Are you looking for inspiration and insights into the world of business? Look no further than the next generation of Arab businessmen who are using social media to share their knowledge, showcase their success stories, and inspire others. From innovative startups to established leaders, these entrepreneurs are leaving a lasting impression on the global business community. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or simply looking for inspiration, these businessmen are definitely worth a follow.
Ibrahim Al Mallouhi
Ibrahim Al Mallouhi’s passion for coffee began in childhood, watching his grandmother roast green coffee beans and serve Arabic coffee to influential people. Unsatisfied with the coffee chains in Dubai, he traveled the world to find the best specialty coffee. He obtained a diploma in coffee, a barista certification, and membership from the Specialty Coffee Association. He gained further insight by visiting coffee farms in Vietnam and Ethiopia and obtaining an executive MBA from CASS Business School London. With this knowledge, he founded The Espresso Lab, a UAE coffeehouse chain that opened its first location in Dubai in 2015.
Elie Habib
Elie Habib is an engineer and co-founder of Anghami, a music streaming platform that has built up a library of over 75 million songs from the Middle East. Habib and his co-founder saw an opportunity to address the lack of options for legally accessing music in the region, which led to the creation of Anghami. The platform aims to change the mentality of free music by encouraging users to pay for access to music and working with local labels and artists to discover talent and create more music from the region. Habib is proud of the role that Anghami is playing in getting the Arabic-speaking world to value the music of their favorite artists and hopes to grow the amount of Arabic music available to listeners worldwide.
Amr Mansi
Amr Mansi is a former professional squash player and the CEO and founder of “I Events,” an organizing company that hosts major sporting and cultural events in Egypt. He is known for his successful efforts in organizing major squash tournaments such as the El Gouna International Squash Open and the Orascom Development PSA Women’s World Championship, as well as cultural events like the El Gouna Film Festival. Mansi has received several awards for his work, including Egypt’s First Class Sports Award. In addition to his work with I Events, Mansi is the co-founder of Shark Tank Egypt, a local version of the popular entrepreneurial reality show that aims to support innovative startups in Egypt. He has played a key role in bringing the Shark Tank format to Egypt and supporting the country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Muhammad Binghatti
Muhammad BinGhatti is the CEO and Head of Architecture at Binghatti Holding, a leading holding company in the UAE with a portfolio of over 40 projects and a value exceeding AED 3.5 billion. He is a qualified architect and personally involved in designing and conceptualizing the identity of all Binghatti’s properties. He has a vision of creating architectural towers that are recognizable and evoke emotions similar to a favorite supercar. Binghatti is not just a property developer but a brand that aims to merge art into properties.
Talal Al Ajmi
Talal Al Ajmi is a Kuwaiti entrepreneur who founded VI Markets in 2010, which provides tailored online trading services for investors in Kuwait. He is currently the CEO and a board member of One Financial Markets, VI Markets’ main partner. Al Ajmi’s passion for financial markets and trading led him to educate the people in Kuwait who are interested in trading and help them manage their portfolios. He uses social media to attract new traders and share his daily trades while providing workshops and seminars to educate them. He obtained FCA licenses to ensure credibility and professionalism, which allowed him to change the concept of trading in the market. Al Ajmi’s clear and consistent vision has led to continuous success, high market share in Kuwait and the Middle East, and a partnership with One Financial Markets.
Abdallah Sallam
Abdallah Sallam is a member of the prominent Sallam family, known for its vast business empire in Egypt. He is the founder of Minka, an innovative real estate company aiming to change the real estate landscape in Egypt. Sallam is a mechanical engineer by education and a visionary at heart. He gained practical work experience in the family business before moving to Canada for a few years and returning to Egypt with a passion for real estate and a vision to realize its potential. He co-founded Minka Developments in 2017, which became a leading player in the market. Recently, he was appointed as the new CEO of Madinet Nasr Housing & Development, and the Sallam family plans to eventually own around 5% of the company after the acquisition of Minka Developments.
Issam Kazim
Issam Kazim is the CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), which is an affiliate of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. Kazim has built and developed DCTCM’s team and network of international offices from scratch. He is responsible for all activities related to branding, promoting, and marketing Dubai as a destination. Kazim has developed innovative destination tools and data-driven platforms to enhance the visitor experience in Dubai, as well as scaled up the Visit Dubai digital and social ecosystem. He has also spearheaded ground-breaking marketing campaigns and influencer-led campaigns targeting key source markets. Prior to joining DCTCM, Kazim worked as Director of DXB Live and Commercial at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Youssef Sabry
Youssef Sabry is an Egyptian Canadian entrepreneur who founded Virtual Worker Now in 2019. His goal is to catalyze career opportunities in the MENA region by teaching relevant job skills and providing paid positions. Virtual Worker Now is the fastest-growing outsourcing organization in the MENA region, offering 10 different categories of specialization, including virtual assistants, customer service, sales, social media, video, writing, design, and more. The company has grown from less than 50 employees in its first year to over 350 team members, all working remotely.
Abdallah Abu Sheikh
Abdallah Abu-Sheikh is a top serial entrepreneur in the MENA region, known for launching groundbreaking and future-ready platforms centered on sustainability, mobility, and digitalization. He is the co-founder and CEO of Astra Tech, a UAE-based technology investment and development group that is launching a revolutionary new app-based ultra-platform. The platform brings together select consumer technologies, products, and services and is specifically designed to address the “platform fatigue” many users are experiencing. Abu-Sheikh also leads Rizek, a localized digital marketplace, and Barq, a tech-driven network of electric vehicles built to serve the MENA region’s last-mile delivery sector. His vision is to build a global platform that can be competitive and representative of what this part of the world could produce.
These Arab businessmen are leading the way in their respective fields, using social media as a tool to share their knowledge, insights, and success stories with the world. With their innovative ideas and commitment to excellence, these businessmen are not only shaping the future of commerce in the Middle East but also leaving a lasting impression on the global business community.
From coffee lovers to real estate developers, these entrepreneurs are making a significant contribution to the business world and inspiring others to pursue their dreams. By following them on social media, you can stay up-to-date with their latest projects, business advice, and insights into their industries. So, go ahead and hit that follow button, and who knows, you might just learn a thing or two from these incredible visionaries.
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