Visionary Hospitality Leader and Multi-Brand Growth Architect: Karim Abd El Razek Among 2026’s Most Influential CEOs
With more than twenty four years of leadership across hospitality, retail, franchising, and business transformation, Karim has built a distinguished career guiding multi brand operations, franchise expansion, and organizational growth throughout the GCC. As Co Founder of Zad International United and Founder of Pure Planet, he continues to help hospitality brands scale with purpose by…
On Cover
Karim Abd El Razek
Co-Founder, Zad International United & Founder, Pure Planet
There is a version of the restaurant industry that is about food. And then there is the version that Karim Abd El Razek has spent 24 years operating within: the one where a great dining experience is the visible surface of an intricate architecture of systems, culture, people, and disciplined execution running beneath it.
Cécilia Pitré
Creative Lifestyle Director of KINGDOM HUB
In the bustling heart of Riyadh, where ancient traditions dance with modern ambitions, Cécilia Pitré has found her calling as a cultural bridge-builder. Her journey reads like a beautifully curated exhibition, each chapter adding layers of depth to her understanding of what it means to create experiences that transcend mere service to become transformative encounters with art, culture, and humanity itself.
Sarah Chortani
Tourism Leader & Sustainability Advocate
In the sprawling landscape of career transitions, few stories are as compelling as Sarah Chortani’s evolution from ecotechnology student to Oman’s leading voice in sustainable tourism. What began as an unexpected professional detour three years after graduation has blossomed into a transformative mission that bridges environmental stewardship with authentic cultural experiences.
Upendra Gulrajani
Founder & CEO of NextGen Hotels & Resorts
In the bustling corridors of the hospitality industry, where guest satisfaction can make or break a business overnight, few leaders have mastered the art of creating extraordinary experiences like Upendra Gulrajani. His journey from service enthusiast to industry revolutionary represents more than just business success; it embodies a philosophy that has transformed how mid-scale independent hotels approach quality and guest satisfaction.
Vikas Sharma
Senior Vice President of Central Park
In the landscape of luxury hospitality, where marble lobbies once defined grandeur and silver service represented the pinnacle of sophistication, one leader has witnessed and orchestrated a remarkable transformation. Vikas Sharma stands as a testament to how authentic leadership, rooted in structured discipline yet nurtured by genuine human connection, can redefine an entire industry’s approach to service excellence.
