Dr. Ziad Abu-el-Zeet, CEng MIET, is a distinguished entrepreneur, chartered engineer, and business leader with a unique career spanning academia, global engineering, and international food trade. He is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Yaffa Limited, a UK-based family business established in 2010 with a clear mission: to create sustainable international market access for Palestinian farmers and producers.
Under Dr. Abu-el-Zeet’s leadership, Yaffa Limited has grown from a start-up with an initial turnover of approximately £180,000 into a globally recognised brand with annual revenues of around £5 million. What began with a focused offering of Palestinian Medjoul dates and olive oil has evolved into a diversified portfolio of high-quality products, including herbs, spices, black seed products, and premium dates sourced from Palestine, Medina, Algeria, and Tunisia. Today, Yaffa is a household name associated with quality, authenticity, and ethical sourcing.
Dr. Abu-el-Zeet has played a central role in Yaffa’s international expansion, building distribution networks across more than 20 countries, including markets in Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North America, Africa, and Australia. He has also overseen the development of multiple complementary brands such as Palestinian Delights, Golden Dome, and Al-Rayyan, enabling the company to serve diverse consumer segments while maintaining consistent quality standards. In the UK, Yaffa products have been successfully supplied to major retailers including Asda and Sainsbury’s, as well as leading distributors in the ethnic and mainstream food sectors.
Before entering the food and agribusiness sector, Dr. Abu-el-Zeet built a strong technical and academic foundation. He began his career as a post-doctoral research assistant at City University London, followed by senior engineering roles at ALSTOM Power in the UK and consultancy engagements with ALSTOM in Switzerland. He also served as an Assistant Professor at Bir Zeit University in Palestine, combining academic leadership with international consultancy work. This blend of technical expertise, analytical thinking, and commercial insight has strongly influenced his approach to building scalable, resilient businesses.
In addition to his commercial achievements, Dr. Abu-el-Zeet is a Founding Member of the Muslim Trade Forum, where he actively contributes to advancing ethical trade, halal market development, and cross-border collaboration among Muslim-led enterprises. As a speaker at international platforms such as Alimentaria, he brings a compelling perspective on building global brands rooted in authenticity, sustainability, and social impact, and on how halal and values-driven trade can unlock new opportunities in global food markets.