The name Hazem al-Sharaa emerged publicly after appearing alongside his brother Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Syrian transitional president, during an official visit to Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

He was photographed at official meetings, raising questions about his role and position in the political scene.

Despite not holding any publicly announced government position, his professional record showcases a long career in managing major companies, particularly in the beverages and consumer products sector.

Career path

Born in 1975, Hazem al-Sharaa has over 24 years of experience in public administration, business development, sales and marketing, and operations management.

He has held leadership positions in several major companies and has made a mark in the markets of Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, and Algeria.

He began his career as a regional sales manager at Pepsi-Joud company in Syria, where he gained experience in sales management and strategic planning.

From there, he moved to senior positions in the consumer goods sector, where he served as a business manager in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.

He led the development of global brands such as Reckitt Benckiser, Duracell, Vileda, and Bic, in addition to special projects for food and juice products within the KFF group in Iraq.

In 2018, he was appointed General Sales and Development Executive Director at PepsiCo Iraq, where he was responsible for managing operations and achieving sales growth.

He later held the position of General Manager of the Karwanchi Group from 2019 to 2022, where he continued to develop business strategies in the food and beverage sector.

Since 2022, he has served as General Manager and Deputy CEO of al-Hayat – Pepsi Group, overseeing the group’s operations across various sectors.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Hazem al-Sharaa holds a Ph.D. in legal and economic sciences from the Egyptian American International University, in addition to a master’s degree in law from the same university, and a bachelor’s degree in international law and legal studies from the University of Damascus.

Al-Sharaa possesses extensive experience in developing growth and expansion strategies, market analysis, and operational management.

He has also contributed to building brands and enhancing the market share of the companies he has worked for, achieving revenue growth and expanding business scope in several countries, in addition to developing relationships with partners and clients.