Hisham Ezz El-Arab joins Mondelēz International as President of SSA, bringing 32 years of FMCG leadership experience to drive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Hisham Ezz El-Arab has been appointed as the President of Mondelēz International’s Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) business unit. With over 32 years of leadership experience in the FMCG sector, Hisham is set to lead the strategic direction of the company’s robust portfolio of iconic brands, including Cadbury, OREO, Bournvita, and Halls.
Hisham’s career spans global giants like Danone and Procter & Gamble, where he demonstrated expertise in driving business acceleration, strategic growth, and managing complex turnarounds. His most recent role was as regional vice president for Asia, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) at Danone, overseeing business growth across a vast region from Morocco to the Philippines and Russia to South Africa.
Extensive global experience
During his tenure at Danone, Hisham worked in countries such as France, Turkey, Egypt, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and the GCC. He has successfully led large-scale organisations across 20 countries on three continents. His experience includes managing high-growth businesses, turnarounds, joint ventures, and start-ups. Hisham is passionate about transforming organisations and fostering winning corporate cultures.
Vision for Mondelēz International SSA
Hisham expressed his enthusiasm for his new role, stating, “This is an exciting opportunity to lead the Mondelēz International SSA business unit in one of the world’s fastest-expanding consumer markets. I believe our strong brands across multiple categories are well-positioned for a multi-year growth trajectory, based on their unique positioning, irresistible taste, entrenched distribution channels, and the remarkable talent we have in SSA.”
Academic excellence and leadership
Hisham’s leadership is underpinned by a strong academic foundation. He holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the American University in Cairo and has completed management courses at prestigious institutions such as MIT (USA), INSEAD (France), IMD (Singapore), and IESE (Spain). His expertise in operational excellence and value-driven leadership will be instrumental in driving Mondelēz International’s growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.
