RLC Global Forum 2026

Born in Treia (Macerata), on 16 November 1978. After having attended classical studies, he graduated in Economics and Social Sciences at the “Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi” in Milan. He started his career at the Marketing Division of L’Oreal Paris in Italy, as product manager of the brand “Studio Line”. In 2005 he joined Luxottica as Key Account Manager. Over the years he took on roles of increasing responsibility within the Wholesale Division of Luxottica which led him to know the Group’s global commercial organization and to increase contacts with the industrial division, developing projects to optimize the supply chain and maximize customer service quality. In 2011 he was appointed General Manager of Luxottica Brazil, based in Sao Paulo. In the first months he took care of the completion of the acquisition of Tecnol, leading manufacturer and distributor of glasses in Latin America. In the nearly five years of management of Luxottica Brazil, he completed the vertical integration and created a solid and steady growth, so that Luxottica Brazil has become one of the key branches of Luxottica Group. In March 2016 he ceased his relationship with Luxottica Group. In April 2016 he becomes a key officer of Brunello Cucinelli S.p.A.; in the same month he is appointed Director of the Company. From April 2017 to May 2020 he served as Chief Commercial Officer with responsibility of managing and developing for mono- and multi-brand networks of the Brunello Cucinelli Group and as the Group’s Co-CEO. Since May 2020 he serves as CEO with powers regarding the area of Markets.

Mohammad Iqbal Alawi is a distinguished leader in Saudi Arabia’s retail, real estate, and hospitality sectors, with over 35 years of executive experience shaping landmark destinations and advancing the Kingdom’s industries. He currently serves as Vice Chairman at TEAA Holding Company and Chairman of the Saudi Retail Forum. Throughout his career, he has held influential governance roles including Chairman of Jeddah Central Markets Co., Chairman of the Board at Azad Properties, Chairman of RED Malls, and CEO of Red Sea Markets Company. He has established a strong record of commercial excellence across Saudi Arabia’s prestigious portfolios. Mohammad Iqbal Alawi made history as the first Arab appointed to the Board of Trustees of ICSC in New York and the first Arab to receive an ICSC Honoree Award. A certified arbitrator and sought-after keynote speaker, he regularly addresses major economic forums and industry conferences on retail development, governance, and strategic investment.

Majed M. AlTahan is an award-winning entrepreneur and e-commerce pioneer in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Throughout his career, Majed has been at the forefront of driving innovation and excellence in Saudi Arabia’s tech and digital commerce sectors, making a significant impact across various industries including retail, sports, healthcare and the food industry. Through his various projects and endeavors Majed remains focused on leveraging technology to create solutions to transform convenience and efficiency in everyday life, making him a revered figure in the Middle East’s technology industry.

Anne-Laure Malauzat is a Partner with Bain & Company in the Middle East, with 15 years of consulting experience. Anne has led over 130 projects with senior stakeholders across the MENA region, advising private sector leaders in the retail space, supporting them in their growth, customer, and AI strategies, with specializations in luxury and shopping malls. She also regularly supports government ministers, members of GCC royal families, philanthropists, and CEOs in several industries, focusing on socio-economic development and innovation. For the last decade she has served as an advisor to multiple organizations such as Endeavor and is a frequent speaker on topics related to innovation and impact. She also leads the UAE office and Bain’s Social Impact practice in EMEA. Anne holds an MA from Georgetown University and a dual Bachelor from Mount Holyoke College. In 2022, she was elected a Young Global Leader by the WEF.

Roy is a Partner with PwC and leads Consumer Markets for its Deals Strategy & Operations business unit in the Middle East. He specializes in advising Family Businesses, Sovereign Wealth Funds, Private Equity and Corporates with their investment-related decisions through delivering commercial due diligence, market entry/growth strategy and value creation projects across Consumer Market sectors, including Retail, Consumer Tech, Consumer Goods and Agri/Food.

Abdullah is the Co-Founder & Managing Director of eyewa , one of the fastest growing omnichannel eyewear retailers in GCC. Since 2017, eyewa revolutionized the industry by making eyewear more fashionable, accessible and affordable. In his capacity, Abdullah overlooks business development, growth and go-to-market strategy. He led the offline journey during Covid and more recently scaled to 200+ stores across 30+ cities in the gulf . Prior to eyewa , Abdullah worked in consulting with Bain & Co where he served local & international clients on market entry strategy, due diligence and business development. In addition, he worked with SABIC Polymers in product development serving the leading FMCG and Retail players in the region. Abdullah holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley and a Masters degree in Business Administration from INSEAD.

Jakob is a Managing Director & Partner at Boston Consulting Group, where he leads the firm’s Fashion & Luxury practice in the UK. He advises brands and investors on strategic, operational, and transformational value creation, spanning merchandising, growth acceleration, cost and pricing excellence, productivity improvement, and operating model transformation. His work includes embedding AI capabilities and supporting M&A decisions to unlock sustainable, long-term performance.

Hala Zgeib is a retail and technology executive known for driving growth across luxury, beauty, and omnichannel businesses in the Middle East and Africa. Most recently, as Head of Luxury at Snap Inc., she operated at the intersection of retail, innovation, and digital transformation. A veteran retailer, she has also held senior leadership roles at LVMH and Coty. Hala serves as Vice President of Connecting Women in Technology (CWIT), advancing women in tech. She is an alumna of IMD.

Jaspreet Chandok heads the official fashion week of India, Lakme Fashion Week – the largest digitally followed fashion event in the world. His partnership with the Fashion Design Council of India oversees the development of the designer fashion industry as well as the growth of the craft and handloom ecosystem. He is also credited with driving the Indian Sustainability narrative across the world with partnerships with the United Nations and the Indian government. He runs India’s largest Sustainability Award– Circular Design Challenge and has created India’s only fully editorial fashion platform The Voice of Fashion. At Reliance Brands, he has overseen investments into Indian designer labels and currently focuses on building global businesses for these home grown labels.

Ali Abussaud has been managing his family’s investments for over two decades and brings more than 10 years of experience in the corporate and institutional banking sector, having worked with several leading regional banks. In 2014, Ali founded Financial Horizon Group, a diversified investment and advisory platform encompassing investment management, financial and management consulting, HR advisory, and recruitment services. Over the years, he has also co-founded and invested in multiple ventures across IT solutions, training, and F&B sectors, and continues to play an active role in restructuring and advising private companies in Saudi Arabia. Ali further expanded his footprint in the investment landscape by co-founding the Financial Horizon Corporate Fund in 2014 and later establishing HALA Ventures in 2018, which has since evolved into HALA Capital — a CMA-regulated investment management company specializing in alternative investments, including venture capital, private equity, and private credit. Ali holds a B.S. degree in Finance from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM).

Hosam Arab is CEO and co-founder of Tabby, Saudi’s first fintech unicorn, and previously co-founded Namshi, the region’s premier fashion eCommerce site.

Reina Takla is an experienced editor who leads the business section at Arab News. She is skilled at strategic planning, storytelling, and project management, creating impactful content for online, social media, and print platforms. As head of the business section, Reina oversees a team of reporters and editors, guiding them to produce insightful and engaging

James Reinhart, CEO of thredUP, champions sustainable fashion by transforming how consumers buy and sell secondhand clothing through tech-driven resale.

Simon Evenett, IMD Professor, is a global trade and geopolitics expert, founder of policy intelligence tools, and advisor on regulatory and economic frameworks.

Çağrı Orçan, CSO of Akinon, powers global digital commerce through cloud-native platforms, helping brands thrive in 17+ markets worldwide.