Refaat Sahbi

As Senior Business Development Consultant at Focus Business Class, I combine international development expertise, IDEO-certified Design Thinking, and Blue Ocean Strategy to guide organizations through strategic growth and transformation.

CORE IMPACT:

• Strategic advisory for clients across pharmaceutical, professional services, and education sectors

• Identification and operationalization of high-impact strategic growth opportunities

• Design and facilitation of innovation workshops using Design Thinking methodology

• Development of Blue Ocean strategies to create uncontested market spaces

• Executive training on strategic planning, project management, and organizational transformation

METHODOLOGY APPLIED:

Leverage the BRIDGE Framework™ to help organizations achieve measurable results: market expansion, operational efficiency gains, and sustainable competitive advantages.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Guided 3 organizations through successful strategic transformations

• Facilitated 10+ executive workshops on innovation and strategic planning

• Achieved 90%+ client satisfaction through data-driven, human-centered approaches

• Delivered measurable ROI: average 25-40% improvement in strategic initiatives

APPROACH:

Combine rigor of international development best practices (World Bank, EU standards) with agility of Design Thinking to create actionable strategies that drive tangible business results.

Project Manager and Business Development for Continuing Education at Université de Montréal, specializing in strategic corporate partnerships.

STRATEGIC BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT:

• Identification and development of new market opportunities for executive training programs

• Lead generation and conversion of prospects into corporate clients (Fortune 500, SMEs, public organizations)

• Market analysis and tailored value propositions for sector-specific needs

• Portfolio growth: +35% annual revenue increase over 3 years

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT:

• Strategic account management with C-level decision makers (VPs, HR Directors, Training Directors)

• Consultative approach to understand organizational needs and propose customized solutions

• Multi-department training coordination for 50-200 participants

• Client retention: 88% (vs 65% industry average)

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & EXECUTION:

• Planning and delivery of complex corporate training programs ($50K-$500K budgets)

• Multi-stakeholder coordination: professors, experts, clients, administrative teams

• Simultaneous management of 8-12 parallel projects

• Performance: 95% projects delivered on time and within budget

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Developed 25+ corporate partnerships (pharmaceutical, tech, finance, professional services)

• Launched 3 executive programs generating $1.2M cumulative revenue

• Increased sales pipeline by 40% through optimized prospecting strategies

• Secured contracts with international organizations (UN agencies, World Bank, multinationals)

APPROACH:

Combining university academic rigor with corporate agility and results-orientation to deliver high-impact training solutions that drive measurable organizational improvements.

• Business Development & Sales Management : Développement et mise en œuvre de stratégies de business development pour maximiser la part de marché sur un territoire à fort potentiel, identification de nouvelles opportunités commerciales et développement de comptes clés

• Market Analysis Analyse approfondie du marché local, veille concurrentielle et identification d'opportunités de croissance basées sur les données de marché