From Ground Zero to Market Leadership – My Corporate Journey of Transforming Businesses
Throughout my 39+ years in the GCC corporate world, I’ve been blessed to work on projects that were not just “jobs,” but true missions — shaping markets, building partnerships, and transforming businesses that many considered impossible to turn around.
Today, I want to share five milestone projects that defined my career and leadership philosophy. Each one taught me that with clarity, strategy, and relentless execution, extraordinary outcomes are possible.
1. Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Saudi Arabia – Creating a Market from Scratch
When Coca-Cola re-entered Saudi Arabia after 26 years of ban, the market was heavily dominated by Pepsi.
Most believed:
❌ Coca-Cola cannot survive here
❌ Consumers will not shift
❌ Market share will remain symbolic
We started with zero presence, no distribution network, and massive market resistance.
Through:
✅ Grassroot market penetration
✅ Strong distributor engagement
✅ Aggressive visibility & activations
✅ Relentless field execution
We achieved a remarkable:
28% market share from scratch
This was not just a business win. It was proof that commitment, belief, and hard work can rewrite market history.
2. eXtra Electronics – A 7-Year Hyper-Growth Transformation
When I took over the Abdul Latif Jameel business with eXtra Electronics (the leading power retailer in KSA – extra.com), annual turnover was:
📉 SAR 320,000 per year
Under my leadership, we built a growth machine based on:
✅ Store-level business plans
✅ Sell-out focused strategy
✅ Exclusive model development
✅ Joint marketing programs
✅ Deep customer-insight selling
The result?
📈SAR 178 million per year within 7 years
🔥Every year the business DOUBLED in revenue and profit
What started as a struggling relationship became one of the strongest retail partnerships in the industry.
3. ALJ & Bin Hamood – From Transactional to Strategic Partnership
Bin Hamood (bhstores.com) was another retailer/wholesaler partnership that needed direction.
We transformed:
❌ A typical supplier relationship
into
✅ A life-long strategic partnership
How?
✅ Category development
✅ Exclusive product ranges
✅ Shared investment programs
✅ Trust-based collaboration
Outcome:
🚀 Business grew 4x
🤝 Partnership elevated to strategic long-term cooperation.
4. Leading ALJ Electronics Kingdom-Wide
I was later given the responsibility to lead the entire electronics business of ALJ across Saudi Arabia, achieving:
💰SAR 900M revenue annually
Under this role, we unlocked massive growth in historically weak areas:
✅ Qassim
✅ Tabuk
✅Sakaka
We increased market share from:
📉 2% → 📈 12%
with 50%+ yearly growth
This was possible through:
✅ Channel restructuring
✅ Territory development
✅ Dealer empowerment
✅ Team capability building
✅ Laser-focused execution
5. Zamil AC & GE Appliances JV – A Complete Turnaround
This joint venture was experiencing:
❌ Heavy losses
❌Overdues
❌ Dead stock
❌ Weak distribution
❌ Retailer disengagement
I was assigned to turn it around.
Within ONE year:
✅ Returned the JV to profitability
✅ Cleared all overdue payments
✅ Liquidated dead warehouse stock
✅ Appointed new dealers & retailers
✅ Rebuilt confidence in the market
This turnaround remains one of the most rewarding achievements of my career.
What These Projects Taught Me
Success is not accidental.
It requires:
✅ Clarity in strategy
✅ Discipline in execution
✅ Ownership mindset
✅ Strong relationships
✅ Consistency
Today, as an International Business Coach, I help business owners and CEOs achieve the same:
🔥 Growth without chaos
🔥 Profit without pressure
🔥 Expansion with peace of mind
If you are building a business and want to scale it sustainably, I am always a call away.
