XS.com has appointed Omar Alaa as its MENA Marketing Director, the multi-asset broker announced today (Wednesday). The hire extends a pattern at the Dubai-headquartered firm, which has now drawn three senior figures from rival Exness.
Alaa spent close to ten years at the Cyprus-based broker, most recently as Social Media Manager for the MENA region. The appointment follows XS.com's hiring of Simon-Peter Massabni as Head of Retail Sales in March, another executive who arrived directly from Exness.
In his new role, Alaa will oversee the broker's marketing operations across the Middle East and North Africa, covering campaign execution, digital performance, partnerships and audience engagement, the company said.
"I am honored to join XS.com at such a significant stage," Alaa commented on the appointment, adding that he intends to focus on regional engagement and marketing performance across MENA markets.
A Decade at Exness Ends With a Move to a Direct Competitor
Alaa joined Exness as a freelancer in 2016 and became a full-time social media specialist in 2020, working remotely from Egypt before relocating to Cyprus in late 2024. His work covered paid media, influencer campaigns and partner-focused projects across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and other Arab markets.
His last working day at Exness was May 5, 2026, according to a farewell post he published on LinkedIn. Roughly a month later, he resurfaced at one of the broker's most active regional rivals.
"After a long journey filled with success, achievements, and unforgettable memories with Exness, the time has come for me to move forward toward a new challenge," he wrote a month ago.
The new title also represents a step up. At Exness, Alaa managed social media channels, while at XS.com he takes responsibility for the entire MENA marketing function.
The Exness-to-XS.com Pipeline Keeps Flowing
Alaa is the third senior arrival at XS.com with an Exness background. Group CEO Mohamad Ibrahim spent about three years as the rival's Regional Director for MENA before taking the top job at XS.com in early 2023.
Massabni, hired in March, previously served as Exness' Country Manager for MENA Commercial Management in Limassol. Departures from the volume leader have fed other firms too, with former operations executive Mateusz Wyka becoming CEO of online trading firm YWO in January.
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"Omar's appointment supports our continued focus on strengthening marketing execution across the MENA region," said Wael Hammad, Group Chief Commercial Officer at XS.com, who discussed the broker's regional plans for 2026 in an interview with Finance Magnates late last year.
Brokers Race for MENA Talent as Regional Volumes Climb
The hire lands in the middle of an industry-wide push into the Middle East. XS.com itself opened its first Kuwait office in July 2025 and later added licenses in Mauritius and the UAE, bringing its regulatory approvals to eight jurisdictions.
Competitors are making similar moves. Tickmill signed a local brand ambassador in Kuwait in November 2025, while Exness obtained a new license in Jordan around the same time XS.com secured its UAE permit.
The commercial logic is visible in the numbers. Capital.com reported that its MENA trading volumes reached $804.1 billion in the first half of 2025, up 53% from the previous six months, with the UAE alone generating more than 70% of that activity.
Against that backdrop, regional marketing leadership has become a contested resource, and brokers are increasingly filling those seats with people who built their careers at the largest player in the segment.
