Rana Al Maeeni | Group F&B Marketing Director
Maristo Hospitality

Rana Al Maeeni is the Marketing Director of Maristo Hospitality. Armed with years of experience and a track record of proven performance, Rana Al Maeeni is responsible for providing the overall leadership and strategic management for the company. She is a recognized expert and leader in the F&B industry with well-rounded experience covering concept creation, brand DNA, supply chain, adaptation, strategic management, market entry /regional and global expansions, partnerships, marketing strategies, system integration, and driving performance change. 
 
After 10 years’ experience in the F&B industry in the UAE holding different regional roles, starting in 2013 with Azadea Group as a Senior Marketing specialist for 5 years with a lot of achievements, such as launching a brand loyalty app for PAUL across 8 markets and much more.
 
Rana has experienced working as a franchisee & as a franchisor with a passion for food and an entrepreneurial mindset. She exploded into the F&B sector full of creative and innovative ideas. Rana joined AWJ Investments in 2019, taking part in the brand creation & development. Awj set out on its culinary journey with five unique concepts, all strategically located across popular tourist and dining destinations in Dubai. These home-grown concepts include Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and International flavors. 
 
Rana worked closely with the CEO of AWJ Investments previously on company & brand strategy before the acquisition that happened by Kitopi. 
“I'm extremely proud to be part of the journey we've taken in Awj over the past 5 years. We recently reached a significant milestone with the Kitopi acquisition of Awj, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the team's efforts that led to this success. We are always striving for excellence, and our brands have truly exemplified that. I have worked with the team tirelessly to achieve our goals and ensure that our customers receive the best possible experience, and I'm honored to have been a part of it.”
 
She has a lot of big achievements at AWJ Investments which she is proud of, such as winning several brand awards:
- What's on Awards 2021
- highly commended favorite delivery: Operation: Falafel Leaders in F&B awards 2021- - Winner for Best Family Friendly Restaurant: Catch22 Leaders in F&B Awards 2022 – KSA
- Winner for Best Middle Eastern Restaurant: Awani
- Winner for Best Casual Dining Restaurant: Operation: Falafel 
- Winner for Best Themed Restaurant: Catch22
 
“I am proud of many projects I have worked on, but one that stands out to me is the growth of the marketing department at Awj. Over the last 5 years, I've tripled its size, which has significantly contributed to our overall success. As a head of branding and marketing, being part of creating and developing our concepts and seeing them come to life and evolve into successful brands has also been incredibly fulfilling. Take Sushido, for example, and the other brands are now growing and expanding into new markets such as KSA. Witnessing their success has been a true testament to our team's hard work and dedication”.
 
After her successful journey at Awj Investments, Rana moved to Maristo Hospitality as a Marketing Director for group brands such as Popeyes with more than 40 branches in the UAE, in addition to the home-grown concept Sisi’s Eatery & the franchised brand GDK (German Doner Kebab) with more than 10 branches across the UAE.
 
Rana Al Maeeni graduated in 2013 from Middlesex University, London, with a BA in Business & Marketing.