talabat names Gyssels as new CEO as Rodriguez steps down after six years

Dubai: talabat Holding plc, the leading on-demand delivery platform in the MENA region, announced a leadership transition with Toon Gyssels appointed as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Tomaso Rodriguez, who is stepping down after six years in the role.

The transition marks a planned change in leadership, aimed at sustaining talabat’s growth and preparing for its next phase of innovation in the regional delivery sector.

Rodriguez, who led talabat through a period of rapid expansion and a record-breaking IPO, will remain with the company as a non-executive Board member, focusing on corporate strategy and stakeholder engagement.

Pieter-Jan Vandepitte, Chairperson of talabat’s Board of Directors, thanked Rodriguez for his leadership and welcomed Gyssels’ return.

During his earlier tenure, Gyssels played a pivotal role in expanding talabat’s footprint across MENA, transforming logistics operations, and launching new verticals such as Q-commerce and cloud kitchens. He also led initiatives that strengthened the company’s position as the region’s top on-demand platform.

Rodriguez said leading talabat had been “nothing short of amazing,” adding:

“I’ve been privileged to work with a talented team that grew the business more than nine-fold. I look forward to supporting talabat’s strategy as a Board member and assisting Toon as he takes on the CEO role.”

The leadership change underscores talabat’s commitment to sustained growth, operational excellence, and innovation as the company continues expanding across the Middle East and North Africa’s fast-growing digital economy.

The company said Gyssels’ appointment will reinforce its focus on technology-driven logistics, new service lines, and customer experience — key pillars of talabat’s strategy for the coming years.