Mona Bavar: From Iran to California With a Layover in Milan

THE LOS ANGELES CHAPTER OF THE BOCCONI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION (BAA) HAS A NEW LEADER: THE CEO OF MAIN CELLAR DOOR CONSULTING.

After working in finance, Mona Bavar founded her consulting company specializing in Food & Beverage. Born in Iran, but Southern Californian since the age of seven, she majored in International Business the US before flying to Milan to pursue her MBA at SDA Bocconi School of Management.
 
Why this choice?
During college I was an exchange student in Turin and I found out I loved Italy. When the time came to choose where to do my MBA, I preferred SDA Bocconi over INSEAD and the London Business School.
 
Before studying for your MBA before you worked in financial consulting, and during your MBA you did job experience in China, one of the hubs of global finance: how did you end up being an entrepreneur?
After graduating from SDA Bocconi, I realized that I wanted to change my life and start my own business. In 2006 I founded the Cellar Door Consulting, a business based on my passion for Italian food and wine, and I went back to Milan to throw myself in the Food & Beverage industry.
 
What was your goal?
At first, my objective was to export Italian food products to Southern California, China, and Dubai. Now, I mostly do consulting for companies operating in the industry. Lately we have been developing business activities in my country of origin, Iran.

How's the Food & Beverage market in Iran?
Complex and more difficult than others. In other countries, the market is fundamentally saturated. Iran still offers many opportunities, although they are not easy to grasp because of the bureaucracy and a clear desire to maintain production on site. Therefore they develop partnerships with foreign companies, but they do not import products. In addition, marketing is still immature. An example? Despite our suggestions, a pistachio company refuses to change it packaging to make it more suitable for the global market.
 
In addition to your professional activity, you now head the Los Angeles BAA Chapter. Why did you choose to do it?
When I learned that there was an opportunity to lead the local alumni group I seized it immediately. It is important to develop the network here in LA area, where there are about 400 alumni and where the Bocconi brand has recognition. There are great possibilities, and we already have a program of meetings with several guest speakers for this fall.


 

by Andrea Celauro
Translated by Alex Foti