I stepped into the leadership of talabat at a time when our region is entering one of its most exciting chapters. And this next chapter matters. The choices we make as leaders in technology and quick commerce, delivering everyday essentials in minutes, will shape the region’s digital infrastructure for years to come – not just for talabat, but for the wider ecosystem we serve.
This region has a momentum unlike anywhere else. According to last year’s numbers, the total addressable market across food, grocery and retail has grown to nearly $140bn. With an addressable population of more than 74 million across the wider region – and rising urbanisation and digital adoption – the next wave of growth will come from deeper engagement and true multi-vertical expansion, especially in grocery, retail, and quick commerce. In short, MENA remains one of the most underpenetrated yet fastest-growing delivery markets in the world.
But the real story isn’t just scale – it’s what fuels it. Behind these numbers are hundreds of small businesses, homegrown entrepreneurs, traditional restaurants and local shops reinventing how they reach customers. When our grocery and retail segment grows 40 per cent while food continues at 20 per cent, it’s not just a trend line; it’s proof that the platform economy is expanding far beyond its origins. And with our subscription programme tripling adoption versus last year, we’re seeing even deeper engagement and a stronger shift toward loyalty-driven, multi-vertical usage. That acceleration is driven by consumer behaviour unique to this region.
A unique blend of curiosity, early-adopter instinct, and uncompromising expectations has turned the GCC into one of the world’s most advanced proving grounds for quick commerce.
Growing at this pace means people count on us more than ever – not just to bring something to their door, but to show up with reliability every single time. And that responsibility has reshaped who we are. Today, more than half of our EBITDA comes from adtech, which says a lot about how far we’ve come. We’re not just a food delivery app anymore; we’re becoming one of the region’s most trusted technology engines. And the tech behind that shift is being built right here.
AI is now woven into almost everything we do, helping restaurants prepare before the rush even starts, guiding riders through the chaos of real city streets, and reducing the small frictions that used to slow down an order. And on the customer side, AI is starting to make the experience feel more personal – helping people discover the food they love, the shops they didn’t know were nearby, or the offers that actually matter to them. It’s subtle, but it’s changing how people use the platform.
But technology without purpose is just expensive complexity. And for us, purpose starts with our people – the teams who show up every day to keep this platform running. It also means focusing on the fundamentals that truly move the needle: speed, quality, innovation, and the impact we create across the ecosystem. The Middle East is becoming a place where ambition is the norm. Ideas scale faster. Innovation is shaped by people who challenge the status quo and raise the bar for what’s possible. In moments like this, our responsibility isn’t just to keep pace – it’s to help lead it.
At talabat, that means creating the conditions for progress: giving people the tools, the technology, and the confidence to shape what comes next. We test, learn, adapt, and rebuild with intention – not for the sake of disruption, but to deliver real value to the communities we serve.
