Maher Ezzedine, CEO of Ideanco

What did you study at Harvard?

Leadership and Strategic Management at HBS

Were you involved with any food or wine activities while a student?

Ideanco, the company that I run on a global level, is engaged in one of the most sustainable and organic vineyards in the Mediterranean Sea.

Château Trois Collines is one of the most sustainable vineyards and wineries in the region, organically grown with ultimate care and well-integrated with artificial intelligence for precision agriculture. In response to climate change, Ideanco and Château Trois Collines have taken the short term and long term implementation adaptation strategies. Starting from site selection, grape varieties, pruning techniques, soil, and harvesting management to winemaking techniques, Trois Collines is building a premium sustainable wine history with a great climate story to tell.

Our team takes climate change and sustainability very seriously, hence the premium and most sustainable organic wine proudly produced at the most sustainable estate of both vineyard and winery.

Do you think that Harvard has prepared you for a career in food and wine or hospitality in general? If so, how? 

Harvard played a crucial role in developing me as a leader and strategic thinker in many verticals such as Aerospace, Climate Change, including F&B. Being an advocate of innovation and transformation with a solid vision on the reinvention of traditional sectors and innovation within the knowledge-based economy, Harvard provided me a tremendous positive impact and not just in my life, but the experience of all stakeholders who I work closely with. 

What work do you do now?

I’m CEO of Ideanco, an idea innovator company with offices in New York, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Beirut, Paris, London, and Calgary including representative offices in over 40 cities. 

Ideanco is a disruptive idea innovator, a pioneer of the crowdsourcing innovative business model since 1999. With over 48,000 talent from all over the world, Ideanco has been focusing on providing strategy advisory, innovation lab and transformative academy targeting private, public sectors including innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups with a particular highlight on climate change, aerospace, defense, security education, agriculture, and energy. Visit www.ideanco.com to learn more.

I’m also the Chairman of Harvard University Aerospace Alumni Organization, a global association focusing on Aerospace (aviation and space exploration).