Alqassab earned a BA in Economics from the American University of Beirut (AUB) in 1973, followed by an MA in Economics from the University of Oregon, USA, in 1975.

With a professional career spanning 40 years, he has gained experience in various fields including oil, finance, banking, academic teaching, business consulting, and commercial company management.

His work has taken him to several countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, UAE (Abu Dhabi), Malaysia, Singapore, and Egypt. In Malaysia, he held the position of Managing Director at a Malaysian-Kuwaiti investment company. In Egypt, he established two food processing companies and managed one of them for a period of 15 years.

Having witnessed the social and economic transformation of the Gulf region due to oil wealth, Alqassab expresses concern about the uncertain future of Gulf societies in the post-oil era.