Mohamed Sabry

Director

Mr. Sabry is an accomplished senior business leader with over 20 years of experience in the FMCG and telecom industries. His expertise spans across various aspects of the business, including strategic vision and execution, operational oversight, multi-country and category management, regional knowledge building, revenue generation, P&L accountability, strategic partnership management, and distributor management.
With his invaluable contributions, Mr. Sabry has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of GULFCO. He excels at leading and collaborating with commercial teams and strategic partners to develop and execute strategic and operational business plans.
Mr. Sabry possesses exceptional skills in market segmentation and penetration strategies, particularly in relation to the successful launch of new products. Additionally, he brings valuable experience in change management, having led major restructuring initiatives across functional teams.
One of Mr. Sabry’s key strengths lies in his ability to lead cross-functional and diverse teams, fostering a winning attitude and promoting accountability to consistently deliver on strategy and exceed performance expectations. His extensive industry experience includes leadership positions with renowned companies such as Mars Wrigley and PepsiCo.
At GULFCO, Mr. Sabry’s leadership and expertise drive the company’s success, ensuring its continued growth and prominence in the FMCG distribution industry in the UAE.

Adam Ragab

Business Development Manager

Adam Ragab brings over 20 years of insightful leadership experience to his role as Business Development Manager at Gulfco. His extensive career in sales and business development spans a diverse range of sectors and includes notable tenures at multinational organizations such as British American Tobacco, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and most recently, Bedaya General Trading LLC, a subsidiary of YAS Holding.

In his previous role as Sales Director at Bedaya General Trading, Adam demonstrated his exceptional ability to build and develop direct distribution lines, creating a comprehensive distribution strategy that significantly increased revenues. His strategic vision and negotiation skills enabled him to secure exclusive distribution rights for seven international companies in the MENA region, enhancing the company’s market presence across various channels including key accounts, convenience stores, e-commerce, traditional trade, and export.

Adam’s tenure at Unikai Foods P.J.S.C saw him increase the efficiency of UAE channels, introduce new revenue-generating channels, and retain and grow key accounts. As the Head of Capability & Business Development, he was instrumental in enhancing sales performance and customer retention, contributing to the company’s market share growth.

Adam’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident during his time at Afkar General Trading LLC, where he founded and led the company to become a main supplier of hydroponic systems in the UAE and Oman, securing key tenders with major governmental bodies.

His earlier career includes significant achievements at Coca-Cola, where he implemented the RED (Right Execution Daily) system, launched new beverages, and restructured routes to enhance market share. At PepsiCo, Adam devised and implemented structures for the self-service channel and managed the overall trade marketing portfolio, significantly enhancing sales team capabilities and product visibility.

Adam holds a BA in Economics from the American University of Cairo. His dedication to strategic planning, market research, and team leadership positions him as a key driver of business growth and development at Gulfco.

Refaat Abou Zaki

Head of Sales- Modern Trade

Refaat Abou Zaki is a seasoned professional boasting 20 years of remarkable sales leadership within the FMCG industry. Refaat has showcased his prowess in retail merchandising, marketing, and sourcing. Leveraging his extensive expertise in managing FMCG brands, he aligns strategic goals with company objectives, maximizing sales volume, value, distribution, and profit through resource efficiency. His track record in operational excellence and organizational development makes him an invaluable addition to the Gulfco team.

Refaat excels in bolstering organizational capability across structure, operations, and brands. Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, he drives sales and distribution across the modern trade channel. Previous roles at Masafi LLC in Dubai and Majid Al Futtaim Hypermarkets across Oman and the UAE saw Refaat successfully restructure the sales team, develop comprehensive business plans exceeding sales targets, orchestrate commercial strategies, lead supplier contract negotiations, and manage significant business operations, contributing to substantial revenue growth and market expansion.

Refaat is known for his strategic planning, critical thinking, and ability to lead teams effectively. His skills encompass ROI analysis, data analytics, and inventory control, With a keen focus on bottom-line profits, among others. He is proficient in crafting and executing commercial strategies for multi-million AED businesses, ensuring long-term goals are realized.

Refaat holds a Diploma in Corporate Business Management and has completed numerous online certifications in areas such as digital marketing, data analytics, and strategic thinking.

Refaat’s strategic approach, comprehensive understanding of key business elements, commitment to excellence and his ability to drive dynamic business results, align perfectly with Gulfco’s values and mission.

Vijayan Asirvadam

Senior Supply Chain Manager

Mr. Vijayan is a seasoned supply chain leader with extensive experience in Supply Chain planning and optimisation, Business Process Design and Reengineering, and Digital Transformation. He has over 15 years of progressive experience in Supply Chain Management, Service Management, Operational Excellence, and Cost Optimisation in the FMCG and Consumer Electronics sectors.

He has successfully led business transformation initiatives in order to achieve functional, commercial, and strategic initiatives. With a proven track record of leading business process reengineering, his expertise also extends to designing and implementing business transformation to align supply chain functions with growth strategies, while constantly adapting to changing market conditions, new opportunities, and cost reduction initiatives.

Mr. Vijayan also comes with rich experience in strategising and integrating scalable technology solutions to enhance operational efficiency and optimising warehouse utilisation and supply chain functions. He is also an expert in managing multinational workforces through performance management, coaching, and conflict management strategies.

Reyas Ali

Head of Sales - General Trade

Mr. Reyas is an exceptionally experienced sales professional with over 25 years of comprehensive expertise in developing and implementing strategic sales and business development plans for leading multinational FMCG companies. As a strategic planner, he excels in setting both short-term and long-term goals, consistently delivering outstanding results.
Mr. Reyas brings a strong business acumen, backed by a track record of executing highly effective sales and marketing strategies that establish market presence, drive distribution development, and enhance revenue and profitability. His core competencies encompass strategic planning, sales operations, budget planning and control, innovative merchandising, distributor management, team building, root marketing planning, and category management.
Over the course of his 25-year journey with GULFCO, Mr. Reyas has made invaluable contributions across various functions within the company. In his current role, he oversees the daily operations of GULFCO, focusing on planning, merchandising, continuous team development, and market intelligence. Additionally, he actively cultivates strategic partnerships with retailers, further strengthening GULFCO’s position in the market.

Srikanth Sooryanarayanan

OOH Division Manager

Mr. Srikanth holds a critical role in GULFCO, where he spearheads the development of the commercial business across the UAE. His primary responsibilities encompass designing and implementing both short-term and long-term strategies aligned with corporate objectives. By effectively delivering on financial plans and ensuring performance within the defined budget, he plays a vital role in driving the company’s success.
Within his role, Mr. Srikanth specifically manages the HORECA channel, with the objective of cultivating and expanding the company’s presence in the HORECA business sector in the UAE. He is accountable for devising and executing strategies that contribute to the achievement of key annual business objectives. Moreover, he focuses on driving plans and budgets for the Food and Beverage division, aiming to deliver the targeted financial contributions.
Furthermore, Mr. Srikanth actively identifies high-potential areas and key growth drivers for various stakeholders such as Principals, Brands, Customers, Suppliers, Market Channels, and External Vendors. By leveraging these insights, he seeks to generate additional revenue streams and establish mutually beneficial sourcing partnerships on advantageous terms that support sustainable growth for the company.

Ahmed Heshmat

Head of MARS Division

Mr. Heshmat assumes a key leadership role as he oversees and manages the overall operations of the GULFCO Mars Wrigley Division in the UAE. With a focus on business development, he is responsible for formulating and executing market growth strategies, conducting thorough market research, identifying effective go-to-market strategies, and ensuring successful distributor management and principal relationships.
As a dynamic and goal-oriented leader, Mr. Heshmat brings extensive experience in sales, marketing, and business development within the FMCG industry. He thrives on finding innovative solutions and is driven by achieving strategic objectives while carefully balancing risk and reward. Throughout his career, he has successfully led regional departments to achieve remarkable revenue and profitability growth.
An exceptional communicator and adept stakeholder manager, Mr. Heshmat has a proven track record of leading complex projects with success. He has played a pivotal role in driving organizational growth through effective client relationship management, leading high-value negotiations, and expanding geographical brand presence. Additionally, he places a strong emphasis on team development, employing an empowering management style that fosters the creation, development, and leadership of high-performance teams on a global scale.