Strategy& kicks off 2024 with six new Middle East partners

22 January 2024 Consultancy-me.com

Global strategy consulting firm Strategy& has kicked off the year with six new partners in the Middle East, lifting the size of its partnership to a record high.

The intake of new partners in Strategy&’s traditional year-start promotions round comes on the back of a year of strong growth for the business. Active in the Middle East since the 1970s, Strategy& is one of the region’s top strategy consulting firms.

New to the partnership are: Devesh Katiyar, Fawaz Bou Alwan, Irfan Merali, Tarek Matar, Vivek Madan, and Zahi Awad. They lift the partner group to 62 overall, together they lead a team of over 800 consultants across six offices.

Strategy& kicks off 2024 with six new Middle East partners

Devesh Katiyar is a member of the Energy, Resources, and Sustainability practices in the Middle East.

He has over 15 years of experience in consulting and energy, working in multiple geographies. He specializes in local content, localization, chemicals, value chain optimization, and sustainability. He has led multiple projects in these areas, supporting governments, national oil companies, national champions, and public sector entities in the Middle East and beyond.

He holds a master's and bachelor's degree in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and has completed a post-grad program in management from the Indian School of Business.

Fawaz Bou Alwan is a member of the Technology, Media, Telecommunications, and Digital practices in the Middle East.

He has more than 13 years of experience working with leading technology and telecom providers across the Middle East and North Africa. He specializes in technology and digital service models with a focus on cognitive solutions and AI-enabled products, digital transformation, growth strategies, and commercial turnaround programs.

Fawaz holds a master’s degree in business administration from INSEAD, and a bachelor’s degree in computer and communications engineering from the American University of Beirut.

Irfan Merali is a member of the Healthcare practice in the Middle East.

He has over 10 years of strategy consulting experience in strategy and cluster development, healthcare policy and regulation, as well as investments in the life sciences sector. Irfan has also been engaged with clients across the region in building a vibrant biotechnology sector, as well as supporting the various healthcare transformations.

Prior to joining Strategy&, Irfan spent two years with the Monitor Group’s life sciences practice in the UK and continues to volunteer time with the non-profit Aga Khan Development Network.

Irfan holds a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School, and a bachelor’s degree in foreign service from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

Tarek Matar is a member of the Telecommunications, Media, Technology, and Digital practices in the Middle East.

Tarek has over 14 years of strategy consulting experience. He advises telecom operators, media entities, and digital players on large-scale strategic and transformation projects across their entire business construct. He focuses on commercial consumer-facing strategies and business transformations, B2B ICT scale-up, digital and OTT strategies, and large-scale program management.

Tarek holds an MBA in strategy and finance from Columbia Business School and a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from the American University of Beirut.

Vivek Madan is a member of the Mobility, Aerospace, Infrastructure and Tourism practices in the Middle East.

He has over eight years of consulting experience in strategy development and transformation – including airline fleet and network redesign – and advanced tourism distribution. He specializes in aviation and tourism, with a secondary focus on the construction sector.

Prior to joining Strategy&, Vivek held several management roles at a large airline group in the Asia Pacific region, focused on airline strategic planning, fleet and network planning, and commercial performance optimization.

Vivek holds an MBA from the Melbourne Business School in Australia, an honors degree in commerce from the Delhi University, and a certificate in accounting.

Zahi Awad is a member of the Family Business, Investments, and Real Estate practices in the Middle East.

He has over 12 years of strategy consulting experience in Europe, Africa and the GCC focused on strategy development, operating model design, financial planning, and investment assessment. He works mostly in the real estate and investments sectors serving real estate developers, investors, and city/regional commissions.

Zahi holds a bachelor and a master’s degree in engineering from both Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées in France and Saint Joseph University in Lebanon.

Commenting on the appointments, George Sarraf, Managing Director of Strategy& in the Middle East said: “We welcome the new partners to our leadership team. Each of them brings a wealth of experience and strategic insight to the work we do for our clients.”

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