Basem Shaaban — Erbil, Iraq
Senior Commercial, Marketing & Digital Leader — Healthcare & Commercial Businesses | MENA
I've doubled regional sales, led a 70-person team to national #1, and I now help brands enter and win the MENA market.
About
I've spent 26 years in pharmaceutical commercial, marketing & digital leadership across Iraq and Egypt — working up from medical representative to heading national sales and marketing operations for some of the region's largest companies. Along the way I've led teams of up to 70 people, built sales strategies from the ground up, and managed exclusive distribution portfolios for global manufacturers including Sanofi, Takeda, Baxter and Hikma.
My work covers the full commercial picture — field-force structure, territory management, brand marketing, key accounts, distribution and P&L. Over the past decade I've built deep roots in North Iraq, covering the Kurdistan Region, Mosul and surrounding areas, and I know how decisions actually get made at each level of that market.
On top of the field experience, I hold formal AI and digital-marketing certifications — still uncommon at this level in the Iraqi market — and I use them practically to sharpen targeting, HCP engagement and commercial decision-making.
Track record
A quarter-century of commercial leadership across the region — measured in market share, growth and teams built.
Credentials
Degrees in marketing and science, layered with 35+ commercial, digital and AI certifications. Filter by category, and tap any certificate to view it full-size.
Consulting & advisory
Senior commercial firepower rooted in 26 years of commercial, marketing & digital leadership — plus a modern digital, branding and AI toolkit. Pick any service and send a request; I'll come back to you directly.
Built on 26 years leading sales & marketing across the MENA healthcare and commercial markets.
Distribution strategy, partner selection, regulatory navigation and commercial setup for brands entering Iraq, Kurdistan and the wider MENA market — guided by someone who's done it on the ground.
Turning ambition into a costed commercial plan — priorities, structure, P&L ownership and the execution rhythm that keeps a team on track.
Part-time Head of Sales or Commercial Director for scaling companies that need senior leadership without a full-time hire.
Building, structuring and coaching high-performing teams — from 20 to 70+ people — with the territories, KPIs and incentives that move the numbers.
Launch planning, HCP engagement and brand strategy that connects the brand to prescription and revenue.
Productized programmes in consultative selling, negotiation and territory management, drawn from a career in the field.
Powered by formal AI & digital-marketing certifications and hands-on e-commerce experience.
Fast, modern, professional websites — portfolio, brand or e-commerce — built to convert and easy to maintain.
Positioning, identity and the assets — LinkedIn, CV, one-pagers, profiles — that make a brand land with the right audience.
Content, cadence and community management that builds authority and keeps a brand consistently visible.
SEO/SEM and campaign strategy that turns attention into qualified leads and measurable pipeline.
Storefront build and growth strategy — informed by building and running my own venture, Royalshiny.
Applying AI practically to targeting, content and analytics — turning new tools into a real commercial edge.
Blog
Practical thinking on commercial growth, sales leadership, and where AI is taking commercial strategy.
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are among the region's most promising healthcare markets — and among the most misread. Here's what actually determines whether a brand wins here.
Read →Reaching the top of a national market isn't about hiring the most reps. It's about structure, incentives and a culture people don't want to leave. A field playbook.
Read →While teams argue about whether AI belongs in pharma, a few commercial leaders are already using it to target, forecast and coach. The gap is opening now.
Read →Get in touch
Whether you're hiring for a leadership role, requesting a service, or exploring MENA market entry, I'd be glad to hear from you.
