Apparel Group appoints Hesham Almekkawi as Tim Hortons CEO of Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
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Tim Hortons currently operates more than 200 stores across the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. | Photo credit: Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons MENA has appointed a new CEO to drive growth across the region. Hesham Almekkawi brings more than 26 years of food and beverage experience to the role, having previously held senior positions in the US and UAE.
Almekkawi will be responsible for driving outlet growth, optimising business operations and developing the leadership team.
“The MENA region is a hub of activity with coffee chains on the rise and all the major players implementing expansion plans with a view to take additional market share. I look forward to driving the expansion of Tim Hortons and feel I’ve joined at the right time, not only in the GCC but for North Africa,” commented Almekkawi.
Tim Hortons signed an agreement with Apparel Group in 2011 to operate across the MENA region, which currently operats more than 200 stores across the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.
In January 2021, the Canadian coffee chain announced plans to establish a new Middle East headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where Tim Hortons has 55 outlets, as part of plans to grow its presence in the region.
In August 2021, Tim Hortons parent company Restaurant Brands International (RBI) reported the Canadian coffee chain operates 5,065 stores globally, a 2.7% increase on the same period in 2020.