Founders

Name: HUSSEIN YASSIEN

EDUCATION
B.A., Business Administration, Birzeit University School of Economics & Commerce, West Bank, 1995.

IT Consulting Services, Munich, Germany, 1999-2000. Certificate of completion of a specialized one-year training course focused on E-commerce, online marketing, trading, export and imports via the Internet, Project Management, Human Resources, Business Management, Crises Management, International Telecommunications and presentation techniques.

PERSONAL DETAILS

  • Nationality: Palestine
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills. Fluent in spoken and written Arabic, English, and a fair proficiency in Hebrew and German.

SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS
A business development professional with demonstrated skills in strategic marketing services, with particular emphasis on the NGO sector. Possesses significant experience in developing growth strategies for Palestinian business, and has contributed to the preparation and implementation of public relations campaigns for several business sectors. Excellent network within the Palestinian NGO and government ministries.

In-depth knowledge of the development history of the economic situation in Palestine and its current status; prepared a comprehensive market research studies on different economic sectors focusing on a variety of issues; labor forces, university outputs vs. market needs, market trends, major industries players, sectors’ trends, sector s’ turnover and identification of major products to be exported. From 1994-2000, conducted more than ten feasibility studies for establishing local and off shore companies, some of those companies are now current leaders in the industry.
Prepared business and marketing plans for 30 local companies in collaboration with specialized international consultants. Conducted a comparative market survey focusing on ICT regulations in Palestine, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. The outcome of the study became a reference for both private and public stakeholders in the development of a regulatory framework for the ICT industry. Also participated in conducting a feasibility study for one of the biggest business initiatives in the Middle East, A&T for semiconductors. The project was subsequently canceled due to difficult political conditions.
Conducted a feasibility study for establishing a huge vocational training facilities for the YMCA - Palestine.
I worked as a business consultant and advisor for the Peace Technology Fund, a $63 million investment venture. Tasks included assessing and evaluating ICT initiatives for investment consideration.
During my tenure with Massar Associates, I provided consulting services to a number of international and local companies. I was assigned as the business advisor providing the following services: business marketing consultation, PR / trade promotion, and training for marketing participants.
At PalTrade I worked as a business advisor for four major Palestinian industry sectors, including ICT, Stone and Marble, Tourism and handcrafts, to develop sector strategic marketing plans intended to form the basis of national integrated marketing plan. In this context I worked with a team of PalTrade consultants (sector advisors). My functions include design of the unified strategic market plan, monitoring and follow-up on the progress of the SMP development, and supervision and evaluation of the team of PalTrade sector advisors.
I also managed PalTrade’s capacity building and training department. I lead a team of experts working to build private sector business capacity in the areas of export and achieving competitive advantage in international and regional markets. Industry sectors included in this initiative are: ICT, stone and marble, pharmaceuticals, leather and shoes, food and handcrafts.
In addition to that, I designed, managed and supervised the Intern Assistance Program (IAP) a USAID funded project. The program aimed at integrating fresh graduate with the Palestinian Private sector. In the first phase of the program, I was able to find jobs for more than 180 newly graduates in less than 6 months.
I had the privilege of acquiring on-the-job training with Industrie Hanza (a German IT company) while pursuing an IT diploma in Germany. Work included developing a strategic plan for marketing a new software application: Engineering Data Management (EDM) system. This marketing plan was fully utilized by the company during product launch.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
November 2001-present    PalTrade

Founded in 1998, PalTrade, the Palestinian National Trade Promotion Organization, advocates a competitive, enabling business environment and is dedicated to improving trade competitiveness through trade promotion and capacity building. PalTrade supports the fostering of international best business practices and quality standards among professionals, firms and business organizations. As the hub of Palestine’s National Trade Support Network,
PalTrade collects, analyzes and disseminates trade-enabling knowledge, expanding Palestine’s share of existing local and international markets and opening new export markets. PalTrade is the leading Palestinian private sector institution supporting an integrated national trade development plan based on the coordination of industry sector marketing and the promotion of a national business brand.
As manager of PalTrade’s membership and capacity building departments, my job responsibilities include:
Working with different companies representing different sectors including ICT, Stone and Marble, Leather and shoes, Tourism, and some other sectors. My focal job is to enhance and strengthen Paltrade relationship with the different Palestinian economic sectors. As a result of this effort 58 new companies where brought in to enjoy PalTrade membership. Also I worked closely with a group of companies in Gaza on developing customized training courses. This intervention has qualified all participating companies to obtain a professional diploma in marketing from Mastrecht and Beirzeit Universities. My responsibilities also included:

  • Managing the departments and personnel involved
  • Designing and managing training programs and activities
  • Developing work and action plans
  • Follow- up on membership activities and programs
  • Developing and assessing developing marketing plans for the eight core Palestinian economic sectors
  • Providing training and consultation
  • Proposal writing and project concept development
  • Event management
  • Preparation and implementation of PR campaigns and PR plans
  • Progress reporting to management and USAID
  • Team leading
  • Negotiation and sub-contracting

I have additional experience as PalTrade’s Intern Assistance Program Manager. Funded by USAID, the project provided training and helped identify job opportunities for university graduates. Specific duties included:
  • Developing work plans for the project.
  • Finding jobs for interns within the Palestinian economic and NGOs sectors.
  • Recruiting private sector companies
  • Management and monitoring a 10-person project team
  • Financial management of the project
  • Report writing
  • Fund raising and proposal writing

2001 Local Advisor, Palestinian Investment Promotion Agency (PRIZIM/USAID project), Ramallah. Duties included:
  • Assisting the international advisor
  • Human resources development
  • Developed and executed plans and strategies aimed at integrating modern ICT functions into PIPA daily operations.
  • Promoting Palestine to potential investors
  • International cooperation
  • Planning and strategizing
  • Leading group for establishing a Palestinian Emergency Fund
  • Training and consultation
  • Project leading and coordination

1995-2001 Consultant and Project Leader, Massar Associates, Ramallah. I was a business advisor at Massar where I participated in workshops, research, focus group discussions, conferences, and advocacy forums pertaining to the different economic sector in Palestine.
  • Worked with international advisors on developing business and marketing plans for more than 40 companies.
  • Worked as a team leader for a group of five researchers on conducting SWOT analysis of the labor market in Palestine.
  • Prepared 20 feasibility studies for establishing new companies specializing in
  • Acted as a business consultant for the peace technology fund and have worked on a comprehensive feasibility study for establishing a semiconductor assembly and test plant in Gaza.
  • Was given the responsibility to follow-up on the private sector associations file in order to develop new business opportunities between Massar and the private sector associations.
  • Contributed to 38 different projects, with a principal focus on developing the firm’s marketing initiatives.

ADDITIONAL COURSEWORK AND TRAINING

Completed a number of relevant training courses in the following areas:
  • Business planning
  • Strategic Thinking and Planning
  • Web Design and Web Update
  • Investment Promotion and Tourism Development
  • International Marketing
  • Business and Marketing Plan Preparation
  • Database Design
  • Training of Trainers
  • Personnel and Project Management
  • Industrial Estates Management

RELEVANT SKILLS

Proficient in a variety of different software and graphics packages, spreadsheet software, and information and statistical databases, including MS Word, PowerPoint, Access, Excel, SPSS, AskSam, MS Chart, Publisher, Sage, as well as Macintosh Applications.