Yves Manghardt, as a name, personifies innovation, leadership, and transformation in the global food industry. Manghardt spent four decades working for Nestlé, bringing his extensive expertise to the forefront of one of the world’s largest food companies within the most dynamic region. The career would take her across continents and from country managers to market head, making Manghardt’s story exemplify resilience, adaptability, and commitment to excellence.

Yves Manghardt was born in 1957 in France. This was the seedbed of his great success. After completing his studies from the prestigious HEC Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, he joined Nestle as an international expatriate in Asia in 1984. It would eventually form a long journey across continents which would change the course of his life and leadership style in turn.

For the next twenty years, Manghardt took on varied assignments in Nestlé-experience built over both developed and emerging markets. His early assignments included taking on responsibilities in commercial work in Japan, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong where his skills in the high complexity of those markets and in cultural nuances were developed. All these made him quite ready for this high-profile role as Market Head in the very demanding Nestlé Vietnam Ltd.

Manghardt’s meteoric rise in the ranks of Nestle proved to be an excellent results deliverer who continued to innovate and on teamwork. From 2001 to 2002, he worked as Commercial Director of Nestle Philippines Inc., and later, in 2003, as a vice president of Nestle S.A. At this point, he kept himself highly sensitive to market shifts and consumer behavior. These positions gave him the leverage on strategic direction the company wanted to make in areas where Nestle was looking to aggressively increase its presence.

In 2004, Manghardt was appointed Market Head of the Nestlé Southern African Region (SEAR/ZAR). Under his leadership, the region witnessed great growth, which was mainly driven by his focus on sustainability, operational efficiency, and community engagement. His tenure in Africa further entrenched him as a global leader who could drive performance while staying the course toward long-term objectives. In 2009, he moved to the Middle East to serve as Chairman and CEO of one of the largest single-site construction projects in history. Being charged with the leadership of the operations of Nestlé in a region wherein economic growth was pretty rapid and consumers demanded a plethora of products, he accordingly came up with strategies that married together local market needs with the company’s worldwide vision. Under his leadership, Nestlé emerged stronger in the Middle East-from innovative products to advocacy for sustainability initiatives.

Communication sans frontières in both French and English did the trick for Manghardt who is defined by a collaborative approach to leadership, empowering teams to excellence while staying true to the core Nestlé values of quality, trust, and respect. “He has been very committed to nurturing talent and fostering innovation, so he has laid a very solid foundation for operations in every region he has served,” say people familiar with him.

Yves Manghardt is married and has three children. He is known for balancing the demanding nature of his professional life with the call of familial obligations. That indeed is the mark of a leader who understands the integration of work and life. His time with Nestlé Middle East has been evident with business success that has touched the lives of various stakeholders positively based on health, nutrition, and sustainability initiatives. He leads with such understanding of the relationship between business and community that Nestle is always positioned as a good brand in the region.

Yves Manghardt’s story is more than a simple corporate success story; it is more of an adaptation, perseverance, and the strength of visionary leadership. His journey has several key milestones across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, and is thus inspiring in terms of direction to aspiring business leaders around the world.

Not many blend the best of business sensibilities with masterful artistic prowess, but Paul Griffiths is one of them. He is the Chief Executive of Dubai Airports and is credited for transformative projects that place Dubai International Airport at the forefront of global aviation. But there is much more to him than the boardroom. An accomplished musician, Griffiths’ love for the organ has led him to perform at some of the world’s most prestigious venues. Balancing two diverse worlds, Griffiths goes to show how dedication and versatility can indeed catapult a person to unprecedented success.

Born in London, Griffiths’ early years hinted at the diversely path his life would take. A musical prodigy, he learned church music at the age of ten and later garnered several awards for his organ recitals. Though he was born with a great enthusiasm for music, his father forced him to switch over to business. Thus, this advice really set Griffiths on a trajectory which would see him leave his mark indelibly upon the travel and aviation industry.

Started as a Contracts Executive in 1977, Griffiths has worked his way through various roles of travel and marketing. He had a significant influence under Sir Richard Branson during his time with Virgin Atlantic. Here, as Executive Director, Commercial, he spearheaded the growth of the airline, with the notable sale of a 49% stake to Singapore Airlines. His innovative approach to business would later lead him to Dubai, where he was appointed CEO of Dubai Airports in 2007.

Under his leadership, Dubai Airports has achieved remarkable milestones. Dubai International Airport is now the world’s busiest airport for international passengers. The ambitious Dubai World Central project sets new benchmarks in the infrastructure built for an airport. Stretching over 148 square kilometers, this “Aerotropolis” could handle a volume of 240 million annual passengers. It was a dream of visionary thinking and strategic prowess on the part of Griffiths.

Griffiths has never forgotten his love for music. A fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a former chairman of its board of trustees, he is a respected figure in the world of classical music. Griffiths has performed in iconic locations such as Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral, showcasing his versatility as both a soloist and an accompanist. His passion to challenge himself led him to mastering Maurice Duruflé’s Suite, Opus 6, of which he performed at Westminster Abbey in 2017.

Griffiths’ life is also nurtured by his personal hobbies and interests. He is a devoted family man, who shares his love for music with his wife, Joanna Marsh, a composer. Together, they possess one of the biggest classical pipe organs in a private residence in the UK and serve to represent their mutual passion for the art. Griffiths also is enormously interested in speed and mechanics, reflected in his motorcycles and cars and participation in most motorsport events worldwide.

Whether he is organizing enormous airport projects or delivering an engaging performance on the organ, Paul Griffiths is an epitome of precision, creativity, and passion. His story inspires us to remember that it is possible to succeed in multiple careers if one does each career without any less enthusiasm.

From his transformative impact on global aviation to contributions to the world of music, Paul Griffiths’ legacy is one of innovation, excellence, and the living out of life’s many rhythms. Here is a man who inspires the dreamer in all of us to live large and open wide the scopes of our passion.

Born in 1973 in Beirut, Lebanon, Alain Bejjani founded his professional path after his grand educational base in law. His education from the prestigious Université Paris XII and the great Lebanese Law University enabled him to gain some deeply critical insights into corporate and civil law. Desire to transcend this horizon soon took him away from litigious corridors towards the wider business strategy corridors.

In 2006, Bejjani joined Majid Al Futtaim Group, one of the pioneering powerhouses in retail and lifestyle innovations across the Middle East. As he continued his professional advancement on the corporate ladder, Bejjani displayed exceptional capabilities in terms of strategic growth as well as innovation in creating new opportunities. He was appointed as CEO by 2015 and opened a new horizon for the group. Under Majid Al Futtaim, Majid Al Futtaim was an epitome of a company that was putting innovation, customer experience, and sustainability at the core of business functions.

Bejjani perhaps best describes his stint with his uncompromising commitment to digital transformation. He realized that customer purchasing behavior was changing at breakneck speeds, forcing the company to adopt the essence of data analytics, AI, and other next-generation technologies in tailoring shopping experiences to be personalized. He worked to create a culture of technologically empowered workers to ensure the workforce thrives in a digital-first world. Such collaboration with influential tech giants like Smart Dubai and Will.i.am’s company speaks well of his vision in embracing AI and blockchain, which promote operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Bejjani also worked towards making Majid Al Futtaim a greener player also. Under his stewardship, the company is again at the forefront of the Middle East with a Net Positive strategy, committing material strides in water savings and carbon emissions reduction by 2040. It was such an approach to sustainability that was driving interest from all over the world and gained significant traction with investors and stakeholders, culminating in 2019 with a landmark green sukuk worth $600 million. The funds have been used to finance environmental projects in green real estate, renewable energy, and sustainable water management, which further cements its position as a leader in environmental stewardship.

Other than innovation in the digital areas and sustainability, Bejjani had plans for expansion that were aggressive; these plans focused specifically on Saudi Arabia and Egypt. His vision unlocked modern shopping centres, state-of-the-art cinemas, and immersive entertainment experiences for a new generation of customers and transformed the regional retail landscape. He marks one of the bright spots of Majid Al Futtaim’s forays into Saudi Arabia, which includes first Saudi multiplex cinemas. Here’s an example of how Bejjani knows how to discover and exploit growth opportunities in emerging markets.

Alain Bejjini extends his leadership not only at the corporate level but also beyond. He is one of the most renowned and influential figures within the International Advisory Board of the Atlantic Council. He has greatly promoted discussions on economic growth and development in the Middle East. His efforts were further thrust to the forefront by chairing the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa in 2019, a space through which to intensify cooperation and innovation at the global level.

The accolades that Bejjani has garnered in the years prove that he indeed is powerful and a service to both business and society at large. Being ranked in the Top Influential Expats on Forbes Middle East, being featured in Business of Fashion’s BoF 500, and other numerous wins are attracting admiration far and wide. Such accolades underscore his capacity for mingling business acumen with a forward-thinking approach; innovation and sustainability shall always be the core elements of his legacy.

Although Bejjani resigned as the Chief Executive of Majid Al Futtaim Group in 2023, his legacy remains transformative. The wide-ranging efforts towards digital transformation and sustainability initiatives are part of a leadership story which has offered a framework for future generations of executives looking to balance profit, purpose, and innovation.