Counselor Rayan F. Azab /المستشار ريان فؤاد عزب

2025 was quite a year, full of growth and moments I’ll always remember. Looking back, I’m grateful for all the amazing people, projects, and experiences that helped shape this year. There were some big wins, of course, but also those quiet, smaller moments that remind me why I love what I do. Looking ahead, I’m feeling energized for 2026. There’s so much more to build, more to learn, and more opportunities to create together. Here’s to more opportunities and connections in the year ahead. Wishing everyone a happy New Year! 🎉 May 2026 be your best one yet! 💫 #BusinessWithAzab

𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐘 | 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫: Kuwaitis Acquires America’s Elevation Burger for $2.5 Million 🇰🇼🇺🇸 An interesting cross-border acquisition that deserves attention from investors and business leaders across the GCC. In 2019, FAT Brands acquired Elevation Burger in a transaction valued at up to $10.05 million. Fast-forward to 2026, and Kuwait-based TABCO International Food Catering acquired substantially all Elevation Burger assets for approximately $2.5 million, plus certain assumed liabilities, through FAT Brands’ Chapter 11 restructuring. What makes this particularly interesting? TABCO already operated Elevation Burger franchises in Kuwait. Rather than remaining a regional franchise operator, the company seized an opportunity to acquire the underlying brand assets. Five Strategic Lessons: 1. From Franchisee to Brand Owner Operating an international franchise builds market knowledge. Owning the brand creates opportunities for strategic control, expansion, and long-term value. 2. Distressed Assets Create Opportunities Corporate restructuring doesn’t necessarily mean the underlying brand lacks value. Smart investors distinguish between financial distress and commercial potential. 3. Valuation Is About Timing The difference between the 2019 and 2026 transaction prices is significant, although different deal structures and liabilities make direct comparisons difficult. 4. GCC Capital Is Evolving Gulf investors are moving beyond importing international franchises toward acquiring and potentially expanding global brands. 5. Cross-Border Experience Matters Successful acquisitions require operational knowledge, legal structuring, financial discipline, and an understanding of both markets. 𝐌𝐲 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 Having spent over two decades working across the United States and GCC, I see tremendous opportunities in this space. Many American businesses have established brands, intellectual property, and international potential but face financial challenges or undervaluation. For GCC investors, acquiring these assets can offer an alternative to building brands from scratch. The opportunity is no longer simply bringing American brands into the Gulf. It is about Gulf businesses owning American brands and taking them global. Congratulations to the Kuwaiti investors behind this transaction. The next chapter of GCC–U.S. investment may be about acquiring established businesses, not just financing new ones. #CrossBorderInvestment #MergersAndAcquisitions #GCCInvestments #Kuwait #USA #PrivateEquity #BusinessStrategy #InternationalBusiness restaurantbusinessonline.com…

Excellent insights from Amani Badokhon ! Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) are becoming a fundamental pillar of healthcare excellence and transformation, especially in Saudi Arabia as we move toward Vision 2030. So much of the healthcare ecosystem is built around DRGs, from clinical documentation, patient classification, and hospital operations to quality of care, resource utilization, cost efficiency, reimbursement, and healthcare financing. Healthcare excellence is not only about delivering quality medical care. It is also about ensuring that clinical outcomes, operational performance, and financial sustainability work together. DRGs play a critical role in connecting these areas by helping healthcare providers better understand patient complexity, measure performance, optimize resources, improve transparency, and make smarter, data-driven decisions. From a broader healthcare financing perspective, accurate clinical documentation, reliable claims data, and proper reimbursement structures are essential to creating a sustainable healthcare ecosystem that benefits patients, providers, payers, and financial institutions. DRGs are much more than coding and reimbursement. They are part of the foundation for healthcare excellence, financial intelligence, and long-term sustainability. Thank you, Amani, for highlighting such an important topic and for your continued contribution to advancing healthcare excellence in Saudi Arabia. #DRG #HealthcareExcellence #SaudiHealthcare #HealthcareFinance #HealthcareTransformation #Vision2030 #HealthcareInnovation #HealthcareAnalytics lnkd.in/p/dWH_Xe-r

Pre-seed rounds dominated GCC funding announcements in October: 9 of 17. The biggest checks went to: → autobia | أوتوبيا raised $12M in a Series A for its B2B autotech platform. → JustAd raised $5M from angel investor Imad Jomaafor its AI-powered marketing platform. → Vrtx raised $3.6M in a pre-seed round to build embedded finance infrastructure. → MetisJean raised around $3M in a pre-seed round for its enterprise AI platform. And 13 more companies announced funding across AI, healthtech, proptech, fintech, insurtech, construction tech and event tech. Saudi and the UAE accounted for 8 announcements each, with 1 from Kuwait. Full October breakdown in the infographic 👇 🔁 Share with founders building in the region. 📲 Follow @Razab , MBA for analysis on GCC markets and capital. #BusinessWithAzab

Interesting developments at Kansas City-based Hawaiian Bros, as an ownership dispute between its co-founding brothers heads to court. A reminder that strong governance, clear shareholder agreements, and transparency are essential, even in family businesses. #KansasCity #Business #CorporateGovernance bizjournals.com/kansascity/n…

If you’re a healthcare founder entering Saudi, there are 18 institutions you need to know. They oversee policy, regulation, licensing, funding, procurement, and service delivery across the sector. Here’s a quick map of the institutions behind each function: → Government & policy: MOH, SHC, Weqaya → Regulation & quality: SFDA, SCFHS, CBAHI → Healthcare funding & insurance: CNHI, CHI, IA → Procurement & local content: NUPCO, LCGPA → Healthcare delivery: HHC, KFSHRC, MNGHA, SRCA → Digital health & data: NHIC, SDAIA, NCA The infographic 👇 maps all 18 institutions by function. 💾 Save it as a reference. 💬 A US or GCC-based healthcare or HealthTech founder considering Saudi? DM me and let’s map out your 2026 entry plan. ━━━━━━━━━━ 📌 PS: This map reflects my research and experience as of October 2026. Saudi healthcare is still being restructured, so some institutional roles may shift over time. Additional insights and corrections are always welcome. #BusinessWithAzab

US cell therapy company Kure Cells raised $10M in a Saudi-led round in 2025, with plans to establish R&D and manufacturing in the Kingdom. MediQ, a Pakistani HealthTech firm, entered Saudi in 2023. Two years later, it raised $6M in a Series A. One company raised with plans to localize. The other built a Saudi presence first, then raised its Series A. Two different paths to Saudi expansion, both backed by venture capital. That’s why investor research should be part of market-entry planning for international healthcare founders, not a separate exercise. To make that research easier, I created this infographic 👇 It maps 19 investors that have backed healthcare companies connected to the Saudi market, split into: → Saudi-Based Investors → Regional & Global Investors → Corporate & Institutional Investors 💾 Save this for your Saudi expansion research. 🔔 Follow @Razab for analysis on business and market entry across the U.S. and GCC. ━━━━━━━━━━ 📌 PS: This map reflects my research and experience at the time of writing. Investor portfolios, strategies, and activity change over time. Additional names, insights, and corrections are always welcome. #BusinessWithAzab

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐲 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐩; 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 Elevix! I am honored to join ELEVIX, a Delaware-based U.S. company, as a Board Member and Global Partner, working alongside founders Deepak Ahuja, Anishkaa Gehani, and my dear friend Kevin Nguyen. Having spent years working across international markets, advising investors, and supporting startups, I believe one of the greatest opportunities today is bridging two rapidly growing ecosystems: Angel Investors and Startups.But connecting capital with innovation requires more than introductions. 𝑬𝑳𝑬𝑽𝑰𝑿 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑨𝑰 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎. 𝑰𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒎 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓. For angel investors, ELEVIX helps simplify due diligence, identify potential risks, and support smarter investment decisions. For startups, it helps uncover weaknesses in pitch decks, identify business model gaps, improve investor readiness, and better understand what investors are looking for. Our mission is simple: Use technology to empower human decisions, not replace them. I am excited to work alongside this talented team, leveraging my international experience and strategic relationships to support ELEVIXs growth across the United States, Saudi Arabia, the GCC, and global markets. I look forward to what we will build together and the impact we can make on the future of angel investing and entrepreneurship. Great ideas deserve more than access to capital. They deserve the right foundation to succeed. 🌐 elevix.me #ELEVIX #AngelInvesting #Startups #DueDiligence #VentureCapital #FinTech #SaudiArabia #GlobalInvestment #USA

After 11+ years of guiding international founders into the GCC, these are the 6 unwritten rules I walk every one of them through before they enter the market. (Knowing these early could save you years of wasted effort.) 1/ Getting a first meeting is easy. Getting a second one is the hard part. It only takes one overpromise or one missed follow-through to undo months of progress. Relationships here take time to earn, and you can lose them much faster. 2/ You won’t build trust directly. You’ll build it sideways. Here, trust moves through referrals and people who can vouch for you. One right introduction can close what months of direct outreach can’t. 3/ Urgency reads as instability. Pressuring a counterpart to close or decide often signals that something is wrong on your end. Patience is a qualification test, and you’re being evaluated while you wait. 4/ You can choose the wrong local partner and discover it very late. A strong partner accelerates your entry. But as the business grows, partnership structures can shift in ways you didn’t negotiate. Choose a partner you can grow with, not just one who can get you in “fast”. 5/ Your reputation travels faster than you think. Business circles in the GCC are closely connected, so word about how you do business gets around quickly. Inconsistencies get noticed, even when nobody points them out. 6/ A strong first year can set up a hard second one. Early success brings visibility and new opportunities. Many founders say yes to all of them and overextend before their operations can handle it. And in the GCC, one missed delivery can undo much of what your first year built. You can get the market-entry strategy right on paper and still get the execution wrong because of these six things. --- 📌 Planning to enter or expand into the GCC and want to get both the strategy and the execution right? DM me. I guide founders through entry: market, structure, and the right relationships. 📱 Follow @Razab , MBA for analysis on business and market entry across the GCC. #BusinessWithAzab

The biggest problem with “family offices are patient capital” isn’t whether it’s true. It’s the assumption that most family offices invest in startups. In a J.P. Morgan survey, 52% of U.S. family offices had no allocation to growth equity or venture capital. Even among those with venture exposure, some invest through VC funds rather than selecting startups themselves. And for offices that invest directly, the family’s business and how the office is run can shape investment decisions. Getting in front of them is another challenge. Many source deals through people they already know. Cold emails often go unanswered. So how do you find family offices that fit your business and approach them the right way? This edition breaks it down. Read the full edition and subscribe to receive a new one every two weeks. #BusinessWithAzab lnkd.in/p/dh8NZu_w

Saudi’s healthcare AI market is projected to grow 11x in seven years, according to Grand View Research. New entrants see the growth but don’t always know which gaps they can fill. Today, the market still faces challenges in: → Healthcare data integration → Clinical workflow integration → Workforce readiness and training For international HealthTech founders, these challenges can point to opportunities for new solutions in Saudi. But first, it helps to understand which use cases are already in play and who’s behind them. The infographic 👇 gives you a snapshot of key AI solutions, their providers, and adopters across five areas of Saudi healthcare. 💾 Save it for reference. 💬 An international HealthTech founder evaluating Saudi entry? DM me, and let’s map out where your solution fits. ━━━━━━━━━━ 📌 PS: This map reflects my research and experience at the time of writing. Healthcare AI providers shift their solutions, partnerships, and deployments over time. Additional names, insights, and corrections are always welcome. #BusinessWithAzab

Jeddah is home, and Saudi Arabia is where my heart is. Having spent years building businesses and connecting opportunities between the United States, Saudi Arabia, and international markets, I have always believed in the incredible potential of Jeddah and our Western Region. For me, business is not just about transactions. It's about relationships, trust, creating opportunities, and leaving a lasting impact. As Founder & Chairman of AM-MENA GROUP, I am proud of what we are building and even more excited about what lies ahead. My message to investors, business owners, and international companies: If you are looking to expand into Saudi Arabia, explore strategic partnerships, or invest in meaningful opportunities, let's connect. And to my fellow Saudi entrepreneurs, let's build something great together. The opportunities are here. The time is now. Let's make things happen. 🇸🇦🤝🇺🇸 #AMMENAGroup #Jeddah #SaudiArabia #Vision2030 #Investment #StrategicPartnerships #USSaudiBusiness _____

من العطاء الخيري إلى الاستثمار الصحي المستدام نؤمن في مجموعة "ام ميناً" بأن مستقبل الأوقاف في المملكة العربية السعودية يكمن في تحويل العطاء الخيري إلى استثمارات صحية مستدامة، تحقق أثراً مجتمعياً وعوائد طويلة الأجل. من خلال شراكاتنا المحلية والدولية، نسعى إلى تطوير مشاريع صحية تخدم المجتمع وتضمن استدامة العطاء للأجيال القادمة، تماشياً مع رؤية المملكة 2030. العطاء الحقيقي هو ما يستمر أثره لأجيال.

Looking for active family offices in the U.S.? Here’s Part 2 of the map. This part covers the Central U.S., 14 states from the Dakotas down to Texas and Louisiana. Information on family offices in these states is scattered across different sources, and many keep a relatively low public profile. So I went through the region state by state to identify active family offices and family investment entities. The map 👇 highlights 35 of them across 12 of those 14 states. 💾 Save this for your U.S. fundraising planning. (Part 1, covering the Western states, is on my profile.) Follow @Razab to catch Part 3 when it drops. ━━━━━━━━━━ 📌 PS: This map reflects my research at the time of writing. Family offices shift their focus, teams, and activity over time. Additional names, insights, and corrections are always welcome. #BusinessWithAzab

إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون بقلوب يملؤها الحزن والأسى، أتقدم بخالص التعازي وصادق المواساة إلى أسر الضحايا الثلاثة الذين فقدوا أرواحهم إثر الهجومين على مطار الملك خالد الدولي بالرياض، حيث استهدف الهجوم الأول مرافق المطار، فيما استهدف الثاني طائرة تابعة للخطوط الجوية السعودية. نسأل الله العلي القدير أن يتغمدهم بواسع رحمته ومغفرته، وأن يسكنهم فسيح جناته، وأن يلهم أهلهم وذويهم الصبر والسلوان. اللهم احفظ المملكة العربية السعودية، قيادةً وشعبًا، وأدم عليها نعمة الأمن والأمان والاستقرار، واحفظ بلادنا وأهلنا من كل سوء ومكروه. اللهم ارحم جميع موتانا وموتى المسلمين، واجعل مثواهم الجنة. رحم الله من فقدنا، وحفظ الله وطننا الغالي 🇸🇦 ريان عزب #السعودية #الرياض #مطار_الملك_خالد #إنا_لله_وإنا_إليه_راجعون

Six years ago, when I started advising GCC FinTechs, Saudi FinTech was a different market. We had only a few large players, and payments dominated the market. Most of the sector categories we talk about today were still in their early days. Today, Saudi has 371 operating FinTech companies. But the number alone doesn't give the full picture. Almost everything in the market has changed: → Electronic retail payments went from 36% in 2019 to 85% in 2025. → Digital banks went from zero to three operating players. → The regulatory side moved from sandboxes and experimental permits into dedicated rules for payments, BNPL, Open Banking, digital banking, and more. And the market got a lot more specialized. The ecosystem now spans Open Banking, SME finance, digital banking, investment, infrastructure, and RegTech. You can also see where it's heading next: more B2B infrastructure and stronger connections across the region. With Money20/20 Middle East putting Saudi FinTech back in the spotlight this month, it felt like the right time to look back at how far the market has come. This infographic 👇 maps out the Saudi FinTech ecosystem then (2019) and now (2026). ━━━━━━━━━━ 🆕 I'm dropping a new newsletter edition this week on where FinTech stands today, and where the opportunities are heading in 2026 and 2027. Follow Rayan Fouad Azab, MBA to get it once it's out. 📌 PS: This post reflects my experience and research at the time of writing. I may not have covered every detail, and the regulatory landscape continues to evolve. Additional insights and corrections are always welcome. #BusinessWithAzab

Did you know Saudi runs the largest virtual hospital in the world? And virtual care is only one piece of a much larger shift. The Kingdom's health system is being rebuilt digitally: → Health data exchanges topped 1.1 billion in 2025. → Sehhaty, the national health app, passed 31 million users. → Seha, the national virtual hospital, ran 11.5 million virtual appointments in 2025, up 56%. And insurers paid SAR 53 billion in claims during 2025, up 10% year-on-year. More private HealthTech companies are capturing that growth and building on these national platforms, with a focus on five market layers: 1. Virtual Care & Home Health 2. E-Pharmacy & Medication Delivery 3. EHR, Hospital & Clinic Systems 4. Claims, RCM & Payer Technology 5. Clinical AI & Diagnostic Software In 2026, your challenge as a founder is deciding which layer you can enter and defend. That starts with knowing who already holds each one. The infographic 👇 maps who holds each layer of the Saudi HealthTech market. 💾 Save it for reference. 💬 If you're a US or GCC founder evaluating Saudi HealthTech in 2026, DM me and let's map your path into the market. ⎯⎯⎯⎯ 📌 PS: This post reflects my own experience and research at the time of writing. I might not have covered every detail, and the landscape continues to evolve. Additional insights and corrections are welcome. #BusinessWithAzab

في يومنا الوطني، تتجدد مشاعر الفخر والانتماء لهذا الوطن العظيم. 🇸🇦 ومن أعظم النعم أن يكون لنا وطن يقوده الطموح، وتبنيه رؤية تتطلع دائما إلى ما هو أبعد. وطن نعتز به، ونحمل جميعا مسؤولية الإسهام في مستقبله. ورغم ما تمر به المنطقة اليوم من تحديات، يبقى إيماننا راسخا بقدرة المملكة وشعبها على تجاوزها ومواصلة مسيرة البناء. كل الشكر والتقدير لقيادتنا الرشيدة، خادم الحرمين الشريفين الملك سلمان بن عبدالعزيز، وسمو ولي العهد الأمير محمد بن سلمان، على ما يقدمانه من رؤية وعزم وعمل متواصل لرفعة المملكة وازدهارها. كل عام والسعودية بخير، ووطننا يمضي نحو مزيد من القوة والازدهار. 🇸🇦 On Saudi National Day, I'm reminded how fortunate we are to belong to a country driven by ambition and a vision that continues to look ahead. 🇸🇦 A nation we are proud to call home, and one we all have a part in building. Even with the challenges our region is facing today, I have full confidence in Saudi Arabia and its people to keep moving forward. My sincere appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for their continued leadership and commitment to the Kingdom's progress. Happy Saudi National Day. May the Kingdom continue to grow stronger and more prosperous. 🇸🇦 #SaudiNationalDay96 #اليوم_الوطني_السعودي_96