RA International Services

As RA is the official distributor for Gaia’s products in the GCC, Ali Jalliko helps clients access packaging solutions that are innovative, efficient, and environmentally responsible. He brings a proven track record in product innovation, sales and business development, cross-functional project leadership, and industrial cost control.

As RA x Gaia’s Sales Manager, Ali develops sales plans, builds new business, and manages client relationships across the region. He has worked extensively with leading packaging manufacturers and suppliers, expanding market presence, driving revenue growth, and introducing solutions that align with RA’s sustainability vision, supporting a more sustainable future in the HORECA and retail sectors.

Antonia is a procurement and supply chain expert with 12 years’ experience specialising in the African and Middle-Eastern regions. Her expertise ranges from strategic vendor sourcing and management, service enhancements, procedures development, and training programs for the development of supply chain staff.

As Procurement and Logistics Manager, Antonia's goal is to implement strategic sourcing initiatives that improve cost and service efficiency while upholding high quality standards.

Antonia holds a Master’s degree in Financial Analysis and Business Management from Economics University in Greece.

Arlene is responsible for the preparation and consolidation of all monthly, interim and annual financial reports, for both internal and external release. She works with the Interim CFO and FP&A team on review of financial results.

Arlene joined RA in December 2009 as a General Accountant in-charge with transactions relating to Chad. Then she became a Senior Financial Accountant and eventually assumed the role as GFM in November 2020 in head office.

Arlene is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA-Phil) registered Cost Accountant and member of Institute of Certified Management Accountants in Australia (ICMA-RCA, AU).

Since joining RA in 2006, Baby Lyne has consistently honed her skills across various financial functions. In the period from 2022 to 2023, she took the lead in successfully implementing a new ERP system, highlighting her adaptability and strong leadership qualities.

Now, as the Finance Manager-FP&A (Financial Planning & Analysis), Baby Lyne is strategically positioned to oversee financial planning, resource allocation, and budget development within the organization. This pivotal role entails ensuring that budgets are strategically aligned, resources are optimally distributed, and accurate financial analyses are provided to support well-informed decision-making.

Before joining RA, Baby Lyne dedicated almost a decade to finance roles at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the Philippines, further enriching her professional journey.

Charbel is RA’s Head of Sales, responsible for driving sales and business development across our global operations, strengthening existing markets and opening new ones.
With 22 years of international experience across the Middle East, Africa and global markets, including more than 15 years in the humanitarian sector supporting UN agencies and NGOs, Charbel has built strong expertise in supply chain, strategic leadership, and business development. In the private sector, he has unlocked new markets and delivered innovative, sustainable solutions in some of the world’s most complex environments. Charbel combines his hands-on experience with strong academic foundations, holding a BA in MIS and a Business Strategy qualification from Harvard Business School.

Collin is the General Manager for RA in Somalia, where he is responsible for developing business and delivering high-quality projects for RA's clients in the region. Prior to this, Collin served as the General Manager in Suriname and Libya, where he played a key role in overseeing project delivery and business development in a challenging environment. His experience in Suriname and Libya, along with his roles as Project Manager in Somalia and Oman, has shaped his hands-on management approach, ensuring efficient and effective service for RA’s clients.

Before joining RA, Colin spent 22 years within the British Army as a Controls Engineer. Colin’s passion lies within Power Generation, and he is an FG Wilson, Deep Sea Electronics (DSE) and ComAp trained engineer.

Dave Marshall is a UK qualified chartered accountant, beginning his career in auditing at KPMG in 2008, before moving to the UAE to become Senior Finance Manager for Driver Group Plc. As CFO, Dave is responsible for overseeing the Finance function, including forecasting, financial reporting, audit and taxation. Before becoming CFO, Dave spent 6 years with RA as our Group Financial Controller, supporting the previous CFO, as well as taking ownership over designing, reviewing and implementing all our financial processes and procedures, including managing our cash flow.

Deepu Sankar is RA International’s IT Manager, responsible for overseeing every aspect of the company’s systems and technology strategy. He also manages our networks, servers, data security, storage, IT support, IT assets, maintenance records, software licensing and IT purchasing needs. Before joining us in 2015, Deepu worked for Emirates Hospital Group in Dubai, and with Arco Turnkey Solutions, among other things. He has a BTech in Electronics and Communication from Anna University in India and an MSc in Network Systems Engineering from University of Plymouth (UK). He is a certified CCNP, CCNA and MCITP professional, with expertise across technical and systems fields.

Diptarup has over 10 years’ experience in construction warehouse operations across the UAE and India. As Warehouse Manager, his main goal is to manage and oversee warehouse operations for the RA Group through building and implementing standards processes across all RA's sites. Diptarup holds an MBA in Supply Chain from Sikkim Manipal University.

Donatella is our Compliance Officer based in Dubai.

Her responsibilities involve ensuring compliance with ethical standards, updating our policies, designing ongoing training programs, and collaborating with other departments to ensure that business policies are followed.

Over the last 17 years, she has worked as a Compliance Manager at an oil and gas company and previously at an international NGO and the Italian Embassy in Damascus.

Haythem is a Chartered Professional Engineer by Engineers Australia, an Associate of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (UK), and a Certified Quality Engineer/Auditor by the ASQ. With over twenty years track record in leading Integrated HSSEQ Management Systems, and assisted by RA core team of seasoned professionals, he is committed to sustaining RA adherence to the highest industry standards in Health, Safety, Security, Environmental Conservation, Quality, and Operational Excellence.

Before joining RA in 2021, his career spanned the Middle East and Asia Pacific, where he had successfully accomplished a broad array of projects in Engineering, Construction, Defence, Infrastructure, Energy, Supply Chain, and Facility Management.
Haythem is fluent in Arabic, English, and French.

Jilsha Bharathan is RA’s Forecast and Demand Planner- Food Category. Her responsibilities include monitoring inventory levels and overseeing supply chain activities, ensuring timely replenishment and availability of food items across RA’s operational locations.

Prior to joining RA, she worked with Philip Morris International, Transmed and MMI in various Demand Planning roles. Jilsha holds a Master’s degree - MBA in Marketing from Sikkim Manipal University, India.

John is RA’s HR Manager in Somalia, responsible for developing HR strategies that support both day-to-day operations and long-term business goals. His focus is on creating a workplace culture that is resilient, collaborative and people-driven, ensuring staff remain engaged and supported even in challenging environments.

With more than two decades of international HR experience, John has held leadership roles across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, including with UN-related projects, multinational companies and in post-conflict zones. He previously served as HR Officer for RA’s Oman MOD project and later rejoined RA to support the Somalia operation. His career has equipped him with deep expertise in employee relations, compliance, and cross-border workforce management.

Joseph is the General Manager for RA in both South Sudan and Sudan, where he plays a key role in delivering high-quality services to RA's clients while also driving business development in the region. Joseph joined RA in 2010 as an Assistant Administrator and has since held various positions across multiple countries.

Initially working as an HR Officer in Somalia, Uganda, and the Central African Republic (CAR), Joseph later became the HR Manager in South Sudan. Over the years, he has been deeply involved in resource management, the implementation of company policies, and the administration of human resources and operations.

Prior to joining RA, Joseph worked with Total Uganda as an Administrator. Joseph holds and brings a wealth of experience overseeing overall Human Resources and operations administration, company structure, and company policies.

Judeline Cunningham is our Head of Human Resources. She works closely with line managers to ensure the communication and consistent application of employment conditions, company policies, and procedures. She also assists with the development of line management through coaching and training.

Since joining us in 2005, Judeline has developed HR policies and programs for recruitment, talent sourcing, performance, and discipline. Based on her own experience, she supports individuals at RA International to grow their careers in a supportive environment, providing them with the resources and opportunities to build on their strengths and develop their talents.

As Head of Sustainability, Kat is responsible for developing, implementing, and monitoring RA’s ESG strategy and initiatives. Working closely with senior management across the organisation, Kat ensures that our sustainability ambitions are imbedded within the organisation and sustainability is being addressed as and when strategic or operational decisions are made.

Kat has spent the last ten years in East Africa supporting businesses with their sustainability programmes and risk management. Prior to this, Kat worked at C. Hoare & Co, the UK’s oldest private bank, growing the bank’s philanthropic and impact investing offering.

Kat holds a BA from Bristol University in Politics and Italian and a Master’s degree from CASS Business School in Philanthropy, Grant Making and Social Investment.

Lars Narfeldt has served for over two decades in pivotal leadership and development roles in some of the world’s most challenging environments. As COO at RA International, he is responsible for day-to-day operations across the Company. His role also encompasses setting CSR strategy, HR, communications and marketing and compliance. He has been instrumental in developing RA International’s strong brand equity amongst the Company’s clients, geographies and markets.

Lars spent the first 15 years of his post university career working with the Swedish government and the UN. He worked with SIDA in Palestine and with the UN in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uzbekistan, Sierra Leone and Afghanistan. While in Sierra Leone Lars managed a team of over 2,000 individuals and ran the UN Volunteer Programme.

Mansi is our Financial Planning and Analysis Manager. She drafts our budgets, reports gross margins for the group, performs variance analysis and mentors project managers and finance teams in our operational areas on budget functionalities. Mansi joined RA in 2018 with almost a decade of experience in financial functions across industries in the UAE.  

Marby is a licensed Civil Engineer holding a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and additional expertise in Quantity Surveying. She has over 18 years of extensive international experience in quantity surveying, cost control, and bid estimation across West Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines. Since joining RA International in 2018, she has devoted the last five years to excelling as a Bid Quantity Surveyor/Civil Estimator. Recently, Marby has embraced a new challenge by accepting the position of Proposal Lead. In this role, she will assume responsibility for leading the meticulous development and submission of proposals, leveraging her extensive experience and skill set.

As the leader of RA’s Construction and Project Management teams, Neil Knox is dedicated to equipping our teams with the tools, resources, and expertise necessary for the successful delivery of projects. With a strong focus on safety, efficiency, and quality, he fosters a collaborative environment that drives teamwork and ensures all efforts are aligned with RA’s global objectives.

With over 20 years of experience in managing construction and infrastructure projects worldwide, Neil brings a practical, solution-oriented approach to every challenge. His background in engineering and project management enables him to guide projects through effective and responsible delivery.

Neil holds multiple certifications in Project Management and Engineering, and is dedicated to building strong partnerships while maintaining the highest standards across all projects.

Pedro is the Talent Acquisition Manager at RA, where he is responsible for leading recruitment initiatives and overseeing talent acquisition strategies across the organization. He began his journey with RA in 2017 as a Recruiter and has advanced through key roles, including Recruitment Officer and Recruitment Specialist, before stepping into his current leadership position.

With over 17 years of experience in HR and recruitment, Pedro has developed a diverse skill set across multiple sectors, including Oil & Gas, Retail and Real Estate, with a focus on the African and UAE markets.

Throughout his tenure at RA, Pedro has established a strong foundation in Human resources and Talent acquisition. His extensive experience includes recruiting for high-risk and remote locations such as Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, and Libya, which has honed his ability to tackle complex recruitment challenges and operate in high-pressure environments. Pedro’s adaptability in meeting the unique needs of each sector, particularly within demanding industries, has been key to his success.

As the Group Legal & Risk Manager at RA International, Rana Dia assumes a pivotal role in shaping the organization's risk management strategy. Beyond her responsibilities in drafting and reviewing corporate legal documentation and commercial contracts, Rana is instrumental in crafting and implementing the risk management strategy of the Group. Working closely with our Chief Executive Officer, she ensures meticulous monitoring of risk factors across various operational domains, enabling proactive mitigation measures.

Rana's comprehensive approach extends to overseeing the details of our corporate governance documents, fostering seamless cooperation with regulators, and providing guidance to operational staff. With a rich background in both legal and banking sectors along with her qualifications in risk management, Rana brings invaluable insights to the table, augmenting the robustness of our risk management framework.

Her dedication to ensuring corporate compliance and her fluency in Arabic, French, and English further enrich her contributions to RA International's success.

With over 15 years of progressive experience, Rehma started her career at RA where she directed and managed the HR team in Kenya as an HR Generalist, providing operational HR advice to management and assisting with the development of country HR policies and procedures. Rehma now leads Human Resources Operations in Sudan as an HR Manager. She provides strategic HR counsel to management and front-line support to HR teams and staff members. Her comprehensive work encompasses the development and implementation of HR policies tailored to regional and organisational needs, navigating dynamic, conflict-prone regions with resilience and adaptability, and supporting teams through recruitment, retention, employee relations, and compliance guidance. Rehma holds a BA degree in Urban Planning from Makerere University as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in HR Management.

Roberto Bruni, with a 12 years background as an officer of the Italian Navy has lead military operations in different theatres under NATO. From 1999 as a senior executive he covered different positions in multinational companies and in many countries. In the last 11 years, as CEO, COO and CCO, he worked in IFM, Catering and Construction companies leading projects in some of the world’s most challenging countries and environments.

At RA Roberto guides our business development strategy and also plays a pivotal role within the EMT, contributing to the development and implementation of comprehensive strategies that will drive our growth and success.

As Head of Integrated Facility Management Ryan is responsible for developing service and quality initiatives across our global portfolio. Ryan has a strong service background thanks to several years in the hospitality industry, and he also brings valuable experience from the food production, storage and logistics business. More recently, Ryan has been developing life support services in remote locations across Africa – working on sites with up to 20,000 people. At RA, his main tasks are to plan, budget and implement cost-effective and sustainable services throughout all our operational areas, in accordance with global standards.

Shoaib is a UK-qualified chartered accountant (FCCA) with more than 15 years of experience in financial reporting and auditing. He comes from a diverse background of working with one of the Big 4 firms, Ernst & Young for more than five years as well as managing financial positions for various industries.

Shoaib joined RA International in 2017 as Finance Manager in Somalia and has worked at various operational locations in RA before moving to the head office in 2022. Shoaib is currently working as a Finance Manager - Special Projects and is responsible for leading and overseeing assigned finance projects reporting and ensuring compliance with appropriate standards and regulatory requirements. His expertise lies in managing and controlling financial operations along with process improvements & internal controls in remote location/high-risk regions. He has in-depth knowledge of accounting principles, policies, and standards.

Soraya Narfeldt founded RA International in 2004 and has led
the Company to becoming a leading remote site service provider. Since founding RA, Soraya has turned the Company into a multifaceted organisation with operations in the Middle East and across Africa, employing over 2,000 staff. In 2018, Soraya identified the need for the Company to take the leap to become a public company and led RA International through the process of listing on AIM.

Soraya is a strong advocate and supporter of responsible business practices and community-based enterprises. She is a regular contributor and speaker on the subject to high profile journals and international forums.

As a Head of Bids at RA International, Steven leads a multidisciplinary team to produce fully compliant technical and commercial proposals for our clients. His proposals are accurate and cost-efficient, incorporating the latest technology and engineering best practice. Before he joined us in 2016, Steven worked as a bid writer, specializing in Life Support Services for contracts in the Middle East. He began his career in 1989 with the UK Ministry of Defense, and served in several roles across Europe and the Middle East. Steven’s education and qualifications include MCIPS Chartered Institute of Purchase and Supply and qualifications in auditing and commercial principles and practices.

As Contracts Manager, Walter systematically and efficiently manages contractual matters with the purpose of maximising financial and operational performance, while building and maintaining healthy client relations. His role entails amongst others negotiating terms and conditions, drafting contractual correspondence, and managing contract administration activities. Walter joined RA in 2021 with almost three decades’ experience in Contracts Management across Africa, mainly in the mining construction industry.