Building a 25-Year Business Empire in Dubai: Resilience, Reinvention & Global Expansion | Ep 169

Guest: Dr Sassan Dieter Khatib-Shahidi, EO Dubai Member since 2015, CEO and Founder of German Imaging Technologies Dubai LLC Host: Linh Podetti, EO Sydney Member since 2022 and Owner of Outsourcing Angel In this powerful episode, we sit down with Dr. Sassan, Founder & CEO of German Imaging Technologies (GIT), to uncover a raw and inspiring 25-year entrepreneurial journey across the Middle East, Africa, and now Europe. From losing millions in his first year, to facing jail-level business laws, to surviving multiple 7-year global and regional crises. Dr. Sassan shares how he rebuilt, reinvented, and expanded into a multinational operation managing 4,000+ printers across the UAE, Kenya, and Germany. He opens up about: - Leaving a successful career in law for entrepreneurship - Nearly losing the company in its first year - The power of mindset, resilience, and intuition - Scaling across continents and launching in 50+ markets - Burnout, personal lessons, and rebuilding life as a father - Why Dubai is a magnet for high-impact entrepreneurs - The role of EO in transformation and leadership If you're an entrepreneur, this episode will shift your perspective on growth, crisis, and purpose. ABOUT DR. SASSAN Dr. Sassan is the Founder & CEO of German Imaging Technologies (GIT), one of the leading managed print solutions companies in the Middle East and Africa. Over 25+ years, he has built a multinational operation trusted by corporates and mission-critical sectors such as government, healthcare, logistics, hospitality, and education. GIT manages over 4,000 printers across the UAE, Kenya, and Germany and is rapidly expanding into Europe through its Frankfurt office. With a strong focus on sustainability, GIT plants twice the amount of trees for every page printed. Beyond business, Dr. Sasan is passionate about governance, high-impact entrepreneurship, ESG, and economic development in emerging markets. He serves on the Regional Council of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), has held multiple leadership roles, and is a Patron of Youths For Green Action Kenya. He is an Endeavor Entrepreneur and holds a PhD in International Commercial Law. His recognitions include the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award and MEED Business Leader of the Year. CONNECT WITH DR. SASSAN: Website: www.gitmea.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sassan-dieter-khatib-shahidi-b3a5aa/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gitdubai/ -------------------- ABOUT EO Entrepreneur's Organization (EO) is a global business network of 18,000 + influential business owners in over 220 chapters across 76 countries. We offer world-class events that encompass engaging entrepreneur and business stories, skills-specific workshops, and exciting social gatherings. Our mission is to drive both business and personal growth through peer-to-peer learning, providing support for the holistic entrepreneur experience covering business, family, community, and personal aspects. As a not-for-profit organization, all our funds directly contribute to member benefits. If you're a business owner with revenues ranging from US$250k to US$1m, you can join our Accelerator Program. If your revenues exceed US$1m, you can join the main EO Program in your nearest local chapter. To join or find out more about your nearest chapter, visit https://www.eonetwork.org/why-join/apply-for-membership-form. For further information, please contact: Podcast Host Linh Podetti: linh@outsourcingangel.com.au General Inquiries: support@eonetwork.org.au EO Sydney: www.eosydney.com.au EO Global: https://hub.eonetwork.org/ EO Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@EntrepreneursOrganization -------------------- ABOUT THE HOST Linh Podetti is the CEO and Founder of Outsourcing Angel, a Sydney-based company that helps to create jobs for people in the Philippines while creating freedom for business owners around the world. Outsourcing Angel provides Systemise & Scale Up Services as well as Recruitment of Virtual Assistants to help business owners grow a business that doesn't rely on them. Linh has been an active member of EO Sydney since June 2022, and she actively seeks out opportunities to promote and uplift fellow entrepreneurs. Business Website: www.outsourcingangel.com Personal Website: https://www.linhpodetti.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@360degreesuccesslife Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linhpodetti/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linh.podetti/