Food delivery service Elmenus' founder relinquishes position, replaced by former rival executive Walid El-Saadany in leadership role.
Elmenus Appoints Walid El-Saadany as New CEO, Aiming to Expand and Leverage AI
In a significant shift for the Cairo-based food delivery platform, Elmenus, Walid El-Saadany has been appointed as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The announcement was made as Amir Allam, the founder of Elmenus, steps down from the CEO role but remains on the board and involved in strategic decisions.
El-Saadany, who joined Elmenus in 2006 when it was part of Linkdotnet, brings a wealth of experience to the table. He led the company through two major acquisitions: first by Foodpanda, and later by Delivery Hero. Before his tenure at Elmenus, he led Otlob (now Talabat), Elmenus' main competitor.
With this new leadership, Elmenus plans to scale beyond Cairo, Giza, and Alexandria by onboarding over 4,000 restaurants across underserved cities and towns. The company aims to become more than a food delivery platform, building an ecosystem that empowers Egyptian talent, supports small businesses, and leads the country's digital transformation. This ambitious plan includes the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate growth.
Elmenus started as a food discovery site in 2011 and has become a key player in Egypt's food delivery space. The platform currently has 1,000 restaurant partners and has raised money from investors including Fawry, Luxor Capital, Global Ventures, Algebra Ventures, and former Just Eat CEO David Buttress.
Amir Allam, in his farewell message, described the company's journey as one that started with $5,000, a laptop, and two teammates and grew into a brand that impacted millions and brought lasting positive change to an entire industry. He decided it was the right time to pass the baton as the company enters its next phase.
Under El-Saadany's leadership, Elmenus is poised to make a significant impact in Egypt's food delivery industry and contribute to the country's digital transformation. The company's focus on leveraging AI technologies and empowering local talent is a promising step towards a more digitally advanced future.
Elmenus, under the new leadership of Walid El-Saadany, aims to expand beyond major cities by onboarding over 4,000 restaurants and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate growth, not just in the food delivery sector, but also in the broader Egyptian business and technology scene. El-Saadany's extensive experience in leading companies through acquisitions and his familiarity with the local market position him well to leverage AI and guide Elmenus towards becoming an ecosystem that empowers local talent, supports small businesses, and drives Egypt's digital transformation.
