WeAreQvest: Toufic Fakih

With more than a dozen years of experience at Qvest, Toufic Fakih is our Senior Sales and Operations Manager in MENA, leading strategic business development and operational initiatives across the region.

In this interview, Toufic shares what has kept him motivated throughout his Qvest journey, why trust and ownership are at the heart of successful teams and customer relationships, and how he sees technologies like cloud, IP, and AI shaping the future of the industry.

Q: Hello Toufic, please introduce yourself.

Hello. I’ve been with Qvest since 2013 and currently serve as a Senior Sales and Operations Manager in the Middle East. I’m based in Dubai and my responsibility extends across MENA.

My background is in telecommunications engineering and over the years my focus has shifted from technical and product-driven sales towards taking senior leadership roles on successive projects to build and grow new business. 

Q: What keeps you motivated day to day?

What stood out early on for me at Qvest - and still holds true today - is the culture of trust and responsibility you are given here. Qvest values its people.

There has always been an expectation to take ownership of a project rather than simply turn up and execute. I took advantage of that opportunity to combine sales with operational oversight and as the company has expanded over the years, so too has my role. 

In my case, I moved from product sales into managing strategic accounts and leading complex bids. I now structure new customer engagements from the ground up.  It’s a privilege to work with teams of fantastic people here every day, and to continuously improve how we approach both our customers and our business. 

Q: How would you define good customer service?

For me, good customer service is all about being consistent and reliable all the time, not just occasionally. It’s also about being clear and accountable, especially when things don’t go exactly as planned. This breeds trust and trust breeds success for everyone.

If I could share something that I’ve learned, it’s that trust is not built when everything is running smoothly. It is earned when there are problems and unexpected roadblocks. In those situations, how you respond, how honest you are, and how you take ownership in those moments is what defines long-term relationships in this business. 

Q: The pace of technology change is so fast, does it ever seem impossible to keep in touch with latest developments?

You are right, the pace of change can seem overwhelming at times. I’m not sure any one person can realistically stay on top of every aspect of it. And nor should they. This is where delegation comes in. I believe it is my responsibility to be aware of trends and challenges with any technology whether that’s IP or cloud computing or AI and certainly to listen to what customers need. However, to achieve the best outcomes for each project I will enlist experts and specialists in our team.

Q: I understand. So, what are the attributes you look for in a team?

Teamwork is really important and every project will be composed differently depending on the scale and what is required. It’s a ‘best of all talents’ team if you like. Since I sit across both commercial and operational sides of the business, one of the most satisfying parts of my job is to help to put together that team.  

What I most desire in a colleague is trust. I need to be able to rely on them to understand their role and to communicate effectively with the rest of the team and the customer, as appropriate. Without trust, we cannot build a team and we cannot deliver for the customer. But with it, even the most complex of briefs can be managed with confidence.

If our internal team operates with trust, this naturally reflects well in how we engage with customers.

Q: What one piece of advice would you share with a new Sales Manager?

I’d say listen to your customer and focus on clarity and discipline. If you thoroughly understand the customer's background and objectives then you can align their expectations internally right from the get-go. Strong sales is not just about closing deals, it’s about setting them up to succeed.

Q: Is there a highlight of your career you could point to?

It’s a cliché but I will always say ‘the most recent one’. It’s difficult to pick out a single project over the last 13 years, because one of the principles we follow at Qvest is to treat every account with the same level of quality and attention. Many of these have been rewarding in their own way. 

Whether it’s a small scale installation, an enterprise transformation program or a multi-vendor, multi-site multi-year consultancy, we approach them with the same respect for the costumer’s requirements. That consistency is what leaves a lasting impression and is honestly the only way to deliver and measure success.

Q: What’s one thing we should know about you?

I’m fortunate to be fluent in Arabic, English and French.

What is your long term goal at Qvest?

Internally, my focus is on strengthening how we connect sales strategy with operational execution. That means improving pipeline quality, maintaining strong forecasting discipline, and further developing long-term relationships in the region. 

At the same time, I want to stay ahead of technologies like AI and software defined workflows since these are reshaping how our customers operate. Our role is to translate customer ideas into practical, value-driven solutions that maximize the best technology available.

The Middle East is an exciting and truly innovative market. The merger of business ambition with creative technology is unparalleled in this region so I can’t wait to see what emerges next.