Hear from the Leaders Shaping the Future of FMCG in Middle East.

I am a digital commerce leader with 8+ years of cross market experience across UAE, India, and UK. I specialise in scaling eCommerce ecosystems for FMCGs. From driving P&L impact at Beiersdorf to launching category-first playbooks at Nestle, Dabur, Swiggy and Unilever, my work combines strategic depth with executional excellence.

Currently I manage UAE ecommerce Business at Beiersdorf for Nivea, Eucerin and Hansaplast. I work closely across pure players, quick commerce and omnichannel accounts.

I'm passionate about building brands digitally, unlocking platform-led growth, and leading teams to innovate at scale.

I'm a digital marketing leader, with extensive expertise in building and scaling brand ambassador networks. As Director of Digital Marketing at Glanbia, I’ve led social commerce strategies that turned athletes and coaches into high-performing brand partners - driving growth in engagement and sales. With a proven framework for identifying, activating, and managing ambassadors, I help brands move beyond influencers to build lasting, trust-based ambassador relationships.

Sohail Nawaz MBE is the Head of Retail Media for the Landmark Group, a multi-million-dollar retail business with over 2,200 stores across the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. With a proven trackrecord of building and leading high-performing Sales, Management, and Techteams, Sohail brings a wealth of experience from renowned UK businesses such as British Telecom, Yell Group PLC and Comet Group PLC.

A recognised industry leader in the Middle East, Sohail has received multiple accolades in his ten-year tenure in this region including the "Best Use of Martech in Media" award at the 2021 Dubai Martech Awards and the "Tealium Innovation Award for User Loyalty and Retention" for his remarkable achievement in growing Khaleej Times 'digital audience base by 100%. In 2023, he was honoured with the "Martech Thought Leadership Award" at the Martech Excellence Awards in Dubai.

As a member of the Kellogg School of Management Alumni and its Global Network, Sohail stays at the forefront of emerging technologies such as AI/ML and Web 3. He is also a sought-after keynote speaker, sharing his expertise on Retail Media, Customer Experience, CDP’s, 1stParty Data Commercialisation Strategies and Web 3 at major events across the region.

Sohail is passionate about supporting and mentoring young people. In 2011, his national charity work with vulnerable young people which was delivered in some of the most deprived areas in the UK was recognised by the UK British Government (Home Office) and King Charles honoured and presented him with the prestigious title of MBE for his work.

Lawrence Harradine is the Head of Content at Coca-Cola Arena, one of the Middle East’s premier entertainment venues. Born and raised in Dubai, Lawrence brings a deep-rooted understanding of the region’s dynamic cultural landscape and proudly calls the UAE home.

With over a decade of experience in the regional events industry, Lawrence has played a pivotal role in the delivery of a wide array of live experiences, from major concerts and comedy tours to mass participation sporting events, award shows, brand activations, and grassroots school leagues. His expertise spans commercial strategy, marketing, and operations, allowing him to navigate the complexities of the live events sector with a comprehensive and forward-thinking approach.

In his current role, Lawrence leads both Programming and Marketing for Coca-Cola Arena, curating a diverse and world-class event calendar while driving audience engagement across the region’s multifaceted demographic. His ability to seamlessly blend creativity, logistical precision, and cultural relevance ensures the arena continues to be a cornerstone of entertainment in the UAE.

Lawrence’s passion for storytelling through live experiences and his commitment to excellence make him a respected voice in the industry and a key figure shaping the future of entertainment in the region.

David has extensive experience within the retail sector, David has worked in multiple rolls, throughout the retail sector, for the last 20 years. Most of his career has been in Tesco, in the Republic of Ireland, over 18 years working with stores as a manager in addition to working with stores on operational excellence, from a regional perspective.

In January 2025,  he joined the UAE market with LuLu, and is working on new projects within LuLu, in addition to collaborating on buying, marketing and retail operational functions.

Alisha Malik is an eCommerce specialist with 10 years of experience in driving top line growth and profitable market expansion while successfully launching new categories and RTMs across brands and eRetailers. Currently leading eCommerce for the GCC region, her focus is on driving omnichannel growth, digital trade execution, and platform partnerships across key markets. Alisha’s journey spans marketplace leadership at Noon.com, an early experience in brand marketing at Zomato with an academic background of MSc from Cardiff Business School, UK. She excels in leading the digital path to purchase with a strong bias for innovation in digital solutions, thriving at the intersection of data and market insight to scale transformative strategies in complex, high opportunity digital environments.

𝟮𝟬+ 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 💼

🔹 Retail pro – started as Head of Merchandising in Supermarket Chain  

🔹 Built & led Category Leadership teams in Danone and Mars

🔹 Drove capabilities and created tools to boost sales in all types of retail & locations  

🔹 Deep knowledge of developed and emerging markets 🌍  

🔹Grew from specialist and KNOW HOW all processes in Category Management

🔹 People leader for 15+ years (but most proud to be a good person first!) 🤗

I’m Elsayed Metwally, and I have the privilege of leading Abbott’s Trade and Distribution across the Gulf, Emerging Markets, and the Levant. My mission? To create value where it matters most—through strategic partnerships, precise sales planning, and a relentless focus on execution. Over the last 13 years, I’ve learned that success in our industry isn’t just about numbers—it’s about people. It’s about understanding behavior, building trust, and aligning with the rhythm of the market. That’s why I bring business psychology into the heart of our trade marketing and stakeholder engagement strategies. Together with a passionate and driven team, we’ve not only delivered a strong sellout performance, but we’ve also built momentum. We’ve turned challenges into opportunities, and opportunities into growth. Thank you for being part of this journey. I’m looking forward to what we’ll unlock together.”