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M I D D L E E A S T ’ S T O P 1 0 I N S P I R I N G B U S I N E S S L E A D E R S M A K I N G A N I M PA C T , 2 0 2 5

www.cioviews.com

DECEMBER 2025

Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)

Haytham ElMaayergi

Advancing Trade and Investment Flows in Africa

Voices Guiding a New Era of Progress

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The Middle East has a new generation of leaders that are taking the region's business landscape and creating change through bold ideas. Impressive action by this emerging group of leaders indicates a clear shift away from “growth”, which is traditionally achieved by increasing revenue or profits, toward the more purposeful and deliberate approach of transforming businesses, communities and societies for the greater good. This transformation takes place through innovation and a long-term view of societal impact. In addition, this new generation of leaders is not only focussed on expanding industries, but they are also redefining what it means to be a successful leader in a dynamic and rapidly changing economy. They do this by investing in people as much as strategies for creating opportunities for innovation and growth around the world. They are creating environments for talent, creativity and ambition to thrive and are blending the cultural values of the communities in which they operate with the global perspective necessary to handle complexity with clarity and resilience. At CIO Views, we honor these empowering leaders by dedicating this issue titled “Middle East's Top 10 Inspiring Business Leaders Making an Impact, 2025” to them. Featuring as the cover story, we have covered the successful & motivating journey of Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President at African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). We have also included the inspiring stories of Muhammad Adeel Anjum, CEO of Circle K Arabia; Dr. Meritxell Vila-Fontes, Founder and CEO of MERYT Chemicals; Elie Sarkis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Intoact International; Rehan Syed, CTO at Island Consulting; Maya Khalifeh, Principal, Sales of INDEVCO Consultancy; Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli, CEO of InvestKL; Derya Ozkaya Matras, Vice President for the Middle East and Turkey at Meta; Reem Asaad, Vice President for Middle East & Africa at Cisco; and Mona Ataya, CEO of Mumzworld. CIO Views is a business magazine that mainly focuses on business leaders, their journey, views on current economic states, and all other relevant subjects that refer to the business world. Our goal is to be a leading source of information dedicated to providing our readers with detailed perspectives and views of successful business leaders who are transforming the business outlook and redefining their goals. With exclusive editions on various industries like software, education, healthcare, technology, real estate, and many more, CIO Views is driven to promote excellence in the world of business. Happy Reading!

Mousmi

Mousmi N.

COVER STORY

10.

Haytham Elmaayergi

22. Muhammad

Adeel Anjum

26. Dr. Meritxell Vila-Fontes

32.

Elie Sarkis

38.

Rehan Syed

44. Maya Khalifeh

CONTENTS

48.

Muhammad Azmi Zulkiﬂi

54.

Derya Ozkaya Matras

58.

Reem Asaad

64.

Mona Ataya

COVER STORY

Haytham ElMaayergi Advancing Trade and Investment Flows in Africa

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Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)

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Africa is on the cusp of transformative economic growth. As Executive Vice President of the Global Trade Bank at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Haytham ElMaayergi leads a broad portfolio across Business Development, Advisory & Capital Markets, Trade Finance, Guarantees & Specialized Finance, Syndications & Risk Distribution, and Digital Banking and Transformation. His efforts drive initiatives that strengthen economic integration and expand trade and investment flows across the continent. Haytham has also been appointed as the Chairman of the PAPSSCARD Company. The PAPSSCARD Company is advancing Africa's financial independence by enabling a unified, borderless domestic payment system that strengthens intra-African trade and economic sovereignty. Its mandate is to empower seamless trade, unlock digital innovation, and bring the continent closer through one trusted African payment platform.

With more than 33 years of diversified working experience, 28 of them in multinational and regional financial institutions such as Citibank, Standard Chartered, Société Générale, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank UAE, and Arab African International Bank (AAIB). Haytham has built a career defined by leadership, innovation, and transformation. Prior to joining Afreximbank in 2023, he served as Assistant Managing Director and Group Chief Operating and Transformation Officer at AAIB, where he also chaired Sandah 12 | DECEMBER 2025

COVER STORY

Microfinance Company. His management philosophy centers on execution, trust, and empowerment, with a focus on clear results and long-term impact. Journey in Development Banking From early in his career, Haytham observed the persistent gap between Africa's vast potential and its limited access to finance. This inspired his commitment to building financial structures that enable sustainable growth. “I see the purpose of development banking as transforming Africa's immense natural resources into higher-value products that strengthen local industries and channel the resulting capital towards continental development,” he explains.

“I see the purpose of development banking as fostering Africa's immense natural resources to build the necessary capital and direct it efficiently towards continental developmentˮ

Having witnessed how access to trade finance can reshape communities, he believes that capital must be paired with practical knowledge, skilled people, and strong institutions. “Youth Education and vocational training are the engines of Africa's transformation,” he notes. “They build the human capital needed to turn opportunity into enterprise.” This philosophy continues to guide his leadership in designing solutions that link finance, capacity, and trade to generate sustainable development outcomes. Significant Learning Curve Across a career that spans Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, Haytham has led major banking divisions, mergers, and transformation programs. Yet joining Afreximbank introduced a new and meaningful learning curve. “Working with people and organizations from more than 50 countries across Africa, with diverse cultures and management styles, reinforced my belief that leadership must be built on trust, adaptability, and respect for diversity,” he says. Leading Initiatives at Afreximbank Since joining the Bank, Haytham has spearheaded initiatives that expand Africa's trade and investment flows. Among these is the development of a trade risk exchange platform designed to facilitate seamless riskCIO VIEWS | 13

COVER STORY

sharing among African financial institutions and enhance access to financing for essential imports and industrial projects. He has also led the unification of Afreximbank's digital ecosystem through the Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), integrating ATEX for e-commerce, MANSA for KYC verification, PAPSS for local-currency payments, and TRADAR for market intelligence. Together, these platforms create a digital backbone that simplifies access to trade, financing, and settlement across Africa. Overcoming Early Career Challenge: Leading a Seasoned Team Early in his career, Haytham faced a defining challenge when tasked with leading a senior project team abroad shortly after graduation. Managing professionals with far more experience tested his resilience and leadership instincts. “It taught me that leadership is not about authority; it's about trust, consistency, and adaptability,” he reflects. The experience shaped his belief that lasting influence is built through collaboration, not command. Achievements: Bank Transformation Programs Haytham's career is marked by transformation programs that turned banks into agile, digitally led institutions and repositioned others with modern business and financial models. Across various banks, he built digital factories, global transaction banking units, and retail banking divisions that doubled retail revenue within two years and integrated fintech partnerships that expanded inclusion and efficiency. His leadership in digital innovation earned regional recognition, including The Asian Banker's “Best Transformation in the Middle East and Africa” and the “Global Finance Award for Best Global Islamic Trade Finance Bank.” At Afreximbank, he continues to drive innovation through digital platforms, structured trade finance, and syndications that scale impact across the continent. A Brief Introduction to Afreximbank Afreximbank, the African Export–Import Bank, is a PanAfrican multilateral financial institution mandated to stimulate a consistent expansion, diversification and 14 | DECEMBER 2025

“Working with people and organizations from more than 50 countries across Africa, with diverse cultures and management styles, reinforced my belief that leadership must be built on trust, adaptability, and respect for diversityˮ CIO VIEWS | 15

COVER STORY

development of African trade, while operating as a first class, profitoriented, socially responsible financial institution and a center of excellence in African trade matters. Its vision is to transform the continent's trade by enabling value addition, strengthening regional integration, and driving Africa's economic self-reliance. Haytham highlights the Bank's diverse offerings, from trade and project finance to guarantees, advisory services, and capital markets, each tailored to support corporates, financial institutions, and sovereigns. The Bank also mobilizes

significant external capital through syndications, often attracting five dollars for every dollar it invests. The Bank's guarantees and specialized finance instruments improve Africa's risk profile, helping member states and corporates access capital while supporting industrial zones, sector clusters, and tradeenabling infrastructure and energy projects that anchor value addition. Afreximbank's commitment to resilience is evident in its rapid response during crises such as COVID-19 and the Russia–Ukraine conflict.

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In partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Bank has also introduced two flagship instruments: the Transit Guarantee and the Adjustment Fund, enabling seamless trade movement and helping countries adapt to tariff reforms under the free trade area. Mentorship and Supporting Emerging Talent A natural mentor, Haytham believes leadership begins with listening. “Empathy is the foundation of mentorship,” he says. “You can only guide effectively when you truly understand people's needs.”

He fosters a culture of empowerment at Afreximbank by giving junior colleagues meaningful responsibility and direct access to senior leadership. “This open-door culture builds conﬁdence, accelerates learning, and nurtures Africa's next generation of leaders.” Managing Complex, Cross-Border Operations As Executive Vice President,

Haytham oversees clients across Africa and around the world. He manages complex ﬁnancing, syndication, and advisory operations that connect African opportunities with global capital.

For Haytham, success is measured in real outcomes: every transaction that creates jobs, deepens local processing, builds value chains, and moves Africa closer to producing what it trades.

“Clarity and focus are essential,” he says. “Our mission to advance Africa's prosperity through trade and investment keeps us disciplined and purpose-driven.”

Future of Trade Finance in Africa and the Middle East Haytham envisions a future where trade ﬁnance across Africa and the Middle East becomes fully digital,

We innovate by transforming how Africa Trades, simplifying the complex, unlocking new markets, and enabling entrepreneurs to shape the continent's tomorrow".

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COVER STORY

“Focus intently on what you aim to deliver,ˮ Haytham advises emerging leaders. “Guard your attention from distractions and build mastery through curiosity about the people and problems you serve.ˮ

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specialized, and interconnected. “Paperless trade will soon be the norm,” he says. He notes that Afreximbank's digital platforms, particularly the Africa Trade Gateway, are already transforming cross-border trade. PAPSS enables instant settlements in local currencies, MANSA strengthens transparency through verified KYC data, and ATEX simplifies regional ecommerce. Together, they form a connected ecosystem supporting Africa's self-reliance and industrial competitiveness. He also emphasizes the growing Africa–Middle East economic corridor across sectors such as renewable energy, agritech, re-export hubs, Islamic finance, and digital technology. “This corridor is

redeﬁning trade ﬁnance as a platform for co-investment and innovation rather than simple liquidity provision,” he explains. Advice for Aspiring Leaders “Focus intently on what you aim to deliver,” Haytham advises emerging leaders. “Guard your attention from distractions and build mastery through curiosity about the people and problems you serve.” He encourages young professionals to seek diverse challenges and learn from every culture and context. “True leadership comes from exposure and a willingness to grow,” he says. The Legacy: Lasting Impact Haytham aims to leave a legacy of

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transformation that continues to drive Africa's progress long after his tenure. Through initiatives like the Africa Trade Gateway and the African Trade Risk Exchange, he is helping to build institutional platforms that will outlast individuals. “Above all,” he concludes, “the legacy I value most is the knowledge shared with the next generation, drawn from the diverse institutions, geographies, and cultures that have shaped my journey.”

Muhammad Adeel Anjum From Retail Roots to Global Vision: The Leadership Journey of Muhammad Adeel Anjum

n the ever-evolving landscape of business leadership, the journey from foundational roles to executive positions often reveals a story of growth, adaptation, and visionary thinking. Muhammad Adeel Anjum's path to becoming the CEO of Circle K Arabia is a compelling example of this journey. His career, marked by transformative experiences across various industries, illustrates how diverse expertise and strategic foresight can shape eﬀective leadership.

the role of CEO at Circle K Arabia is a testament to a career rich in transformative experiences. His journey began at Lidl, where he developed essential skills in operational excellence and customer service. "My time at Lidl was foundational," Adeel reﬂects. "It taught me the importance of meticulous planning and cost optimization." These early lessons in ﬁnancial and commercial planning laid the groundwork for his future roles.

This article delves into Muhammad's remarkable journey, exploring how his experiences and leadership style have positioned him as a key ﬁgure in the competitive world of retail.

Adeel's transition to Fitness First marked a signiﬁcant shift. Here, he immersed himself in the dynamics of the health and ﬁtness industry, mastering customer engagement and operational excellence. "The experience at Fitness First was crucial in understanding the power of team motivation and delivering exceptional

A Transformative Career Path Muhammad Adeel Anjum's ascent to

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guest experiences," he explains. This role was instrumental in shaping his leadership philosophy and reinforcing his belief in the importance of inspiring teams toward shared objectives. Along the way Adeel also worked within Tech, and Fashion industries, working for leading global fashion brands. A deﬁning moment in Adeel's career came with his role at Nike. This global brand management position exposed him to strategic marketing and product innovation. "Nike taught me to navigate fast-paced environments and embrace creativity," he asserts. This experience was pivotal in developing his ability to drive business success in dynamic settings.

CEO, Circle K Arabia

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involved leading a struggling retail company through a comprehensive turnaround. "When I first assessed the company, inefficient processes and outdated technology were major obstacles," he recalls. His strategy focused on operational efficiency, cultural transformation, and financial restructuring. Streamlining backend processes and investing in new technologies resulted in a 20% reduction in operational costs within six months. "Operational efficiency was critical," he asserts, "as it allowed us to improve product quality and reduce costs."

Adeel's diverse experiences, spanning Lidl, Fitness First, Multiple Fashion brands and Nike, provided him with a comprehensive understanding of retail operations, consumer behaviour, and brand strategy. As CEO of Circle K Arabia, he leverages this extensive knowledge to lead with vision and drive a culture of innovation and growth. Diverse Industry Experience and Leadership Style Adeel's career spans a broad spectrum of industries, including food retail, fashion retail, hospitality, tech, sports retail, and consulting. This varied background has significantly influenced his leadership style and strategic vision. "My interest in different industries comes from a combination of professional curiosity and a desire to understand complex market dynamics," he notes. His consulting experience provided a broad perspective, enabling him to

engage with clients across various sectors. "Consultancy allowed me to appreciate each industry's unique challenges and opportunities," he says. This broad understanding fuels his strategic approach, allowing him to apply insights from one industry to another. Personal passions also play a role in shaping Adeel's professional outlook. His enthusiasm for health and wellness has inﬂuenced his leadership style, promoting a culture of resilience and teamwork. "I believe in instilling a sports team mentality within my organization, emphasizing perseverance and collaboration," he explains. This approach reﬂects his commitment to creating a motivated and cohesive team environment. Leading Turnarounds and Implementing Strategies Adeel is recognized for his expertise in turnaround strategies and startup management. One notable success

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Cultural transformation played a crucial role. Adeel introduced leadership training and improved communication channels, boosting employee morale and reducing turnover. "A motivated workforce is essential for driving revenue and organizational success," he emphasizes. Financial restructuring, including renegotiating contracts and focusing on high-margin products, stabilized the company's ﬁnances and enabled sustainable growth. Within a year, the company returned to proﬁtability, demonstrating the success of a comprehensive turnaround strategy. Cultivating a Culture of Innovation at Circle K Arabia In the competitive GCC market, fostering a culture of innovation is vital for maintaining a competitive edge. Adeel's approach at Circle K Arabia centers on three key strategies: empowering teams, continuous learning, and customer-centric innovation. "Empowering teams is at the heart of

our innovation strategy," he explains. By encouraging cross-functional collaboration and providing autonomy, Adeel taps into the collective creativity of the organization. "When employees feel empowered to take risks and propose new ideas, it drives innovation and agility." Continuous learning and development are also central to his approach. Adeel invests in training programs and promotes a growth mindset across all levels of the organization. "A culture of continuous learning equips our teams with the latest skills and insights, enhancing processes and customer experiences," he asserts. Customer-centric innovation is crucial for staying ahead in a competitive market. Adeel prioritizes gathering and analyzing customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and new opportunities. "Aligning our innovation initiatives with customer needs ensures that our products and services not only meet but exceed market expectations," he concludes. The Future of Technology and Retail Looking ahead, Adeel anticipates signiﬁcant changes at the intersection of technology and retail. Several key trends are expected to shape the industry in the coming years. "Personalization and data-driven insights will revolutionize retail," he predicts. AI and machine learning will enable retailers to oﬀer hyperpersonalized shopping experiences, tailoring recommendations based on customer data. "This will enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty," Adeel notes.

Automation technologies, such as robotics and IoT, will streamline supply chains and optimize inventory management, improving efficiency and reducing operational costs. "Automation will allow retailers to respond more swiftly to changing market demands," he adds. E-commerce and physical retail will increasingly merge, with technologies like AR and VR enriching the shopping experience. "Physical stores will evolve into experiential hubs, with technology enhancing the shopping experience," he explains. Sustainability will also gain importance, as consumers demand transparency. "Technology will enable eco-friendly supply chains and help retailers meet consumer expectations for sustainability," he concludes. Core Leadership Principles Adeel's decision-making process is guided by personal values and principles that reflect his commitment to integrity, accountability, and inclusivity. "Trust is the foundation of effective leadership," he asserts. He prioritizes transparency and honesty, ensuring that his decisions align with his values and commitments. Accountability is another key principle. Adeel believes in taking ownership of decisions and learning from outcomes. "Creating a culture of responsibility and empowerment drives performance and fosters continuous improvement," he explains. Valuing diverse perspectives is crucial for making well-rounded decisions. Adeel prioritizes listening to his team and fostering an inclusive environment. "Diverse viewpoints

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lead to more innovative solutions and a stronger team," he asserts. A long-term vision guides Adeel's decision-making process, balancing short-term needs with long-term growth. "Navigating challenges and seizing opportunities requires a strategic approach that aligns with our mission," he concludes. His adaptability and openness to new ideas ensure that he remains resilient and forward-thinking in an everchanging business landscape. Conclusion Muhammad Adeel Anjum's career journey from retail roots to a global executive role exempliﬁes the blend of experience, leadership, and innovation required for success in today's business world. From his foundational experiences at Lidl to his transformative roles at Nike and Fitness First, Adeel has developed a leadership style that emphasizes empowerment, continuous learning, and customer-centric innovation. His strategic vision for Circle K Arabia and insights into the future of technology and retail highlight his role as a forward-thinking leader in the industry. Adeel's commitment to core values such as trust, accountability, and inclusivity provides a strong foundation for navigating the complexities of the modern business landscape. As the retail sector continues to evolve, his leadership oﬀers valuable lessons in adaptability, resilience, and the pursuit of excellence.

Dr. Meritxell Vila-Fontes Catalysts of Growth: Dr. Meritxell Vila-Fontes' Journey to Business Leadership

n the ever-evolving landscape of the Middle East's business arena, visionary leaders are shaping the future with innovation and dedication. One such leader is Dr. Meritxell VilaFontes, the Founder and CEO of MERYT Catalysts & Innovation (Spain) and MERYT Chemicals (UAE). With a rich background in chemical engineering and a passion for catalysts, Dr. Vila-Fontes has embarked on a remarkable journey that has led her to the forefront of the region's business community. In this article, we delve into Dr. Vila-Fontes' inspiring story, exploring her professional milestones, leadership philosophy, and vision for the future. Dr. Vila-Fontes' career trajectory is a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. Beginning with her doctoral studies in Chemical

Engineering at the University of Barcelona, she laid the groundwork for a career focused on catalysis and chemical processes. Her tenure at the Repsol Research Center in Cartagena provided invaluable experience in developing pilot plant-scale catalysts studies, setting the stage for her transition to the Repsol Cartagena refinery as a process engineer and catalysts coordinator. This period marked the first of many milestones in Dr. Vila-Fontes' journey, as she honed her expertise and leadership skills in the dynamic field of chemical engineering. Dr. Vila-Fontes' Professional Journey Dr. Vila-Fontes' journey began with a profound fascination for chemistry, sparked by the remarkable legacy of Marie Curie. After completing her

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PhD in Chemical Engineering, specializing in catalytic processes, Dr. Vila-Fontes honed her skills at the Repsol Research Center before venturing into the realm of process engineering and catalysts coordination. Reflecting on her journey, she asserts, "My passion for chemistry started when I was 11 years old, after reading the biography of the extraordinary Marie Curie. Despite having no chemists in my family, her inspirational story profoundly influenced my life." This early inspiration propelled her into a successful career where she could explore her interest in chemical reactions and develop her expertise in this critical field. Through each role, she built on her knowledge and experience, driving advancements and making significant contributions to the industry.

Founder and CEO, MERYT Chemicals

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Dr. Vila-Fontes' journey is a testament to the transformative power of passion and perseverance. From her early fascination with chemistry to her groundbreaking research in chemical reactions and catalysts, every step of her career has been guided by a relentless pursuit of excellence. As she navigated through various roles and challenges, Dr. Vila-Fontes remained steadfast in her commitment to making a meaningful impact in the field of chemical engineering. Her journey, marked by continuous learning and adaptation, showcases the importance of dedication and resilience in achieving professional success. Igniting Innovation: Dr. Vila-Fontes' Passion for Chemical Processes Dr. Vila-Fontes' dedication to the transformative power of catalysts stems from their pivotal role in driving energy efficiency and innovation. She describes catalysts as the unsung heroes of the industry, facilitating reactions that conserve vast amounts of energy. "Each day presents new opportunities to harness the potential of catalysts and enact meaningful change in the industry," she explains. With a porous structure, sometime with surfaces areas higher than a football field per only one gram of the catalyst; and a myriad of metal combinations, catalysts offer endless possibilities for transformative processes, making them a cornerstone of Dr. Vila-Fontes' lifelong dedication. Driven by an unwavering passion for chemistry and a deep-rooted commitment to innovation, Dr. VilaFontes has dedicated her career to unlocking the potential of catalysts. Her vision extends beyond the laboratory, encompassing a world where transformative processes revolutionize industries and pave the

way for a more sustainable future. As she continues to push the boundaries of catalysts, Dr. Vila-Fontes remains guided by her passion and determination to make a lasting impact on the world. Dr. Vila-Fontes' Vision for MERYT Chemicals As the CEO of MERYT, Dr. VilaFontes envisions the company as a premier supplier of catalysts and adsorbents across the Middle East. With a focus on local manufacturing and technical expertise, MERYT aims to drive innovation and support the region's industrial growth. "Our goal is to become a “catalyst” for progress, delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower our clients to thrive in an ever-changing market," she asserts. Driven by a commitment to excellence and a passion for innovation, Dr. VilaFontes leads MERYT with a clear vision for the future. She believes that by harnessing the power of catalysts, the company can play a pivotal role in shaping the region's economic landscape. With a focus on collaboration and customer-centric solutions, MERYT is poised to lead the way in catalyzing growth and development across the Middle East. Navigating the Business Horizon in the Middle East Dr. Vila-Fontes sees immense potential for growth and development in the Middle East's business landscape, fueled by strategic partnerships and a supportive infrastructure. With ambitious goals and a commitment to excellence, MERYT Chemicals is poised to lead the region's catalyst

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industry into a new era of innovation and prosperity. "The Middle East offers unparalleled opportunities for businesses to thrive and make a positive impact on the global stage," she asserts. Dr. Vila-Fontes' forward-thinking approach to business underscores her belief in the region's capacity for innovation and progress. By harnessing the region's strategic advantages and leveraging its vibrant ecosystem, she envisions MERYT as a key contributor for economic growth and sustainable development in the Middle East and beyond. Overcoming Adversity, Navigating Challenges and Seizing Opportunities Dr. Vila-Fontes' leadership journey has been punctuated by challenges, from starting a business from scratch to gaining traction in a conservative market. However, her unwavering commitment to hard work, perseverance, and a positive outlook has enabled her to overcome these hurdles and build a resilient organization. Reflecting on her experiences, she explains, "Leading a company involves daily challenges. One significant hurdle was starting the business from scratch. We faced issues such as cash flow constraints, a small team handling numerous tasks, and gaining customer trust in a very conservative market." Despite these challenges, Dr. VilaFontes remained steadfast in her determination to succeed. She approached each obstacle with creativity and resilience, turning setbacks into opportunities for growth. Through strategic planning, formation of a great team of excellent

professionals and a focus on delivering exceptional value to customers, she was able to navigate the complexities of the business landscape and emerge stronger than ever. Dr. Vila-Fontes' leadership serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. Pioneering Innovation with a Quest for Excellence Innovation lies at the heart of MERYT' operations, with a collaborative approach to research and development. By partnering with research centers and universities, the company leverages specialized knowledge to develop cutting-edge catalysts and adsorbents, driving growth and differentiation in the market. "Innovation is our driving force, enabling us to stay ahead of the curve and deliver solutions that exceed our clients' expectations," she emphasizes. Dr. Vila-Fontes' commitment to innovation extends beyond technological advancements; it permeates every aspect of the company's culture. She fosters a dynamic environment where creativity flourishes, encouraging employees to think outside the box and explore new possibilities. By nurturing a culture of innovation, Dr. Vila-Fontes ensures that MERYT remains at the forefront of industry trends and continues to pioneer groundbreaking solutions. Nurturing Tomorrow's Leaders: Insights from Dr. Vila-Fontes Drawing from her own experiences, Dr. Vila-Fontes offers valuable advice to aspiring business leaders in the Middle East. "Embrace the rich and diverse culture of the Middle East, we

can learn so much from this culture, specially I admire their deep spirituality" she advises. "Integration and respect for local traditions are crucial." By embracing diversity and striving for excellence, aspiring leaders can make a positive impact and contribute to the region's continued growth. Dr. Vila-Fontes' counsel resonates with wisdom and insight, highlighting the importance of cultural sensitivity and inclusivity in leadership. Aspiring leaders who heed her advice stand poised to navigate the complexities of the Middle Eastern business landscape with grace and eﬃcacy, driving meaningful change and fostering a brighter future for all. Pioneering Excellence - Legacy and Future Plans As she looks towards the future, Dr. Vila-Fontes envisions a legacy of excellence and innovation for MERYT. With plans for a local manufacturing plant and a dedicated research center, she aims to establish the company as a leader in the catalyst industry, leaving a lasting impact on her clients, employees, and the broader business community. "Our vision is to create a legacy of excellence that transcends generations, inspiring future leaders to push the boundaries of innovation and drive positive change," she concludes. Dr. Vila-Fontes' forward-thinking approach underscores her commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and sustainable growth at MERYT. Her vision for the company's future embodies a legacy of excellence that extends far beyond her tenure, inspiring generations of leaders to come.

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Harmonizing Life's Duet: Dr. VilaFontes' Symphony of Work and Family For Dr. Vila-Fontes, achieving a balance between personal and professional life has been a transformative journey. As a mother of five, she navigated the challenges of parenthood while pursuing her career ambitions. "Balancing personal and professional life has been a nice journey of growth and self-discovery," she reflects. Now, with her children pursuing their dreams in five different countries around the world, Dr. VilaFontes dedicates herself fully to her business endeavors, finding fulfillment in her professional growth. Dr. Vila-Fontes' ability to harmonize the demands of work and family life exemplifies her resilience and adaptability. Through careful time management and a steadfast commitment to both her personal and professional responsibilities, she has created a harmonious symphony that resonates with purpose and fulfillment. Conclusion Dr. Meritxell Vila-Fontes' journey epitomizes the spirit of leadership and innovation in the Middle East's business landscape. From humble beginnings to pioneering achievements, her story serves as an inspiration to aspiring leaders across the region. With a relentless commitment to excellence and a vision for the future, Dr. Vila-Fontes continues to chart new horizons and redefine the possibilities of business leadership in the Middle East.

Elie Sarkis Pioneering Digital Marketing Education in the Middle East: The Journey of Elie Sarkis

n an era where digital transformation shapes the business landscape, leaders who harness the power of digital marketing stand out. One such luminary is Elie Sarkis, the CoFounder and Managing Partner of Intoact International. Recognized as one of the "Middle East's 10 Most Influential Business Leaders, 2024," Sarkis shares insights into his professional journey, vision, and the innovative strides his company is making in digital marketing education and consultancy. His leadership exemplifies how strategic foresight and dedication to continuous learning can drive significant industry advancements. A Journey of Continuous Learning and Innovation Elie Sarkis's journey in digital

marketing has been characterized by continuous learning and adaptation. Reflecting on his professional background, he remarks, "From the beginning, I quickly realized the vast potential of digital strategies in transforming businesses. However, there was a significant gap in practical learning when it came to digital marketing." Through years of trial and error, Sarkis honed his skills in various aspects of digital marketing, including online strategy, social media marketing (SMM), search engine optimization (SEO), ecommerce, and more. A pivotal milestone in his career was the co-founding of Intoact International, a digital marketing training and consultancy company. Sarkis emphasizes, "Our mission is to equip the marketers of tomorrow with the necessary skills to make a significant impact in the digital

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marketing landscape." As the Managing Partner, he has focused on delivering practical and applied training programs that generate awareness, engagement, leads, and sales. “The world lives online now. To connect, engage, and grow, your business must be digitally active.” –Elie Sarkis Vision for Growth and Impact Sarkis's vision for Intoact International is ambitious yet grounded in a deep understanding of the market needs. "My vision for Intoact International is to become the foremost authority on digital marketing education and consulting in the Middle East and beyond," he explains. To achieve this, the company is expanding its course oﬀerings to cover emerging trends

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Intoact International

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and technologies, increasing its online presence, and forming strategic partnerships with industry leaders. "Our goal is not just to educate but to inspire and empower a new generation of digital marketers," Sarkis asserts. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, Intoact International aims to drive positive change and make a lasting impact on the region's digital landscape. The company is also committed to expanding its strategic partnerships with companies looking to upskill their teams in digital marketing through practical and tailored training courses. Factors Contributing to Success When asked about the primary factors contributing to his success as a business leader in the Middle East, Sarkis highlights several key

elements. "Having a deep understanding of the regional market dynamics has been crucial," he notes. Tailoring training programs and consultancy services to meet the unique needs of businesses in the region has been a signiﬁcant factor. Building a strong, dedicated team has also been fundamental. Sarkis emphasizes, "Our success is a collective eﬀort, and having passionate, skilled professionals who share our vision has been invaluable." Additionally, adaptability and a willingness to embrace change have enabled the company to stay ahead of the curve in the constantly evolving digital marketing landscape. Exposure to diverse industries and markets has provided Sarkis with a broad understanding of various business challenges and opportunities, allowing him to tailor his approach to meet the unique needs of each client. 34 | DECEMBER 2025

Establishing trust and credibility with clients by delivering consistent, highquality results has also been a cornerstone of Intoact International's success. “Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive diﬀerence to the world.” –

Roy T. Bennett

Navigating Challenges and Seizing Opportunities Leading a company is a journey ﬁlled with both challenges and opportunities, each presenting unique lessons and growth potential. Elie Sarkis recalls a particularly trying time during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The sudden shift to remote work and the uncertainty of the business landscape required rapid adaptation," he reﬂects.

This unexpected situation demanded immediate strategic adjustments to ensure the continuity of operations and support for clients and employees alike. In response, Sarkis and his team swiftly pivoted to online training programs, recognizing the necessity to continue providing value despite physical restrictions. Leveraging a range of digital tools, they maintained seamless communication and collaboration across the organization. This quick adaptation not only helped them weather the immediate crisis but also unearthed new avenues for growth and innovation. The move to virtual platforms opened doors to a broader audience, extending their reach beyond geographical limitations and enabling them to oﬀer services to a global market. This experience underscored the importance of agility and resilience, proving that with the right mindset and tools, even the most daunting challenges can lead to signiﬁcant advancements and opportunities for an organization.

with their target audiences," Sarkis asserts. By integrating AI into its courses, Intoact International highlights its dedication to providing cutting-edge education that prepares professionals for the realities of modern marketing.

signiﬁcant potential for digital marketing to thrive." The region's demographic landscape, characterized by a predominantly youthful and digitally literate population, creates a fertile ground for digital innovations and marketing strategies.

“Stay informed, competitive, and relevant. Ongoing learning in digital marketing is essential for mastering the latest strategies and techniques and keeping you or your team ahead of the curve.” – Elie Sarkis

E-commerce, in particular, has experienced substantial growth, a trend that has only accelerated in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift in consumer behavior towards online shopping has opened new avenues for businesses to reach and engage their target audiences. Companies that can eﬀectively harness the power of digital marketing to tap into this burgeoning e-commerce market are well-positioned to reap considerable beneﬁts.

Opportunities for Growth in the Middle East The Middle East's dynamic and rapidly evolving business environment is ripe with opportunities for growth and development, especially within the digital sector. Elie Sarkis notes, "With increasing internet penetration and a young, tech-savvy population, there is

Fostering a Culture of Innovation Innovation is key to staying competitive in today's business landscape, and Intoact International places a strong emphasis on fostering a culture of innovation. "We encourage continuous learning and experimentation, providing our team with the resources and support to explore new ideas," Sarkis explains. One innovative initiative undertaken by the company is the development of customized training programs that use artiﬁcial intelligence to tailor content to the speciﬁc needs of clients. "The incorporation of AI in content marketing represents a transformative shift in the way marketers engage

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Beyond e-commerce, other areas of growth include inﬂuencer marketing and data-driven strategies. Inﬂuencer

marketing, leveraging the vast reach and persuasive power of social media influencers, allows brands to connect with audiences in more authentic and engaging ways. This approach not only boosts brand visibility but also drives consumer trust and loyalty. Data-driven strategies, on the other hand, enable businesses to make informed decisions by analyzing consumer behavior and market trends. By utilizing advanced analytics and big data, companies can refine their marketing efforts, optimize customer engagement, and ultimately drive higher growth and development. These strategies ensure that marketing campaigns are not only targeted and effective but also adaptable to changing market conditions. Overall, the Middle East presents a myriad of growth opportunities for businesses willing to embrace digital transformation. By leveraging emerging trends in e-commerce, influencer marketing, and data-driven decision-making, companies can enhance their reach, engagement, and overall market presence, paving the way for sustained growth and success in this vibrant region. Balancing Personal and Professional Life Balancing personal and professional life is a significant challenge for many leaders, and Elie Sarkis is no exception. He acknowledges, "Balancing personal and professional life is essential for long-term success and well-being." To manage this delicate equilibrium, Sarkis employs a variety of strategies that help him navigate the demands of both his professional responsibilities and personal commitments.

One of the key strategies he uses is prioritizing time management. By organizing his day meticulously and setting clear boundaries between work and personal time, Sarkis ensures that he can dedicate quality time to both areas. This structured approach not only enhances productivity but also allows for uninterrupted periods of personal relaxation and family interaction. Delegation is another critical component of his approach. By trusting his team and empowering them to take on signiﬁcant responsibilities, Sarkis can focus on strategic decision-making without being overwhelmed by day-to-day tasks. Eﬀective delegation not only fosters a sense of ownership and accountability among team members but also allows Sarkis to maintain a balanced workload. Emphasizing self-care is equally important in his routine. "Regular 36 | DECEMBER 2025

exercise, healthy eating, and mindfulness practices help me stay energized and focused," he explains. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, Sarkis ensures that he remains physically and mentally ﬁt to meet the demands of his role. Regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, and mindfulness practices like meditation and deep breathing exercises contribute to his overall well-being, enabling him to manage stress and maintain high performance levels. In addition to these practices, Sarkis places great importance on spending quality time with his family and engaging in hobbies. These activities provide a much-needed break from the professional grind, allowing him to recharge and gain a fresh perspective. Whether it's enjoying a meal with loved ones, participating in outdoor activities, or indulging in a favorite pastime, these moments of leisure and joy play a crucial role in his life.

Advice for Aspiring Business Leaders Reﬂecting on his own leadership journey, Sarkis oﬀers valuable advice for aspiring business leaders in the Middle East. "Stay adaptable and open to learning," he advises. The business landscape is constantly changing, and being able to pivot and adjust strategies is crucial. Building strong relationships and fostering a collaborative environment both within and outside the organization are also important. "Investing in continuous learning and development is essential," Sarkis adds. Keeping up with the latest trends and technologies gives leaders a competitive edge and enables informed decision-making. Delivering value and building trust with clients is another key aspect. "Consistency and reliability in your services will help you build a strong reputation and long-term relationships," Sarkis emphasizes. Leading with integrity and empathy, understanding the needs and concerns of the team and clients, is also crucial for long-term success. “The biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a world that's changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” -

Mark Zuckerberg

A Legacy of Empowerment and Innovation As the Managing Partner of Intoact International, Sarkis hopes to leave a legacy of empowerment, innovation, and transformative impact. "My vision is to be remembered as a leader who not only fostered a culture of

continuous learning but also significantly advanced the digital marketing landscape," he says. Empowering marketers and businesses to reach their full potential through practical and applied digital marketing training programs is a core aspect of his legacy. Looking to the future, Sarkis plans to expand Intoact International's reach globally, offer new and innovative training programs, and continue building partnerships with industry leaders. "We aim to stay at the forefront of digital marketing education and consulting, adapting to new trends and technologies to provide our clients with the best possible solutions," he asserts. By staying true to its mission and values, Intoact International aims to achieve these goals and leave a lasting positive impact on the industry and beyond. "The legacy I hope to leave is one of transformative change, where Intoact International is seen as a beacon of excellence and innovation," Sarkis concludes. Empowering the Marketers of Tomorrow In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, leaders like Elie Sarkis play a crucial role in shaping the future of business. His vision, dedication, and innovative approach are not only empowering the marketers of tomorrow but also making a significant impact on the Middle East's digital marketing landscape. Sarkis's commitment to digital marketing education and consultancy is evident through his efforts at Intoact International. By focusing on practical and applied training

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programs, he ensures that marketers are equipped with the skills necessary to navigate and succeed in a complex digital world. "Our mission is to equip the marketers of tomorrow with the necessary skills to make a significant impact in the digital marketing landscape," Sarkis emphasizes. His innovative initiatives, such as integrating artificial intelligence in training programs, highlight his dedication to staying ahead of the curve. "The incorporation of AI in content marketing represents a transformative shift in the way marketers engage with their target audiences," Sarkis explains. By embracing cutting-edge technologies, he ensures that Intoact International's offerings remain relevant and effective, preparing professionals for the realities of modern marketing. Sarkis's impact extends beyond his company. By actively participating in lectures, seminars, and workshops across various countries, he shares his knowledge with a broader audience. This commitment to education and knowledge sharing not only solidifies his reputation as a thought leader but also contributes to the overall growth and development of the digital marketing field in the Middle East. In conclusion, Elie Sarkis's contributions to digital marketing are profound and far-reaching. His vision, dedication, and innovative approach are shaping the future of digital marketing in the Middle East, inspiring a new generation of marketers to achieve excellence and drive transformation in the industry.

Rehan Syed An Experienced Tech Executive Helping Organizations with the Best Tech Decisions

he CTO role in a business has altered as a result of the advancement of technology. Until recently, a CTO served as a service provider for the majority of industries (with the exception of tech firms themselves). But in today's world, the majority of sectors now operate differently as a result of digital transformation. As the ultimate resource for a company's transformation, the position of a CTO is quickly evolving. They must develop fresh business strategies, digitize their offerings, and use technology to address case-specific issues in HR, finance, and sales. As a "bridge-builder" between people, processes, and technology within a company, a CTO's profile has evolved into that of a Chief Business Enabler. At Island Consulting, Rehan Syed serves as the chief technology officer. It is a global IT company that

specializes in tailor-made solutions. His role is to help the organization's management make the best decisions moving forward, to help create a road map, and to support daily target achievement. Rehan Syed spent four years as the CEO of Techs Holding prior to joining Island Consulting. He started several companies during this time and assisted in managing activities involving over 300 workers. He also contributed to the creation of strong and supportive workplace policies. He says, "I am not sure if I can deﬁne in one word, but the closest to what I can relate is "Coach"." As a leader, Rehan Syed's personal goals are to help build a better future. It is through a combined eﬀort; everyone can live in harmony and make this world a cleaner and healthier place for future generations. He advises aspiring entrepreneurs to never give up on their dreams. He

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asserts, "Along the way, multiple obstacles or hinderances may come, but once you face a closed opportunity, another will come along the way, which will help you achieve your aims." Years of Progress Rehan Syed remembers how his mother Dr. Fatima and his late father Engr. Afzal purchased the first 386 computer and set it up with a Tom & Jerry game for him and his sister. What kind of sorcery is this, thought Rehan Syed. He recalls, "You can control characters by a clicker and move them around by pressing some keys. Ever since that day, I had great interest on how things work and how things are made." At a very young age, he constructed his first remotecontrol airplane, and through selftaught programming, he created the first website. Since then, Rehan Syed

CTO, Island Consulting

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has been able to complete a doctorate in information technology and contribute to the creation of numerous start-ups in various industries thanks to the support of his family and very understanding elders. Rehan Syed has held jobs along the way, including Chief Operating Oﬃcer for a well-known restaurant chain, Chief Executive Oﬃcer for a ridesharing and food delivery company for a new start-up in the Middle East, and now he is guiding Island Consulting to a new level of success. The best recognition Rehan Syed received was back in 2015, in

Sultanate of Oman, for "World Leader Business Person" from the World Confederation of Businesses.

supplying a tailored solution that enables them to oﬀer the community better services and goods.

Island Consulting

Every Minute is a Teaching New Things

Several outstanding young men and women founded Island Consulting a few years ago. It began as a modest business operating out of a conference room, but it eventually expanded to have a presence in other nations. Currently, it works to become a onestop shop for its customers and works with vendors from all across the continent. Island Consulting assists its clients by researching their needs and

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Rehan Syed asserts that hours, minutes, and seconds make up one's time and are a great teacher while discussing his thoughts on the diﬃculties he has in life and at work. Some lessons cannot be learned without going through the experience and moving forward. He has been working in the ﬁeld for more than 20

years, and this teacher assisted him in developing competence in information technology, hospitality, and tourism. Rehan Syed asserts, "I learned to work with tight deadlines, across countries, making the impossible possible, look for out-ofthe-box solutions, train colleagues, and above all, help people achieve their dreams." He thinks the most valuable lesson he learned is that everyone has a unique talent, and if one is willing to believe in them, nurture them, and guide them, they can surprise with the results. On Attaining Balance Rehan Syed makes an eﬀort to separate his personal and work lives. He breaks down all milestones into smaller tasks and plans his tasks. In order for everyone to enjoy their own time, he works with individuals, solicits their input on the company's actions, and fosters teamwork. Rehan Syed welcomes everyone. He shares, "If someone has an idea, they can always come in and I will discuss with them how to make it happen." He always prefers quality over quantity and believes the team is here to make the company's employees, its stakeholders, and its customers' lives happier. On Path of Achieving Dreams Rehan Syed thinks he is still halfway through achieving all that he dreamed of. He says, "Some tasks are still to be materialized, some plans are still in the primary stage and need more research before I can start those projects." He ﬁrmly believes that everyone can realize any aspirations they have for themselves with persistence, perseverance, and hard work.

For Rehan Syed, success consists of a collection of outcomes that demonstrate the accomplishment of a goal. Working with several people and combining eﬀorts to achieve a goal may be necessary. Everybody has meetings with various experts throughout the day, and he makes an eﬀort to assist them in achieving their objectives and improving their quality of life. When he realizes he has an impact on someone's life, he feels successful. Building Best IT Development Solution Provider Rehan Syed intends to transform Island Consulting into one of the top CIO VIEWS | 41

providers of IT development solutions in the future. He sees a future where Island Consulting will be the go-to company for clients seeking speciﬁcally tailored solutions and where Island Consulting will be able to give them access to greater business resources and services.

Maya Khalifeh An Inspiring Woman in Business and Customer Experience Professional in the Middle East Region

s a senior management professional, Maya Khalifeh works with organization leaderships to transform businesses to achieve identiﬁed strategic plans. A seasoned leader in sales, strategic and key account management, Maya is currently the Principal, Sales at INDEVCO Consultancy. A brief about INDEVCO Consultancy INDEVCO Consultancy leverages on INDEVCO group's 6 decades of industrial and operational experience to provide its clients with holistic and optimal solutions to create business value. By taking a partnership approach, they help transform organizations ambitious goals into reality by analyzing pain points, recommending and executing customized and agile solutions.

Services include: Customer Experience & Retention Strategies, Lead Generation & Customer Acquisition Programs, Marketing & Sales Enablement, Risk Assessment & Internal Audit Advisory, Strategic Sourcing & Supply Chain Optimization, People Strategy & Organization Development, Exhibition Strategy & Management, Sustainability Strategy & Governance, Business Process Improvement & Excellence, Information Systems & Business Intelligence, Insurance & Safety Risk Management, and IT Solutions & Consultancy. The darkest hour of the night is right before dawn “In my opinion, success is a mix of hard work and strategic planning so that the leader is ready to take advantage of opportunities when they

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emerge. Most people would consider it a sign of good luck,” states Maya. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, exactly like the iceberg model, where individuals only perceive what is showing, but the mental capability and structural growth, as well as the patterns and trends, are hidden from the outside view perspective. Maya says that it is critical to her well-being that the projects on which she's focused stretches her mind. Performing the same tasks repeatedly does not ﬁll the spark inside her. During the Corona Pandemic, “INDEVCO Consultancy” was born out of a belief in “listening to change”. Accordingly they planned for the whole strategy, processes, communications and services along with how to maneuver each to pass

Principal, Sales, INDEVCO Consultancy

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was there that she developed professionally and personally, ultimately leading to her current position. Maya has had many turning points in her life that she claims helped her shape her proﬁle as a businesswoman including earning her Executive MBA from ESCP Europe, winning 2020 Customer Experience Professional of the Year in Dubai and being on the list of inspiring women for younger generation to follow.

the economic crisis and Corona virus eﬀect on businesses.

Being a strong leader and paving the way for women in business

Maya's contribution in redeﬁning the industry with integrity and innovation

Arab women continue to lead the struggle for economic empowerment and gender rights and equality at work. Maya Khalifeh, believes that as a mother she has a responsibility to her daughter and other women to advocate for women's rights, particularly in the workplace. Despite the diﬃculties she has faced, she believes it's critical that she lives the life of a role model for the young girls in her community by being ambitious, cheerful, resilient, fulﬁlled, and full of joy and gratitude.

Maya plays a key role in connecting the dots and addressing technology and digital transformation from a business point of view. To achieve eﬀective win-win solutions for many involved entities at work, she relies on her capabilities to grasp multiple points of view with strong emotional intelligence and executive maturity. “Despite all the challenges that I had in my life, I feel that it is imperative that I lead a life of a role model to the young girls around me, by being ambitious, positive, resilient, happy and self-fulﬁlled,” she says. Entrepreneurship is a key value at INDEVCO Group and Maya feels it is in their DNA to be innovative, to add value in what they are involved in as well as listening to change and acting upon it.

Maya's career life before INDEVCO Consultancy Maya was a long-term volunteer with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) throughout her time at university, engaging in programs such as Lebanon's ﬁrst national marathon. As a child, she always wanted to work in UNDP's regional headquarters. After that, she joined the INDEVCO Group as a trainee just as she was ﬁnishing up her undergraduate studies, and it 46 | DECEMBER 2025

Other career accomplishments include leading large-scale digital transformation projects, setting up INDEVCO's Customer Experience service unit, and introducing strategies and vision in data management and visualization. Responsibilities as the Principal, Sales of INDEVCO Consultancy “INDEVCO Consultancy's strategic growth and development are at the heart of my main responsibilities,” states Maya. She leads INDEVCO Consultancy sales. She is responsible for driving the revenue generation, new customer acquisition strategy, current account expansion, & overall sales. Maya also manages key customer relationships and participates in closing strategic partnerships & opportunities. “I am a morning person, and my daily routine involves casual checks on my team members and colleagues. Now that the pandemic has passed, my days are dominated by online meetings, and the rest of the time I do a lot of writing and storytelling approach at work,” she says. Maya thinks that “resilience” has been her companion throughout her

life; she tends to navigate storms calmly and rationally. “We all fall at some moments in life but with resilience, we rise again. Being resilient helps us to be compassionate and understanding in the face of diﬃculties. By being resilient, we turn pain into power, chaos into peace and wounds into wisdom,” she explains. Maya's future plans for herself and INDEVCO Consultancy By using their profound expertise and industry know-how, the plans at INDEVCO Consultancy are to keep working with all involved parties intensively and in a strategic manner to help businesses in the Middle East and GCC create long-term, sustainable value and accelerate their growth. Businesses will be able to navigate smartly the new normal and better respond to their most complex challenges. “Accordingly the economy will perform better and the communities we belong to will thrive,” Maya states. On a personal level, Maya plans to keep on sharpening the saw, having conscious openness and awareness of trying new things and new ways of doing business, planning for success and taking action to improve diﬀerent aspects of her life. Staying motivated to maintain a balance and deliver the best services Maya states that her professional and personal lives are intertwined; there is no formal split in between. “It is essential for me to succeed in both,” she says. Maya has 3 kids, Mikael (9 years old), Alexander (8 years old) and

Yasmina (3 years old). She proudly states that they are her dream come true. She ensures to spend quality time with them, as compared to only being present. Maya ﬁlls up their schedule with activities and studies that do not include much dependence on her, so that she can easily, without disturbing them emotionally, achieve success in her professional life including attending work engagements and business traveling as well as being able to achieve her dreams on a personal development level. “It is equally important for me that my kids see me as a role model, every major decision in my life is taken while considering them as a main inﬂuencer and with the question

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in mind, 'Will this beneﬁt and inspire my kids?'” she states. Maya's message for aspiring businesswomen is to not be demoted by challenges that they will face in their careers, to keep their selfconﬁdence and to engage always in meaningful discussions that will help with the growth both on their work and personal levels. “Finally, please remember, 'When one girl stands for herself, unconsciously, she is standing for all women around,” she asserts.

Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli An International Market Strategist with a Proven Work History

enowned for his wide exposure to international markets and engagement with global multinational companies, Muhammad Azmi Zulkiﬂi, fondly known as Azmi is the face of business in Greater Kuala Lumpur. He joined InvestKL, an Investment Promotion Agency focused at attracting multinational companies to establish their regional hubs in Greater Kuala Lumpur in 2012 as a Director of Investor Relations for Europe. Today, Azmi holds the position of CEO position at the agency. Prior to InvestKL, Azmi was with MISC Berhad, a world leading provider of energy related maritime solutions and services and a subsidiary of Petronas, for 16 years. There, he held various management positions across commercial business, business planning and transformation, and operations.

When he ﬁrst read the job description for his role at InvestKL, he recalled thinking, "Wow, this is special." He says, "I was ready for a new challenge; a new environment, and I knew that this was an opportunity I wanted to pursue. InvestKL's goal was one of the many initiatives to support Malaysia's Vision 2020." He's met a lot of interesting individuals and worked with a great team of experts, so there's never a dull moment. There was also the opportunity to travel to other parts of the world to engage an international audience, particularly investors about Greater Kuala Lumpur's investment opportunities. By 2020, the agency has successfully met its original aim of luring 100 Fortune 500 and Forbes 2000 companies. “I am also pleased to report that the team has secured over RM2 billion in new investments as of the ﬁrst half of 2021. It's a

48 | DECEMBER 2025

strong start toward InvestKL's 2030 objective of securing a total of RM20 billion in new investments.” said Azmi. The Inception Story Malaysia's goal was to become a high-income country with a competitive, healthy, and resilient economy by 2020. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's economic capital is a vital pillar and contributor to the country's GDP. In 2010, Greater Kuala Lumpur was identiﬁed as an engine of economic growth and designated as a National Key Economic Area under Malaysia's Economic Transformation Plan, much like many great countries have their iconic cities. Greater Kuala Lumpur had great potential, but the driver of the initiative remains a question, "How do we move away from the middle-

CEO, Sales, InvestKL

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income trap, attract top global companies when neighbouring countries are aggressively doing so, and how do we support the creation of high-skilled jobs with brain drain becoming a top concern?" And that's how InvestKL was established in 2011 with an important role in promoting Greater Kuala Lumpur as a leading regional investment hub in Asia. It was our role to attract, facilitate, and service 100 large multinational companies into Greater Kuala Lumpur while delivering a strong knock-on impact on the economy as well as the high-income, knowledge-intensive jobs they could potentially create. Staying Stable during Setbacks In a fast-paced environment where collaboration is key, and in between everyone juggles expectations and deliverables, setbacks are part of the journey. "On a positive note, one should view setbacks as opportunities and a stimulus that could be spurred into something great," says Muhammad. At InvestKL, management uses scenario planning to predict and respond to changes in a coordinated manner. He enjoys encouraging his staﬀ to step outside of their comfort zones and take on new challenges. The company's success today as a top investment agency, as recognised by Site Selection in 2019, 2017, and 2015, is due to the learning, expertise, and experience gained. Muhammad recalls, "We were all awakened to the shock of running our business during a pandemic. At the onset, people are grappling with how far-reaching or how long the uncertainty will persist." With such a realization, leaders would then need

to respond decisively on two different foundations – internal and external. As Azmi finds, the first one is the importance of rallying the team together and planning for a robust approach moving forward. Also, he wants externally to ensure clarity and continuity in the team's communication for businesses to run during the pandemic.

on enterprises from Greater Kuala Lumpur that provide high-value, high-tech, and high-impact services and want to expand their reach into ASEAN and/or Asia Paciﬁc markets. Consumer technology, smart technology, healthcare, industrial automation, engineering services, and oil, gas, and energy are among the industries of focus.

"Despite the ups and downs and the many late nights and weekends, I am extremely proud of the team," says Muhammad. The team has responded positively by demonstrating sheer resilience in their duties. He adds, "Albeit all that, we saw innovative ideas and unorthodox approaches in how we continue to drive our business."

Overall, via its ease of doing business initiative, it assists investors by supporting the establishment of regional centres. InvestKL also owns two initiatives that started in early 2021. Greater KL (GKL) Live Lab was launched to position Greater KL as an innovation and ideation smart city, acting as a testbed where foreign companies experimenting with new and disruptive ways to solve the most challenging problems in the world today can bring their ideas to life while collaborating with local players.

InvestKL InvestKL continues to attract worldwide multinational corporations (MNCs) and fast-growing companies to Greater Kuala Lumpur to build regional services centres. The focus is

50 | DECEMBER 2025

Fit4Work on the other hand isa talent training programme to enhance the essential skill sets of young

Malaysian graduates required for the Global Services Industry. Achievements of InvestKL InvestKL has progressed well over the years with a track record of delivering the numbers, eﬀorts recognised and moving into the future hold bigger responsibilities to support the national agenda." The 100 companies that picked Greater Kuala Lumpur as their Asian headquarters did so because they respected the city's foundations and prospects. All of this, however, would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the InvestKL team in serving the country.

developed IKLCares, a programme aimed at helping people who are less fortunate. The workforce at InvestKL is diverse, yet they work together to achieve a single objective, guided by a spirit of public service and a culture of conscientiousness. The principles of InvestKL reﬂect this: being resultsdriven, client-focused, working as a team, having integrity and ownership in everything, and understanding the signiﬁcance of getting things done. As per Muhammad, these values are the core guidelines that helped build the team into the dynamic and determined organisation that it is today. Creating Greater Impact

As per Muhammad, work-life balance resonates deeply in people's culture. He opines, "As a leader of this agency, the well-being of the team is my utmost priority, and I strive to create a safe, supportive, and compassionate work environment."

For Muhammad, in an organization, the hard targets are a measure of success. It's about a company demonstrating the ability, eﬃciency, and tenacity to hit the numbers consistently. That is the fundamental measure of success. He asks, "When an organisation is built on a strong fundamental, leaders then need to look beyond the numbers. What next?" He further adds that an organisation needs to look at the greater impact of the activities that they conduct. This is measured through the positive spill-over eﬀect that an investment brings to the country. A global metropolitan site like Greater Kuala Lumpur would be driven by ecosystem growth, promoting innovation, and creating high-skill jobs.

InvestKL Recreational Club (IRC) was developed to increase team engagement through team events, outings, celebrations, and more as part of its mission to build an enjoyable work environment. During the epidemic, the corporation

According to Muhammad, InvestKL's path towards environmental, social, and governance (ESG) would be the driving force behind all the company does. He emphasizes, "A greater good needs to be done; a positive change has to be made to ensure that each

Muhammad admires the diversity of people who join to pursue a common goal: to make Greater Kuala Lumpur a top and preferred investment location for huge international corporations. Based on a decade of experience, expertise, and insight, InvestKL is prepared to manage new diﬃculties and seize all opportunities in the future. Values that Create Progressive Workplace

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and every one of us takes the sustainable journey forward." Advice for Young Lads "Believe that you are important and that you bring something unique to the table – diversity is a strength," says Muhammad. "Planning gives you a clear direction, drives you and perhaps even motivates you, but the journey is much more rewarding." Muhammad suggests, "Another would be taking a leap of faith and trusting your instincts. Do not view your setbacks too harshly, but instead reﬂect and learn from those experiences. Success, on the other hand, is a door to a bigger opportunity – keep it up. Lastly, keep your focus right, invest in yourself, and seize opportunities to accelerate your learning curve. You'll most certainly achieve anything you set your mind to." The Prospects for InvestKL Moving forward, the 10-year strategy plan by 2030 is focused on attracting regional high-quality, high-impact, technology-oriented investments in new development sectors that are also compatible with environmental, social, and governance goals. This is also in line with the New Industrial Master Plan in Malaysia. The successes of the last decade have carved a clear route forward, and InvestKL has set a new target of securing RM20 billion in new investments and recruiting the next 100 multinationals and fast-growing companies to Greater Kuala Lumpur by 2030, or. A feat that Muhammad is conﬁdent InvestKL will achieve.

Derya Ozkaya Matras An Inspiring Woman in Business and Customer Experience Professional in the Middle East Region

very day, Middle Eastern women create magic by designing and sharing ideas, as well as inspiring and empowering millions of other women throughout the region, thanks to their creativity, enthusiasm, and determination. Women in the Middle East are spearheading signiﬁcant initiatives, building businesses, and forming movements that will inspire future generations of women for years to come across all sectors and industries. Derya Ozkaya Matras is Vice President for the Middle East and Turkey, Africa at Meta. Derya sees that technology doesn't stand still. She asserts, "The future of social technology is changing, and so are we." Derya considers herself fortunate to be Meta's ﬁrst woman vice president, elected from her region and in charge

of the company's operations in more than 70 nations. Derya's work is stretched over multiple nations, diverse teams addressing crossfunctional issues, because she manages a broad territory: the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Turkey. Derya used to have many hour-long meetings before joining Meta, as opposed to the 15-30 minute appointments she now has. She has up to ten meetings every day, on issues ranging from product to revenue, inﬂuencer strategies, ministerial policy debates, and even roundtable sessions with community leaders. Meta; the Digital Revolution Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp are among Meta's "family of apps." These apps and services, which are driven by a mobile-ﬁrst 54 | DECEMBER 2025

strategy, allow users to explore new ways of digital storytelling while also assisting companies in reaching the proper audiences. Derya gets rejuvenated every time she checks her Facebook newsfeed, joins a WhatsApp group to communicate with her family, or looks at a friend's Instagram story. According to Derya, the metaverse is the next step in online social technology, allowing people all over the world to communicate in ways that aren't currently possible. She asserts, "It will feel like a hybrid of today's online social experiences, sometimes expanded into three dimensions, or projected into the physical world — and seamlessly stitched together so that you can easily jump from one thing to another." Derya says that the team is excited to help bring it to life. She adds, "Our new company brand,

Vice President for the Middle East and Turkey, Meta

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Meta, better reflects who we are and what we are building towards." Finding Your Own Journey's Purpose is the Key According to Derya, she is frequently asked about the recipe for success, and she believes that the path begins with determining what success means to us: is it building the next unicorn? Getting to a position of political power? Or simply having a peaceful life with loved ones? She argues that this interpretation might vary based on one's life stage and that there is no right or incorrect meaning. She opines, "It is our definition, and we should own it. For me, it is closely linked to purpose." Derya has been particularly inspired by a quote from Picasso: "The meaning of life is to find your gift; the purpose of life is to give it away." She adds, "We spend the first part of our lives trying to find our gift: the intersection of what we are good at and what we love. It often does not come easily, but once we find it, giving it back to humanity makes our lives full of purpose and helps us leave a mark on this world." She found this process was a long one for her, but she eventually managed to name her purpose while listening to a college professor at a conference: leaving good children to the world and a good world to the next generations. Joining Tech Sector Derya was one of the very few women in her engineering class and has always been fascinated by technology and how it could empower people and communities. She has had many years of experience in management consulting, advising

companies in different industries, and still hadn't crossed her mind to work for big tech until she got a LinkedIn message from Meta six years ago. She mentions, "The more I learned about the company's mission and values, the more I was convinced that I wanted to work here—so much so that, in my first interview, I said that I would work for this company even if I did not get the role. I guess that was "finding my gift moment". Derya is still motivated every day by the scale, relevance, and effect of the company's work, as well as how it empowers and supports the region's communities and businesses. Derya sees her selection as an acknowledgement of the trend toward diversity in business leadership and gender balance as a woman leader in a fast-paced industry like technology.

better, economies do better." Derya observes that when women's economic security improves, so does their participation in work and leadership, which beneﬁts business, industry, and entire economies. She goes on to say that, as several studies have pointed out, inequities like the gender wage gap not only violate basic conceptions of fairness, but they also jeopardize women's current and future economic security and represent a missed opportunity in human capital investment and potential. According to Derya, women are critical to post-epidemic recovery. In fact, a new McKinsey Global Institute report warns that failing to take gender-responsive initiatives during the pandemic might result in a $1 trillion loss of global GDP by 2030.

View on Women Empowerment

Keeping Priorities in Check

Derya believes that women's empowerment and success are the core drivers behind the social and economic development of any country. She says, "When women do

Derya feels everyone is juggling so much at work and at home. The question she always asks herself is, "how many balls can I juggle at once? Because I believe we should be

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the ones to choose which balls to drop." Personally, Derya prioritizes family, work, and health. She believes in inclusive, strength-based leadership. As per her, this type of leadership requires active listening and making sure one is playing up the strengths of others. She says, "If we can leverage different teams and their various superpowers at the right moment, then we'll drive better results for the entire team." Initiatives for Digital Transformation "From everyday users to large global brands, and upcoming entrepreneurs, Meta's products are being used in a variety of ways in the region, which makes our journey here as exciting as it is promising," says Derya. She points out that digital transformation is well underway in MENA, driven by demand for secure, fast, and personalized online experiences across social communities and government sectors, and that this is influencing a number of Meta's projects. Mentoring, coaching, and financing young outstanding future leaders from marginalized groups gives Derya a lot of meaning and purpose. She asserts, "In the next phases of my career, I'd love to increase my focus on inspiring and growing the next generation of leaders." A Message for Woman Leaders "As young girls, we are always taken care of as princesses. One day, my daughter Mira came to me and said that she wanted to be a Jedi, and not a princess," says Derya. She was curious to know where all this was coming from, so she asked her why. She said: "Mumma, Jedi is strong;

you are like the Jedi, and I want to be a strong girl like you." This was the best thing Derya heard and the biggest recognition she could get.

purpose is important to ﬁnd that resilience. As Nietsche said "He who has a WHY to live, can almost bear any HOW".

Derya asserts, "Your success in life will never be defined by how you perform on sunny days; it will be defined by how you navigate storms." She claims, Meta has helped her discover that learning from failures is a powerful way to grow. She is a big believer in 'nobody grows in their comfort zone.' Leaving the comfort zone comes with making mistakes and failures. It requires a growth mindset and resilience. But as Derya mentioned earlier, finding one's own

Derya's message to aspiring business women: "Find your gift, live a purposeful life, prioritize ruthlessly, be resilient, learn and get stronger when you fail. Most importantly, enjoy the journey."

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Reem Asaad A Highly Successful Business Leader with Extensive Experience in a Variety of Industries

y interest in technology started at an early age and is rooted in my DNA. I have always been amazed by learning how things work and how technology and innovations have the potential to change lives," says Reem Asaad. Reem is Vice President for Middle East & Africa at Cisco and a highly successful business leader with over 20 years' experience across industries, including technology, ﬁnancial services, and customer experience. Forbes named her one of the Middle East's most powerful women, and she has demonstrated the capacity to adjust her leadership style in complex working contexts, understanding when to lead from the front and when to assist and support the larger team. Reem is responsible for strengthening Cisco's position as a leading technology provider and consultant to organisations in the Middle East and Africa, as digital transformation

continues to change and evolve at a rapid pace. Her role primarily focuses on strengthening collaborations with governments, customers, and partners, underpinned by Cisco's portfolio of advanced solutions and help accelerate their digitization agendas. Reem would deﬁne herself as "inquisitive". Even though she has worked in technology for years, she believes there is always more to learn in the sector and from other people – especially with the acceleration in digital transformation that the world has witnessed over the past two years. A Tech Enthusiast At the age of 16, Reem left Egypt for the United States, where she pursued an education in information technology. This sort of schooling was not accessible in Egypt at the time, which is why Reem moved. Her passion for computer technology 58 | DECEMBER 2025

began there, and it has followed her throughout her professional life. According to Reem, it is disheartening to see negative stigma attached to women who demonstrate ambition and commitment across all industries. She observes that when a guy is domineering, he is often seen favourably by his colleagues, but a woman is frequently recognised and labelled as contentious. Only by calling out unfair treatment for what it is can this change. She suggests, "We must put checks and balances on each other and be vocal if we feel we have been mistreated—this goes for everyone, from every background." Reem believes that encouraging more girls to consider a future in technology requires a collective eﬀort. She says, "From an early age, we need to instil in every child, boy or girl, that they can broaden their area of interest and succeed in whatever they choose. When it comes to

Vice President for Middle East & Africa, Cisco

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technology, we need to ensure that our children are raised to be techsavvy so they know how to get the best out of devices and solutions. Girls should be encouraged to pursue their interests in science and technology. We must ensure that girls see role models in their likeness, so that they do not feel as though they are being diﬀerentiated against. They need to know that they belong. " Working at Cisco The majority of the clients Reem speaks with are considering how they might reinvent the way they design, create, and deploy apps, both internally and externally, in order to provide digital consumer experiences. Cisco develops solutions that link any user to any application and any cloud, and provide unique insights and observability from the infrastructure to the application. She says, "Our visibility capabilities allow us to understand better than any other vendor how a user connects to an application." This gives companies and institutions an end-to-end view into the digital delivery of

applications and services over the internet. Cisco helps businesses secure data as cyber security becomes one of the most pressing issues today. Machine learning is used in its solutions to gather and analyse data while investigating, identifying, and containing bad actors. Cisco also assists clients in transforming their infrastructures through intelligent networks, which open up new opportunities for a more sustainable, inclusive future and power hybrid work. Celebrating women's empowerment Women's empowerment is critical for the health and development of families, communities, and nations. Women may realise their greatest potential when they are secure, fulﬁlled, and productive. Reem sees men as allies who can help in attaining gender equality and campaigning for women's

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empowerment. They may serve as role models in encouraging women's employment, appropriate working conditions, and full involvement in decision-making. Cisco's management is dedicated to ensuring that its diversity and inclusion programmes have true impact. Above all, diversity and inclusion are about providing people with the right opportunity. Reem states, "We must see women in positions of power and be treated on an equal footing as their male counterparts—judged for their actions and output alone." She's been with Cisco for nearly two years, and she's gotten a lot of positive feedback. She can conﬁdently state that Cisco values women — not merely to check a box, but to ensure balanced representation and recognition of accomplishments. The management of the organisation seeks to have a diverse leadership team. People should be able to look up to top management and feel a sense of belonging, knowing that they, too, may rise through the ranks based only on merit. Reem explains, "Our

purpose as a company is to 'power an inclusive future for all'—this really gives you a sense of how we seek to embody inclusivity in every aspect of our operations." Creating Positive Work Environment "Maintaining a positive working environment is as much of a business priority, as it is our ethical duty," says Reem. She feels that it is critical for decision-makers to evaluate how to best maximise and sustain a positive culture from wherever their employees may be. What sticks out to her is how she manages to achieve a balance between efficiency and flexibility while still ensuring employee wellbeing. Reem listens to what people desire at Cisco and actively seeks a middle ground. Reem manages the work of 2,500 workers and contractors throughout 74 markets in the area. This implies she must prioritize the well-being and motivation of the company's employees, and in order to do so, she must anticipate needs and be open to input. Honored for Being an Inspiring Female Leader Reem considers herself fortunate to be Cisco Middle East and Africa's first female Vice President and first local leader. "Giving back to my home country is crucial for me," she adds. Dr. Amr Talaat, Egypt's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, named Reem to the Board of Directors of the country's Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), which she considers to be one of the highest honours she has received. Serving in this role allows her to be a driver of digital transformation and competitiveness while also contributing to economic growth.

An Open Letter to All Aspiring Businesswomen Without a doubt, technology is a male-dominated world, and there are still certain barriers for women to overcome and progress to be made. However, the Middle East and Africa region is witnessing more of an intentional eﬀort to increase the presence and impact of women in technology. What's amazing is that more young women and girls are interested in obtaining a degree or a job in the sector, and this trend is expected to continue. Reem's advice to aspiring businesswomen is to be true to themselves. She adds, "If they're not sure about a particular topic, they shouldn't be afraid to ask questions and to educate themselves, so that they can form a point of view. They deserve to be a part of the conversation as much as everyone else. " More from Cisco in Future The team at Cisco believes in the potential of technology and what it

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can accomplish. During the pandemic, we have seen how technology has helped people reimagine lives, become a critical lifeline for businesses, and connect the world while ensuring that children continue to learn, people have access to healthcare, businesses can operate, and loved ones can stay close even if they are physically separated. Throughout the last year, Cisco has assisted organisations of all sizes in ensuring continuity and, when necessary, regaining their footing. Reem says, "In this new, digital world, we see it as our duty to be that guiding light and counsel as businesses navigate new challenges and identify opportunities for growth. This remains not only my personal focus, but also the shared vision of our teams. "

Mona Ataya Making Motherhood Wonderful with Mumzworld

eing a mother is the most wonderful feeling that every woman experiences in her life and undoubtedly, once she is a mother her responsibilities never seem to end. In the bargain of providing the best for her child, a mother makes small sacrifices that have great impacts. Hence, the bliss of motherhood needs to be celebrated with the gift of comfort and luxury. With this thought in mind, Mona Ataya a mother to three wonderful boys and a proud CEO of Mumzworld set out to bring about a change in the moms' lives. She realized that a shop that offers all products for mothers and babies from birth until their pre-teen is the need of the hour. Times are changing and so is technology. Using this to her benefit Mona established Mumzworld, a one stop shop for all mom and kids products which is the pioneer and leading e-commerce shopping

destination for mothers in the MENA region of Middle East. As we put together the successful story of Mona Ataya, we wish you bring forth an inspirational tale of a successful mother of the modern age. The Beginning of a Wonderful Story Mumzworld was born when they identified key consumer need gaps amongst the mother consumer that were not being addressed. Mona had been an entrepreneur for years and already had experience in building leading brands. When she became a mother in Dubai, she experienced first-hand the many frustrations mothers in the region were facing. In 2011 this was the ecosystem: 1. Access to quality choice of products for mothers was limited 2. Prices were significantly higher than global averages in a distributor led market.

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3. Information about these products especially in Arabic was very limited which was not allowing this time starved, information hungry consumer to make informed decisions 4. Easy and quick access to these products was difficult and finally, a tight knit community of mothers who can engage together and share and learn from one another did not exist. This very important consumer was deprived of luxury products that was not being addressed and so Mumzworld set out to solve these problems. They set out to provide the regional mother easy access to a wide range of quality products, at the best everyday low transparent prices, comprehensive information for her to make informed decisions and the largest community of mothers for her to tap into and share information with and learn from. They would offer this mother a superior online experience

CEO, Mumzworld

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to empower her to make the most informed decisions for her family. Mumzworld was created behind an obsessive desire to empower mothers to make informed purchase decisions during their pregnancy and for their children from newborn up to pre-teen. They are obsessed with their customers and while the ecosystem has been very difficult for them in the first few years with slow deliveries, payment gateway issues and more, they have now grown to a size where they are self-sufficient allowing them to deliver faster than ever before with almost 50% of their 250,000 products delivered within 24 hours with Free delivery and the rest delivered within 2-3 days. They deliver unique products and services that only Mumzworld offers with exclusives that no other retailer in the region carries. They will continue giving mothers great offerings to make her life easier in the years to come. The ecosystem was underdeveloped and for ecommerce to succeed, the ecosystem needs to support you. Couriers were slow, payment gateways for credit card were not sophisticated and customers did not trust paying using credit card online. Tech talent was scarce, and suppliers did not have enough supply to cater to very high demand. These were just some of the challenges they faced in the early days. Add to that limited funding and they had an uphill battle ahead of them. However, they overcame every challenge becoming the pioneers, the first in the field and are the largest by far. The first movers in the specialized ecommerce space in the region. The Services of Excellence that Savor Motherhood Mumzworld is solving a 360-degree solution to mothers in the MENA region and penetrating the regional household with a loyal customer by: Ÿ

Oﬀering her the best products sourced directly from manufacturers, registered distributers and retailers locally and globally they have today become the go to destination for global mother and child brands that want to reach this important consumer and to this end on board on average 300 new brands on our site every month for mothers to seamlessly search, compare and buy. Many of these brands are exclusively found on Mumzworld in the region. Best sellers, award winners, mother must haves; they have it all.

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Unique services catered just for the mother, including subscription program, loyalty, baby registries and more.

Comprehensive information is available in Arabic and English for the mother to make informed choices

Best Everyday Low prices. Our prices are the lowest on Authentic products. If a mother ﬁnds cheaper, they oﬀer an immediate Price Match guarantee.

The largest community of mothers who engage regularly online through our blog and social channels and oﬄine events that they host exclusively for our customers

At the heart of Mumzworld, is its customer obsessed mission and the largest community of mothers that has been created through an interactive online marketplace, with innovative technology and specialized solutions for this audience. This coupled with comprehensive bilingual factual information about the products, everyday low pricing, fast and Free, delivery to 20 countries in MENA, and best in class customer service, gives moms the most convenient and tailored shopping experience around.

Free 24-hour delivery on over 100,000 products and 2-3 days for the rest of the 250,000.

Easy returns and exchanges delivered direct to a mother's door.

Beyond the household name it has become, and the impressive growth it has undergone (15x in 8 years), Mumzworld is the admired vertical ecommerce brand for the regional household, on a path of continuous

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progression toward long-term sustainability. It has grown to considerable size and weight in the industry supply chain and has become the go to destination for global brands wanting to reach the consumer in the Middle East region. Working with over 4500 retailers, distributers, manufacturers and brands in the region and internationally, Mumzworld has over 250,000 products – the deepest quality selection in the region and onboards 300 new brands monthly. Today Mumzworld is the ﬁrst point of call for all global brands entering the region in the Mother baby and child vertical. As a trusted partner, Mumzworld has been able to provide brands with the support and access in record time to successful entry into GCC. Mumzworld focuses on bringing consumers the latest in global solutions developed Globally by innovators with quick and safe

access without impacting brand core brand values and showcasing the brands at their best. This approach of value creation has made Mumzworld the leading platform for key innovate player such as Tommee Tippee, Munchkin, Chicco, Babyzen, Medela, Maxi Cosi, Haakaa, Snuz and many more Growing a Business in the Middle East Market The competition in the Middle East is good as it ensures that you are always at your best. The team of Mumzworld respects and admires competitors who carve out niche positions and add a unique consumer value. The “copycat” competitors in the market are much smaller than Mumzworld and operate on price and low fundamentals. They are less concerned with these players as they focus on giving the customer the best service in the market. They look forward always at their customer first and foremost. Mumzworld has doubled its topline revenue every year since they started. Importantly they are growing the business with solid fundamentals and creating true consumer value. They carry the widest range of baby and child products in the region with global brands relying on them as the first and often the only point of call to reach this regional consumer. Mumzworld is the first and only regional women led ecommerce business, funded by 6 of the top regional institutional investors and international VC. An award winner by excellence, Mumzworld stood out in Forbes 2018 rankings as #1 on the 12 Up and Coming Companies. Beyond this, Mumzworld, has won over 200 regional and international awards

since the company's inception, including: The Small Business of The Year Award 2013 and Best Kids Online retailer by Timeout Kids in 2015, 2016 and 2018; Middle East Best Brand Award for 2018 by CMO Asia; Forbes Top 10 Arab Women 2017, 2018 and Forbes Top 10 Arab Women Entrepreneurs Making Waves 2018; Arabian Business100 Most Powerful Arabs 2018, and Arabian Business Startup SME Leader of the Year Award 2018.

mothers. They are from the region, for the region. They are driven by an obsession to empower a mother and everything Mumzworld does is about offering these unique and relevant services for mothers. They were the pioneers and they look only at what mothers want and need and will continue to grow a brand with strong unique and relevant intrinsic customer value. These features make Mumzworld different from the rest of the market redefining success.

A Company that Deﬁnes Success

The Mastermind Behind the Successful Business

Mumzworld is a very different brand from any other in the market. They are significantly larger across all metrics than any other mother and baby brand in the region. They reach over 2.5million mothers, have the widest catalogue of 250,000 products of which a large percentage is exclusively found on Mumzworld. They source directly from the brands and sell only authentic products. They do not engage in deep discounts after regular price fluctuations which deceive customers. Instead they carry an everyday low-price strategy and only discount end of season or overstock items. They offer a price match guarantee as they are very serious about their everyday lowprice strategy. Mumzworld has the largest community of mothers engaging with them daily and host seminars, lectures, a content blog and a host of educational and community events to allow mothers to engage together. They Ship for Free across the region. They are the ONLY fully bilingual mother and child on app, mobile and desktop. They offer services that are first to market such as diaper subscription, baby and gift registry and more. They are mothers for

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As she grew up Mona always dreamed of being involved in projects that were meaningful, that had positive impact on her surroundings. To do things that matter and to continue to learn every day and be surrounded by smart inspirational people. She is driven by constant learning and by turning the needle on ecosystem impact. Everything else is a bi product. She is a mother of 3 boys and a serial entrepreneur. She spent 10 years in the corporate world working with large consumer good giants P&G and J&J in the US and Europe before she returned to the region to start her journey as a serial entrepreneur with a mission to create positive regional impact to a region that is home. Mona equates herself to a conductor of an orchestra. There are beautiful instruments and very talented, skilled people playing these instruments. Her role as the CEO of the company is merely to direct, encourage and ensure they are all playing to the same beautiful tune and that they wow the audience with a tune that is meaningful, unique and lets them gasp with awe when they hear it.

What keeps the team of Mumzworld motivated? Well, Mona says, “Customer positive impact and creating a winning gold standard ecommerce global brand that has unique customer value, from the region. We try to hire self-motivated very smart people who are passionate about our vision as we are.” The Global Growth of Mumzworld The Middle East market is growing and influence the business world globally too. Mumzworld is already dominant leaders in the GCC and expanding to North Africa in 2020. They will continue to expand the brand across the east leveraging best practices that they have learnt in the GCC. The market for baby & children products in the Arab world is underpinned by a young population and some of the highest birth rates in the world. The region is wealthy and tech-savvy, especially in key markets UAE and KSA with these 2 markets ranking amongst the highest in the world in mobile penetration and social media consumption. E-commerce penetration in the GCC is below the other developed regions but is starting to catch up quickly indicating enormous growth potential. Specifically, MENA ecommerce penetration in 2017 was estimated at 2.2% versus 12.8% and 11.2% for As Pacific and North America respectively so the potential for growth to catch up with global averages is tremendous. The market demographics are also ripe for opportunity. There are 65+ Cities, Only 4 cities with a population of more than 1 million, 45% of population outside the cities and 40% with no access to any retail center. This combined with the fact that there is limited retail supply makes ecommerce even more attractive.

Mothers are more avid online shoppers than the general population, but they lack options in the GCC before Mumzworld pioneering this space. With important initiatives from KSA to facilitate licenses and activate affordable ecommerce enablers, Mumzworld expect this space in the Kingdom to grow from strength to strength. Following global trends, they expect to see horizontals continue to gather strength and one dominant vertical play per segment. Mumzworld is that vertical leader in the mother, baby and child segment. Mumzworld has established its leadership position in the mother and child ecommerce segment across all the GCC. Saudi Arabia has always been a very important market for them and 18 months ago they aggressively expanded setting up infrastructure and teams on the ground and anchoring their leadership in this segment in KSA. Mumzworld today offers the largest choice of products for the Saudi customer delivered very fast with superior localized offerings. Importantly Mumzworld is the only Arabic App in the region dedicated to mothers. In CIO VIEWS | 69

their customer obsessed commitment, they are ensuring that all their touch points are tailored ﬁrst and foremost to this Middle Eastern customer who has unique psychographics and demographics. Mumzworld DNA is a brand from the region for the region so the brand is well positioned to understand and deliver to this customer superior service and oﬀerings. Mumzworld has a proven execution model that has established leadership in the diverse GCC countries, and this will be leveraged for further expansion. So, Beyond the GCC Mumzworld will continue its aggressive expansion plans across MENA in 2019. Mumzworld on the ground exclusive institutional partners and stakeholders in the kingdom will also allow the brand to continue to expand its footprint and anchor its leadership.

Haytham ElMaayergi: Middle East’s Top 10 Inspiring Business Leaders Making an Impact, 2025