Jeroen Nijs is the Chief Financial Officer of Agthia Group, bringing over 25 years of international leadership experience.

Prior to joining Agthia, Jeroen has held senior finance roles at global FMCG companies including Flora Food Group, Mondelēz International, Danone and PepsiCo. Most recently, he served as Global Deputy CFO of Flora Food Group, a USD 3.5 billion consumer packaged goods company. During his time, he introduced AI-enabled Revenue Growth Management, steered post-carve-out performance improvements and oversaw global commercial and supply-chain finance, as well as FP&A functions. During his tenure at Mondelēz Europe, he held several key positions, including Finance Director M&A, Category CFO for the Meals business and Head of Asset Management & Treasury. Jeroen has a track record of talent development and has consistently built high-performing finance teams.

He holds a Master of Science in Business & Information Systems Engineering from the University of Hasselt in Belgium.

Ramy Merdan joined Agthia in 2017 as the Senior Vice President – Value Chain, bringing with him the expertise garnered from a distinguished career spanning over 30 years across international markets. In 2021, he took charge as the Chief Operating Officer of the Group, driving performance and operations across multiple markets and business units.

Ramy is a performance-oriented business leader dedicated to driving end-to-end growth through efficiencies, productivity, and excellence, while adeptly managing operational P&L across various business divisions. With a deep understanding of critical business drivers in multiple markets and categories, Ramy has led transformational initiatives at Unilever, Danone, and Gandour Group. He has successfully turned around underperforming businesses, delivered double-digit EBITDA growth, and captured significant market share. Ramy passionately believes in the pivotal role of value chains in generating business competitiveness and driving growth through a customer-focused, performance-driven approach.

Ramy is a graduate of the leadership development programs from the Harvard Business School and has also completed an advanced program in value chain management from Danone Academy from France. He is currently pursuing a COO program from MIT and, holds a Bachelor of Accounting from the University of Alexandria in Egypt.

Patrick Higgins is the Chief People Officer of Agthia Group, bringing more than 25 years of leadership across Strategy, Business Transformation and Human Resources, with a focus and passion for Emerging Markets. As Chief People Officer, Patrick leads Agthia’s Human Capital function, partnering with leaders across the Group to advance our talent strategy, elevate employee experience, and cultivate an inclusive, high-performance workplace that empowers teams to do their best.

He began his career in his family’s sales and distribution business in Ireland before joining Mars in the UAE in 2001. Over two decades, he held senior leadership roles and guided multiple business transformations across the Middle East, Africa and Global Emerging Markets, most recently serving as Vice President People and Organisation for Mars Wrigley’s Emerging Markets, covering Mexico, Brazil, the Middle East, Africa, India, Asia and Australia.

Patrick holds a Degree in Business and a Master’s in Supply from the Technological University Dublin. He has also completed several executive programmes at Cornell University, New York and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, deepening his expertise in leadership, organisational development and the broader impact of business on society.

Edward Norder is Agthia’s Chief Innovation Officer, bringing nearly three decades of international leadership across innovation, operations, and general management within the global food and ingredients industry. In his role at Agthia, Edward leads the Group’s R&D, Innovation & Insights functions, advancing our innovation agenda and reinforcing Agthia’s commitment to sustainable, long-term growth and market leadership.

Prior to joining Agthia, Edward served as Global Head of Innovation at OFI, where he led end-to-end innovation across six product platforms and spearheaded a strategic growth agenda that positioned the business for long-term success. Before that, he was Global Head of Innovation & Quality for OFI’s Cocoa Division, transforming the function into a customer-centric, value-driven engine for commercial growth. Earlier in his career, Edward held senior roles at Doehler SE, Givaudan, The Coca-Cola Company, and Kraft Foods, where he consistently delivered innovation-led transformation, strengthened operational performance, and drove cross-market growth strategies across Europe, the U.S., and the Middle East. Recognized as a forward-thinking industry leader, Edward brings a strong track record in building high-performance R&D organizations, accelerating product innovation, and embedding a culture of strategic excellence.

He holds a Master’s degree in Food Chemistry and Business from Wageningen University and completed the Strategic R&D Management Program at INSEAD.

Hala has more than two decades of investment experience in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and Asia, encompassing private equity, real estate, and venture capital. She has advised families and institutions on the formulation and implementation of investment strategies encompassing a variety of asset classes. She has deployed, managed, and divested over $2.5 billion in capital through direct and fund investments and ventures across numerous industries, including education, oil and gas, petrochemicals, real estate and hospitality, aviation, food and beverage, and retail.

Hala has extensive experience across all facets of transaction-related activities, encompassing legal, financing, valuation, due diligence, and structuring. Additionally, she has been actively engaged in the management of portfolio companies, spearheading initiatives to create value, executing add-on acquisitions, and assuming responsibilities in corporate finance, strategy, and business development. She has also served on the boards of a number of Middle Eastern and Asian corporations.

She has successfully completed the Executive MBA program at HEC Paris, a Diploma in Corporate Directorship from the UK Institute of Directors (IoD), and, an MSc in Economics from the American University of Beirut.

Abdulrahman Al Barguthi is the Acting Chief Digital Officer of Agthia Group, bringing over 25 years of leadership experience in digital transformation, emerging technologies, and enterprise innovation across diverse sectors.

He previously held senior leadership roles at Al Foah, Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications, and ENOC, where he led major transformation programs and modernized mission-critical platforms. During his tenure in these organizations, Abdulrahman championed the adoption of AI solutions, advanced analytics, and next-generation digital capabilities, enabling stronger operational performance and more agile, data-driven decision-making. Abdulrahman’s career has been defined by initiatives that strengthened digital governance, elevated technology maturity, and delivered measurable business value. His leadership has consistently focused on building high-performing digital organizations while advancing sustainable, enterprise-wide innovation.

At Agthia, Abdulrahman is responsible for steering the Group’s digital strategy and ecosystem. He leads efforts to integrate intelligent automation, enhance enterprise analytics, and cultivate a digital-first culture that supports Agthia’s long-term growth and transformation agenda.

Abdulrahman holds a Master’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems.

Chantal Charbel is the President of Agthia’s Snacks Business, bringing nearly two decades of strategic and commercial leadership across the luxury goods, confectionery, and dairy sectors in the Middle East and Europe.

Prior to joining Agthia, Chantal served as Managing Director for Lactalis Middle East, where she led the full P&L, oversaw key acquisitions, and launched local manufacturing operations. Her portfolio spanned Retail, Food Service, Travel Retail, and E-Commerce, giving her deep expertise in diverse market environments and consumer segments.

Earlier in her career, Chantal spent over a decade at Khalil Fattal & Fils, holding multiple senior leadership roles, including Group Executive Director, where she managed major business units in Confectionery and F&B and partnered with global brands such as Danone, Mondelez, and Kraft Heinz.

Recognized as a transformational business leader, Chantal has a proven track record in driving business turnaround, building high-performing teams, and accelerating growth through operational excellence, innovation, and strong commercial strategies. She holds an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Saint Joseph in Beirut and completed executive programs at Harvard Business School and the Climber Leadership Program at ESCP Europe.

Ahmad Yahya joined Agthia Group PJSC in December 2020 and is currently the President – Water & Food (GCC) of the Group, responsible for the company’s marketing growth and development.

Prior to his appointment at Agthia, Ahmad was working at Kellogg’s Company in various roles, the most recent one being  General Manager, GCC and CGO MENAT. Yahya also worked at Danone KSA as Marketing Director and Pepsi Canada as Marketing Manager.

Yahya  brings over 25 years of FMCG experience covering Middle East, North Africa and Asia where he has focused on executing brand strategies across multiple markets.

Ahmad holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).

Nizar Kayali joined Agthia Group PJSC in 2013, he began his journey as the Operations Director for the AGRI business and in 2017 took on the responsibility of managing the Animal Feed BU in the capacity of Vice President.

Prior to joining Agthia, Nizar was a business owner in his native country of Syria.  In 2004, he started Union Mills Co., a mid-size milling company producing a variety of wheat flour and animal feed products.

Nizar has over 20 years’ experience in the milling industry and business management, with a keen drive for value creation and innovation. Nizar has completed his studies in the United States, earning a Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial) and an MBA in Business Management from the University of Memphis.

Mohammad Amro joined Agthia Group PJSC in 2020 and currently serves as the Group General Counsel, bringing over 25 years of expertise from working across varied sectors, including top FMCG multinationals, such as Mondelez and Nestle, and  several regulatory authorities as part of the government of Abu Dhabi.

He is a key member of the executive leadership team and leads the Group’s global legal function, providing strategic advice to the board of directors, the CEO, and other senior executives on all legal matters effecting the Group’s business operations, such as corporate governance, securities law, antitrust law, product liability, environmental law, and mergers and acquisitions. He has successfully managed complex regional and global transactions that have enabled the Group to grow and innovate in a competitive market. He has also led multidisciplinary teams that have delivered high-quality legal services across different jurisdictions and cultures.

Mohammad has a distinguished academic background with three degrees: a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Jordan, a Master of Laws degree from Aberdeen University, and a Master’s degree in Global Studies from Gothenburg University.