Speaker Biographies
THRIVE
Three days of market insight, investment discussion, founder-led exchange and hospitality experiences across Dubai.
Najib Yaacoub
Chief Operating Officer, Lavoya Restaurants Group
Najib Yaacoub is Chief Operating Officer of Lavoya Restaurants Group, where he leads the growth and operational strategy of one of the region’s fast-growing multi-brand F&B portfolios.
Since Lavoya’s launch, Najib has played a central leadership role in scaling the Group to 61 restaurant openings across three markets in four years, building the operational structure, teams and systems required to support rapid expansion while maintaining consistency, commercial discipline and strong brand standards.
As COO, Najib oversees the Group’s operations and development across an international portfolio of brands including Joe & The Juice, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Barbar and Em Sherif Deli. His leadership spans market expansion, organizational development, operational excellence, franchise partnerships, and performance, with a strong focus on creating businesses that can scale sustainably.
At the heart of Najib’s leadership approach is the belief that growth is ultimately driven by people. He has built and developed high-performing teams across multiple markets, establishing clear accountability and leadership structures while empowering teams to take ownership of performance. His approach combines a strong people culture with data-led decision-making and rigorous commercial and operational discipline.
Under his operational leadership, Lavoya’s brands have achieved significant regional growth and industry recognition, including Joe & The Juice being named Franchise Partner of the Year 2024, alongside multiple market, and delivery-platform awards across the portfolio.
Najib brings more than two decades of hospitality and F&B experience, including leadership roles with Starbucks, Jumeirah Group and Sunset Hospitality Group. This combination of global brand experience, regional market knowledge and hands-on experience scaling businesses has shaped his approach to leadership: build strong teams, create scalable structures and turn ambitious growth strategies into sustainable businesses.