El Moctar Khattary, an entrepreneur, chose the Business & Technology MBA offered by Arts et Métiers ESSCA.
The Business & Technology MBA was launched by Arts et Métiers ESSCA in September 2024. The goal is to train leaders committed to technological and environmental transformation.
This part-time MBA combines online courses with in-person modules.
This format offers participants a great deal of flexibility, allowing them to strike a balance between their professional and personal lives.
El Moctar Khattary is an entrepreneur and business leader based in Mauritania, active in several strategic sectors, including agriculture (greenhouses, forage production, sweet potatoes), logistics and import-export, as well as the development of industrial projects requiring technical solutions tailored to the local Mauritanian context.
He has led and co-founded several organizations, including EMISEC (representation and consulting services for the integration of international partners), Supply Connect (import and supply chain support), and TAP Export (agro-industrial development).
What motivated you to enroll in the Business & Technology MBA program?
My primary motivation was the Business & Technology track. Before starting the MBA program, I was already deeply involved in the field, with extensive experience in the fishing industry. My background is very hands-on: international negotiations, industrial project management, operational restructuring, legal structuring of partnerships, and the implementation of technological solutions (agricultural tools, management tools, and training-focused systems).
In the fishing industry, one of the main obstacles I observed was the lack of technologies to streamline processes and improve their reliability. I therefore became convinced that Mauritania can only accelerate its development by combining industry, digitalization, and sustainability.
In my research, this MBA was one of the few programs that truly aligned with this vision.
The complementary nature Arts et Métiers ESSCA was also a decisive factor. This combination of industrial rigor and engineering on the one hand, and a business and strategic approach on the other, is rare and particularly appealing. I was already managing complex projects, but I wanted to strengthen my analytical skills in key areas such as business model innovation, risk management, finance, sustainability, and digital transformation. I wasn’t just looking for a degree, but for a real lever to structure and enhance my experience.
What did you like about this training?
I particularly appreciated the practical approach, the real-world case studies, the constant emphasis on the link between technology and value creation, and the cross-cutting integration of sustainability issues. The MBA program allowed me to immediately apply these concepts to my own projects, particularly in smart agriculture, digital logistics, and the structuring of industrial facilities.
Although this is an online MBA with a strong theoretical foundation, its highly practical focus and the opportunity to work on personal projects make it a real asset for those who wish to develop concrete, high-impact projects.
What conclusions do you draw from these 18 months of training?
The MBA has given me a systemic perspective. Today, I no longer approach a project solely from an operational standpoint, but also through the lens of the business model, value creation, risk analysis, environmental impact, and scalability—that is, a company’s ability to rapidly increase its business volume without costs rising at the same rate.
But the most important thing I’ve realized is that to succeed in any project, you first need to know who the client is. This approach allows me to design projects that are more robust, credible, and sustainable.
What are your current career plans?
My current projects focus on building competitive, technologically advanced, and sustainable African industrial models: the development of an integrated agro-industrial business model in Mauritania, based on collaboration between public, private, and social sector stakeholders; the digitization of agricultural activities (IoT, traceability, value creation); the establishment of international partnerships to structure sustainable industrial projects in West Africa.
