Subway, the world’s largest restaurant chain in terms of number of locations, is proud to announce that it has named Hamed Al-Naqeeb of London as the recipient of the 2012 President’s Award.
Al-Naqeeb was presented the award by Subway President and cofounder Fred DeLuca at the recent 2012 Subway Convention in Orlando, Florida.
Originally from Kuwait, Al-Naqeeb comes from a family-business background in the manufacturing industry.
Eventually moving to the United Kingdom, his knack for entrepreneurism still held true and he joined the chain in 1996 as a franchisee, owning three restaurants in London, and later transitioned into the role of a development agent.
Chiefly responsible for building and managing a geographical territory for the restaurant chain, Subway development agents, known as DAs, provide local franchisees with the necessary support and expertise to help them launch and run a successful business.
Al-Naqeeb oversees and manages more than 200 stores in his territory, which stretches throughout the greater London area. Development plans for this region includes 25 restaurant openings in 2012, and 30–35 additional restaurants each year after.
As a Subway President’s Award recipient, Al-Naqeeb is honored for the implementation of his innovative programs in the United Kingdom that have further improved convenience, menu offerings, and customer service.
“Hamed is a gifted innovator and has worked closely with Subway headquarters to develop several important concepts to help improve the profitability of our 37,000 stores,” DeLuca says.
His innovation stemmed from the needs of the market, such as the growing Muslim population in Greater London, where dietary preferences call for a specified menu.
About 30 percent of Subway restaurants in Al-Naqeeb’s territory have Halal-certified menus to better serve the consumer group’s dietary restrictions.
With a city centered on technology, he also created the Subway Express Mobile App, allowing customers to place their order via an application on their smartphone. The app has been downloaded more than 25,000 times.
Several inquiries from major airlines prompted the Airline Sub Program in his territory, with 10 different Subway sandwiches offered for in-flight meals.
Additionally, he created a cookie program with the creation of cookies sold in packs, a sandwich platter program, a new contemporary décor in area restaurants, and a moveable Subway kiosk.
“I love new things, new challenges, and especially creative challenges,” Al-Naqeeb says. “That has translated into my team. We are always looking for ways to improve and we try to think outside of the box in developing new ideas and programs. It is gratifying to have the effort that has gone into the development of these programs recognized. I find that quite motivating. I am by nature a person that likes to innovate and I like to instill that in my team, as well.”
