Basil Al Essa is a strategy and transformation leader with deep experience across the Middle East and global markets. He is Managing Partner at PEM Strategy, where he advises leading MENA family offices, diversified groups, multinational corporations, and select public sector institutions on growth strategy, transformation, organizational effectiveness, customer experience, and post-acquisition value creation. 

Basil brings a strong operator–investor perspective, having served as President of Shawarmer, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading restaurant chains. He played a pivotal role in defining and executing the company’s growth strategy, expanding the network fivefold while sustaining profitability and market leadership. He currently serves as Chairman of Joa Capital and ReTech Reinsurance, and as a board member across multiple consumer and investment platforms. 

Earlier in his career, Basil held senior strategy roles at Emaar Properties, where he helped drive innovation and led the transition of the landmark Americana Group acquisition. He also held leadership positions at PepsiCo AMESA and began his career at Bain & Company, advising GCC corporations across retail, consumer products, family business, and private equity practices. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University and a Master’s in Management from Carnegie Mellon University.