Dubai, UAE: Seddiqi Holding, a leading luxury family business across luxury retail, watches and jewellery, today announced the appointment of Maarten Geeraerts as its new Group Chief Executive Officer. This appointment underscores Seddiqi Holding’s commitment to corporate excellence and its ambitions for strategic growth across the luxury landscape in the region.

“At Seddiqi Holding, we are the heart of luxury, and a key driving force behind the growth of the sector locally and across the region,” said Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, Chairman of Seddiqi Holding. “With over 75 years of expertise, we are rooted in purpose and look to Maarten to bring a fresh perspective and proven methodologies to propel our expertise in the region. His track record speaks volumes about his ability to drive performance whilst ensuring our legacy is upheld yet continues to evolve, honouring our heritage while driving progress.”

Maarten will assume responsibility for driving the Group’s vision and operational excellence across all Seddiqi Holding’s business units. He will work closely with the Seddiqi family leadership, operating within a clearly defined governance framework, with direct accountability to the Board, ensuring seamless alignment with the family’s long-term vision and values.

Osama Ibrahim Seddiqi, Vice Chairman of Seddiqi Holding, said: “Maarten's experience in transforming family businesses, alongside his industry understanding from investment to governance, makes him the ideal leader to steer us into our next chapter. This appointment reflects our determination to lead with clarity and ambition, ensuring we continue to set the standard for luxury, future-proof our organisation for generations to come, and uphold the cherished values and vision that define us.”

Maarten Geeraerts brings over two decades of global leadership experience spanning investment, legal, and governance. Most recently, as Group CEO of Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo Holdings, he successfully led the transformation of a legacy family business into a performance-driven, diversified enterprise. Maarten holds a Master’s degree in Law and a postgraduate degree in taxation from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, as well as an MBA from the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. He also holds several directorships across a range of sectors, providing governance, risk management, and strategic oversight.

“I am excited to join Seddiqi Holding, a name synonymous with luxury, heritage, and visionary leadership in the region, truly the heart of luxury,” said Maarten Geeraerts. “My commitment and ambition are to honour the remarkable foundation that has been meticulously created and tended to by four generations of the Seddiqi family. The family values and dedication are deeply embedded across the organisation, and I look forward to contributing to its future success and further solidifying its position as a leader in the global luxury landscape with a keen focus on regional expansion, digital transformation and client experiences in line with the family’s vision.”

This appointment reflects Seddiqi Holding’s confidence in the path ahead and its determination to lead with agility, evolving its leadership model, sharpening execution, and future-proofing the organisation for generations to come, while expanding its diversified portfolio across key sectors.

About Seddiqi Holding

Seddiqi Holding was established in 2007 to drive the business’ overarching goal of customer centricity and operational excellence. United by the group’s vision to transform time into cherished moments, Seddiqi Holding operates a diverse range of businesses including Ahmed Seddiqi, Swiss Watch Services, Mizzen and Seddiqi & Sons Investments which includes Seddiqi Properties, a real estate management entity. Ahmed Seddiqi is the largest business unit within the group, with over 100 luxury watch and jewellery brands across 50 locations.