OUR TEAM

Elias Madbak creates value for restaurant franchise stakeholders, driving executive leadership across finance, marketing, team development, and program expansion. Crafting strategy for at least one launch per year for the last decade-plus, Madbak has earned a solid reputation among his executive peers for excellence in franchise deal navigation, business development, and team recruitment. A master advisor to the C-suite and a keen mentor to general managers, he also devises and delivers on winning operational strategies that result in regionally acclaimed location launches.

One might say the secret of Elias’s success is his keen ability to envision and deliver on strategic roadmaps, pivoting the organization to outpace competitors and attain exceptional ROI, he has earned a reputation for transparent communication that has magnetized to his organization exceptional employees hungry to learn from an expert in brand alignment, customer engagement, and principled yet precise leadership. Elias Madbak joined the company in early 2017. His role as Managing Director sees him responsible for the development of international casual dining brands wagamama, Trader Vic’s, all Marco Pierre White restaurants including MPW Steakhouse and Marco’s Italian, and Allo Beirut Abu Dhabi.

In his role, Elias is responsible for over 432 employees, 12 direct reports and an AED 135 million yearly revenue. Madbak was behind the exponential growth and popularity for wagamama where he secured a new flagship location in the world’s largest mall, The Dubai Mall. Madbak also introduced the wagamama brand to new markets in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, doubling the number of units in less than a year. Today the story continues as more expansion plans are afoot. Madbak’s exceptional industry contributions have been honored four times by Caterer Middle East Power 50 (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021).

Madbak earned a Master of Business Administration from Sullivan University in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Management from University of Kentucky. He currently lives in Dubai, UAE, with his wife, Dana, and their two children, where he enjoys coaching youth soccer and volunteering with human rights organizations.

As the Director of Marketing, Ankitha is responsible for all the communication, marketing strategy and public relations activities for the group’s restaurant portfolio including new product launches, third party and media relations as well as crisis communication.

Ankitha is an Engineer with a double masters in Business Management, specializing in marketing. She moved to the United States in 2012 to pursue her second Masters. After graduation, she found her first stint in Marketing in Pennsylvania, USA.

Since moving to the UAE in 2015, Ankitha’s global exposure and knowledge of current media communication trends equipped her for the dynamic marketing strategies in the region.

When not at work, you can find her waiting for her next flight to an exotic destination. From watching penguins in Antarctica to dancing with the royal drummers in Burundi, she is an avid traveler.

Hailing from the sun-kissed shores of Southern California, meet our lively HR maestro, Nadine Essayli – the heart and hustle of our human resources family. With a knack for infusing radiance in the workspace, Nadine is not your run-of-the-mill HR manager. She is a dynamo, toolkit, and champion rolled into one.

Nadine orchestrates a robust HR structure as naturally as a maestro conducts an orchestra. Employee Recognition programs? Consider it done! Foster a positive work culture? That’s her favorite symphony! Her passion is lighting up faces, not just screens, and it shows in her dedication to well-being, fairness, and equality.

Nadine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Business Administration from the prestigious California State University, Fullerton.

When she’s not spinning magic at work, Nadine basks in the warmth of camaraderie with her friends and community. However, her most exciting escapades happen while exploring this vibrant world with her beloved co-adventurer, her husband. With an effervescent zest for life, professionalism, and human connection, her attitude is contagious and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Shiyas comes with 13-years of experience in the culinary industry. Having joined RMAL hospitality in March 2018 as an executive head chef, he was responsible for overseeing all new wagamama and RMAL brand openings across the UAE. After the successful opening of multiple new stores across three different emirates and the launch of DRVN, a high-end brand coffee shop in Abu Dhabi, he was promoted to be the Corporate Executive chef of RMAL hospitality.

As an executive chef, Shiyas is currently responsible for back of house system in all brands under RMAL Hospitality, as well as managing over 100 chefs and 10 head chefs. Today he continues to build and refocus on achieving excellence in consistency, food quality and menu development.

He started his career with opening of wagamama O2 arena, North Greenwich in London while he was doing his MBA. He then went on to work for four years in multiple wagamama locations including Tower hill, St Paul, City Point, and Canary Wharf. Shiyas has also previously worked for Paul bakery, Wahaca and Busaba Ethai, where he was chosen as the ‘chef of the year’ for two consecutive years in 2016 and 2017.