused on corporates and startups, opening a holding company that takes over companies and their assets. We are the authors of our success. I started from scratch and am now a self-made millionaire. Opportunity didn’t come to me; I ventured into unexplored territories to find my purpose.”
