BrazilOliver Wyman appoints Joe Abi Akl as regional practice leader
Oliver Wyman has appointed Joe Abi Akl as a Senior Partner and the new leader of its Retail & Consumer Goods practice across India, the Middle East and Africa.
A veteran of the industry, Joe Abi Akl joined Oliver Wyman at the start of this month, bringing a wealth of experience in strategy consulting and industry to the global strategy and management consulting firm.
He joined the consultancy after spending eight years with Majid Al Futtaim, where he was an executive leading a team of 650 staff in around 20 markets. Joe is a member of multiple invitation-only networks of the World Economic Forum, and a member of several Boards and Advisory Councils across the Middle East.
“As I take on my new role at Oliver Wyman, I am excited about the path ahead. I look forward to leveraging the experiences and insights to drive further impact in the industry and the region,” said Joe in a much-celebrated statement on LinkedIn.
In his latest role at Majid Al Futtaim, he was the Managing Director of Xsight Future Solutions the digital arm of the group, where he played a key role in the digital transformation of the business and the development of its technology capabilities.
“Under the banner of Xsight Future Solutions, we incubated cutting-edge solutions, from analytics and data solutions to digital, fintech, loyalty, and disruptive customer propositions in virtual reality and Web 3.0, driving transformation and accelerated growth.”
Before that, Joe was Chief Corporate Development Officer for Majid Al Futtaim, a group with revenues of over AED 36 billion. “During this remarkable tenure, I had the privilege to be part of a dynamic team and contribute to Majid Al Futtaim’s journey as a leading consumer and lifestyle ecosystem across our wider region.”
“From developing growth strategies and the expansion of various verticals, this role was filled with transformative moments,” Joe reflected. “We helped build capabilities that enabled over $500 million in annual top-line growth, through investments in startups, strategic partnerships, innovation, and more.”
Return to the world of strategy consulting
Prior to Majid Al Futtaim, Joe worked for over a decade at Strategy& (then Booz & Company) and Booz Allen Hamilton, so to some extent, his arrival at Oliver Wyman marks a return to familiar ground – in 2022, the MENA management consulting business of Booz Allen Hamilton joined Oliver Wyman for an undisclosed sum.
Throughout his career Joe has amassed experience in topics including corporate development, strategy, digital transformation, investment and portfolio management, corporate venturing and incubation, digital and analytics capability building, customer value management, operational excellence, and business management.
“We are thrilled to welcome Joe to our team,” said Pedro Oliveira, Managing Partner of Oliver Wyman in India, the Middle East, and Africa. “I’m confident that he will help empower our clients to be transformative and bold at this pivotal moment in the industry.”
“It indeed is a dynamic time in the industry,” Joe added, “and those who embrace bold change will undoubtedly reap the rewards. At Oliver Wyman we are committed to empowering our clients so that they achieve groundbreaking results.”
Previous research from Oliver Wyman identified a number of trends impacting retailers and consumer goods companies in the region, including the growing young and affluent population, the continued rise of digital shopping and e-commerce, the blurring of boundaries with others sectors such as entertainment, hospitality, and, banking, and changing consumer expectations.
A Lebanese citizen, Joe holds a degree from the Saint Joseph University of Beirut, a degree from Telecom Paris Tech, and an MBA from INSEAD. He is based out of Dubai.
