Hamda Baker is the VP of GMG's Health & Beauty Division, leading the strategic growth and transformation of the group’s pharmacy and wellness portfolio across the GCC. Overseeing flagship brands including Supercare Pharmacy, Arabella Pharmacy, and Good Health Nutrition, she drives the division’s expansion across retail, e-commerce, and Q-commerce channels. With a vision to redefine how consumers experience health, Hamda has repositioned GMG’s brands around the concept of holistic wellness, bridging pharmaceuticals, beauty, nutrition, and lifestyle under one umbrella. Her leadership combines strategic foresight with creative innovation, launching immersive retail experiences, digital wellness platforms, and category-driven growth strategies that are reshaping the region’s approach to everyday wellbeing and elevating GMG as a regional wellness leader.1.Give us an overview of your organisation. What are your key activities and strategic focus within the healthcare sector, particularly across the GCC and MENA region?GMG’s Health & Beauty Division is a leading regional player driving the transformation of the healthcare retail landscape across the GCC and MENA. Our portfolio spans pharmacy, wellness, beauty, and nutrition, anchored by trusted retail banners such as Supercare Pharmacy, Arabella Pharmacy, and Good Health Nutrition. Our core activities include the distribution, retail, and marketing of leading global and regional health and wellness brands, with a growing presence across brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and Q-commerce platforms. Strategically, we are focused on shifting from a transactional “healthcare” model to a holistic “wellness ecosystem”—bridging preventive health, functional nutrition, dermo cosmetics, and lifestyle wellness. Through data-driven strategies, consumer-centric innovation, and strong regional partnerships, GMG’s Health & Beauty Division continues to expand access to wellness, champion localization and digital transformation, and position itself as a trusted wellness authority across the Middle East.

2. What emerging trends and critical challenges do you believe are most significantly influencing the industry's trajectory in this region?

The health and wellness industry across the GCC and MENA is rapidly evolving, shaped by shifting consumer expectations, growing health awareness, and digital transformation. Consumers are moving away from reactive healthcare toward a more proactive, preventive, and holistic approach—seeking integrated solutions that combine nutrition, beauty, fitness, and mental wellbeing. Personalization through data, diagnostics, and wearable technology is driving demand for tailored health and skincare solutions, while the rise of e-commerce is redefining accessibility and convenience. At the same time, consumers are increasingly drawn to clean, ethical, and sustainable brands that reflect transparency and purpose. However, the industry continues to face challenges such as bridging the gap between traditional healthcare and modern wellness and ensuring education and trust in new product categories. Overall, the region is transitioning from a pharmacy-led model to a lifestyle-driven wellness ecosystem, where credibility, innovation, and emotional connection with consumers will determine long-term success.

3. What is your strategic outlook for the healthcare sector over the next decade? How do you anticipate the industry will evolve?

Over the next decade, the GCC and MENA healthcare landscape will increasingly merge clinical care with consumer wellness. The focus will shift toward prevention, with retail pharmacies transforming into omni-channel wellness hubs that integrate diagnostics, telehealth, supplements, dermocosmetics, and lifestyle support. Artificial intelligence will drive true personalization—moving from generic product categories to tailored wellness protocols informed by biomarkers, wearables, and behavioral data. Home-based testing, remote monitoring, and pharmacist-led services will expand accessibility, while interoperable data systems connect payers and retailers to enable outcome-based programs. We expect continued consolidation around platform ecosystems, a surge in women’s and metabolic health, and deeper integration of mental wellbeing. For GMG’s Health & Beauty Division, the strategy centers on building a connected wellness ecosystem that combines in-store experience, digital engagement, first-party data, loyalty, and evidence-led product curation—empowering consumers to move seamlessly from symptom to solution with trust, personalization, and measurable outcomes.

4. What role does innovation play in your organisation's strategic framework? Please elaborate on your R&D initiatives and share insights into any significant projects currently in development or recently launched.

Innovation sits at the core of GMG’s Health & Beauty Division’s strategy, driving our transformation from a traditional pharmacy business into a holistic wellness ecosystem. Our approach to innovation spans product, experience, and digital intelligence—anchored in consumer insight and data-led decision-making. We focus on reimagining how wellness is discovered, experienced, and personalized across our retail network. Recent initiatives include the creation of The Wellness House, an immersive multi-brand activation that blends science with experience, offering nutrition in a way that consumers can relate to as part of their daily routine. Across every pillar, innovation is not a department—it’s a mindset that fuels our mission to make wellness accessible, engaging, and personalized for every consumer in the region.

5. How is your organisation integrating sustainability principles into your healthcare operations? If any, what specific initiatives have you implemented to minimise environmental impact and advance sustainable healthcare practices?

Sustainability is a core pillar of GMG’s purpose and business strategy, embedded through its “Make a Difference” framework launched in 2022. Across the Health & Beauty Division, this commitment translates into promoting clean, sustainable, and cruelty-free brands, reducing environmental impact through responsible sourcing, and fostering community wellbeing. GMG continues to align its operations with global sustainability goals—integrating environmental stewardship, ethical product choices, and social responsibility to build a healthier, more sustainable future for the region.

6.What innovations or solutions is your organisation planning to present at WHX Dubai 2026? Are there any particular offerings you are especially excited to showcase and experience yourself?

At WHX Dubai 2026, GMG’s Health & Beauty Division will showcase the future of wellness retail through immersive, data-driven, and experience-led innovations. The focus will be on demonstrating how we are transforming the traditional pharmacy model into a connected wellness ecosystem—where diagnostics, personalization, and lifestyle integration come together seamlessly. We will also highlight a curated portfolio of global wellness brands spanning nutrition, skincare, and holistic health. Beyond retail, our vision is to expand this ecosystem across our extensive distribution network, ensuring that holistic wellness solutions are accessible to consumers throughout the region. Personally, I’m most excited about showcasing how this model brings wellness to life—making it interactive, personalized, and truly human.

7. Is there anything else you would like to add?

What we ultimately want to emphasize is the need to re-educate consumers on the evolving role of pharmacies. Pharmacies are no longer just places to dispense medication—they are becoming trusted wellness destinations that empower individuals to take charge of their health proactively. As a region, we need to shift the mindset from treating illness to investing in longevity—understanding that true wellbeing starts from within and extends to how we live, eat, move, and care for ourselves daily. At GMG, our mission is to make that shift tangible by building spaces, experiences, and product portfolios that help people nurture their health inside out—turning wellness from a reaction into a lifestyle.