In a rapidly evolving global economy, where innovation and disruption are the driving forces behind success, Arabian Business proudly presents its 30 Under 40 List. This prestigious compilation honours the exceptional individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, entrepreneurial spirit, and forward-thinking strategies in shaping the business landscape.
The Arabian Business 30 Under 40 List showcases a diverse group of trailblazers from various industries, united by their unwavering commitment to excellence and their profound impact on their respective fields. These remarkable individuals embody the epitome of innovation, actively spearheading transformative initiatives that push boundaries and challenge the status quo.
From technology and finance to healthcare and sustainability, the honorees represent the vanguard of the business world, driving change and inspiring others to follow suit. Their achievements range from launching groundbreaking startups, implementing disruptive technologies, pioneering sustainable practices, and leveraging data-driven strategies to revolutionise traditional industries.
Beyond their impressive accomplishments, these young leaders also embody the qualities of resilience, determination, and adaptability, navigating through adversity and embracing new opportunities. They possess the ability to inspire and motivate, building bridges between generations and fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment.
Congratulations to all those listed here, we look forward to seeing what the talents of these extraordinary individuals bring to the region.
Name: Abdullah Faisal Al Othman
Designation: Founder and chairman
Company: Geidea
Industry: Financial technology
One of KSA’s youngest entrepreneurs, and the tech visionary behind Geidea, a leading and fully licensed payment service provider offering digital payments solutions, Al Othman steers the company’s vision of providing affordable, accessible, and customer-centric payment solutions for everyone.
He initiated his career in real estate in 2008, but driven by a passion for all things digital, Al Othman’s success in KSA’s real estate sector enabled him to invest in Geidea in 2011, a new fintech venture. He is also a member of the Business Entrepreneurs in the Chamber of Commerce, an institution designed to build commercial solidarity among businesses and protect their interests.
Considered a fintech pioneer, Al Othman has also participated in multiple international conferences, including Fintech Connect, Mifintech, Seamless, Trustech, L39, and Money2020.
Since 2019, Al Othman is also the president and founder of AO Holding, a family investment house and holding in KSA that invests in emerging technologies and life-changing ideas to support forward thinking and innovative business ventures across the kingdom. He also helms Lemar United Real Estate which focused on the commercial sector, backing real estate projects across commercial, hospitality, and retail spaces in Riyadh.
And having refined his expertise in specialised business programs around the world, Al Othman has been a part of the Business Leadership programme at Boeing International Headquarters in St. Louis (USA), and the Entrepreneurship program at Oxford University in the UK.
Name: Abraham Cinta
Designation: CEO
Company: ARC Group
Industry: Financial services
Arc Group was co-founded in Shanghai, China in 2015 by Cinta. With over 11 global offices and over 130 employees, he boasts over a decade of professional experience in the financial services industry.
In 2022, he established the company’s Middle East operations with offices launched in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai and has identified the GCC as a future global destination for capital market listings.
Under Cinta’s visionary, ARC Group has cemented a robust position, having ranked at number one globally in 2022 for SPAC IPO advisory, overtaking the industry’s largest players, including JP Morgan and UBS. Over the past two years, he has steered over 20 SPAC IPO and traditional IPO listings as the sole financial advisor, with a total transactional value of nearly $3 billion as well as overall projects valued at over $10 billion.
ARC Group has collectively completed over 40 successful listings with a transactional value of around $8 billion in 2022.
He also served as an advisor in ARC Group’s marquee projects and has led the group to become the premier global advisor for publicly listing Chinese companies abroad. Previously, he was appointed as a banker at a cross-border boutique investment bank.
Backed by Arc Group’s global exposure and experience, Cinta is not only attracting international companies to the GCC region, but is also supporting local companies with listings, both locally and internationally.
Name: Adeeb Ahamed
Designation: Managing director
Company: LuLu Financial Holdings
Industry: Financial services
Helping to steer an ecosystem of financial inclusion, Ahamed forayed onto his entrepreneurial journey in 2009 when he founded LuLu Financial Holdings, a holding company with investments that serve banking institutions, business houses, local and international corporations, and individuals.
Leading the company on an upward trajectory, he has led key digital investments across the Middle East, Indian sub-continent, and APAC regions and has transformed the holdings group into a global financial services conglomerate. Present in 11 countries and managing annual transactions worth over $8.1 billion, the company’s investments span the GCC, Indian sub-continent, and APAC regions.
Since January 2014, Ahamed has also held the role of managing director of Twenty14 Holdings, a hospitality investment company that has invested nearly a billion dollars to build an asset portfolio of properties spread across the UK, Europe, GCC, and India. Just some of the hotels under his brand include the Great Scotland Yard in London, Waldorf Astoria in Edinburgh, Pullman Downtown Dubai, Sheraton Oman and Port Muziris Kochi.
He is also a member of Twenty14 Holdings Global Advisory, a board member of the World Tourism Forum, Patron Governor India Social and Cultural Centre, Abu Dhabi, and Founding member of the UAE-India Business Council (UIBC), UAE chapter. amongst others. A keen philanthropist, Ahamed prioritises public service activities that particularly focus on women empowerment and girls’ education.
Name: Adel Sajan
Designation: Group managing director
Company: Danube Group
Industry: Construction
Born into a business family, Sajan’s foray into the family business was initiated at age 13, where he worked in different departments of Danube Group during summer breaks, starting from warehousing/logistics, to sales, marketing, finance, and management. By the time he graduated from school, he had developed a solid foundation of the basics of a business environment.
In his current role since March 2021, Sajan has steered Danube’s strategic growth post-2009 with the establishment of Danube Buildmart, now renamed as Danube Home. And what began as a single showroom in Ras Al Khaimah to a household name for home interior solutions, Danube Home is present in Dubai, Sharjah, Fujairah, Al Ain, and Abu Dhabi.
Under his leadership, Danube Home has expanded into countries outside the UAE including KSA, Bahrain, and Qatar, and is a one-stop destination with furniture, furnishing items and interior design assistance. Sajan has also helmed the global expansion of Danube Home to become Danube Home International and now has a foothold in Oman, Bahrain, India, and in over 25 countries and growing.
Skilled in space optimisation, management, sales, market research, and business planning, Sajan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Marketing from American University of Sharjah (AUS). He also spearheaded Danube Home’s e-commerce website to help provide a seamless online shopping experience to customers.
Name: Ahmad Al Zaini
Designation: Co-founder and CEO
Company: Foodics
Industry: Technology
Driving digital transformation in the F&B industry, serial entrepreneur Al Zaini is the powerhouse behind Foodics, the leading cloud-based technology and payments platform for restaurants in the MENA region. Foodics was created after he observed a lack of technology in the F&B sector in 2014, particularly in the ordering process.
He consequently built on this idea and developed a whole tech stack over time and a fully integrated ecosystem which helped to steer the entire F&B industry to the next level. Foodics provides services to every segment of the F&B sector, ranging from non-food micro retailers and food trucks, to bakeries, cafes, and restaurants, and more.
Foodics has raised $170 million in a series C round in the largest SaaS Series C funding round in MENA led by Prosus, one of the world’s largest global technology investors; and Sanabil Investments, a PIF-owned investment company focused on private growth investments.
Formally licensed as a fintech by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), the company’s vision is to build a complete restaurant management ecosystem that enables owners to run their operations seamlessly. To enhance the customer experience, in Q12023, Foodics announced a strategic partnership with Unifonic, the Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) provider.
This partnership will enable Foodics clients to integrate both solutions on their platforms, helping them stay engaged with their audiences at every transaction and to streamline communication with customers.
Name: Akbar Moideen Thumbay
Designation: Vice president, Healthcare Division
Company: Thumbay Group
Industry: Healthcare
Akbar Moideen Thumbay is a distinguished professional and a prominent figure in the healthcare industry. With a wealth of knowledge and experience, he currently serves as the Vice President of Thumbay Healthcare, co-chair of GMU Academic Health System and Member of in the board of Thumbay Group a renowned and innovative Diversified business house established by his father Thumbay Moideen in 1997.
His journey in the healthcare sector has been marked by his unwavering dedication and passion for delivering exceptional medical services. With a deep-rooted commitment to providing accessible and high-quality healthcare, he has played a pivotal role in the expansion and success of Thumbay Group’s healthcare operations.
Under his leadership, Thumbay Healthcare has witnessed remarkable growth and development. His strategic vision and meticulous planning have propelled the organization to new heights, transforming it into a leading provider of healthcare services in the region. Akbar Moideen Thumbay has been instrumental in establishing and managing state-of-the-art Network of Academic hospitals, clinics, and medical centres, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive care and advanced treatment options.
A strong advocate for innovation and technology in healthcare, Akbar Moideen Thumbay has pioneered the implementation of cutting-edge medical advancements within the Thumbay Healthcare. He actively encourages research and development initiatives, fostering a culture of innovation that drives the continuous improvement of healthcare practices.
Akbar Moideen Thumbay has not only inherited his father’s legacy but also continued to uphold and expand upon the values instilled by his esteemed father, Thumbay Moideen and his mother Zohra Moideen. With a deep sense of respect for his father’s vision, he has embraced the core principles of compassion, integrity, and excellence in healthcare, further strengthening the foundation laid by his father.
By following in his father’s footsteps, Akbar Moideen Thumbay has ensured a seamless continuity of the family’s commitment to transforming the healthcare landscape and positively impacting countless lives. He is married to Nousheen Salma and father of three children Ahmed, Omar, and Rashid.
Name: Alia Abdel-Razeq
Designation: Chief Operating Officer
Company: CellSave Arabia
Industry: Healthcare
Steering the transition in stem cell banking in the Middle East and as a leader in a male-dominated industry, Abdel-Razeq has faced multiple challenges throughout her career but has always remained focused on her goals and as a risk-taker, pushes the boundaries of what is possible.
Her dedication and perseverance have earned Abdel-Razeq the respect and admiration of her colleagues and peers, both within and outside the healthcare industry.
In her current role at CellSave Arabia, the first stem cell facility in the region, she remains at the forefront of a rapidly developing industry that has the potential to revolutionise medical treatment and research across multiple levels. With a background in chemical and pharmaceutical engineering in addition to research and extensive experience in healthcare management, she is well-suited to the challenges of running the largest stem cell facility in the region. Her passion for improving the field through cutting-edge medical technology has driven her to push the boundaries of what is possible within this field.
In CellSave Arabia, she has developed a wide range of services that cater to the needs of both individuals and institutions, including cord blood and tissue processing and storage for newborns, and adult stem cell banking for adults who wish to store their own stem cells for potential future use. CellSave Arabia also provides stem cell therapy services, which involve using stem cells to treat a variety of medical conditions, including autoimmune disorders, heart disease, and neurological disorders.
Backed by an ambitious vision for the future of stem cell banking in the Middle East, Abdel-Razeq believes that stem cell technology and regenerative medicine has the potential to transform healthcare by providing personalised, targeted treatments that are tailored to each patient’s specific needs. For the future, she is working to expand CellSave Arabia capabilities and services, and to develop new partnerships with healthcare providers and researchers in the region.
Name: Alisha Moopen
Designation: Deputy managing director
Company: Aster DM Healthcare
Industry: Healthcare
From a young age, Moopen had already joined Aster DM Healthcare in the role of the director in 2013. And as her career trajectory climbed upwards, she has helmed the group’s expansion into new markets and is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and development of the company.
The group has grown to become one of the largest integrated healthcare conglomerates backed by its network of 30 hospitals across seven countries, 125 clinics, and over 496 pharmacies. Also, one of the first private healthcare players in the UAE to introduce teleconsultation facilities at the onset of the pandemic, Aster DM Healthcare incorporates automation, AI, and digital technology to align with the current trends in healthcare.
Moopen is a graduate from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA), in Finance & Accounting, and is a Chartered Accountant from the ICAS (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland). She also holds a degree in Global Leadership & Public Policy Change from Harvard University.
She is currently serving as the first female Chapter Chair of YPO’s Dubai Chapter, a global leadership organisation that brings together over 27,000 chief executives from over 130 countries.
Instrumental in launching the Women in Leadership programme at Aster DM Healthcare which empowers talented and capable female employees with training and growth opportunities, Moopen is dedicated to the cause of women empowerment and mental health.
Name: Ali Soudi
Designation: Director
Company: ARENA Capital & Consultancy
Industry: Consultancy
An entrepreneur from a young age, Ali started working part-time at his father’s glass engraving factory when he was just 13 years old. Eager to make his mark on the world of business, with no intention of pursuing higher education, he began working in the family-run consultancy business at the age of 18.
The ARENA Capital & Consultancy manages the family personal group of companies and also looks to acquire and consult a portfolio of aspiring brands to optimise their potential for growth. With over 50 years of collective experience in owning and operating companies, they have crafted incredibly unique and successful techniques that make businesses more profitable and scale on a global level.
Through various unique initiatives from strategy, sales, marketing, training, and high-level introductory networking, they support companies across multiple industries and geographies towards accelerated change. He is constantly looking to recruit, train, invest in and develop future movers and shakers of industry.
As a private investor, Ali is actively seeking early-stage entrepreneurs and businesses. With an eye for spotting potential, he is passionate about identifying ventures with promising ideas and visionary founders. Ali believes in providing more than just financial capital; he offers strategic guidance and mentorship to help these startups navigate the challenges of early growth. By collaborating with passionate individuals and businesses, Ali aims to provide the necessary resources and expertise to help them thrive and achieve their goals.
Currently employing a team of 30 professionals in Dubai with 50 based internationally, they stand firmly by their people and core values: hard work, passion, clear communication, trust, gratitude, and the pursuit of setting only the highest standards. They are constantly looking to recruit the best and brightest talent that will elevate them and their clients to prosperity.
“Our ultimate freedom is achieved through our passion to learn, implement, add value and educate. We practice these actions with care, in order to reach our ultimate goal – living with abundance in this ARENA called life.”
Name: Assad Numan
Designation: CEO
Company: HungerStation
Industry: Technology
A former Uber Eats general manager, Numan was appointed to his current role at HungerStation in 2020. A pioneer in the Kingdom’s express delivery space, prior to working for Uber Eats, he held key management roles, including the KSA head of Marketing & E-commerce business at Samsung Electronics; vice president of marketing at Gulf International Bank; and the GCC brand manager at Procter & Gamble. He was also the co-owner of Organica, an organic farm founded in 1990 that commercially produces vegetables, fruits, meat, and poultry products.
Launched in 2012 with modest beginnings in Al Khobar, KSA, HungerStation, the first Saudi Food delivery app in the region, quickly expanded and progressed. HungerStation is the owner of the first Saudi application for express delivery and enables customers to order in KSA and Bahrain. Beyond local and internationally established restaurants, HungerStation extends to supermarkets, florists, pharmacies, and more with a list that is updated daily.
Aligned with Saudisation as well as Vision 2030, HungerStation launched the largest recruitment campaign aimed to attract Saudi applicants to the private sector. Also committed to sustainability and community support, the company works with the Saudi food bank, Eta’am and its restaurant partners, to provide free meals to needy families, as well as supports the Saudi ADHD Society and the workers in the Emergency and Disaster Centre, in cooperation with the Alwaleed Philanthropies foundation.
Name: Dave Chaggar
Designation: Sales director
Company: Capital Club Dubai
Industry: Industry
Afocused and energetic dealmaker, Chaggar is also an accomplished entrepreneur and rain maker who has been the visionary steering Capital Club Dubai’s spectacular growth post the pandemic, as evidenced with a huge spike in the membership base for this elite private business members club. For the past 15 years, the Capital Club Dubai has been home to many of the Middle East’s business moguls in DIFC and Chaggar is often referred to as the Capital Connector of Dubai.
His wealth of experience across multiple diverse business verticals throughout his early career has been pivotal in adding value to the members within the club as well as to the overall growth of their respective business interests. With budding entrepreneurial roots from a young age, Chaggar embarked upon his rising career trajectory within the business world which embedded entrepreneurialism in his persona.
Advising on a wide range of specific requirements, Chaggar’s expertise across multiple segments including refinancing and restructuring to private equity and venture capital reflect his strengths as a seasoned and astute expert. With its member base expanding and diversifying, Capital Club Dubai now includes family offices, private equity, law firms, multiple banks, asset managers, and more across the spectrum.
Home to over 1100 discerning members, Capital Club Dubai is the only elite private business members club that provides a business ecosystem that fosters privacy and discretion for its members to conduct their business activities.
Cultivating an environment that is always ahead of the curve, Capital Club Dubai provides an all-encompassing business and lifestyle experience with an array of dynamic amenities spanning across three sprawling floors.
And under Chaggar’s helm, Capital Club Dubai has cemented itself as an integral part of the DIFC environment which boasts a diverse members list, both from the UAE as well as from overseas.
Name: Eman Al Shorafa
Designation: Founder and CEO
Company: Wevin Investments
Industry: Investment
After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Business Administration in 2009 from Zayed University (UAE), Al Shorafa initiated her career at United Eastern Medical Services (UEMedical) in marketing and executive administration. She joined Danat Al Emarat for Women & Children in the role of the chief protocol officer in October 2015 which she held for over four years.
As one of the youngest female Emirati executives in the UAE’s healthcare sector, Al Shorafa rapidly rose upward on her career trajectory as she was appointed to chief operating officer from 2019 to 2022 where she managed a team of 200 employees from multiple departments, including the call centre; VIP services; biomedical engineering; catering; hospitality services; patient relations, and more.
As a board member at United Eastern Group (UEG) and co-founder of three businesses, Mon Café, Mon Bebe, and Rohr Chocolats, a Swiss chocolate brand, in 2022, Al Shorafa shifted gears on her career trajectory to investments when she launched WEVIN Investments.
This is a private company which seeks business opportunities in diversified sectors of the local and regional markets across security, technology, and education with a scope of business that covers project management; retail; business management consultancy; facility management; information technology, and more. WEVIN Investments also includes WEVIN Consultancy, which provides diverse services across strategy consulting; operations consulting; and HR consulting, and more.
Name: Eman Hylooz
Designation: Founder and CEO
Company: Abjjad
Industry: Media
The first Arabic social network for readers, authors, and bloggers in the Middle East founded by Hylooz and Tamim Al Manaseer, Abjjad was launched in June 2012 with seed funding from Oasis500, a Jordanian startup investment company.
She also raised a $1 million investment round led by three Jordanian companies to help further expand Abjjad. Driven by her passion for reading and books, particularly literature, Hylooz began her career in software which she later applied towards the development of her digitised Arabic language platform Abjjad.
Backed by Hylooz’s previous experience in market research, digital marketing, as well as IT, Ajjbad is enabling readers to have affordable access to books, budding authors to make a mark, as well as helping publishers become scalable with the latest technology trends.
A social reading platform for readers, writers, and publishers, Ajjbad is a subscription-based platform that offers users unlimited access to thousands of Arabic eBooks and where readers can add eBooks to their reading shelves as well as rate, read, review, and connect with like-minded readers from around the world.
What started out as an Arabic social network for booklovers has become a literary platform with over 1.5 million registered readers. The team at Abjjad works with 124 publishers, mostly based in Lebanon and Egypt, but also in Iraq, KSA, Algeria, Jordon, Syria, and Morocco.
Name: Farah Al Alami
Designation: Chief communications and marketing officer
Company: Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC)
Industry: Healthcare
In her current role since March 2023, Al Alami was previously the chief communications & marketing officer at NMC Healthcare.
Backed by over 16 years of experience in healthcare communications and PR in the Middle East, she has also served as the chief communications officer at United Eastern Medical Services (UEMedical) Group in the UAE where she led marketing and communications on a corporate level and throughout UEMedical’s subsidiaries, including Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, Danat Al Emarat Hospital, and HealthPlus Network of Specialty Centres.
She has also held the role of regional director of communications & PR in the Middle East, Turkey, and UK for US-based Cleveland Clinic, as well as previously led media relations and internal communications at Abu Dhabi’s tertiary hospital Sheikh Khalifa Medical City from 2005 to 2011.
Based in Abu Dhabi, ADSCC is a highly specialised healthcare centre delivering cutting-edge research on stem cell and cellular therapies and is focused on cell therapy and regenerative medicine techniques.
Launched in March 2019, ADSCC is backed by a team of internationally recognised doctors who work with researchers facilitated by the latest medical devices. She holds a certification as a Microsoft Office Specialist from Microsoft and is also a member of the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA), a non-profit member association established for the public relations and communication industry in the Middle East since January 2016.
Name: Geoff Warr
Designation: Business development director
Company: iFM Holdings
Industry: Facilities management
An accomplished professional whose career track record boasts several successes, Warr earned his degree in Economics and Management from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. After recognising Dubai as a potential business hub, he moved to the emirate in 2010 and joined Cimac, a well-known systems integrator.
In addition to Fred Durnford and Selvendran Sivaprakasam, Warr was instrumental in launching Orion Systems which focuses on cyber security, system integration, airport solutions, and annual maintenance contracts for multiple blue-chip UAE-based and international companies.
Backed by his visionary leadership, Orion Systems developed influential partnerships with industry giants including Emaar, Amazon, and global airports which helmed the company to become a leading player in the security systems landscape. In addition to his achievements at Orion Systems, Warr, together with Fred Durnford, co-founded Connected Technical Furniture, which has emerged as the premier supplier of Control Room Consoles and CrossFit rigs in the UAE.
Orion Systems’ success sparked the attention of Eltizam Group, leading to their acquisition of the company in September 2020, with Warr helping to ensure a seamless integration of Orion Systems within the group. In January 2023, he was appointed to the role of business development director for iFM Holdings, part of Eltizam Group, where he is responsible for leveraging his expertise to steer the future success of 800TEK and Inspire Integrated.
Name: Hazzaa Al Mansoori
Designation: Astronaut
Company: Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC)
Industry: Science
As the first Emirati astronaut, Al Mansoori embarked on the UAE’s first scientific mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on 25 September 2019 where he spent eight days on board the International Space Station.
This achievement made the UAE the first country in the Arab region to travel to the ISS. Selected from 4,000 candidates, following a series of mental and physical tests in the UAE and abroad, in preparation for the mission, Al Mansoori trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre at Star City in Moscow; and also received training in Houston in Texas (USA), and Cologne in Germany, as part of partnership agreements with major space agencies, including NASA, ESA, and JAXA.
With the historic Expedition 69 on 28 March having marked an important milestone for the UAE and the entire Arab region as the longest Arab space mission to date, Al Mansoori once again achieved another first; as the first Arab increment lead for an International Space Station (ISS) expedition for Sultan Al Neyadi, the first Arab astronaut to embark on a long-duration spaceflight.
In his role, AlMansoori was responsible for the seamless integration and execution of ISS crew activities throughout Expedition 69, which involved communicating, developing, managing, and implementing mission integration procedures and he served as the primary point of contact between the ground team and the ISS crew.
Name: Huda Kattan
Designation: Founder and CEO
Company: Huda Beauty
Industry: Retail
A beauty entrepreneur who has smashed social media boundaries, Kattan founded Huda Beauty in 2013. A lifelong passion for beauty led Kattan to enrol at a makeup training school in Los Angeles, cultivating a roster of clientele including A-list celebrities and a royal family.
While working as a makeup artist in 2010, she was keen to share her love of beauty with a wider audience, so she launched HudaBeauty.com, as a platform to share her knowledge with her followers.
After the blog became increasingly more popular, Kattan went on to launch a line of false lashes, her first official Huda Beauty product in February 2013 at Sephora, The Dubai Mall. By 2015, she was now considered a key influencer in the digital beauty space and onboarded her husband and sister Mona (Kattan) to help with the launch of the first Huda Beauty office.
By 2016, Huda Beauty’s popularity extended beyond Dubai and with the launch of their famed Lip Contour kits in 2016, Harrods in London, UK, began retailing Huda Beauty products. To help support start-ups and entrepreneurs, she launched HB Investments which backed several projects.
She co-founded the fragrance range Kayali in November 2018 and Wishful Skincare in 2020, launched with a single product that now includes an entire range of skincare, from serums to oils. Today, Huda Beauty’s annual sales are around $200 million across over 140 products.
Name: Lina Gallagher
Designation: Founder and managing director
Company: Emerce Consulting
Industry: Consultancy
An entrepreneur and serial investor who has launched several businesses across diverse industries, Gallagher has over 18 years of experience in strategic business development and enterprise creation.
Now helming Emerce Consulting, a Dubai-based consultancy that helps retailers, brands, start-ups, distributors, and investors across the GCC to embrace digital transformation and launch e-commerce stores, Gallagher has years of experience across the e-commerce space in the Middle East working in media, luxury, retail, asset management, government/public sector, and financial services sectors.
During her career, Gallagher has launched several e-commerce stores locally and internationally, including Carrefour UAE, John Lewis, Homes R Us, and Selfridges. A former Deloitte London and UAE consultant, Gallagher has a very robust track record of driving business growth through eCommerce/omnichannel and digital strategy advisory, CRM, UX design, steered by a lifelong passion for technological innovation. Just some of her key interests include B2B and B2C eCommerce, Web 3.0, FinTech, and SaaS.
Backed by a wealth of experience across technology and digitisation, Emerce supports international and local retailers, brands, manufacturers, and distributors with all digital transformation activities.
The company is backed by experience within the online retail space across omni-channel strategy, greenfield e-commerce implementations, last-mile optimisation, e-merchandising advisory, and more. Some of these include e-commerce platform selection, strategy definition, digital marketing advisory, e-commerce operations setup and optimisation, and e-commerce data analytics.
Name: Maryam Al Nuaimi
Designation: Founder and president
Company: Tafaseel Group
Industry: Outsourcing services
The first Emirati woman to establish a company in the UAE’s business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, since the launch of Tafaseel Group, Al Nuaimi has forayed into industries that include customer service; healthcare; and information technology.
Since Tafaseel’s start in 2011, it has grown to establish operations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ajman, and Fujairah. The concept of Tafaseel came to her while working as a supervisor at the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) call centre. Upon leaving the job in 2011, she established Tafaseel BPO at age 25 as the UAE’s home ground business process outsourcing company.
Today, as the UAE’s largest BPO outsourcing company, Tafaseel BPO provides outsourcing services across contact centres; customer services; human resources; back office & operations; IT; CX digital transformation & consultancy, amongst many others.
Catering to clients across 10 industry verticals including energy; insurance; banking and financial services; automotive; healthcare; and more, Tafaseel BPO boast over 52 BPO projects under its belt and growing spanning across 7 sites to help companies connect better with their customers.
Ambitioning to develop a one-stop-shop for all contact centre needs, Al Nuaimi launched Tafaseel IT which provides training in customer engagement services, business performance improvement services, integrated solutions, and more. In 2018, she founded Salama Healthcare initially for outsourced nurses but has now expanded to include rehabilitation services and medical equipment.
Name: Nadine Mezher
Designation: Co-founder and CMO
Company: Sarwa
Industry: Investment
A marketing and communication strategy leader with over 21 years of experience, Mezher is backed by experience in delivering high-end projects for a diverse range of clients, from start-ups to government entities and large-scale companies.
In September 2017, she co-founded Sarwa, the first hybrid go-to investment platform and personal finance app in the region, after years of consultancy in retail strategy and marketing with a track record of projects delivered for clients ranging from the Dubai government as well as multinational corporations including Nestle.
Prior to that, she worked for the UAE government entity Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in retail strategy and strategic alliances. Mezher holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and a design degree from Esmod Paris.
An investment platform and personal finance app aimed at young professionals in the region, Sarwa provides multiples ways to invest, all on one platform. Led by a team of financial and technology experts and backed by top international funds, the app offers zero commission trading of stocks, ETFs & Crypto with Sarwa Trade, a high-yield cash account with Sarwa Save, as well as hands-off auto-investing with Sarwa Invest.
Backed by international and regional stakeholders, the Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (currently ADQ), their team implements investment strategies and work to develop a personalised investment experience.
Name: Nora Al Matrooshi
Designation: Astronaut
Company: Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC)
Industry: Science
Al Matrooshi is the first female Emirati and Arab astronaut who now, along with her fellow countryman, Mohammad Al Mulla, join Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansoori in the Emirati fellowship of astronauts, selected from more than 4,000 candidates.
Showing promise at a young age, after she had excelled in engineering and mathematics, she ranked first in the UAE for the 2011 International Mathematical Olympiad. Also, under the sponsorship of the Court of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, she was selected for the 2013 UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme in South Korea.
In 2015, she received her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the United Arab Emirates University along with training from the Vaasa University of Applied Sciences in Finland.
Also involved in organising the Special Olympics IX MENA Games 2018 held in Abu Dhabi, she had volunteered for the Special Olympics World Games 2019. She previously managed projects for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, and since January 2023, serves as a technical specialist at ADNOC.
She joined the 2021 NASA Astronaut Candidate Class, a training programme where the astronauts are trained to gain mastery over several missions on the International Space Station, including T-38 jet courses, simulated spacewalks and long duration stay, robotics, Russian language skills, and more. She was also the vice president of the Youth Council for three consecutive years at the National Petroleum Construction Company.
Name: Ola Doudin
Designation: CEO and co-founder
Company: BitOasis
Industry: Financial technology
A pioneer in the region’s cryptocurrency ecosystem, in 2015, Doudin forayed her career in IT Risk Advisory at Ernst & Young in London, UK while engaged in mentoring and investing in tech start-ups, as well as was working with Aramex founder Fadi Ghandour.
The impetus for her company was sparked in 2013 when Doudin purchased her first ever Bitcoin and was fascinated by its potential. In October 2015, she launched the Dubai-based start-up BitOasis, an online wallet and exchange that is available across the MENA region and Asia and is the first to use multi-signature technology to protect digital assets.
With over 60 cryptocurrencies, today, BitOasis boasts over $3Bn in trading volume with customers in 14 countries across the MENA region. Considered one of the most trusted cryptocurrency platforms in the MENA region, it is available to users in KSA, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan.
In 2021, BitOasis became the first crypto platform in the UAE to be registered with the country’s Financial Intelligence Unit (Go-AML platform). In May 2023, BitOasis secured an MVP Operational License from Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), as the first virtual asset broker-dealer and trading platform to have received an MVP Operational License under VARA’s regulatory framework.
BitOasis is authorised by VARA to provide such broker-dealer services exclusively to qualified retail and institutional investors in and from Dubai.
Name: Oweis Zahran
Designation: Managing director
Company: OWS Capital
Industry: Automotive
As a dynamic entrepreneur in both the automotive industry and in the VC space, Oweis Zahran is a hands-on CEO with expertise in business development, operations, innovation and diversification.
Through his strategic foresight, drive and determination, he has built multiple businesses and a strong foundation including his successful multi-million-dollar company OWS Automotive and the ever-growing OWS Capital.
American Oweis has been spending time in the Middle East region since he was a teenager and dabbled early on in the business world. Once he graduated from the University Of Maryland, he moved to the UAE to launch his automotive venture.
He has been the force behind launching multiple innovative solutions in the automotive world and as a leader and visionary, Oweis’s hands-on experience prepared him to seamlessly embrace a leadership role, which helped in the evolution, expansion and success of scaling his business from the MENA region to globally.
From setting up the largest end to end transportation management companies in the UAE, OWS Automotive, and expanding it to seven countries to developing exclusive auto solutions to launching a joint venture with the governments of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, Oweis Zahran achieved a lot before he even celebrated his 30th birthday.
Oweis’s ability to build high-performance teams, including his strategically selected executive management staff, has served as a growth catalyst and infused productive energy to his businesses with massive expansion plans being rolled out for OWS Automotive into Saudi Arabia as well as South East Asia including Brunei, Philippines and Malaysia.
In 2020, OWS Capital was launched with a series of partnerships and verticals that came into being under its umbrella. One of them is MELT ME, a joint partnership with comedy icon Steve Harvey, which is already working alongside government bodies such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai tourism to bring unique IPs to the country.
In 2021, one such event under MELT ME was the first annual Steve Harvey Golf Tournament which was a resounding success.
Primarily focused on bridging the gap between the Middle East and Western cultures, with a mandate to create synergy between the two regions whilst breaking down barriers and showcasing what each region represents, MELT ME will be redefining the celebrity events landscape in the Middle East region.
Under OWS Capital, cutting-edge health and wellness gym brand Platform Health Club was launched in 2022 across the UAE with an aim to deliver unique and personalized quality service.
From celebrity trainers to high-tech and top-of-range equipment, the gyms will cater to health-conscious audiences in the country.
The vision for 2022 and beyond for OWS Capital is to bring unique experiences and cutting-edge businesses in the fitness and entertainment verticals to the region with ambitious expansion plans already in the works.
Name: Rashid Alabbar
Designation: Co-founder
Company: Alabbar Enterprises
Industry: E-commerce
Originally embarking upon his career in UAE’s banking industry, first in HSBC and then at Standard Chartered Bank, Alabbar launched three companies in close succession between 2012 and 2013.
In January 2012, he co-founded Alabbar Enterprises, the parent company for a multiple retail and franchise operations based in the Middle East that invests in everything from high-end cafes and restaurants to food truck concepts, including Angelina, Karak House, Ethan Allen, and many more.
Taking his entrepreneurial zeal to the next level to include digitisation, in June 2012, Alabbar went on to launch Symphony Technology which is based in the UAE with subsidiary offices in Malaysia and the US.
Backed by his visionary, Symphony Technology ambitions to attract key disruptive technologies to not only the MENA region, but also to Malaysia and other Asian markets from global innovation hubs, including US-based Silicon Valley, and are focusing on solidifying Dubai, and the region, as a technology hub. Alabbar’s most recent launch is Sivvi.com which he co-founded in August 2013.
An e-commerce platform focused on offering apparel, accessories, beauty, furniture, and more from over 2000 international brands, Sivvi.com delivers top brand buys to customers across KSA and the UAE. and is powered by noon. He holds two degrees from the University of San Diego (US); a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science degree in accounting and finance.
Name: Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri
Designation: Chairperson
Company: UAE Space Agency
Industry: Science
A trailblazer within the UAE’s futuristic space initiatives, Al Amiri was appointed as the chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency in 2020 where she oversees the Agency’s mandate of guiding the space sector, ensuring its contribution to the national economy and to the UAE’s sustainable development.
Created to lead, regulate, and coordinate the UAE’s growing space sector, the UAE Space Agency joins the international space community in contributing to global scientific research and development as well as in promoting space exploration.
Ambitioning to create new industries that drive the shift towards a knowledge economy in the UAE, as the Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, Al Amiri oversees efforts to promote research and development in the advanced science and technology sector in the UAE, and to empower the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
Amongst other roles Al Amiri holds include the chairwoman of the Emirates Scientists Council; the chairwoman of the Dubai Future Academy Board of Trustees; as well as the chairwoman of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Council.
Prior to her role as the chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, she had served as the Deputy Project Manager and Science Lead of the Emirates Mars Mission (Hope) at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). She was also involved in DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2, and in the establishment of the KhalifaSat programme.
Name: Shadman Sakib
Designation: Founder and CEO
Company: Vurse
Industry: Technology
Shadman Sakib’s entrepreneurial talents were evident at a very early age, when his peers were just beginning to learn the basics of business, Shadman was already building his portfolio of innovative concepts while still pursuing his formal education in the US and UK.
His passion for cutting edge tech, combined with his business intuition has made him a prolific investor in various sectors reaping huge financial gains at such an early age
As a 27-year-old, Shadman’s roster of current and up-coming tech ventures read like an almanac. With teams based across five continents, Shadman’s vision is to become one of this generation’s most prolific tech entrepreneurs and more so a disruptor, bringing new ideas to the table at every turn.
Besides his various financial investments, Shadman Sakib’s company, Vurse, based between USA, UK, UAE and across the Asian continent, is gearing up for several new app product launches, scheduled in the course of 2022 and 2023. With AI and Metaverse at the core of their technology, Vurse, will be announcing its products this year – closely under-wraps till then.
“All I can say is that the first app will offer an interactive experience on a social video sharing platform incorporating AI, NFT and machine learning combined to deliver an unforgettable experience to the users,” said Shadman Sakib on the upcoming product launch. For him it’s the perfect combination of aesthetics and technology that excites him and guides his investments on mass scale projects.
Balancing his business activities out is the upcoming Shadman Sakib Philanthropic Foundation which will be announced later this year and will focus on impact investing supporting young IT entrepreneurs from impoverished backgrounds. This foundation will afford opportunities to many talented up and coming individuals and give them a platform to build their own legacy just as Shadman is doing himself.
Name: Shenin Hamid
Designation: Founder and CEO
Company: Inspire Group
Industry: Events
Building her business from scratch at just age 19, Hamid is considered one of the youngest successful entrepreneurs in the UAE. Backed by her visionary, Inspire Group, a Dubai-based events and experience agency, transformed from a simple idea she conceived in her living room into a regional success, executing over 200 events and experiential campaigns a year across KSA, Dubai, Qatar, and Kuwait.
Under Hamid’s leadership, the group has grown significantly by offering tailor-made technology-driven events and activation experiences to clients, both nationally and internationally. Creating tailor-made events and campaigns supported by state-of-the-art scenic, AV and technology, as well as production, the team has worked with leading brands such as Emirates, Apple, J&J, the Dubai government, Pepsi, and many more.
A vocal proponent for equality in the workplace and an advocate for women empowerment, Hamid supports women by developing policies around equal pay, extended paid maternity and paternity leave, as well as mental health in the workplace. A mentor to many young aspiring women-led businesses around the world, she also actively supports young entrepreneurs at various start-up hubs based in Dubai and Silicon Valley.
Since April 2021, Hamid has also been member of The Bench board of advisors. Over the past 25 years, The Bench has been delivering business forums and conferences in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, as well as in Latin America.
Name: Sky Kurtz
Designation: Founder and CEO
Company: Pure Harvest Smart Farms
Industry: Agriculture
A former technology investor turned serial entrepreneur and a key force within the region’s tech-enabled agribusiness, Kurtz had previously co-founded Vence in 2016, a wearable technology solution for reinventing livestock management.
He also served as a divisional CEO within Pultron Composites, pioneering novel building materials that solve infrastructure corrosion challenges; and held the role of vice president at Francisco Partners. While focused on solutions that would work with sustainability challenges, in 2016, Kurtz and his business partner, Mahmoud Adi, launched Pure Harvest Smart Farms.
The company focuses on sustainably grown, premium quality, local fresh produce, as their high-tech greenhouses provide precise climate and environmental controls, enabling increased productivity and reduced waste.
A regional innovator in sustainable agriculture focused on the production of greenhouse fruits and vegetables using world-leading Dutch greenhouse growing technologies, in 2017, Pure Harvest Smart Farms received seed funding followed by the start of construction on its very first high-tech greenhouse in Abu Dhabi.
In June 2022, Pure Harvest acquired BayWa’s controlling interest in the Al Dahra BayWa joint venture, which operates a large-scale, 11-hectare high-tech, controlled-environment agriculture production facility.
Backed by Kurtz’s passion for developing companies that tackle global food security challenges, in February 2023, Pure Harvest inked a strategic partnership for a large-scale food project with Nadec, KSA’s National Agricultural Development Company whereby Pure Harvest will design, construct, and operate climate-controlled hybrid food production systems.
Name: Talal Al Ajmi
Designation: Founder and CEO
Company: VI Markets
Industry: Finance
A young Kuwaiti entrepreneur and key figure in the financial markets and trading segment in Kuwait and the Middle East, Al Ajmi is an IT graduate from the University of Philadelphia in Jordon.
It was during his academic days when he developed a passion for investment and trading and began managing small businesses for family members. Upon his return to Kuwait, he took up a role at an investment company followed by positions across financial companies.
Eventually, he was appointed as a financial broker which was the stepping stone to his new entrepreneurial career. In 2010, Al Ajmi launched Version International Markets (VI Markets) as a trading platform that caters to retail and institutional investors.
Today, the online trading platform offers a wide range of financial instruments across forex, CFDs, and trading in crypto assets. VI Markets offer Copy Trading, a unique, patented technology which automatically copies trading portfolio performance for individuals who want to link their accounts with a specific trader. Also, One Connect app, which is linked to MT4 and all trades are visible in a client’s MT4 account and on the One Connect app.
He is also a board member of One Financial Markets, a London-based authorised online broker that provides 24-hour trading facilities to investors in commodities, foreign exchange, indices, and futures. And a strong proponent of education, Al Ajmi was inspired to create an initiative that would serve the women in Kuwait and the Middle East to help empower them to join the financial markets.
He then developed Yasmeen, a forum exclusively for women designed to support female empowerment in business and the world of financial investment. Al Ajmi transformed the concept of trading within this market by providing them with education in the form of workshops and seminars which helped them to ultimately obtain their FCA certification licenses which cements credibility and professionalism in the financial sector.
Name: Youmna Khoury
Designation: Founder and CEO
Company: Youmi Beauty
Industry: Retail
Asocial media superstar with 2.4 million followers on Instagram, Khoury also helms one of the region’s fastest growing beauty empires.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the Lebanese University, followed by the launch of her own hair salon in Beirut, Lebanon called The Onyx. Out of Lebanon, in 2017, she went on to launch Youmi Online Shop, an e-commerce platform that sold coloured contact lenses to Middle Eastern consumers.
Already establishing an online presence as a beauty and fashion influencer on both Instagram and Snapchat, her products on the platform were continuously selling out.
Yet despite the success, Khoury ambitioned to incorporate more offerings under her brand. This led her to take a hiatus during which she travelled the world to source high-quality new products, focused on ultimately building the GCC region’s one-stop-shop for professional salon products.
Once the products were sourced, she steered the rebranding process, including the packaging and her company website. In 2020, she shifted her office from Beirut to Dubai and included two new products, in addition to their coloured contact lenses, hair extensions and false eyelashes.
On 6 December 2022, Youmi Beauty relaunched with most of the purchases coming from KSA. Khoury also relaunched the Youmi Beauty Charity Foundation which allocates 25 percent of its sales to children’s orphanages, countries in need of financial aid, and more.
Follow us on
