The Disruptor Series: Naveed CADER

“The Disruptor Series” profiles businesspeople and entrepreneurs making waves in their industries; redefining their businesses, spearheading innovation, tackling unprecedented change and disrupting the status quo. In our kick off interview, Naveed Cader, of Chairman of Scope Cinemas and Co-Founder & Deputy Chairman of Food Studio talks about his journey, shares key elements of running a successful business and highlights the importance of pursuing ventures you are passionate about.

Naveed Cader had just completed his BSc in Economics and Management at the University of Essex, when coincidentally, Sri Lanka had just ended the three decade long civil war the same year. Excited and feeling very patriotic, Cader decided to come back to the country. “Joining the family business was always a part of what I wanted to do, because I felt like we had a lot more to offer. Especially with the cinemas, because we were fortunate enough to have at least that infrastructure in place, but I felt like we were not utilising it properly. So I was very determined to come back and work with the seniors and try and change it, which I’m happy I did. I had offers to work in the UK and work for another company, but at the end of the day, it’s nothing like coming back to your country and doing your own thing. I had a chat with my parents once I got here and my dad said, ‘you’re not joining the family business. You need to go elsewhere, you need to learn skills that we don’t have’”.

Cader is the third generation of a business founded by his grandfather, ex Mayor of Colombo Jabir Cader. “He was one of the pioneers of the cinema industry” Cader shares. “I think that’s where he really started his roots before he went into politics. He started his first cinema which was the Central Olympia, which became the New Olympia, then the Central and he slowly started his journey with the Liberty. Following the launch of Liberty cinema, he signed on with Paramount Pictures, becoming the sole distributor for the country. He soon added Universal Pictures to the list. “Subsequently, he followed up and opened the hotel. It was a Holiday Inn at the time.”

Jabir Cader’s three children eventually took on the reins of the business, and Cader credits their unwavering support, not discounting the opportunities and doors that were opened for him and his cousins because of their parents’ hard work. “For them it was a much harder environment with the war and things like that, so my cousins and I are very thankful that they kept things going for us. 

Being a family run business, I wouldn’t say it was as well structured. But I think it was pure passion and heart that kept things going for all of us. As we were the third generation, I think we were more fortunate thanks to the second generation’s sacrifice. We were sent abroad to be educated, which gave us a lot of exposure and gave us the opportunity to see the world as a different place, as opposed to being stuck in Sri Lanka alone, specifically during 30 years of a civil war”.

Cader began his education at Royal College and was very involved in sports; he was a swimmer, and also played squash for school. “I’m very passionate about my sports. That was where I developed a lot of teamwork and skill. Following that, I went to Stafford international for my OLs for two years. 

It was a different experience because going from Royal to Stafford was a complete transformation of culture, but I met a lot of really cool people and made very good friends. Because I swam, I was given a place at Asian International as that was a swimmers’ heaven, at the time, and I finished my A levels there.”

Because of his father’s wishes that he “go through the mill”, Cader joined Aitken Spence and then worked at a hotel. “I made a different set of connections with people, and all in all, it was a holistic experience. After about four and a half to five years, I came back and sat at the table with my dad again”. Cader finally joined Ramada. “It was good, but for me personally, it got a bit too crowded because all of us were focusing on one thing”.

Cader then decided he’d focus on pursuing ventures he was passionate about. “Cinema was something that I naturally loved and it’s something my grandfather also started his career with. Back when I was in Uni, it was a habit where every Saturday I would go to a theatre there, just to experience buying popcorn, ordering good food, good service, clean seats, a good screen and sound, which I felt we lacked here. I was fortunate enough because we have given the Liberty on lease to EAP films and the lease was coming to an end. And then I told my  dad that I think it was time that we got back into the cinema.”

Cinema was something that I naturally loved and it’s something my grandfather also started his career with. Back when I was in Uni, it was a habit where every Saturday I would go to a theatre there, just to experience buying popcorn, ordering good food good service, clean seats, a good screen and sound, which I felt we lacked here.”

“He shot me down.  He said it wasn’t lucrative anymore. But I told him, you’ve been very supportive, give me a chance, because I think we can do something.  We can make a change here because there are a lot of gaps in the industry. I spoke to my uncle who was the most supportive one at the time. So I submitted a good proposal. Cader then called up an old friend who was in the theatre business and was also a movie buff, inviting him to come in as a partner for this project. “My friend just said, why not? and that’s how Scope Cinemas started”. Cader is grateful to Thushan Meemanage, CEO of Scope Cinemas for standing by his side through all the challenges they faced.
Having returned from England with fresh ideas to implement, Cader began to notice many gaps. As exciting as it was, it was also a huge challenge. “It was a big risk I was taking not just for me but on behalf of the family as well. It turned out well because we believed in a passion, we believed in the project. It was the best decision I made so far”.

Food Studio is also a venture resulting from one of his passions: food. Inspired by Singapore’s mall culture and food courts, and having noticed a definitive lack of a good food court operator in the country, Cader began talking to the contacts he’d made at malls in the country when he started Scope. “I’d been inquiring to try and bring down a franchise called Food Republic that’s all over Singapore. Got in touch with one of the Founders through a friend. I really needed to convince him, but he saw that there was a lot of passion, heart and potential, as well as benefits for the country. So he came to Sri Lanka and after visiting he said, ‘I feel like Sri Lanka today is Singapore 20 years ago. This place is going to erupt. So we will support you if your family can also come in’ and that’s how the Food Studio story started. It was a thought process." 

Food Studio is also a venture resulting from one of his passions: food. Inspired by Singapore’s mall culture and food courts Cader began talking to the contacts he’d made at malls.

Pic by Waruna 
Wanniarachchi