Ronaldo Mouchawar

Ronaldo Mouchawar is a pioneering figure in Middle Eastern e-commerce and the founder of Souq.com, which grew to become the region’s largest online retailer with operations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. In 2017, he sold the company to Amazon for $580 million, marking one of the region’s most prominent tech acquisitions. He now serves as Chief Executive of Souq.com and Vice President of Amazon MENA.

Born in Aleppo, Syria, Mouchawar was inspired by his merchant father when naming his e-commerce platform. After earning degrees in Electrical & Computer Engineering and Digital Communications from Northeastern University, he began his career in Boston before joining Maktoob, which was later acquired by Yahoo. He launched Souq.com in 2005 as an auction site before pivoting to a full B2C model in 2011.

By 2016, Souq.com reached a $1 billion valuation — becoming the Arab world’s first unicorn. Mouchawar’s leadership helped the company leverage the smartphone boom and a growing consumer base to transform regional retail.

His success story has become a benchmark for tech entrepreneurship in the region, demonstrating how homegrown innovation can achieve global scale and impact. He continues to lead Amazon’s growth and digital retail evolution across the Middle East.