Key Takeaways from the Consumer & Retail Leadership Roundtable in Riyadh
February 2026
Continuing the Consumer & Retail Leadership Roundtables series organized by Pedersen & Partners, senior leaders met in Riyadh to explore priorities in one of today’s most dynamic consumer markets, alongside executives such as Murat Ungun, Bassem Sabra, Osama Al Tamimi, Omar Alotaishan, Turki Alsadhan, Khaled Hammoud, Firas Al Sayegh and Mohammed Babgi. The Pedersen & Partners team included: Andrea Williams, Michael Al-Nassir, Shayma Ibrahim, Kristian Pedersen and Oyal Bayrak.
Unlike many mature economies focused on protecting share, Saudi Arabia presents a different leadership challenge: strong demand, a young demographic, and rapidly evolving consumer behaviours driven by digital and social ecosystems.
Key takeaways:
- Competition is shifting from physical destinations to competition for attention across digital and social channels.
- Discovery and purchase journeys increasingly begin online, with influencers and social commerce shaping decisions early.
- Local champions, rather than private label, dominate value and mid-tier segments with growing sophistication.
- Speed of execution and local relevance consistently outperform imported global playbooks.
- Organisational agility and faster decision-making are becoming decisive differentiators.
Our sincere thanks to the executives who contributed their experience and insights, creating a candid and forward-looking leadership dialogue.