Rod is an international business leader with more than 30 years of experience across FMCG, retail and healthcare, including C-suite roles with major global multinationals and businesses across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. With a career spanning general management, sales and marketing, Rod combines broad international experience with strong commercial, brand and consumer expertise. At Choithrams, he leads Group Marketing alongside the UAE Distribution business, bringing together brand development, consumer and shopper insight, customer and principal partnerships, and P&L leadership. His focus is on accelerating sustainable growth, challenging established ways of working and building the people and capabilities needed for the future, while ensuring Choithrams becomes increasingly relevant to the customers, consumers and communities it serves.
Since the launch of our first store in the UAE in 1974, Choithrams has worked towards bringing freshness, goodness, and convenience to our customer's everyday lives
Our commitment to quality, our keen support of charitable causes and our dedicated approach towards sustainability have been some of the building blocks to our continued success.
Our GCC Operations
Our conveniently located stores and our unrivaled distribution network have made Choithrams a household name,trusted by millions as a brand of choice.
Our Leadership
Thakurdas Choithram PagaraniFounder, Choithrams
A visionary, an entrepreneur and a philanthropist, the story of Thakurdas Choithram Pagarani dates back to 1943, when he opened his first grocery store in Sierra Leone.
Decades later his legacy continues, transforming from a one outlet, one country venture to a global footprint spanning retail, distribution and manufacturing.
Mr. T C Pagarani's culture of giving saw its roots in early 1959 when he founded the first of our many charitable trusts operating schools, clinics, and hospitals, continuing to inspire the company's 'Full of Goodness' philosophy to this day.
Leadership Team
GCC
UAE
Qatar & Bahrain
GCC
Qatar
Bahrain
Commerce
GCC
GCC
Values
Customer
Centricity
We put our customers at the heart of everything we do!
Accountability
We own our actions and choices to deliver on our promises!
Resilience
We stay strong and are adaptable through our challenges!
Empowerment
We are empowered and energized through our daily responsibilities!
Quality & Food Safety Assurance
A brand you can trust, Choithrams is dedicated to excellence in quality and food safety. Our focus on compliance and strict adherence to HACCP guidelines ensures that we protect the health and well being of our consumers.
Recent Awards
Business Impact Award - WESTFORD AWARDS 2024
Appreciation from EMIRATES NATURE-WWF for unwavering commitment and exceptional contributions to environmental conservation throughout the year.
The Most Admired Responsible Retailer - 2023
Dubai Cares
Outstanding effort and support in raising food safety awareness in 2020 by Dubai Municipality
Awarded by Emirates Nature – WWF for being part of the Green Giving Initiative
Contribution to the Dubai Chamber Sustainability Week 2021
Global Best Employer Brand Award 2019 at 13th Employer Branding Awards
Appreciation from DIFC for providing Iftar Meals during Ramadan
Good hygiene practice by Sharjah Municipality
For supporting the Health Education and Promotion Department’s programs
Global HR Excellence Awards 2022
Global HR Excellence Awards 2021
UAE's Natural Heritage
Champion of Inclusion Award
GCC
Jonathan brings over 30 years of international finance and commercial leadership experience, including more than a decade in the Middle East. He has held senior leadership roles across leading retail, consumer and hospitality businesses, with extensive experience operating in complex, multi-market organisations.
As Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan leads the finance function across Choithrams’ GCC operations, partnering with the leadership team to drive business performance and long-term value creation.
His experience spans strategic planning, commercial finance, performance management, capital allocation and business transformation, with a strong focus on providing clarity, insight and constructive challenge to support better business decisions.
UAE
Danny is a highly accomplished retail, e-commerce and operations executive with more than 35 years of international leadership experience across the UK, Australia and the Middle East. Throughout his career, he has successfully driven commercial growth, business transformation and operational performance for leading retail organisations.
With extensive expertise spanning retail operations, e-commerce, omnichannel strategy and customer experience, Danny is recognised for delivering sustainable business results while maintaining a strong customer focus. He has a proven track record of leading complex transformations, improving performance and building high-performing teams.
Known for his collaborative leadership style and strong commercial acumen, Danny continues to create lasting value for customers, colleagues and stakeholders through innovation, strategic execution and a relentless focus on results.
Qatar & Bahrain
Kiyas is a results-driven retail leader with over 27 years of experience in the GCC supermarket and hypermarket industry. As Head of Retail at Megamart, he leads seven key functions across operations, procurement, people, marketing, store development, finance and facilities, while driving the company’s retail growth and projects across Qatar and Bahrain.
He brings together strong hands-on retail experience with a solid commercial and financial mindset. Throughout his career, Kiyas has focused on building strong store teams, improving profitability and margins, and successfully delivering new store openings, refurbishments and expansion projects.
Kiyas has held senior regional retail leadership roles across the GCC, with responsibility for operations across Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar. Earlier in his career, he held senior retail roles across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, giving him broad retail leadership experience across the GCC.
Perry is an HR leader with more than 14 years of experience across the GCC and India, spanning retail, distribution, technology and shared services. His career has covered the full spectrum of Human Resources, including business partnering, HR operations, talent acquisition, employee relations, learning and development, compensation, workforce planning, HR technology and people analytics.
At Choithrams, Perry leads the Human Resources function across the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, partnering with the CEO and senior leadership team on people strategy, organisational effectiveness and business transformation. He has played a key role in strengthening HR governance, developing shared services, workforce optimisation, leadership and succession planning, culture, policy development and the digitalisation and automation of HR processes.
His focus is on building a simple, efficient and future-ready HR function that understands the business, uses data and technology effectively, develops capable people and creates measurable value for the organisation. Perry is particularly passionate about continuous improvement, building internal capability and creating a culture where colleagues take ownership, keep learning and adapt to change.
GCC
Mark is a dynamic and visionary leader with extensive experience in the FMCG and grocery retail sectors across the Middle East. With a proven track record of driving growth, improving profitability, and leading transformative change, Mark excels in implementing strategies that promote innovation, operational efficiency, and a customer-centric approach.
His expertise spans FMCG, grocery retail, and other key industries such as banking, telecoms, and hospitality, providing him with a unique regional perspective on market dynamics. Known for inspiring high-performance teams and delivering sustainable results, Mark is a strategic communicator and innovative leader. His leadership is defined by a commitment to excellence, positioning organizations for long-term success in the fast-paced and competitive FMCG and grocery retail landscape.
Qatar
With a Masters in Business Administration and an extensive career spanning over 25 years in the FMCG sector with global and Indian MNC corporates, Cherian serves as the General Manager in Qatar for NBK Trading and Megamart. In this capacity, he strategically oversees the expansion of sales within the retail and commerce divisions in Qatar. Cherian is deeply involved in devising and executing comprehensive integrated business plans, fostering cross-functional effectiveness, and instilling a culture of performance, speed, and efficiency within the organization. Embracing a Founders mindset, he firmly believes that the strength of an individual is only as formidable as that of their team, embodying his role as a crucial business stakeholder in Qatar.
Bahrain
As General Manager of Bahrain operations, Anil manages the growth of sales and extends his responsibilities to procurement and leasing for the retail and commerce divisions for the company’s Babasons brand. His three decades experience in the retail industry allows him to successfully guide his team towards their combined goal of increasing sales and ensuring a smooth and seamless customer experience across all stores in the country.
Commerce
With over two decades of expertise in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector in both local and multinational companies across the GCC, Africa and Asia, Kishore, the General Manager - Commerce at Choithrams has a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s intricacies and global dynamics. Centred on the philosophy of ‘performance with purpose’ Kishore is adept at guiding brands to align business decisions with evolving consumer needs, ensuring strategies drive financial success and contribute positively to society.
GCC
GCC
Head of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) at Choithrams, Smitha’s commitment towards her role is evident from her rich experience and vast educational background. Smitha led the first Choithrams supermarket to be certified in HACCP in 2009 and established a stringent and graded internal food safety audit program since 2010 to spearhead the food safety culture in the organization. An ardent believer of UN Sustainable Development Goals works at making key contributions towards the brand’s GRI (Global Reporting Initiatives) membership.
