Mondelez International has appointed Ziad Abla as Managing Director for its Arabia operations, a move that signals a renewed push to expand its footprint and deepen investments in Saudi Arabia, one of the company’s fastest-growing and most strategic markets.
The appointment places Abla at the helm of Mondelez’s business in the Kingdom, where he will be responsible for setting long-term strategy, accelerating category growth and strengthening partnerships across the market. The company said the leadership change reflects its confidence in Saudi Arabia’s growth prospects and its commitment to building a future-ready organisation aligned with local priorities.
Brandspur Brand News reports that Abla brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and other emerging markets. He is widely recognised within the company for driving commercial transformation, scaling operations and building high-performing teams in complex and competitive environments.
In his new role, Abla will oversee end-to-end operations, with a strong focus on supply chain efficiency, operational resilience and service excellence. His mandate includes ensuring that Mondelez’s manufacturing and distribution capabilities remain agile enough to meet evolving consumer demand while supporting long-term expansion plans in the Kingdom.
Before his latest appointment, Abla served as Managing Director for the Gulf and Developing Markets, where he repositioned the business as a key growth engine. Under his leadership, the region recorded strong double-digit performance, achieved market share gains and accelerated the adoption of digital commerce and integrated commercial models.
Mondelez said Abla will also prioritise local talent development, governance and sustainability initiatives, while supporting Saudi Arabia’s broader economic transformation agenda under Vision 2030. The company believes his experience in operational excellence and organisational culture will strengthen its contribution to national development goals.
The leadership announcement comes as Mondelez reported solid financial performance for 2025, posting higher net revenue on the back of organic growth driven largely by pricing. Looking ahead, the company expects steady organic revenue growth in 2026, alongside improved earnings performance and strong free cash flow generation.
