Dubai · Canada · 2025

Mahmod
Hammouda

IB student. Competitive chess player. Engineer-in-training. Building the foundation for something that matters — one deliberate move at a time.

IB
HL Math · Physics · Business
3
Languages spoken
10+
Years competitive chess
70kg
From 60kg — 12 months

"Engineering or finance are the entry points.
Entrepreneurship and ownership are always the destination."

01

Who I Am

I grew up in Mississauga, Ontario — shaped by Arabic heritage, educated in English, and driven enough to develop French as a third language. At 16, my family relocated to Dubai. No social safety net. No labels. Just an opportunity to figure out who I actually was.

That move was the most formative thing that's happened to me. Stripped of comfort and familiarity, I discovered my real strengths, confronted my actual weaknesses, and began living with genuine intention. Everything since has been built on that foundation.

I think in systems and phases. I play long games. I read across finance, philosophy, strategy, and history — not because I was assigned to, but because I genuinely cannot stop. I'm a chess player, an athlete, and a builder-in-waiting.

LocationDubai, UAE
EducationIB Diploma, Grade 11–12
Applying toUofT · Waterloo · McGill · UBC
Intended pathEngineering or Finance
Dream companySpaceX
Long-term goalBuild something that matters
AwardsHonor Roll · Math · Islamic Studies
02

Where I Operate

Strategy
Chess & Systems Thinking

Competitive player for over a decade. Studied openings, middlegame, and endgame with structure. Chess isn't a hobby — it's the clearest window into how I think: patiently, several moves ahead, always playing for position.

Engineering & Space
Technical Ambition

HL Mathematics and Physics in the IB. Fascinated by space exploration as the ultimate frontier of human problem-solving — where stakes are absolute, variables immense, and solutions must push beyond what currently exists.

Capital & Ownership
Finance & Building

Deep self-directed study in financial thinking — assets, liabilities, capital allocation. The goal has never been a salary. It's been financial independence, then the freedom to build something real on my own terms.

Mind & Body
Disciplined Development

From 60 to 70kg of lean mass in 12 months. Bench press from 145 to 200lbs. These aren't casual numbers — they're proof of what systematic programming and refusal to plateau actually look like over time.

Philosophy & Books
Self-Directed Learning

Rich Dad Poor Dad. Atomic Habits. Sapiens. The 48 Laws of Power — which I analyzed in a 22-page personal breakdown on my own initiative. I read to stress-test ideas, not to collect them.

Faith & Purpose
Grounded Identity

My religious conviction isn't decorative. It gives me a level of purpose and groundedness that doesn't waver under pressure. It is the reason I play the long game and the reason I don't confuse motion with progress.

03

Thinking Out Loud

Essays, breakdowns, and frameworks — published as I think them through. Not polished content. Actual thinking.

Coming soonThe 48 Laws — A Strategic Reread for the Modern BuilderStrategy
Coming soonWhat Chess Taught Me About Making Decisions Under PressureChess
Coming soonWhy I'm Choosing Engineering Before Finance (And How They Connect)Career
Coming soonMoving to Dubai at 16: What Losing Everything Taught Me About IdentityPersonal
Coming soonSpaceX as a Framework: How to Think About Ambition at ScaleVision

Let's
Connect

I'm always open to conversations with people who think seriously about building, engineering, finance, or anything in between. If you're a mentor, founder, or someone doing interesting work — reach out.