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    • Middle East & North Africa
    • Understanding Entrepreneurial Opportunity in Kazakhstan
    • Approaching Business with an Artistic Eye
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  • Approaching Business with an Artistic Eye→

Middle East & North Africa

Middle East & North Africa

  • Understanding Entrepreneurial Opportunity in Kazakhstan
  • Approaching Business with an Artistic Eye

Approaching Business with an Artistic Eye

 
A desire to “democratize art in the Middle East” led Yazan Halwani (MBA 2020) to start creating public art—often combining Arabic calligraphy and graffiti—on the drab post-civil-war walls of his hometown of Beirut, Lebanon. His success with guerrilla art eventually led to commissions, exhibitions, and press coverage around the world.

That aspiration also propelled the self-taught painter and sculptor to enroll at HBS to gain strong business and managerial skills. “The art scene in the Middle East is driven by the private sector,” explains Halwani. “I want to strengthen it and make it available and accessible to everyone.”

At HBS, Halwani furthered his entrepreneurial passion and started his own fashion e-commerce company, Darza—which means “stitch” in Arabic—to target issues he saw in the industry. “In the Middle East, there are distinct characteristics in the way people dress,” says Halwani. “Companies don’t create specific fashions for the region, so women who wear modest clothing struggle to find styles they like and often end up with very bland choices.”

Plus, Darza provides quality fashion at a lower price point. “Global brands like Zara sell their products in the Middle East through franchisors, so garments can cost twice as much as in the United States,” he explains. “We use skilled artisans right in Lebanon—no intermediaries.”

“In the Middle East, there are distinct characteristics in the way people dress. Companies don’t create specific fashions for the region, so women who wear modest clothing struggle to find styles they like and often end up with very bland choices.”
Yazan Halwani
MBA 2020

The courses Halwani took at HBS and his participation in the School’s January term Startup Bootcamp helped him understand the company’s potential. The Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship also provided resources and support to develop the company, and this past spring, Darza tied for second place in the business track of the Rock Center’s 20th annual New Venture Competition. The $25,000 Satchu‐Burgstone Prize, which was split equally between the two winners, helped Darza fund marketing initiatives beyond its base in Lebanon, including Qatar and Kuwait, and expand its delivery coverage.

After graduating in May, Halwani returned to Lebanon to further develop his company and continue his artistic pursuits by working on a new series of paintings exploring the chaos of mass migration in the Middle East and how it affects one’s sense of identity. In September, he delegated the day-to-day operations of his company to others and moved to London to work in private equity at Bain Capital where, he says, “I hope to better understand the process of finding, building, and sustaining strong businesses.”

Darza Pitch: 2020 New Venture Competition

Yazan Halwani
Co-runner up, Student Business Track

More on Middle East & North Africa

Understanding Entrepreneurial Opportunity in Kazakhstan

Professor Victoria Ivashina introduced students to the business landscape in her native Kazakhstan through a case she cowrote, “Kaspi.kz IPO,” and an in-class visit by the case protagonist, Mikheil Lomtadze (MBA 2002).
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