Talabat CEO Steps Down, Toon Gyssels Takes Helm

Tomaso Rodriguez is stepping down as CEO after revolutionizing Talabat, the Middle East’s leading food delivery platform. His remarkable tenure saw the business grow more than nine-fold while successfully guiding the company through a record-breaking IPO. Toon Gyssels will succeed Rodriguez as the new CEO, bringing his extensive MENA region expertise. The leadership transition comes at a pivotal time with the platform serving more than 6.5 million active customers across eight markets. Gyssels’ appointment builds on his previous contributions to Talabat’s success, where he accelerated growth, transformed logistics operations, and launched new verticals like Q-commerce and cloud kitchens. The company stands ready to enter its next development phase under Gyssels’ experienced leadership as Rodriguez’s era draws to a close.

Talabat announces CEO transition amid strategic shift

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talabat Holding announced a key leadership change on October 15, 2025, confirming Toon Gyssels will take over as Chief Executive Officer on November 21, 2025. The company made this move as part of its thought-out plan to maintain growth and prepare for the next wave of breakthroughs in the delivery sector.

Pieter-Jan Vandepitte, Chairperson of talabat’s Board of Directors, expressed confidence in the leadership change: “With Toon’s outstanding entrepreneurial experience and proven track record in the platform delivery technology sector, we are confident that he will drive talabat’s next chapter of innovation and growth in the region”.

This planned leadership move marks a crucial time for the company as it expands across the Middle East and North Africa’s ever-changing digital economy. talabat emphasized that this transition will strengthen its focus on technology-driven logistics, new service lines, and improved customer experience—these elements are the foundations of the company’s strategy moving forward.

Gyssels brings valuable experience to the role, having previously served at talabat for four years as Chief Operating Officer and later as Interim CEO. His earlier tenure saw him lead talabat’s expansion across MENA, revolutionize logistics operations, and launch new verticals such as Q-commerce and cloud kitchens.

Rodriguez reflects on tenure and future board role

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“The last six years as CEO of talabat have been nothing short of amazing. I’ve been privileged to work with an incredibly talented team that managed to grow the business more than nine-fold. More recently, I was privileged to guide the company through a record-breaking IPO, and I couldn’t be more proud of what we achieved.” — Tomaso Rodriguez, Outgoing CEO, Talabat

Outgoing talabat CEO Tomaso Rodriguez looks back at his six-year leadership with pride and calls it “nothing short of amazing.” The business grew more than nine-fold under his watch with “an incredibly talented team”. His tenure reached new heights when the company completed its record-breaking IPO on the Dubai Financial Market in December 2024.

Rodriguez beamed with pride stating, “I couldn’t be more proud of what we achieved”. The company’s IPO success was a big deal as it means that subscription levels were ten times higher than available shares, raising AED 7.5 billion.

Rodriguez will now serve as a non-executive board member at talabat. His new role focuses on corporate strategy and working with key stakeholders. This move helps maintain consistent leadership vision during the transition. “I am looking forward to closely supporting talabat’s strategy going forward as a Board member, and assisting Toon as he moves into the CEO role,” Rodriguez said.

Talabat has recognized Rodriguez’s significant impact on the company’s growth across the region. The company became stronger through advanced technology solutions and a wider delivery network under his leadership.

Gyssels returns with vision for innovation and scale

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“My focus will be on accelerating innovation and ensuring we are well positioned to capture the opportunities ahead in one of the most dynamic markets in the world.” — Toon Gyssels, Incoming CEO, Talabat

Toon Gyssels returns to lead talabat with extensive experience that perfectly matches the company’s next growth phase. He worked as Chief Operating Officer at Kitopi and CEO of its On Demand business unit, where he helped transform it into a next-generation food and beverage player in the Middle East.

“Talabat has achieved a great deal in recent years, and I’m excited to rejoin at such a pivotal point in its journey,” Gyssels stated upon his appointment announcement. “Together with the team, my focus will be on accelerating innovation and ensuring we are well positioned to capture the opportunities ahead in one of the most dynamic markets in the world”.

Gyssels’ career path extends beyond the delivery sector. Before his original talabat role, he worked with McKinsey & Company. He also co-founded the food delivery business Foodora in Australia and led as CEO for over two years. This entrepreneurial background gave him deep insights into both established and emerging business models.

Throughout his career, Gyssels showed a strong focus on AI-driven business innovation. His technical mindset matches talabat’s new emphasis on technology-driven logistics, new service lines, and better customer experience – key elements of the company’s strategy for coming years.

Talabat’s shares have dropped about 43% since its December 2024 market debut. This decline suggests investors want operational improvements rather than aggressive expansion.

Talabat, the Middle East’s premier food delivery platform, has reached a turning point with its latest leadership change. After six years as CEO, Tomaso Rodriguez built an impressive legacy by growing the business nine times larger across eight markets and leading a successful public offering. His transition to a non-executive board role will give valuable continuity as the company charts its next chapter.

Toon Gyssels brings complete industry knowledge and a clear vision back to familiar ground. His past success in revolutionizing talabat’s logistics operations and launching new verticals makes him the ideal leader to tackle current challenges. The company’s renewed focus on technology-driven solutions matches perfectly with Gyssels’ entrepreneurial background and technical expertise.

The timing of this leadership transition proves crucial as talabat grapples with market pressures, shown by its 43% share decline since the December 2024 IPO. In spite of that, the company stands ready to prioritize operational improvements over aggressive expansion. Board Chairperson Pieter-Jan Vandepitte’s endorsement highlights the carefully considered nature of this change.

Talabat’s customers across the MENA region will see continued innovation in service delivery as the platform adapts to market needs. While Rodriguez’s chapter comes to a close, Gyssels’ return points to thoughtful progress rather than a dramatic directional change. This calculated leadership transition shows talabat’s dedication to sustained growth and improved customer experience in one of the world’s most dynamic digital economies.