CMOs To Watch In Saudi Arabia

Adil Ehsan – Regional Marketing

Director at Savola Foods

From working with P&G to Reckitt Benckiser and lately FrieslandCampina, Adil Ehsan brings best practice learnings from personal care to home care. He looks after edible oils across the MENAT region in his current role.

 His FMCG journey has led him to advocate for digital transformation and agile methodology to develop consumer-led winning businesses. Ehsan believes that the core of any successful business is the same regardless of scope, geography or category. He is an MBA graduate from the Institute of Business Administration in Karachi.

AlShereef Hamideddin

Marketing Director at Bupa Arabia

Experienced commercial and marketing director with a demonstrated history of working in the insurance & FMCG industry, AlShereef Hamideddin is skilled in product development, marketing campaigns, corporate affairs, customer insight, market planning, business planning, P&L and FMCG. He is a strong sales professional, expert on talent development and recognised in team building.

He holds a degree in master of science focusing on systems engineering from George Mason University.

Aziz Amine

Director of Marketing & Country Head Of Mobile Financial Services at Virgin Mobile

Aziz Amine has extensive international experience in the Europe and MENA region with over 25 years of experience within the telecom industry as marketing director, segment director, sales director, commercial director, managing director, board advisor and startup founder. 

Amine has successfully launched new telecom MVNO operations in the UK, France, Germany and Saudi Arabia. He has worked with  AT&T, Interoute, SFR, Kertel and Virgin Mobile. He is currently heading the expat segment of Virgin Mobile KSA, one of the fastest-growing MVNOs in the Middle East.

Bader Alboqami

Head of Marketing at Arab National Bank (ANB)

Experienced chief marketing officer with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry, Bader Alboqami is a skilled professional in marketing management, business planning, analytics skills, customer relationship management (CRM) and team building. 

Before joining Arab National Bank, he worked with Hamat Property., Asala Holding, SAAB, and HSBC. Alboqami is a strong art and design professional with masters focus in marketing and CSR management from the University of Portsmouth.

Fahad AlGhofaily

Chief Marketing & Digital Officer at Al Rajhi Capital

Fahad AlGhofaily has over 12 years of experience in consumer marketing. He has been delivering solutions to drive sales, attract and maintain customers and build strong consumer brands. He drives strong and sustainable financial gains through corporate potential, enhances top-notch marketing solutions, 

innovative branding strategies and dynamic product management. AlGhofaily is an active member of the American Marketing Association. Before joining Al Rajhi Capital, he has worked with Derayah Financial, Zain KSA and Mobily. He holds a diploma certificate in category and segment management in consumer markets from Management Centre Europe.

Fiona Noble

Group Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at Quintessentially

Fiona Noble has over 30 years of experience in building and transforming brand reputation. Her experience spans financial services, automotive, luxury goods and retail. In her current role, Noble is responsible for the group’s brand proposition, innovation strategy and revenue growth. 

She is an expert in reputation management and advised on crisis communications at the 2005 London Bombings and was part of the successful 2012 London Olympic bid team. She is a seasoned advisor to CEOs and other C-suite leaders. Before joining Quintessentially, she worked with FN Counsel, Weber Shandwick, and Cohn & Wolfe.

Hanadi Salem

Head of Marketing at GIV Capital

Passionate, enthusiastic and driven financial services professional, Hanadi Salem heads the marketing department at GIV Capital. She has been delivering solutions to drive sales, attract and retain customers and build strong consumer brands. 

Hanadi graduated from the American University of Science and Technology with a BA in communication and media studies. Prior to joining GIV Capital, she has worked with Sandine Zarataux Holding, Fattal Group, Middle East Airlines and PharmaSoft.

Hussam Abdel Qader

Chief Marketing Officer at Almarai

An experienced chief marketing officer with a demonstrated history of working in the food and beverage industry. Hussam Abdel Qader is skilled in digital strategy, negotiation, business planning, corporate communications and market research. 

For nearly 20 years, he held several positions, including director of marketing services, general manager of marketing. Before joining Almarai, he worked with The Nielsen Company, Mobily, Modern Food Industries, and Teeba. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Jordan.

Majed Al Bahiti

VP of Marketing & Communications at Tawuniya

Experienced marketing professional with a demonstrated history of working in the BFSI, marketing and FMCG, Majed Al Bahiti is skilled in strategic marketing and communications, business development, change management and brand management. 

He comes with 17 years of vast experience in the marketing industry. Before joining Tawuniya, he has worked with Saudi Post, Ministry of Commerce and Investment, Elixir Business Consultancy and Samba Financial Group. He holds a degree in business science with marketing as a specialisation from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

Margie Whitehouse

Chief Marketing Officer at Saudi Tourism Authority

A passionate brand builder and marketing professional, Margie Whitehouse is the chief marketing officer of the Saudi Tourism Authority. She is a veteran brand alchemist, having built several leading tourism and consumer brands. Before joining the Saudi Tourism Authority, she served as the CMO of the South African Tourism Board and has more than 30 years of industry experience. 

Whitehouse holds a bachelor of business science degree in marketing and economics from the University of Cape Town.

Mohamad Alaa Hussien

Marketing Director at eXtra

Accomplished marketing strategist and commercial development professional with more than 15 years of hands-on experience in various industries. Mohamad Alaa Hussein has proven records in strategic management, boosting brand performance and driving significant traffic and sales. In addition, he is passionate about startups with a successful track record in developing projects from scratch. 

Before joining eXtra, he has worked with United Homeware Company, EgySwiss, and Abdul Latif Jameel. Hussein holds an MBA degree from Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport.

Nora AlShorafa

Head of Marketing at Dar Alarkan (DAAR)

Experienced marketing professional with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing industry, Nora AlShorafa heads the marketing department at Dar Al Arkan Properties. Before joining Dar Al Arkan Properties, she worked with Fawaz Al Hokair Group, Passion Experience Company, Al Watania Investment. 

She is a food and cafe blogger by the name of Twelvvee. And holds a bachelor’s degree in Design Management from the American University of Sharjah.

Ohoud Alshamikh

Chief Marketing Officer at Takamol Holding

An early adopter of marketing trends, Ohoud Alshamikh is the chief marketing officer at Takamol Holding. She delivers solutions to drive sales, attract and maintain customers and build strong consumer brands. Before joining Takamol, she has worked with Zad, Zain KSA, Mobily and Tawuniya. Diving into entrepreneurship, 

Ohoud founded Respire Lounge, a coffee shop in Riyadh. She holds an MBA degree from Rochester Institute of Technology and a BBA from  King Saud University.

Ranya Yahya

Regional Marketing Director at AlHokail Medical Group

With over 17 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Ranya Yahya deploys her skill and core competencies to increase an organisation’s value. Prior to joining AlHokail Medical Group as a regional marketing director, she worked with Procare Riaya Hospital for 13 years. 

Her responsibility includes development and execution processes and strengthening the organisation’s brand position in the regional marketing area. She holds a bachelor of science in business administration and management from Damascus University.

Reema Nezar Al Shammasi

Marketing Director (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain & Levant) at Mastercard

She is a results-focused marketer who possesses experience in brand building and innovation with proven competencies in business planning and strategy implementation for strong brands in the region. Reema Nezar Al Shammasi heads the marketing department at Mastercard for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the Levant region.

She has experience in product development, commercialisation and strategic marketing. Earlier, she worked with Nestlé (breakfast cereal), Nada, and Mayar Foods. She holds a BCom degree from the University of Otago.

Saleh Alanazi

Marketing Communication Director at Mobily

Dynamic and motivated professional with over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing communications, Saleh Alanazi comes with a proven track record of generating and building relationships, managing projects from concept to completion, designing business strategies and coaching individuals to success. 

He is skilled in building cross-functional teams and making critical decisions during challenges. Before joining Mobily, Alanazi has worked with Lindex and MH Alshaya. He holds a degree in bachelor of science in business administration from King Abdulaziz University.

Sara Altuwaijri

Head of Group Marketing & Corporate Communication at Banque Saudi Fransi

An innovative marketing and brand strategist, Sara Altuwaijri is a result-focused and high-achieving marketing professional with extensive experience developing effective and creative marketing strategies for dynamic companies and clients. 

Her prowess is not limited by industry, location or company size. She has tackled business scenarios with a meticulous strategy designed based on her marketing expertise in various areas. Before joining Banque Saudi Fransi, she worked with Al Tayyar Travel Group, Allure Hub, DDB and King Saud University. She holds an MBA degree from King Saud University.

Dr Sobhi Agha

Group Chief Marketing Officer at SAB Holding

Experienced marketing executive with demonstrable success in brand development and product. Dr Sobhhi Agha comes with extensive experience in partnership development. He blends an insightful, passionate and creative approach with effective team leadership, people management and networking skills. 

He has worked with various multinational companies, with experience varying from insurance to trading companies and eventually landing in real estate. Before joining SAB Holding, he worked with Ruwad Civil Construction, SAB Media, 4 Vision Co Ltd., and Euroline BV. He holds a PhD degree in international economics from Louisiana State University.

Wejdan Yamani

Director of Marketing Communications at Marriott International

Experienced marketing director with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry. Wejdan Yamani is a certified digital marketer with a focus on hospitality digital marketing. She has earlier worked with SONY, Hyatt and Booking.com. For her, marketing is not a department — all individuals, from top to bottom, in the organisation are marketers.