Uber has announced the promotion of Pia El Hachem to General Manager across the UAE, Jordan, and Lebanon, a consolidation of the ride-hailing company's leadership structure across three strategically important Middle East markets. El Hachem, who has been at Uber since 2018, will lead strategy, operations, policy, and business development while overseeing the company's end-to-end business in the region.
The appointment represents an internal promotion for El Hachem, who previously served as Strategy and Planning Lead for the Middle East and North Africa region and later expanded her remit to Sub-Saharan Africa. Frans Hiemstra, Director and General Manager of Uber Middle East and Africa, said El Hachem had "proven to be an exemplary strategist and leader, perfectly suited for her new role as GM of UAE and Levant." In her own statement, El Hachem noted she looked forward to "leading the Uber business with a focus on our efforts towards achieving our sustainable mobility goals, expanding our product portfolio to meet local needs, as well as, and of course, growing our ride sharing business across all 3 countries."
Before joining Uber, El Hachem worked as a management consultant at Strategy&, where she advised businesses and governments across the Middle East and South-East Asia on growth strategy, performance improvement, and organizational design. Her LinkedIn profile indicates she holds an MBA from INSEAD. This background in strategic consulting aligns with her tenure at Uber, where she contributed to developing business plans and setting growth priorities across multiple markets.
Uber's Middle East operations have grown materially over the past year, particularly in the UAE, which has emerged as a testing ground for the company's autonomous vehicle initiatives. The company has partnered with autonomous driving firm WeRide to deploy robotaxis in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with regulatory approvals in place for trials that support the region's ambitions for autonomous mobility. The company has also committed to sustainability targets, pledging that 25 percent of kilometers traveled on its platform in Dubai would be emission-free by 2026.
The elevation of El Hachem signals Uber's commitment to deepening its presence in the Levant and Gulf markets through a dedicated leadership structure. Rather than an external hire, the appointment reflects confidence in internal talent who have already demonstrated familiarity with the complexities of operating across the politically and economically distinct markets of the UAE, Jordan, and Lebanon. The move maintains continuity while centralizing governance of three critical markets under a single executive, fitting with Uber's broader regional expansion strategy.
