Kitopi Announces Appointment of Toon Gyssels as Chief Operating Officer

We are delighted to announce that Toon Gyssels has joined us as Chief Operating Officer.

One of the most-respected names in the industry, Toon joins us from Talabat, where he was widely acclaimed for his contributions in building Talabat’s brand. As Chief Operating Officer, he has a successful track record of driving operational capabilities, delivering year on year growth, and launching new business lines for the business, enabling Talabat to spearhead online food delivery in the GCC region.

Toon Gyssels - Kitopi's Chief Operating Officer

Toon’s appointment follows Kitopi’s investment in multiple leading regional food brands to mark a new phase of growth strategy that will involve growing a portfolio of the best local, regional and international brands across borders, leveraging our network of state-of-the-art, tech-powered kitchens.

‘I am extremely excited to be part of Kitopi. I have known the team for years and have always been impressed with how their bold appetite, agility, and speed of execution have made Kitopi one of the fastest-growing start-ups in the region,’ Toon said about joining Kitopi. ‘As a pioneer in its space and with its industry-leading technology, Kitopi has immense potential to radically change the way we cook and eat. And I’m thrilled to be part of the journey.’

Originally from Westmalle in Belgium, Toon initially went on a more traditional path as a civil engineer, followed by a consulting career at McKinsey & Co in Antwerp before going on to co-found food delivery business Foodora in Australia, where he also led as CEO for over two years before moving to Talabat in Dubai.

Prior to his foray into the business and F&B world, Toon’s passion for hardcore and metal music has taken him touring across Europe many times as lead guitarist of multiple rock bands.

On the newest addition to Kitopi’s leadership team, Mohamad Ballout, CEO of Kitopi, commented: ‘We can’t be more excited to have Toon onboard. He is an exceptional leader with deep and extensive industry experience. I have no doubt that Toon will add immense value to the business and help take Kitopi to the next level.’