Four generations of business. One working life.
Shafaat R. Hashmi is a serial entrepreneur, investor and board advisor. He chairs Stalliongates Capital and BrandBeat Global Group, and founded Mawin Venture Park in Bahrain.
Named for a pilgrimage.
He was named Shafaat Rasool after his grandfather's pilgrimage to Medina. His family descends from the Hashemite line and has been in business for more than a hundred years. They are custodians of their ancestral relics, publications and spiritual order.
That inheritance shapes how he works: long horizons, personal trust, and a belief that business should serve the people around it.
“You're sent to this world to join hearts and never to break them.”
His father, when asked about the purpose of life
From his father's desk to the boardroom.
Inside the family business
Sat in on his father's meetings with bankers, lawyers, suppliers and customers from the age of six. Filled in bank deposit slips by grade four. Learned that businesses are run by people, not spreadsheets.
A first venture
Rented a basement in Lahore, brought chairs from home and partnered with a group of tutors on a revenue share. The centre was profitable in its second month. He sold it two years later, to the same teachers, at a 2.5x multiple.
Scaling the family's manufacturing company
Helped grow Pakistan ALCO in aluminium manufacturing and import. Introduced new materials from Korea to the local construction market and built a commission-only sales team. He learned that systems scale and personalities do not.
Dubai
Moved to Dubai for a senior brand marketing role. From the inside he saw the gap: agencies that were creative but commercially shallow, and consultants who advised but never executed.
BrandBeat Global Group
Founded a firm that puts strategy, brand, technology and execution under one roof. It now works across fourteen markets.
Stalliongates
Founded the investment firm, focused on real estate, healthcare, education and early-stage technology. Its model pairs capital with hands-on support from the BrandBeat group.
Government and family office advisory
Began formal advisory work with ministries, regulators, family offices and corporates across the GCC on ecosystem development, regulation and foreign investment.
Mawin Venture Park
Launched a venture-building programme in Bahrain, built with government and investor partners, to help founders build and scale from the Kingdom. About Mawin
Every business he backs has to stand on three legs: investment, brand and technology. Take one away and the table wobbles.
He tests founders on three things before he commits: integrity, a real competitive edge and the discipline of their process. He does not treat fundraising as success. Profit is the measure. If a business cannot be profitable within three to four years, he does not consider it investable.
On leadership he is just as plain. Delegation without training fails. The job is to build people who can carry the load, then trust them to carry it.
MBA, Marketing — Lahore School of Economics
Where his time goes now.
Board seats, advisory mandates and a small amount of mentorship.
Board & Advisory