Egypt’s Elmenus Appoints Walid El-Saadany As CEO, Founder Amir Allam Steps Aside

Egypt’s Elmenus, an online food discovery platform, has appointed Walid El-Saadany as its new chief executive officer, replacing founder Amir Allam after more than a decade leading the company.

The announcement marks a leadership handover at a time when the food-tech platform is planning to expand across more cities and invest in new digital infrastructure.

El-Saadany, who will also join the board of directors, is expected to guide the company through a new phase focused on scaling operations, integrating artificial intelligence, and building closer relationships with restaurant partners.

He takes over from Amir Allam, who founded Elmenus in 2011 with USD 5 K and a small team, and built it into one of the country’s best-known platforms for food discovery and delivery. Allam will remain on the board and stay involved in the company’s strategic direction.

Allam, reflecting on the transition, said he felt the timing was right to step back from day-to-day leadership. “What began with a laptop and two people has become a household brand that has impacted millions of users, created jobs for tens of thousands,” he said. “It is now the right time to pass the baton as the company enters a new phase.”

The company says Elmenus now reaches over 8.5 million users annually and works with more than 12,000 restaurants across four cities, with 1,000 of those currently offering online ordering. It has raised USD 30 M in funding from regional and global investors, including Careem and Global Ventures.

El-Saadany enters the role with nearly two decades of experience in tech, logistics, and venture-backed startups. He previously led Otlob through two key acquisitions, first by Foodpanda and later by Delivery Hero, which eventually rebranded the platform as Talabat. His background is seen as a key asset as Elmenus looks to strengthen its operational structure and broaden its market reach.

At Elmenus, he is expected to focus on expanding the platform’s presence beyond Cairo, Alexandria, and Giza into underserved cities and towns, where Elmenus plans to onboard more than 4,000 new restaurants in the coming period.

As part of the strategy, Elmenus plans to roll out AI-driven features aimed at improving restaurant discovery, delivery times, and offering more personalised recommendations to users. These changes are aimed at increasing efficiency while helping restaurant partners manage operations, pricing, and customer engagement more effectively.

Part of the company’s roadmap also includes investment in local talent development and workforce training, with initiatives that include upskilling riders and developers, as well as supporting small restaurant operators and women-led kitchens.

The leadership shift comes as Egypt’s food delivery and digital payments markets continue to grow, driven by rising smartphone adoption, fintech expansion, and increased demand for convenience and local service. Elmenus is positioning itself to benefit from those trends by enhancing both its consumer experience and its back-end tools for restaurants.

El-Saadany is expected to focus on execution and scale, with an eye toward long-term stability in a competitive and fast-moving market.