Named as our CEO of the Year, Muhammad Asif is no stranger to success, and this accolade is but another example of the passion, dedication and integrity that Muhammad brings to his role as CEO of Main Course Associates. Today we find out what it is that makes Muhammad such an exceptional leader in hospitality, despite the difficulties the industry is currently facing.
Muhammad Asif is CEO of Main Course Associates, a specialist consultancy offering growth-focused business solutions to businesses across the hospitality landscape. After joining the firm in 2008, Muhammad became the company’s CEO in 2011 and has continued to drive MCA to success through its substantial client base with offices in the UK, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
The firm work with restaurants, chefs, restauranteurs and entrepreneurs to help them understand the world of business and offer financial reporting and accounting solutions, together with their expert consultancy services.
As CEO, Asif is dedicated to the hospitality industry and this is reflected by the company’s founding values of passion, honesty, hard work, integrity and value add. This cultural understanding is passed on to all MCA employees, and resonates and encourages them to be the best they can be. “Our staff are our most important asset; they are as dedicated to our success as I am”, Asif explains. MCA consider their employees as family and they celebrate special occasions together, enjoy activities outside of the office and consider each other as friends. This culture contributes greatly to the exceptional and socially conscious service that its clients receive, and actively drives the company’s growth and success. One of their recent success includes being awarded the accreditation for Investors in People.
Nothing is more important to Muhammad than ensuring he has the right people in his team, so rather than merely focusing on a candidate’s qualifications, he focuses more on attitude and aptitude and what unique qualities they can bring to MCA. After the initial, hiring staff receive constant re-evaluation of their skills which allows growth, progression and inevitably promotion within the company.
The majority of new clients come from referrals of existing clients and colleagues, and range from high profile entrepreneurs, businesses and owner managed operators. Through their bespoke and considerate approach, the company has a long history of repeat clients with a strong business relationship.
On their incredible journey, Muhammad and MCA have faced several challenges. As the company grew from its success Muhammad has had to adapt and loosen the reigns and allow his team to take on more decision making. With the company expanding into Europe they have also had to ensure that the culture they have worked hard to adopt has been maintained throughout its offices. The company has faced uncertainty over recent months as the coronavirus pandemic caused many hospitality businesses to close their doors. MCA is very proud to say that one hundred per cent of their existing clients have coped very well in 2020 and this is mainly due to the expertise and solutions MCA had helped them to put in place.
Looking ahead Muhammad will continue to focus on the growth of MCA with the ambition of opening further offices in the UK and multiple cities across the globe. He is looking to introduce more technology into the business which will reduce the time spent on admin and allow them to focus more on what they do best; providing exceptional service to its existing and future clients.
Muhammad is a true example of what it takes to be a successful CEO and 2021 is set to be an amazing year for him and his team. Through his tailored client approach and mix of talented and ambitious employees, Muhammad Asif will continue to be a pioneer across the hospitality landscape well into the future.
