As part of our strategic efforts to fortify our position in the Middle East, we are delighted to announce a succession of senior appointments at our UAE office. A warm welcome to Luca Briante, Patrick Tonon and George Gergouse. The 3 newly appointed senior executives bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and expertise to the already highly successful team, further strengthening our position as a regional leader in the luxury food market industry in the UAE and beyond.
Meet the team:
Luca Briante – Regional Sales Director GCC
With over a decade of extensive experience within the food and beverage industry and 7 years’ experience in leadership roles in the luxury food sector, Luca Briante assumes a pivotal role within our organisation as Regional Sales Director GCC.
Luca boasts a strong network of key decision-makers within the region’s hospitality venues, combined with expertise in analytics-driven sales strategies. Moreover, Luca has first-hand experience at working with market leading companies in the GCC region.
In his role as Regional Sales Director, Luca will be leading our regional commercial teams and providing crucial support in exploring new product categories. Luca’s professional ethos is in perfect alignment with our corporate values; he shares our commitment to excellence and our dedication to maintaining the highest standards of quality.
Patrick Tonon – Senior Business Development Manager GCC
Our team is privileged to welcome Patrick Tonon, a distinguished professional with a profound passion for culinary excellence. Patrick brings over a decade of sales experience and has worked with some of the UAE’s largest and highest-volume food service providers. Crucially, his expertise is deeply rooted in the high-end luxury and niche food sectors. As well as boasting an impressive professional record in the food & beverage industry, Patrick also dedicates his spare time to mentoring aspiring F&B professionals at the Turin Chamber of Commerce.
In his new role as Senior Business Development Manager GCC, Patrick will assume a central role in expanding and fortifying our client base across the region and extending support to some of the Middle East’s most innovative and esteemed chefs.
George Gergouse – Group Purchasing Manager EMEA
We are equally delighted to introduce George Gergouse as Group Purchasing Manager EMEA. Specialising in high-end seafood, meat, and luxury goods procurement, George, a fierce negitator, shares our commitment to product providence and responsible handling. With over a decade of experience in leading procurement and supply chain teams within the UAE, George has successfully spearheaded numerous critical projects, including category creation, departmental development, and the formulation of comprehensive companywide procurement policies. Being an expert in the intricacies of fine food logistics, no one is as well connected and well-placed in the world of of global procurement as George and we very much look forward to him getting started.
What’s Next for the UAE Team?
Luca, Patrick and George will be based at our UAE offices, joining the existing team and working closely with Operations Manager Ashley Brackstone. With his extensive experience in global foodservice corporations, Ashley specialises in logistics planning and hands-on operational strategy. Excitingly, to accommodate our growing team and facilitate the expansion of our product range, we have recently acquired new offices in the UAE.
These strategic appointments come at a pivotal juncture for Reach Food Group. Following our successful expansion across the Mediterranean, we are leveraging our established presence in the UAE and KSA to further expand our regional footprint. New offices have recently opened in Oman and Bahrain, and further openings are planned for 2024, 2025, and beyond.