John Hadden is Chief Executive Officer of Alshaya Group, one of the world’s leading brand franchise operators.

With an extensive portfolio of stores, cafes, restaurants, leisure destinations and a strong online and digital hold, Alshaya Group has a presence in the Middle East & North Africa, Russia, Turkey and Europe. Strong brand partnerships across multiple sectors allows Alshaya to offer unparalleled choice and deliver authentic brand experiences to its customers.

A long-standing member of the Alshaya leadership team, John works directly with Alshaya Group’s Executive Chairman, Mohammed Alshaya, and leads a team of senior executives to drive corporate strategy.

John has overall responsibility for Alshaya Group’s growth and performance, including its current transformation which is transitioning Alshaya into a fully omnichannel business. A strong believer in the power of transparent communication, John connects regularly with colleagues across the organisation to drive and enable change.

John has extensive experience in the retail sector. Having started his career at Debenhams in the UK, he joined Alshaya in 1997 as Property Director. From 2002 to 2004 he joined the Starbucks European management team in Amsterdam, returning to Alshaya as Senior Vice President of Property in 2005. In this role, John supported major expansion for Alshaya Group as the company opened up new stores, new brands and new operating countries.

Building on this track record, John was appointed as Chief Operating Officer in February 2018. He assumed CEO responsibilities in October 2019 and was formally named CEO in July 2020.

John holds a Master of Science (MSc) in project management and is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Building.