Webster's dictionary defines quality as "a degree or grade of excellence or worth". For the best companies in today's global business environment, the term means much, much more. Ahmed Nasser Al Rayes, President and Managing Director, Al Rayes Group sees quality as the cornerstone of his enterprise, and the ability to enhance it as the defining principle of profitability.

Ahmed Al Rayes graduated from the University of Salford, Manchester, with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration in 1980. Soon after, he returned to Qatar and joined the family business which was established by his grandfather 75 years ago. They had their first shop on Hamad Street (Grand Hamad Avenue) and his father was the first businessman in Qatar to import spare parts for cars. When Ahmed joined his father in 1980 they had a shop in Souq Faleh which sold electronic goods like air-conditioners, refrigerators, Watches, Televisions, washing machines etc. Ahmed helped expand the business with another shop in Souq Aseri and it was all systems go from there.

Ahmed Al Rayes is the only Qatari to be awarded honourary US citizenship. The Virginia Business Club bestowed this honour on him in 1993. Ahmed is a member of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry and represents Qatar with many foreign delegations, the recent one being to Taiwan. He also attends 80% of the exhibitions round the world in Europe, Asia and America connected to his business. This leaves him very little time for breaks, so he usually combines the two. "If, for instance, I'm in Las Vegas for the laundry exhibition for a week, I take another week off." It also means he rarely goes on holidays with his family, so the time he spends with them is very precious. He is proud of all his children and jokes about his 18-year old son Badar Al Rayes who is currently on a sabbatical, filming a video clip in Dubai. ''I foot the bill,'' he smiles though it is pretty obvious that he is proud of his singer son who has already shot clips in Turkey and Dubai and is a budding singer in the region. His older sons do pass by the office & specially when I'm not in town, and he says they are still too young to join the business. He would however, like to do what his father did. ''My father's policy was simple. We are five brothers and are all in business, but he told us to go our separate ways and not be partners. We do support each other though, and we have never had problems with each other.''

Ahmed has one weakness - his antique collection. These include a 100-year old carpet that belonged to the King of Hyderabad and many such collectables. While he does visit auctions and buy from collectors, he admits he isn't able to spend as much time on his collection as he would like. He is very content with life though and considers himself very blessed. His dream, he says, is to some day be able to build affordable apartments for those in the low income bracket.

The group has been making outstanding progress in a business where customer is king. Armed with the strength of the Al Rayes Brand and the value it can bring to its customers, Ahmed Al Rayes is geared to take the group further in a country that is racing ahead in the global arena.