International restaurant guide GreatList, renowned for its deep expertise in the global F&B industry, has launched GreatList Sessions, a culinary initiative designed to position Dubai as the world’s next gastronomic capital. The company organised the first and largest overseas showcase of Dubai’s top ten chefs—recognised by Michelin, Gault&Millau, The World’s 50 Best MENA, The Best Chef Awards, and GreatList—to connect cultures through food and give global audiences a richer understanding of the UAE’s diverse culinary identity.
Elevating Dubai’s culinary identity
The tour debuted in Moscow, marking the first large-scale international showcase in one of Dubai’s top ten tourist markets. Over a week of sold-out pop-ups, Dubai’s leading restaurants brought immersive dining experiences to Moscow, giving guests an authentic taste of the city’s culinary creativity while expanding the global perception of its F&B landscape. The event generated record-breaking visibility — over 400 publications, four national television features, and a media reach exceeding 45 million readers — strengthening Dubai’s growing reputation as a hub for cross-cultural collaboration through cuisine.
The initiative highlighted the richness and originality of Dubai’s dining scene, reflecting its multicultural fabric of over 200 nationalities. The showcase featured celebrated Dubai restaurants including Gerbou, HANU, Bayt Mariam and Sufret Mariam, Moonrise, Row on 45, Signor Sassi, BOCA, Takahisa, and Jun’s, spanning contemporary Middle Eastern, Asian, and modern global cuisines — a true reflection of the city’s culinary diversity.
Building bridges through food
Alexander Sysoev, founder of GreatList, said: “GreatList is proud to showcase the exceptional talent driving Dubai’s contemporary food culture. This project has become a bridge between the UAE and other culinary destinations, connecting chefs and ideas while highlighting Dubai’s role as one of the world’s most dynamic gastronomic capitals. We aim to inspire future travelers to explore the city more deeply through its chefs, flavors, and spirit. It’s an important step in connecting the best minds in the industry and strengthening collaboration across borders.”
Nurturing new talent
Alongside global recognition, GreatList is investing in the UAE’s culinary ecosystem and next-generation talent. In October, the company introduced the GreatList by Alexander Sysoev Scholarship in partnership with the Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. The annual scholarship honours top-performing students completing their Certificate in Culinary Arts, offering full and partial tuition awards to help them advance their careers. The initiative reflects GreatList’s mission to nurture homegrown talent and raise the standards of the UAE’s culinary and hospitality industries.
Fueling the UAE’s F&B sector
The UAE’s gastronomy market is projected to reach $50.21bn by 2033, supported by its vibrant tourism sector, robust hospitality infrastructure, and rising global profile as a culinary destination. GreatList’s international showcase aligns with this growth, spotlighting UAE chefs and restaurants on the world stage while fostering partnerships and cultural exchange.
Looking ahead, GreatList plans to expand GreatList Sessions to Shanghai, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore, further amplifying Dubai’s culinary influence and supporting the development of the UAE’s F&B ecosystem.
Aramco to acquire minority stake in AI firm HUMAIN
PIF and Aramco will combine their artificial intelligence (AI) programmes and work jointly through HUMAIN
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and energy giant Aramco have reached a landmark agreement, outlining plans for Aramco to acquire a minority stake in HUMAIN, the PIF-backed artificial intelligence (AI) company.
The agreement, announced today, marks a strategic move to accelerate the growth of HUMAIN and position Saudi Arabia at the forefront of global AI innovation.
Under the non-binding term sheet, both PIF and Aramco will contribute their AI assets, expertise, and talent to HUMAIN, creating a powerhouse for AI research and development.
While Aramco will take a minority stake, PIF will maintain majority ownership, ensuring continued strategic control.
HUMAIN’s growth and kingdom’s AI ambitions are key factors
The partnership aims to foster rapid growth for HUMAIN, whose offerings include next-generation data centres, advanced AI models, cloud capabilities, and transformative AI solutions.
The goal is to consolidate Saudi Arabia’s AI assets under a single entity and establish the kingdom as a global hub for artificial intelligence.
“This collaboration will fuel AI talent, innovation, and intellectual property,” said Yazeed A Al-Humied, deputy governor of PIF and head of MENA Investments. “We are aligning and accelerating future investment opportunities, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a globally competitive AI hub, and reshaping the future of global AI.”
For Aramco, the investment further bolsters its leadership in industrial AI applications and digital solutions.
CEO Amin H Nasser emphasised the strategic importance of the partnership, noting that Aramco plans to leverage HUMAIN’s infrastructure to boost efficiency, reduce emissions, and maintain its competitive edge in the energy sector, especially as AI-driven energy demand rises.
Collaboration is part of PIF’s overall strategy
The proposed transaction comes as part of PIF’s broader strategy to develop strategic sectors within Saudi Arabia and diversify its economy. PIF has been actively investing in AI, cloud infrastructure, and digital technologies, aiming to position the kingdom as a leading market for innovation and capacity building.
HUMAIN, launched in May 2025, is rapidly scaling its operations in four key areas: data centres, AI infrastructure, multimodal AI models like ALLAM (one of the world’s most powerful Arabic language models), and AI-driven solutions for various industries. Recently, the Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), previously owned by PIF, was integrated into HUMAIN, further strengthening its capabilities.
The deal is subject to the signing of definitive agreements, regulatory approvals, and other customary conditions.
Upon completion, the transaction is expected to have significant implications for the global AI landscape, positioning Saudi Arabia as a key player in the rapidly expanding field.
The ninth edition of the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC), an initiative of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, is set to launch on November 1, 2025, renewing Dubai’s quest to be recognized as one of the world’s most active cities.
Exuding a universally appealing vibe with its ‘Find Your Challenge’ theme, DFC 2025 invites residents and visitors alike to commit to 30 minutes of daily physical activity for 30 days, transforming the city into a vibrant canvas of fitness, wellness, and community spirit. Running until November 30, this city-wide active lifestyle initiative promises a calendar of free fitness experiences for all ages and abilities, from families to elite athletes, a Dubai Media Office report said.
The ninth edition of DFC is more than just an event, it is a month-long movement designed to make physical activity accessible, inspiring, and unforgettable. Four flagship events, three bustling Fitness Villages, over 25 Community Fitness Hubs, and thousands of classes across Dubai combine to create an unmatched landscape for active living.
Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of the Dubai Sports Council, reflected on the evolution of the initiative:
“Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Dubai Fitness Challenge with a simple, yet inspiring promise, 30 minutes of activity a day for 30 days. Today, it has evolved into a citywide movement that has transformed how Dubai views physical activity.”
Hareb emphasised that success is measured not just by participation numbers but by lives transformed, families walking together, workplaces implementing wellness programs, and neighborhoods becoming more vibrant through activity.
“Beyond the numbers, the Challenge has placed Dubai on the global map as a city that turns vision into action. It embodies inclusivity through a wide range of activities and programmes designed for men, women, children and seniors alike, complemented by digital platforms that allow everyone to take part, wherever they are. This diversity and accessibility are what drive lasting cultural change.”
Innovative programming and community focus
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), highlighted the unique ‘Find Your Challenge’ theme:
“This month-long celebration brings people together through movement, creating shared experiences that strengthen connections and inspire lasting healthy habits across our city. Dubai Fitness Challenge embodies our collective vision of making Dubai the most active, connected, and best city to visit, live and work in.”
By combining innovative programming, strong partnerships, and community energy, DFC 2025 aims to build a healthier, more vibrant future for all Dubai residents and visitors.
Flagship events: Moving Dubai forward
Dubai Ride Presented by DP World—November 2
Kicking off the Challenge, Dubai Ride welcomes thousands of cyclists to Sheikh Zayed Road on November 2 at 6:15 am. Participants can choose between a family-friendly 4-km route through Downtown Dubai or a 12-kilometre course past iconic landmarks like the Museum of the Future, Dubai Water Canal, and Burj Khalifa.
Advanced cyclists seeking a thrill can take part in Dubai Ride Speed Laps from 5:00–6:00am, riding at a minimum average speed of 30 km/hr. Dedicated access points and support for People of Determination ensure inclusivity, allowing participants to use hand cycles, tandem bikes, and adapted bicycles. Registered participants can collect their bibs from Zabeel Park Fitness Village from October 29 to November 1.
Since its debut, Dubai Ride has seen an 85 per cent increase in participation, with 37,130 cyclists riding last year, a testament to the challenge’s growing popularity.
Dubai Stand Up Paddle (SUP)—November 8 & 9
Dubai SUP returns for its third edition at Hatta Dam, set against the stunning Hajar Mountains. The event spans two full days, offering fitness, adventure, and breathtaking natural views. Participants, whether first-time paddlers or seasoned pros, can enjoy:
Free SUP sessions
Complimentary kayaking (single and double kayaks)
Sunset yoga sessions on the water
All equipment, including boards, paddles, and life jackets, is provided. Adaptive activities for People of Determination and free shuttle services from One Central, Dubai World Trade Centre ensure everyone can join the fun. Last year, 2,330 participants experienced SUP; the expanded two-day format allows even more people to take part.
Dubai Run presented by Mai Dubai—November 23
Dubai Run returns for its seventh edition, transforming Sheikh Zayed Road into the world’s largest free community fun run. Starting at 6:30am, the event caters to all fitness levels, with options including:
A 10-km challenging route finishing at the DIFC Gate Building
A 5-km relaxed Downtown route ending near Dubai Mall
The event ensures inclusivity with dedicated zones and volunteer support for People of Determination. Last year, 278,000 participants made history, with participation growing 297 per cent since its inaugural edition.
Dubai Yoga—November 30
For the first time, DFC 2025 concludes with Dubai Yoga, a mass yoga session at Zabeel Park at sunset. Families and women have dedicated areas, emphasizing mindfulness, balance, and mental wellbeing.
This unifying finale celebrates participants’ journeys, the healthy habits they’ve built, and the city moving together in a shared wellness experience.
Fitness Villages: Hubs of Health
DP World 30×30 Fitness Village Kite Beach (November 1–30)
Dubai’s largest free sports village offers:
Beach soccer, basketball, cricket, volleyball
Padel tennis, obstacle courses, boxing, yoga
Bookable courts, active zones, aquapark (fee applies)
Open weekdays 3:00–11:00pm, weekends 7:00am–11:00pm, it’s an all-encompassing fitness experience.
Dubai Municipality 30×30 Fitness Village Zabeel Park (1–30 November)
Zabeel Park Fitness Village serves as the heartbeat of running and cycling activities. Open weekdays 4:00–11:00pm, weekends 12:00–11:00pm, it features:
Live classes on the main stage
Spin Zone, Kids Fitness Zone, Boxing (new for 2025)
Bookable basketball, cricket, and padel tennis courts
It also functions as the official bib collection point for Dubai Ride and Dubai Run.
Dubai Municipality 30×30 Fitness Village Al Warqa’a Park ( November 1–30)
Al Warqa’a Park Fitness Village provides a family-friendly outdoor experience with a 2.8-km running and cycling track, a new gym, dedicated zones for kids and ladies-only sessions, and bookable courts for multiple sports. Open daily 4:00–11:00 pm, it brings fitness into the heart of nature.
Community hubs: Fitness everywhere
Over 25 Community Fitness Hubs bring activity to neighborhoods, offering:
Free daily workouts
Rooftop yoga
Skateboarding sessions
Community runs and strength training
This ensures fitness is accessible to everyone, everywhere, connecting residents with the Challenge directly in their own communities.
Some notable hubs include:
The X-Park Dubai x WELLFIT 30×30 Fitness Hub
DMCC (JLT) 30×30 Fitness Hub
Bluewaters 30×30 Fitness Hub
Global Village 30×30 Fitness Hub
Gymnation locations across the city
World-class sporting events
DFC 2025 coincides with prestigious international events:
Dubai Premier Padel P1 (November 9–16): Dhs2m prize pool
Running events: Plus500 City Half Marathon, Mushrif Park Half Marathon, She Runs, Men’s Run, Public Prosecution Run, Nakheel Palm Run, Cigna Run & Fitness, Spinneys Family Run, The Music Run, SKECHERS UAE National Day Run, Emirates NBD Unity Run
Multi-sport: Turf Games Dubai City Series, Chase The Wind Rollerskating, FLITE Dubai International E Foil Race
Community events: Hatta Sign Hike, Dubai Dodgeball Challenge, Cigna Beach Club, various marathons, golf and paddle tournaments
Digital engagement and accessibility
The DFC app and digital platform provide:
Class booking
Event registration
Progress tracking for 30×30 commitments
This ensures participants can stay engaged even if they cannot attend physically, reinforcing DFC’s mission to make movement part of everyday life.
DFC is more than a campaign, it is a lifestyle revolution. It encourages families to walk together, workplaces to embed wellness, and neighborhoods to embrace active living. The inclusive approach, including adaptations for People of Determination, ensures that everyone can find their challenge, making fitness a shared experience for all.
“This is Dubai at its best,” said Hareb. “We are not only building a city that moves, we are building a community that moves together, toward better health, happiness, and resilience.”
How to get involved
Participation is simple:
Download the DFC app
Choose your preferred activities
Attend flagship events or local hubs
Track your daily 30 minutes
Celebrate your progress at Dubai Yoga on November 30
For families, couples, and solo participants, DFC is designed to fit any schedule, any ability, anywhere in the city.
Dubai Fitness Challenge 2025 is a city-wide festival of movement, offering residents and visitors the chance to:
Experience world-class sporting events
Engage in free daily classes
Participate in inclusive, accessible activities
Build lasting healthy habits
From beach volleyball at Kite Beach to sunset yoga at Zabeel Park, from cycling along Sheikh Zayed Road to kayaking in Hatta Dam, the city comes alive with activity for 30 days, 30 minutes each day. DFC continues to inspire a healthier, more connected, and more active Dubai, living up to its mission of creating a truly active city for all.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the beauty industry, reshaping how consumers discover, test, and purchase products while helping brands unlock unprecedented efficiency and personalisation. Once reliant on in-store consultants and static advertising, beauty has become a data-driven, interactive experience, one that blends science, creativity, and technology.
Two companies stand at the forefront of this transformation: Perfect Corp., a global AI and augmented reality (AR) pioneer powering beauty personalisation worldwide, and Chalhoub Group, the Middle East’s leading luxury retailer, whose FACES brand has recently launched the region’s first generative AI beauty coach, Layla AI. Together, they exemplify how AI is redefining beauty from both a technological and cultural standpoint.
AI has completely transformed the beauty landscape by enabling brands to better understand consumer needs and deliver highly tailored solutions.
Through AI-driven skin diagnostics, shade matching, and personalised product recommendations, companies can now offer experiences that feel bespoke to each individual.
“These technologies not only enhance customer satisfaction but also empower brands to innovate faster and more effectively, bridging the gap between consumer expectations and product offerings,” said Alice Chang, CEO of Perfect Corp.
By turning once-generic retail experiences into individualized journeys, AI has become the beauty industry’s new creative engine, one that personalises at scale while maintaining the emotional connection that beauty consumers seek.
Virtual try-on: The new beauty counter
AI-powered virtual try-on experiences have redefined how consumers engage with beauty products. Whether online or in-store, shoppers can now visualise how a lipstick, foundation, or hair color will look in real time, without any physical application.
“Virtual try-on has transformed beauty shopping into an engaging, interactive process that builds confidence in purchasing decisions,” said Chang. “It reduces hesitation and uncertainty, making the journey seamless, fun, and highly personalised.”
This technology is proving to be more than a novelty, it’s a revenue driver. According to Perfect Corp., brands such as Avon, NARS, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and Clinique have seen dramatic improvements in conversion rates and customer engagement after implementing its AR and AI tools. Avon reported a 320 per cent increase in conversion rates and a 33 per cent rise in average order value, while NARS achieved a 300 per cent boost in conversions. Clinique saw a 2.5 times increase in conversions, a 30 per cent larger basket size, and five times longer dwell time on its site.
“These achievements underscore how deeply transformative immersive AI and AR beauty experiences can be for driving consumer engagement, purchasing confidence, and revenue growth,” Chang added.
Efficiency and sustainability: AI behind the scenes
Beyond the consumer experience, AI is driving measurable operational and environmental benefits for beauty brands. Perfect Corp. has developed solutions that help companies minimise product waste, reduce returns, and streamline production, all key to building more sustainable business models.
One hair color brand replaced all of its plastic hair bundle samples with AR-based virtual try-ons, eliminating 56 tonnes of plastic waste annually. “By integrating AI-driven insights, brands can improve efficiency across the supply chain and reduce their carbon footprint, all while meeting customer needs with higher precision,” said Chang.
AI-driven optimisation not only enhances profitability but also strengthens a brand’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) profile, an increasingly important factor for both consumers and investors.
Next frontier: Smart beauty devices and digital assistants
As AI becomes embedded in every aspect of the beauty ecosystem, the next wave of innovation is pointing toward intelligent, conversational, and adaptive technologies. Chang predicts a future where beauty experiences integrate seamlessly into consumers’ daily routines through digital beauty concierges and smart devices.
Tools like Perfect Corp.’s Perfect Beauty Agent, powered by large language models, offer 24/7 expert-level beauty and skincare advice, AR tutorials, and personalised recommendations through natural conversation. “It’s essentially a bespoke digital beauty concierge that learns and communicates in a brand’s unique voice,” said Chang.
This shift toward AI-driven beauty advisors signals an industry evolution from “try before you buy” to “learn, try, and personalise,” redefining what expertise and connection mean in the digital era.
AgileHand: Bridging physical and digital touch
Perfect Corp.’s latest innovation, AgileHand technology, enhances realism and precision in digital try-on experiences for products like nail polish, watches, and bracelets. By using ultra-precise hand mapping, users can visualise how items appear in real time with natural movement, improving both accuracy and consumer trust.
“With AgileHand, users can virtually try on products across a wide range of categories, from makeup to skincare to accessories, while experiencing lifelike accuracy,” explained Chang.
Perfect Corp.’s platform now supports diagnostics for up to 15 skin concerns, including wrinkles, dark circles, pores, and texture, as well as full virtual try-ons for makeup, hair color, and nails. The company’s growing portfolio illustrates how AI is powering both the artistry and analytics behind the beauty industry’s digital reinvention.
The Middle East leads a new AI beauty wave
While global giants like Perfect Corp. push the boundaries of beauty tech, the Middle East is emerging as one of the most exciting frontiers for AI-powered retail. Chalhoub Group, the region’s leading luxury retailer, recently unveiled Layla AI, a generative AI-powered beauty coach developed in partnership with FACES, the Middle East’s most established beauty retailer.
By combining Chalhoub’s seven decades of retail experience with FACES’ 30-year legacy in beauty, Layla AI delivers hyper-personalised recommendations across skincare, makeup, fragrance, and haircare.
Unlike standard chatbots, Layla AI learns and adapts with every interaction, understanding evolving preferences, seasonal needs, and beauty trends. Crucially, it is fluent in multiple Arabic dialects, including Arabizi, ensuring cultural relevance and linguistic accuracy, critical factors in customer engagement across the Middle East.
Since its launch, Layla AI has already made a measurable impact on customer engagement, delivering 2.5 times higher conversion rates than non-AI sessions. Users spend an average of 7.4 minutes longer per browsing session and explore 27 per cent more products.
The AI assistant’s ability to converse naturally in Arabic has also proven instrumental in adoption: 79 per cent of all interactions occur in Arabic, and 85 per cent of KSA users engage regularly with the platform.
Beyond enhancing customer experiences, Layla AI acts as a business intelligence engine, generating real-time insights into evolving preferences and unmet needs. This data empowers Chalhoub Group to refine its product assortment, pricing, and marketing strategies in real time, turning AI from a customer tool into a strategic growth driver.
“Layla AI embodies our vision of the future of beauty, smarter, more human, and deeply personal,” said Nicole Nitschke, Managing Director at FACES. “By combining Faces’ customer intimacy with Chalhoub Group’s AI strategy, we’re creating experiences that educate, inspire, and empower.”
“This project proves that advanced AI innovation can originate from the Middle East at scale,” said Nick Vinckier, VP of Corporate Innovation at Chalhoub Group. “Layla AI marks the start of an exciting roadmap to embed AI across the entire retail value chain.”
Echoing this sentiment, Michael Chalhoub, CEO of Chalhoub Group, described Layla AI as “not only a step forward in technology but also in how we continue to place our customers at the center of everything we do.”
The launch of Layla AI is part of Chalhoub Group’s broader AI strategy, announced earlier this year, to reimagine retail through data-driven intelligence and personalisation.
“As shopper expectations evolve, we see conversational commerce as the next step in creating seamless, personalised omnichannel experiences,” said Jeremy Denisty, director of AI at Chalhoub Group. “With Layla AI already driving incremental revenue from day one, this milestone underscores our commitment to shaping the future of commerce through innovation.”
Looking ahead, Chalhoub Group plans to expand Layla AI’s capabilities to include skin diagnostics, virtual try-ons, gamification, and full omnichannel integration, blending the warmth of in-store service with the convenience of digital discovery.
As the region’s leading omnichannel beauty retailer, FACES aims to use Layla AI to empower, educate, and inspire beauty consumers while supporting Chalhoub Group’s Vision 2033, a strategy designed to future-proof retail through technology, education, and customer-centric innovation.
Beauty tech market on the rise
The rise of AI-powered beauty solutions comes amid strong market growth in the beauty tech segment across the Middle East.
In 2025, revenue in the Beauty Tech market in the UAE is projected to reach $20.66m.
The market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 49 per cent (CAGR 2025–2030).
The United States remains the largest global market, with projected revenues of $1bn in 2025.
In per-capita terms, the UAE’s beauty tech revenue is estimated at $2.14 per person in 2025.
Demand for beauty tech devices and services in the UAE is surging, driven by the country’s focus on innovation and luxury.
As AI technologies evolve, the boundary between beauty and technology continues to blur. From Perfect Corp.’s pioneering work in AR-powered personalisation to Chalhoub Group’s culturally attuned generative AI assistant, the industry is witnessing a fundamental transformation, one that blends human creativity with machine intelligence.
AI is no longer a futuristic concept in beauty, it is the new foundation of how products are created, recommended, and experienced. Whether through virtual mirrors, intelligent diagnostics, or personalised digital advisors, beauty’s next chapter is not just more connected and efficient, it’s profoundly more human.
Amazon’s Ronaldo Mouchawar on innovation, regional strategies and leadership
Leading one of Amazon’s fastest-growing regions, the VP Amazon Middle East Africa and Turkey details the pursuit of minutes-long delivery and the use of AI to solve complex last-mile challenges
As Amazon’s VP for the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, Ronaldo Mouchawar oversees one of the e-commerce giant’s most diverse and fast-evolving territories. Tasked with driving growth across markets ranging from the Gulf’s advanced infrastructure to Africa’s emerging digital economies, he has centered his leadership on Amazon’s core tenets: customer obsession and innovation at scale.
In this interview with Gulf Business editor, Neesha Salian, he discusses how this philosophy has made the region a global launchpad for services such as Amazon Now, details the unique localisation challenges, from navigating non-traditional addresses to managing cash payments, and explains how generative AI is now transforming everything from minute-by-minute logistics to the future of shopping itself.
You’ve been a pivotal figure in the region’s e-commerce landscape since the Souq.com days. What leadership lessons and strategies have you carried from that entrepreneurial chapter into your role as Amazon VP for the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey?
The one principle I’ve always held on to is staying close to our customers, listening to them, understanding what they need, and never allowing that connection to fade.
It’s important to stay connected — to keep listening and observing what’s happening on the ground. We meet sellers and vendors often, and those conversations give us real perspective. We also do ride-alongs with our drivers and visit warehouses to understand the daily realities of the business. Staying close to the operation and the people behind it is, I think, essential.
The second is really relying on technology to solve problems. It’s very easy to start a business. Maybe you started with an Excel sheet, a Word document or a PowerPoint presentation, but if you really want the business to scale and deliver consistency to customers time and time again, use technology and innovation to solve customer needs at scale.
You oversee a diverse region spanning the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. How do you balance Amazon’s global values with localisation and regional innovation?
The whole premise of the Amazon-Souq acquisition was about understanding the local needs and what we’ve done differently locally, and bringing the global experience of how to operate at scale with the local nuance of each of these markets.
Each one has particularities in delivery, in payment, in the way customers transact, what they buy. However, the main principles around having large selection of products, having good prices, convenience in delivery, and seamless customer service are things that we’ve seen are almost the same across all these markets. No one wants to pay more. No one wants products to be delivered slower.
However, every country has its specificity and a different level of maturity in terms of e-commerce penetration, customer habits, the use of the internet, the use of mobile phones. Obviously, it’s different between the different locales. It varies a lot between the Gulf, Africa, some of the countries I manage, as well as Turkey, which is quite advanced in e-commerce.
What have been some of the key takeaways about the peculiarities of each market that might surprise people?
For me, the biggest challenges have always been payments, delivery and addresses — and they’re all quite localised. Some countries have advanced postal systems with clear addresses that customers know and use easily. But in others, formal addresses were never part of the culture. People describe where they live using landmarks — ‘next to this’ or ‘in that community’ — rather than a precise address. With the technology and mapping tools we have today, we’ve been able to overcome that. In many of these markets, there wasn’t a strong postal system to begin with, so we had to build our own last-mile and delivery networks from scratch.
Payments are a bit different. You have banked consumers who prefer credit cards, others who stick to debit cards because of Sharia law, and a big portion of unbanked consumers who rely on cash. For instance, in Egypt, the percentage of cash-on-delivery orders is still higher than in the Gulf.
When we started, there wasn’t much trust in online transactions, so cash on delivery was the norm. But over time, as governments strengthened digital payment systems, as we enhanced our processing and user experience, and as new payment options became available, we’ve seen a big shift toward digital payments.
Amazon Now was launched globally from this region. Why was the Middle East chosen as the destination to launch it?
I think part of our flywheel has always been about offering a wide selection, competitive prices, and convenience — and a big part of convenience is speed. In this region, speed really matters. Customers constantly push us to go faster and faster.
Across the Amazon website, we offer hundreds of millions of products, but over the last two to three years, we’ve seen a major shift. Customers are increasingly buying their everyday needs and essentials from us. We started with categories like electronics, cosmetics, and apparel, but today, Amazon is where people shop for their daily products too.
Some of these — like milk, eggs, or vegetables — are needed immediately, as customers prepare meals or run out of something. That’s where ultra-fast delivery comes in. Certain products can arrive within 10 minutes. Our fastest delivery so far was six minutes — imagine getting an Apple Watch in six minutes, it’s incredible.
Then there are products customers need within a few hours. For that, we have our two-hour service, called Rush, which covers a wide range of items. Beyond that, we offer hundreds of millions of products that are either stocked locally and delivered within a day, or sourced globally. For example, customers in the UAE can shop from our Germany, UK, or US websites directly through the app, with delivery in under five days.
It’s a diverse ecosystem, but what’s really exciting is our ability to serve customers in minutes. The demand is there — people want their products faster, whether it’s fresh, frozen, or perishable goods. Essentially, your everyday needs and meals can now be delivered through Amazon
What have been the key learnings driving this growth, and when can we expect the rollout across the region?
For us, we pride ourselves on operational excellence. Customers who use Amazon really depend and rely on us. We take that very seriously. For us, it’s making sure when we’re promising X minutes — 5, 10, 15, whatever it is — that we are able to deliver the whole cycle from the payment to picking the order to getting it to the delivery associate to getting to your doorstep within exactly that time frame. This has been the learning — to learn to do that well.
You need to understand the local topology, make sure your micro warehouses are located near customers where there is demand, put the right assortments for customers. Different regions, different cities, they order different products on given days or based on seasonality of these products. And just operating that well has been our motto — not going too fast, making sure it’s super reliable and dependable.
The key right now is to make sure most of the customers that we have in the GCC are served within 10 minutes, and then we’ll expand beyond the region.
How important are partnerships to making Amazon Now happen?
In this part of the world, honestly, we don’t need to build everything from scratch. There are existing players who have been in the region for a very long time. When we started our fresh and grocery journey in Dubai, we partnered, for example, with Lulu, which is a very established hypermarket chain. Same in Saudi with Al Othaim, which is one of the leading supermarkets there. So this was our first entry.
And then getting closer to customers, we kept exploring partnerships with companies or entities that had local presence in the communities we wanted to deliver quick commerce services in, because proximity to customer is the number one element to deliver within 10 minutes or five minutes. For example, in the UAE, Emirates Post’s 7X is the company that runs that. We’re working with a lot of the petrol stations and many of the grocery chains in the region.
I do believe in this region you have established players who’ve been doing what they do for a long, long time. And with Amazon coming in with a bit of digital transformation, we can repurpose many of these assets to not only serve the businesses but also serve Amazon and its customers in a more advanced way.
What have been some of the challenges as you’ve expanded across different markets?
There have always been challenges. We have a motto at Amazon: “fail fast”. So, you need to try things. Some of them work, others won’t.
When we launched Amazon in the region, for example, making sure our Arabic service, our local search, understood local customers took a bit of time. So there was a lot of focus on improving our content, the way our translation services work, because many of the products that we offer here are made all over the world.
And then understanding the customer, the habits, the words they use to search. In Saudi, you have different dialects. In Egypt, they use different words for the same product. “Jawwal” and “mobile phone,” for example, is a good example of two words that mean the same thing.
So just becoming a lot more adaptive, adapting our global technology to our local customer, has been one of the reasons I feel there’s a purpose for us being here.
Localising the service but not compromising on the standards and maintaining Amazon’s high focus on customer and reliability of the services we deliver.
How has AI transformed everything from logistics to the retail experience and personalisation?
Today, AI is part of everything we think about. For me, it’s a massive shift — one that brings a bit of anxiety because of how profoundly it will transform what we do, but also a lot of excitement to be part of this change.
We have teams working on several initiatives to make our operations smarter. On the customer side, it’s about how we position products closer to them so that we can deliver within 10 minutes, and how we calculate delivery promises — literally down to seconds — to get product X from a location to their doorstep as fast as possible.
For our sellers, we’re focused on marketing and listing tools — how they showcase products, how efficiently they manage their inventory, and how they can benefit from data-driven insights. These are all areas where we’re investing heavily to ensure both customers and sellers gain from the ongoing generative AI revolution and its real-world impact.
It’s an incredibly exciting time. I see this moment as similar to when the internet arrived, then the personal computer, and later the mobile phone. AI represents another seismic shift in how we live and work. And it’s great to see that the region is embracing this transformation just as actively.
What other trends do you think will shift the landscape in the years ahead?
I think the way customers shop over time will change. Obviously, we see agentic AI — having these agents that do super complicated tasks for you. This will impact the way you work. This will impact the way you shop.
So we’re building products. We have a product in the US called Rufus, which assists you in shopping. I do believe the way you shop today and the way with AI we’ll shop will be quite different. And these agentic agents that are being built will help support your journey, will help support our employees with much more complicated tasks. So definitely there are big changes that will come.
You recently launched a credit card in the UAE. Tell us about it.
Our customers, as I said, with daily essentials, many of our customers come back every day to our website. The credit card we’re launching will enable these customers to save more as they shop with us. There is a 6 per cent cashback for customers as they use the card.
Again, it’s one more service that we localise, working with a local bank here, trying to launch a service that customers would use every day, but also it provides value and savings to them, especially for our Prime members.
What can we expect from Amazon in the coming months?
We’re a company who likes to do things first and then talk about them later. The big focus right now is making sure on convenience — that we are delivering to most of our customers within minutes and making sure not only we’re delivering fast, but always having the relevant products that they need available in these locations to meet their daily needs at any time they think of needing something that we can deliver in minutes.
Across the markets you oversee, where are you seeing the most opportunity?
I’m lucky to be in the emerging world. We’re seeing huge growth in digital adoption and adoption of e-commerce. We have countries and local sites in Africa, for example, in Egypt, in South Africa, and we see a huge change there in terms of embracing digital technology, in terms of buying online — trends that maybe lag a bit from the global adoption rates, and these are all exciting times for all these markets.
Image credit: Supplied
What lessons can other retail giants learn from how Amazon has succeeded in this region?
We always focus on the customer. We focus on being reliable at scale. We use technology to solve customer pain points. We try to innovate on behalf of customers, and we don’t shy away from trying things that may work and may not work. So we fail fast at experiments that we do daily on our website. There are hundreds of experiments taking place. Every team member has the liberty to experiment with a thought, and we have a process for that.
So embracing that within your culture will drive innovation. If you haven’t failed enough, you probably are not driving enough innovation to your customers. So I think just continue — this is what we do. We do it well. We embrace it internally, and I think there’s a lot to learn from how Amazon has scaled and remained consistent for its customers.
Amazon supports entrepreneurs, and you yourself were one. What differentiates those who scale successfully?
We play a big role for entrepreneurs. We’re a website that’s open for third-party sellers to sell on our platform, so not everything we sell is bought and sold by Amazon. Actually, the majority of our products are sold by entrepreneurs who create their own brands and sell them online.
We’ve had a lot of success in the GCC with local UAE nationals and Saudi nationals really creating brands, and we’re hoping to take them obviously global. So on the marketplace itself, there’s a lot of opportunities for anyone who loves a certain space, has understanding of a domain, and can excel selling online.
For entrepreneurs, it’s simple. You have to be persistent in your vision because you set that vision. I believe that we have a lot of problems that still need to be solved in this part of the world. And then making sure with focus on technology that at the end, you’re solving a real problem for a customer — and with that, success will come.
I think good leaders make good companies or drive good companies, and leaders play a very important role.
What values have driven your personal journey and the way you lead?
If you think of our journey, the big step change happens when you have good team members on your team that complement your skills. During the Souq days, finance was not my biggest forte. I had a good team that really helped me grow the Souq business. The same applies at Amazon.
Grooming good leaders that can really scale is something that, at our level, is the most important criteria. Set the vision, and then ensure you have the people who can execute and let them run to deliver for you. And obviously, growth will come with time with these leaders.
So that’s the real success. You can’t really do everything alone. You can set a good vision as an entrepreneur or a leader or a founder or even as a CEO, but at the end, it’s the team, the dynamics of the team that make it all work.
What’s the one thing that always picks you up or gets you excited about your job?
For me, it’s solving problems. When we have anecdotes from customers around an experience they have, and then someone from the team picks it up and is able to solve it, and over time we see that we’ve been able to address a customer need — it’s probably, as an engineer, building things and solving problems. It’s probably the most fun thing that I do at work.Building these solutions, from looking at how you deliver in minutes and how do you compute the promise to deliver in minutes to what goes into placing the inventory and how AI plays a factor, is super exciting.
Online classifieds giant Dubizzle Group has paused its planned initial public offering on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), despite reporting a 75 per cent surge in revenue over the past three years, as the company looking at an optimal time for its debut.
The move came just a day before the bookbuilding process was due to begin.
Founded in the UAE and widely seen as a fixture of daily life across the Gulf, Dubizzle operates property portal Bayut and dominates key classifieds segments in the region.
The platform serves more than 18m monthly active users and generates around 54m sessions across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other GCC markets.
It holds about 65 per cent of UAE property traffic market share and 87 per cent of revenue share in autos.
Dubizzle reports strong revenue growth
Dubizzle reported $183m in revenue in 2024, up from $104m in 2022, with adjusted EBITDA margins improving from 25 per cent in 2022 to 46 per cent in H1 2025. The UAE accounted for nearly 89 per cent of total revenue, with expansion into Saudi Arabia underway.
The company is backed by Prosus NV, which had committed $100m to the offering.
Analysts say the decision could ultimately strengthen Dubizzle’s standing when it eventually lists, highlighting a growing preference in regional markets for sustainable growth over aggressive valuations.
