Edtech startup, Abwaab, appoints Sabri Hakim as co-founder & COO

Sabri Hakim, former general manager at Careem for the Levant, has joined the online learning platform, Abwaab, as Co-founder & Chief Operating Officer. Hakim will join co-founders Hamdi Tabbaa and Hussein Alsarabi at a pivotal time for Abwaab which recently started selling subscriptions in Jordan and is slated to launch in other markets in the region. The startup has experienced growth since its product went live in February 2020 and this move adds further momentum.

Hakim, who has been an advisor for the startup since its inception and a strong believer in its mission to make high-quality education more accessible, decided to leave his executive role at Careem earlier this month and team up with to disrupt education in the MENA region.

Hamdi Tabbaa, CEO & Co-founder, Abwaab, said, “Sabri and I have worked with and against each other as rivals for four years from when I was Uber's GM for the Levant. Looking back, I believe that our fierce competition served as a huge impetus for us both so I’m very much looking forward to seeing what we can achieve being on the same team for a change.”

Hakim, a seasoned entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the startup world, joined Careem in 2015 as general manager for the Levant. During his tenure, he built Careem’s Levant operations from the ground up, supporting tens of thousands of drivers and over a million customers. Previously, he helped co-found Jeeran, an intel-backed company, serving as the director of its community team across seven countries. In 2010, he built and exited his first venture, Talasim.

“I look forward to creating the same impact that Careem had on transportation with Abwaab on education,” says Hakim. “Education is a human right. Our region faces many challenges making it difficult for students to access high-quality education consistently. Abwaab’s mission to make world class education accessible and affordable is something I’m excited to be a part of.”