This year marks 15 years since Saskatchewan Polytechnic awarded its first honorary
diploma. This annual tradition recognizes extraordinary individuals for their distinguished
achievements and for modelling the institution’s vision and values.
The recipient of the Regina campus honorary diploma is Murad Al-Katib, president, CEO and board member of AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. An international agri-food commodity trading strategic business and financial thinker, Murad founded AGT Foods in 2001, building a Canadian start-up into a global billion dollar value-added pulses, staple foods and ingredients company.
Murad also serves as a director of Arctic Gateway Group. Murad serves as chair of the Government of Canada National Agri-Food Strategy Roundtable, is on the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada board, and as the Economic Development Regina board chair. Past boards include the CSCA, Pulse Canada, and a number of Canadian government advisory boards and panels.
Murad has been a passionate advocate of entrepreneurs, championing compassionate entrepreneurism, and working to expand female, youth and Indigenous participation in business start-ups, advocating the role of entrepreneurs in driving social change and innovation in the new global economy.
Murad’s awards include the 2017 Saskatchewan Order of Merit, a University of Regina honorary degree, the 2017 “Oslo Business for Peace” Honouree, 2017 EY “World Entrepreneur of the Year”, 2016 UN Association of Canada “Global Citizen Laureate”, PROFITGuide Magazine’s “30 Most Fabulous Entrepreneurs of the Past 30 Years” list, Globe & Mail “Canada’s Top 40 under 40”, and the Western Producer “44 Innovators Who Shaped Prairie Agriculture”.
Congratulations on your honorary diploma Murad!
Since the first honorary diploma was awarded in 2003, Sask Polytech has been recognizing extraordinary individuals who model the institution's vision and values. The contributions made by the members of this elite group help cultivate an educational environment focused on applied learning and innovative research.
View past recipients online.
Published June 2019.