Mehdi Benali
Switzerland Chairman
I am a musician ;a philoneist;a doctor of industrial engineering
Your professional career in brief?
I studied robotics and cybernetics engineering at the Algiers Polytechnic, then went on to do a postgraduate diploma (DEA) in automatic systems at INSA Toulouse, before doing a PhD in industrial engineering at the Saint-Etienne Ecole des Mines.
What inspires you in life?
Novelty. I need something new every day…
How many years in NAV?
A little more than 10 years now.
How many windows do you think there are in New York?
Just one, the one that opens out onto the world.
Why work at DBE?
It’s got that innovative spirit that gives me a real boost. What’s more, I’ve been able to bring along people I like, which makes the work a real pleasure.
Tell us an open secret:
I collect string instruments, guitars, violins and ouds. I sometimes play them in public, in the middle of town.
Three things you'd take to a desert island?
A guitar, a seawater desalinator and as I’m an engineer I’ll invent a machine that makes food.
What does DBE mean to you?
It’s a life project. The project of a lifetime!
