Mohamed Yehia Zakaria

Mohamed Yehia Zakaria (born May 10, 1938) is an Emirati businessman of Egyptian origin. He is the longest-serving chief executive of the beverage industry in the Middle East. He is the co-founder and was chief executive of Dubai Refreshments (Pepsi), in Dubai, and institutionalized the soft drink industry in the Middle East.

Education and career A graduate of Cairo University with a bachelor's degree in Commerce, Mohamed Zakaria arrived in Dubai in 1960 to gain work experience and then afterward, attend Michigan State University where he had been accepted for an MBA. His previous work in Egypt at the Government Accountancy Department, promoted him to explore an offer he had gotten by the late Sultan bin Ali Al Owais, a philanthropist, poet, businessman, and former Minister of the UAE. In early 1962, he was appointed the head accountant for the Al Owais family business. Along with Shaikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum the Al Owais, Al Mulla family and Qais Bin Abdul Munaim Al Zawawi, he negotiated the deal to make Dubai the first place in the Middle East to bottle, distribute and market the Pepsi brand.

In 1974, along with the late Qais Bin Abdul Munaim Al Zawawi the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic and Financial Affairs of Oman, the first soft drink and beverage manufacturer was brought to the Sultanate. He is its founder, and until 2006, the Managing Director.

In 2000, under his leadership, Pepsi in Dubai captured 70% of the UAE market share and had its highest ever net profit of 17 AED million.

In 2002, Zakaria retired from active duty, although he still retains a significant share in the businesses he founded in both Dubai and Oman. Today he runs a real estate portfolio in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and has stakes in active UAE and Omani based industries.

Family He married Shadia Shahwan (1944–1998) in 1966 and has four children, Ghada, Nashwa, May, and Ahmed. He has since remarried in 2006. His children hold active roles in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Government run companies, and they also operate the day-to-day activities of the family business.

Positions held

Company Name Position Held Years Oman Refreshments Founder & managing director 1974–present Dubai Refreshments Co-founder & chief executive 1962–2002 Jeema Mineral Water Co-founder & managing director 1980–2006 RC Cola Egypt Chairman 1984–1990 United Can Company Managing director 1977–1999 Arabian Advertising Agency (Dubai) Co-founder & partner 1984–1995 AhmadCo Ltd. Director 1981–2007 Zakaria Enterprises Chairman 1962–present Zakaria Investments Ltd. Honorary chairman 2007–present TeleMedia Misr Advisor 2000–2005