Foodics Chief Operating Officer Djamel Mohand resigns to initiate a new business endeavor
In an exciting development for the tech industry in Saudi Arabia, Djamel Mohand, the former Chief Operating Officer of Foodics, has co-founded and launched a new startup called Governata. This Riyadh-based company marks a significant milestone as Saudi Arabia's first Arabic data governance platform.
Governata is designed to revolutionise enterprise data management, offering an AI-driven solution tailored specifically for the Saudi market and its regulatory frameworks. The platform aims to automate data discovery, quality control, personal data protection, and compliance tracking, all while adhering to the National Data Management Office (NDMO) and Saudi PDPL regulations.
The startup's key features include an intuitive Arabic-friendly interface, automated compliance monitoring, data classification and cataloguing, personal data protection, and user access management. Governata's localization strategy emphasises supporting local talent through government initiatives and ensuring data sovereignty by hosting data on-premises or in local clouds in compliance with Saudi regulations.
With Governata, Saudi and global organisations can efficiently and responsibly manage their data, supporting better decision-making and aligning with national AI policies. The startup also aims to boost local talent development in data engineering and analytics.
Before his venture into Governata, Djamel Mohand worked with Rocket Internet on Jeeny (previously known as Easy Taxi). Prior to that, he spent nearly five years at Foodics, where he played a pivotal role in the company's growth and expansion. During his tenure, he managed over 2,000 team members and led Foodics to process over 6 billion orders since its inception.
Foodics, the leading SaaS and fintech platform in the F&B sector of the Middle East & North Africa, recently earmarked $100 million for M&A over the next three years. The company has also made strategic acquisitions, such as the UK-based self-ordering platform Solo, and invested in three startups. Foodics reported $6 billion GMV and 29% revenue growth in H1 2025, making it one of the most promising SaaS companies in the MENA region.
As Djamel Mohand embarks on this new journey with Governata, the tech industry eagerly awaits the impact his expertise and leadership will have on the data governance landscape in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Governata's innovative AI-driven solution in the field of enterprise data management, launched by Djamel Mohand, aims to cater specifically to the Saudi market's business and regulatory requirements. The platform's localization strategy includes supporting local talent and ensuring data sovereignty by adhering to Saudi regulations, thereby positioning Governata as a key player in Saudi Arabia's tech industry and data governance sector, potentially influencing the regional fintech landscape as well.
