Even before the fall of Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, Mondher Ben Ayed, president and CEO of the Tunis-based technology firm TMI, left the United States to return to his native country.
He did not see the risk in such a move. Instead he joined the fledgling TMI, which then had six workers and US$500,000 in turnover. Ben Ayed gradually acquired and expanded TMI to its current 70 employees and US$20 million turnover. In addition, he also created two other successful engineering companies.
Now that the revolution has brought change to Tunisia and elsewhere in the region, Ben Ayed is allowing himself to be hopeful for more equitable growth and better governance. More importantly, he says, the Arab Spring will spark regional innovation.
“These revolutions will unleash the potential of all the young women and men in this region, and they will show their capacity to produce and innovate, and not just rely on natural resources,” he says.
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