Horizon Food Company appoints Khadim Sarwar as CEO
Horizon Food Company, Saudi Arabia’s leading food exporter, has announced the appointment of Khadim Sarwar as new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.
Sarwar has been appointed as the successor to Sultan Alharbi, who stepped down from the CEO role in April 2025, citing "completion of career" as the reason.
The company stated, “The Board of Directors and all employees extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Sultan Al-Harbi for his active role in the company during his tenure, wishing him continued success,
The company will announce any developments in the event of the appointment or assignment of a new CEO in due course.”
Sarwar brings around three decades of leadership experience across FMCG food manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and logistics in the UK, UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. He most recently served as CEO of JANA Group’s Al Sorour Bakeries.
Prior to that, he worked with M.H. Alshaya Company as the Business Head for the Kuwait, UAE, and KSA region for nearly a decade. Under his leadership, food manufacturing sales grew by 900% over nine years, driven by strategic partnerships with major brands like Starbucks and Shake Shack in the Middle East.
In the past, he also held key roles at 2 Sisters Food Group, Premier Foods, S&A Foods Ltd., HJ Heinz, and United Biscuits.
You may also like:
- What Gen Z and millennials really want (and won’t compromise on) at work
- MoHRE outlines mandatory requirements for summer mid-day break
- 53% of CEO appointments in Saudi Arabia are unexpected, many young and first-time leaders: Report
- 6 practical ways to advancing women in leadership roles
- Abu Dhabi Labour Court orders private company to pay AED110.4K to employee - Here's why
On the academic front, Sarwar holds an MBA from Glasgow Caledonian University, a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of the West of Scotland, and an HN Diploma in business administration and management from Glasgow Clyde College.
His core competencies include end-to-end strategy development across operations, retail, hospitality, supply chain, logistics, and commercial functions. He is also a strong believer in people-centric and transformational leadership.