Hesham, could you start by telling our readers a little about yourself and your professional journey?
Certainly. I currently serve as the Marketing Head of Lundbeck MEA, bringing more than two decades of expertise in the pharmaceutical industry. I spearhead strategic marketing and digital transformation initiatives, with a strong emphasis on AI-driven customer engagement, omnichannel marketing, and project management.
A core belief that defines me is the commitment to continuous education. Over the years, I have earned an MBA, the PMP certification, and a Certified Digital Marketing Professional (cDMP) credential, and I am now pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA). I view myself as a perpetual student of life by taking a disciplined, lifelong approach to self-development as the only way to cope with the speed of today’s business evolution. This mindset has been instrumental in preparing future-proof business models and in navigating the complexities of transformation with agility and resilience.
Along the way, I’ve been honored with international recognition such as the Platinum AVA Digital Award (2025) for Excellence in Digital Strategy and Execution, and earlier in my career being named a finalist in the Eye for Pharma Awards (2015) (Known now as Reuters events pharma awards). Beyond my corporate role, I am also a keynote speaker, business coach, and podcaster, sharing insights on AI, digital transformation, cultural intelligence, and project management.
Your work sits at the intersection of project management, digital transformation, and marketing. How do you see these three disciplines connecting?
I see them as three gears that power the same engine, each reinforcing the other. Project management provides the discipline, structure, and governance to translate ideas into tangible results. Without it, even the best strategies remain abstract and risk spiraling into chaos. Digital transformation brings the vision, tools, and mindset required to reimagine business models, uncover hidden opportunities, and embed agility into the core of the organization. Marketing, in turn, ensures that the outcomes resonate externally by shaping value propositions, personalizing engagement, and creating trust across the customer journey.
When these three intersect, transformation stops being a theoretical ambition and becomes a measurable business reality. For example, an omnichannel campaign requires the rigor of project management to align stakeholders and timelines, the tools of digital transformation to analyze data and integrate channels, and the creativity of marketing to craft messages that truly connect with customers.
In my experience, this synergy is what allows organizations to move from short-term wins to building sustainable, future-proof growth models. It ensures that businesses execute efficiently and innovate with purpose to deliver value that matters in the long run.
What does digital transformation mean to you beyond technology?
For me, digital transformation is first and foremost a shift in mindset; an organizational awakening that challenges the way we think, work, and deliver value. It is supported by governance, culture, and data discipline, but its essence lies in fostering adaptability and customer-centricity at every level. Technology is only the catalyst; the true transformation comes from how people embrace change and how organizations embed new ways of working into their DNA.
Beyond systems and tools, digital transformation is about rethinking how an organization listens, learns, and creates value for its stakeholders. It means cultivating a culture where insights drive decisions, where experimentation is encouraged, and where failures are treated as learning moments. It’s about empowering employees with digital literacy and agile methodologies so that innovation doesn’t rest only in the hands of leadership, but becomes a shared responsibility across the business.
One example from my own experience illustrates this well. When we re-designed a customer engagement strategy, it wasn’t the technology alone that made it successful. Yes, we combined advanced analytics, tailored content, and immersive phygital experiences, but the real achievement was in the shift: we began uncovering hidden needs, connecting more authentically with customers, and reshaping their journey in ways that felt seamless and meaningful. That initiative earned international recognition with the Platinum AVA Digital Award (2025) for Best Digital Strategy and Execution, yet its real value was measured in sustained customer trust and long-term business outcomes.
In short, digital transformation is about aligning mindset, governance, and culture with purposeful innovation. It’s a journey that never ends, because customer expectations and market realities are always evolving and the organizations that succeed are those that continuously adapt, learn, and grow.
Can you share an example where agile project management helped deliver transformation at scale?
Certainly. A few months ago, we executed more than 17 strategic initiatives across different markets with a very lean team. Instead of treating this as a limitation, we embraced Agile and Kanban to break down complex projects into smaller deliverables, prioritized by value, and created transparency across teams. The result was the successful delivery of all initiatives within accelerated timelines, while maintaining quality and stakeholder alignment. The real lesson was that agile & lean methodologies can overcome constraints, and create a culture of accountability, ownership, and resilience that carries over into every subsequent team endeavor.
You’ve been vocal about challenging some myths in digital transformation. What misconceptions would you like to clear up?
One of the biggest misconceptions is viewing digital transformation as a final destination rather than a means to achieve broader business objectives. Transformation is a continuous journey of adaptation. Another common myth is underestimating the complexity of adopting digital transformation, assuming new technologies will be embraced overnight without structured change management. And finally, there is the illusion of a universal playbook: in reality, one size never fits all as strategies must be tailored, contextualized, and co-created with local teams and customers to be effective.
Marketing has continued to evolve rapidly in recent years. How do you approach this ongoing evolution in today’s environment?
Marketing today is about creating on-time, personalized experiences across multiple touchpoints. In my work, we developed omnichannel campaigns that increased engagement and secured a seamless customer experience along the journey from one engagement point to another. The big takeaway message is that marketing is always evolving because customer expectations are evolving and new tools and channels are created every day. So, marketers need to be curious to be able to adopt new solutions, and lead the everlasting change.
From your perspective, what makes doing business in the MEA region unique, and how should leaders adapt to it
The region is incredibly diverse. Despite shared languages, local tastes differ significantly from country to country. What works in the UAE or Saudi Arabia may not resonate in North or Sub-Saharan Africa. That’s why piloting, A/B testing, cautious listening, and cultural understanding are crucial. We should not overlook the change in mindset from one generation to another which creates disruption and a pattern of new customer expectations even within the same market. In short, success in the MEA region requires adaptability, humility, and a commitment to continuous listening, learning, and development.
How do you see AI integration with business in the UAE now and in the future?
AI is already reshaping business in the UAE, particularly in marketing, by enabling hyper-personalization, predictive analytics, and automation at scale. Today, it empowers organizations to tailor campaigns and services based on behavioral insights, ensuring the right message and offering reach the right audience at the right moment. Looking ahead, initiatives such as the UAE’s Falcon AI project show the nation’s strong commitment to open-source AI and practical innovation. The program is designed to support both global competitiveness and local needs, such as Arabic language fluency, while opening doors for research and business applications across industries. It positions AI as a tool for smarter decision-making and long-term growth. Balancing the drive for innovation with ethics and cultural sensitivity, ensuring that AI builds trust and delivers meaningful impact in the UAE’s fast-evolving market.
How do you see the future of healthcare evolving with digital transformation?
Healthcare is moving rapidly toward more patient‑centered and preventative models. Digital transformation will empower patients with tools to manage their health, while enabling providers to use real‑time data, AI, and advanced analytics for early diagnosis and personalized treatment. Immersive technologies like virtual and augmented reality will also play a role in simplifying complex medical concepts for both patients and professionals. The real challenge will be ensuring that these advancements are accessible, ethical, and sustainable so that innovation translates into healthier outcomes for all.
What role do you see marketing playing in shaping the healthcare industry’s future?
Marketing will increasingly serve as the bridge between innovation and patient engagement (keeping in mind we are talking about a controlled industry). Beyond ethical promotion, it will focus on education, awareness, and building trust. Omnichannel strategies and social platforms will allow companies to address stigma, raise awareness of diseases, and provide clear, accessible resources. By aligning marketing with societal values such as disease awareness and sustainability, healthcare organizations can foster stronger connections and become more trusted partners in patient journeys.
How do you approach leadership and talent development in your teams?
I believe in building cross-functional squads where marketing, digital, commercial, and project management experts work together with shared KPIs. I also focus heavily on upskilling agile methods, digital literacy, and customer journey mapping. As a mentor, I lead by example, giving my teams real-world problem-solving experiences. And when it comes to hiring, I look for accountability, adaptability, and curiosity more than technicalities, because technicalities can be taught but mindset is what future-proofs every working team.
What KPIs do you use to track the success of a project?
When it comes to project success, I look at a balanced mix of delivery, value, and sustainability metrics. On the delivery side, I track scope, time, and budget adherence, while those alone are not enough, business impact indicators such as market shares, market uptake, or internal adoption rates are crucial. I also measure team dynamics and learning outcomes, because a project that strengthens capabilities and leaves the team more resilient is as much a success as one that hits financial targets. This holistic KPI framework ensures that projects deliver immediate results while building long-term organizational value.
What is your mission as a business leader and consultant?
My mission is to help my organization and team navigate change with clarity and confidence. I aim to bridge strategy with execution, ensuring that transformation initiatives are not only visionary but also practical and sustainable. Ultimately, my goal is to inspire future-ready mindsets, empower leaders to make better decisions, and create measurable value for customers and communities alike.
What’s next for you in the coming five years?
Over the next five years, my focus is on deepening my impact as both a business leader and consultant. Professionally, I aim to continue advancing digital transformation projects that bridge strategy with execution, particularly in the MEA region where agility and cultural intelligence are critical. I also see myself sharing lessons on AI, marketing evolution, and leadership with wider audiences. In parallel, I plan to expand my role as a keynote speaker, mentor, and podcaster—scaling partnerships and helping organizations co-create sustainable, future-ready models that deliver real business and societal value.
Finally, where can readers follow your work or engage with you further?
The best place to connect with me is on LinkedIn, where I regularly publish a professional newsletter covering leadership, transformation, and strategy. I encourage readers who are serious about turning transformation from a concept into measurable business impact to engage with me there and join the ongoing dialogue.
