Shehab Beram's impact on Mena's startup ecosystem

Few names resonate as profoundly as Shehab Beram in the product growth and management industry. An entrepreneur at heart, Beram has navigated the complex landscape of the Mena startup ecosystem, leaving a mark through his ventures, VisionX and Landscape, and his product leadership engagement with leading FoodTech startups like Mrsool and Taker. In this interview, Shehab shares his views on the challenging journey of digital product growth in the Mena region.

Shehab's qualification

Beram's academic journey began at Sunway University, but it was during his time at Lancaster University where he was granted a patent and ventured into entrepreneurship, founding his first startup in Malaysia. This experience was pivotal, shifting his focus towards product development and management. His tenure at Taker, although brief, was a catalyst for his strategic approach to industry prominence.

Beram's academic credentials are as impressive as his entrepreneurial spirit, holding an MSc in Management and a Graduate Certificate in Strategic Technology Management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His achievements are further adorned with two awards in professional consultancy and strategic leadership direction from the Charter Management Institute, alongside numerous professional certifications from organizations like Microsoft, Oracle, and PMI.

Shehab also holds the prestigious award of a graduate technologist awarded by the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT) and the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Shehab’s product leadership experience

With over five years of experience, Shehab has distinguished himself not only as a product manager but as a purpose-driven technologist with a profound understanding of the interplay between technology and human needs. Leading the B2B partner platform at Mrsool, a premier food delivery app in Saudi Arabia, he has optimised operations for more than 50,000 restaurants, showcasing his ability to marry strategic insight with practical applications.

A pivotal aspect of Beram's strategic vision is his role as a board member at Muqasma, a platform tailored for cloud and virtual kitchens. Speaking on his contribution and vision for Muqasma, Beram provides insight into his strategic and empathetic approach to product management:

“As a board member at Muqasma, our focus has been on deeply understanding the dynamics of local commerce while constructing a platform that possesses the scalability to thrive globally. This endeavor necessitates a meticulous approach to establishing long-term localisation plans, even as we remain in the pre-seed stage.”

Global experience

Having lived in six countries and visited 28 cities, Beram's global experience enriches his product development approach. He emphasizes the importance of understanding diverse cultural nuances in product strategy, ensuring that startups achieve global resonance while remaining locally relevant.

Beram’s current dedication to the Mena region is unwavering. When asked “why Mena,” Shehab says, “I adore my place. It has promise. Its untapped prospects. Its endless vitality awaits exploration. My goal is to transform our region's digital products and product leadership. Instead of utilising US and European SaaS products, we should aim to leverage the investment we have to build global products and aim at foreign markets.”

Shehab’s view on product growth in Mena

Shehab's influence in Mena’s product growth is unmistakable. He champions the shift towards data-driven decision-making in product development. Shehab highlighted that the industry approval of product growth tactics is one of our biggest problems in Mena. Here, stakeholder ideas and gut sentiments drive product development rather than methodical thought. He further emphasizes that the shift to data-driven product management in Mena has been both difficult and rewarding. Traditional models depend on hierarchy and intuition.

When product data and customer input guide choices, products reach their full potential. Shehab says about product growth, “As a product leader and consultant, I advocate for product growth and a paradigm shift towards data-driven decision-making. By integrating analytics, A/B testing, and user feedback loops into our processes, we can create products that not only meet but exceed market expectations."

When asked about his long-term vision of product growth in the Mena region, Shehab said, “In aligning with Vision 2030 for Saudi Arabia and Vision 2031 for the UAE, the cornerstone for transformative success lies in our strategic prowess to expand digital products into significant revenue generators. This requires a sophisticated blend of scientific and modern product growth methodologies and techniques, aimed at attracting international capital. Our focus should not merely be on innovation but on turning these innovations into global financial catalysts."

Shehab Beram today

Beram is currently consulting for startups across the Mena region, focusing on product-led growth strategies and product discovery. He's also finishing a book on branding for product managers and lending his expertise as a board member to several pre-seed startups.

Follow Shehab Beram:

Explore Beram’s insights and journey further through his LinkedIn profile and official website.

Linkedin Profile: Shehab Beram

Official website: shehabberam.com

Jon Stojan is a professional writer based in Wisconsin. He is committed to delivering diverse and exceptional content. Views expressed are his own and do not reflect the newspaper's policy.

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