Despite a natural acuity for business, Noora Al Tamimi’s entrepreneurial journey began in an unlikely place — a student association at a Canadian university. Through an Islamic Awareness Week initiative, which also served as the formative working experience with husband and collaborator Abdulrahman Al Bassam, she found her entrepreneurial skills could create something powerful.
The original location of the 35 year old PATTIS Cafe et Restaurant; reopened in 2015.
The husband-and-wife duo saw an opportunity in their positive work dynamic and founded AWN. Since then, Noora’s work-ethic coupled with a relentless desire to add value has brought Pattis France to a position of pre-eminence in Saudi Arabia’s HORECA sector; her hands-on approach contributes to an unparalleled level of understanding when it comes to AWN’s active investments.
Noora and her husband credit teamwork and clarity of vision for their remarkable achievements. Through their drive, resilience and experience they continue to build on more than a century of cumulative family business legacy.
Recently, we had the chance to sit down with Noora Al Tamimi to discuss AWN’s family business origins, techniques to cultivate resilience, and the importance of problem-solving in the field.
How did you begin your remarkable entrepreneurial journey?
I never imagined I’d play such a significant role in the workforce. My family’s business, the Tamimi Group, is one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential, but historically, women have not taken part in the operations.
When I married my husband, Abdulrahman, I was a young straight-A student — working hard came naturally to me. I went to Canada after finishing school, but I felt something was missing. Initially, visa restrictions precluded my eligibility to continue studying, so I joined a students’ club instead — the Muslim Students Association. Complacency wasn’t an option; I was compelled to do something that added value.
I volunteered to manage Islamic Awareness Week because I needed a challenge. Abdulrahman was the president of the association, and so it became the first project that we worked on together. To engage our fellow students, we planned to construct a temporary mosque in the middle of MacEwan Student Centre, the main hub of the university campus. It was an ambitious undertaking, and nothing like it had been done before. We were breaking new ground, both literally and figuratively.
Undoubtedly, the plan was met with scepticism from other members of the association, but I managed to convince them and together, we achieved our goal. Over the course of Islamic Awareness Week, we became calligraphers, labourers, architects and engineers; our hidden talents were revealed. The synergy we felt as a team was remarkable.
The unprecedented success of the mosque instalment was a formative experience in our working partnership as a husband-and-wife team. We had built something of incredible value together.
When we returned to Saudi Arabia, I finished the finance degree I had eventually started in Canada, and we began looking for a new project. Revitalising Pattis France, a side venture of my family business became our next task. Due to a lack of attention and proper management, the restaurant was in serious decline. My family was simply going to close it before we stepped in to turn it around.
How were you able to transform Pattis France?
A number of staff resigned immediately after my husband and I took over operations in 2008. We were unfazed. A team is better off without members who choose to leave because they are uncomfortable with development.
Generating the growth, we intended for the bistro necessitated a complete re-branding, so we devised a plan and set it in motion. Our vision had clarity, and our approach was backed up by industry expertise. However, when we reopened the restaurant, the results were not what we expected. Previously, Pattis France was known for breakfast, but our re-branding strategy expanded the menu to lunch and dinner and upgraded the experience to put us into the fine dining category. Our clients were alienated, and the business suffered as a result. We were devastated.
However, we did not give up. We learned that plans must include the ability to adapt — dynamism is a prerequisite. No amount of prognostication will allow you to anticipate the future because things never go exactly to plan. Innate flexibility is the only way to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.
Pattis France required much in the way of adjustment before the concept became successful. We made significant changes, but our vision remained consistent — that’s another important factor. Now, our restaurant isn’t a fine dining establishment, but rather an intimate bistro. We listened to our customers and worked to fulfill our promise to them.
The Interior of PATTIS Khobar Corniche original branch
After that first venture, you expanded into other activities. What guided your decision-making process?
We only pursue opportunities that align with our core vision. Maintaining focus and clarity is integral to our sustained success. Our vision is simple: to become a GCC’s leader in the HORECA sector.
Through Pattis, we’ve accomplished much of what we set out to do in the food and beverage industry. Now, through replicating this successful strategy, we are expanding into hospitality. We plan to establish a hotel brand which will provide a singular experience; our goal is to completely transform the concept of hospitality and relate that to our clients. Our customers tell us our services are exciting and comforting at the same time. We’re exceptionally proud of this duality and are continuously looking for new ways to deliver an atmosphere that is both exceptional and familiar.
How has your success outside of your family business been received?
Vision 2030 heralds the beginning of a new and exciting period for the region. My family has approached me about joining the business, but I’m proud of what my husband and I have accomplished. Instead of working for the family business, AWN and Tamimi collaborate in ways that complement both our organisations. My family’s business works in close conjunction with the food and beverage side of our business through their supermarket — one of Saudi Arabia’s largest. Also, Tamimi owns a catering, operations and maintenance company called TAFGA, founded by my father, that caters to armed forces, hospitals, refineries and other remote institutions in the region.
The opportunity to work together is both an immense inspiration and a great honour. My father is family-oriented and brings that sensibility to the business, which is something I will always admire.
What would you share with other women who wish to work as entrepreneurs with their spouses?
In maintaining a healthy working relationship with my husband, role-clarity is imperative.
Hierarchy must be clearly defined — if an unanimous decision isn’t possible, who has the veto? A high-functioning partnership exemplifies understanding, trust, respect and most importantly, faith. You have to believe in the unique value your partner brings to the table. Seeing where your roles intersect and recognising how and when to help each other or defer is crucial.
I’ll add that a good husband doesn’t necessarily make a suitable business partner. Test your partnership in a small way to ascertain its practicability, regardless of how well you know each other before investing in a project that’s more than you can manage.
How do you build resilience and see your way past challenges on the way to success?
Problems are unavoidable. For example, our bakery had this issue that had gone unresolved for over a year. I own a restaurant, but I’m not a baker or a chef by any means. I involved my team to observe the situation, however, and we discussed what we saw at length. Through this process, the resolution became clear.
Hands-on management is essential. You don’t have to be an expert in a given subject to solve a problem, and sometimes, an outsider’s perspective is indispensable. This is how we build resilience — by working with our team through challenges in the field.
I’ll give you another example: we catered the 2018 Arab Summit function for 600 guests of the government. It was a high-profile event, and very much in the spotlight. We made our preparations, which included a list of employees who required security clearance.
However, we were thrown a curve ball. The government department overseeing the security cut our staff list in half — none of our managers were cleared. All we had were waiters and drivers. I was the only executive approved and running events of this kind isn’t my expertise. However, remaining flexible and stepping into the field as a manager was the only way forward.
It was a fantastic event; Pattis France received a lot of recognition because of how our team pulled together and made it happen. These kinds of challenges can seem insurmountable, but I was able to use the knowledge I have about my business in the field to find viable solutions. At AWN Enterprises, we know the value of cultivating a deep understanding through hands-on involvement. This kind of knowledge enables better problem-solving.
What did you take away from this experience?
I loved the energy we created. These experiences make you exceptionally proud of your team.
Seeing what people can accomplish regardless of their position and pushing them to succeed is fulfilling as an owner, and it’s something you won’t see unless you get out into the field.
Challenges bring out the best in people, and developing our people is something we are committed to.