Talabat Holding has appointed Toon Gyssels as its new Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Tomaso Rodriguez, who will step down after six years in the role, the company said on Wednesday.
Gyssels, who previously served as Talabat’s Chief Operating Officer and later as Interim CEO, will formally assume the top job on 21 November 2025, the on-demand delivery platform said in a statement.
The leadership change is part of a planned transition aimed at driving the next phase of growth and innovation in the region’s fast-evolving delivery sector, the company said. Rodriguez will remain on Talabat’s board as a non-executive member, focusing on strategy and key stakeholder engagement.
“Tomaso has done a great job during six impactful years as CEO and I am delighted that he is remaining on the board to help shape Talabat’s strategy going forward,” said Pieter-Jan Vandepitte, Chairperson of Talabat’s board. “With Toon’s outstanding entrepreneurial experience and proven track record in the platform delivery technology sector, we are confident he will drive Talabat’s next chapter of innovation and growth.”
Gyssels spent four years at Talabat before leaving to join Kitopi, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and later CEO of its On Demand unit. Earlier in his career, he worked at McKinsey & Company and has led growth and transformation initiatives at several tech scale-ups across the Middle East and North Africa.
“Talabat has achieved a great deal in recent years, and I’m excited to rejoin at such a pivotal point in its journey,” Gyssels said. “My focus will be on accelerating innovation and ensuring we are well positioned to capture the opportunities ahead in one of the most dynamic markets in the world.”
Founded in Kuwait in 2004, Talabat operates across eight countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar, and serves more than 6.5 million active customers. The Dubai-based company listed on the Dubai Financial Market in December 2024 and is a subsidiary of Germany’s Delivery Hero SE.
Follow us on
