by CRM Transformation in the Middle East:
Estée Lauder on Consumer Insights in MENA
Editor’s note: In the lead-up to MRMW MENA 2025 in Dubai, we are spotlighting thought leadership from our speakers to share the latest perspectives shaping the insights industry. In this feature, Estée Lauder’s Pedro Aguilar Dominguez, Consumer Insights, CRM & Data Lead Middle East, explores how CRM in the Middle East is evolving from notebooks to AI—reshaping consumer engagement, building trust, and unlocking new opportunities for growth through insights.
MRMW: We are happy to have you with us. Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk at MRMW MENA and what would you like delegates to remember?
Pedro: The heart of my talk is about the transformative journey of CRM in the Middle East – from notebooks to AI. I want delegates to remember that successful CRM is not just about data collection, but about building trust, integrating fragmented sources, and leveraging AI to deliver personalization at scale. Ultimately, CRM in MENA is about respecting cultural engagement preferences while unlocking growth through insights.
MRMW: How has this impacted your own work and your organisation?
Pedro: This evolution has had a direct impact on how I work and how our organisation approaches consumer engagement. By centralizing and integrating CRM, we’ve moved from fragmented and manual processes to an ecosystem that drives actionable insights, personalization, and long-term loyalty. It has shifted CRM from a support tool into a strategic growth driver for the business.
MRMW: In your experience, what are the biggest barriers to embedding insights as a commercial partner across the business, and how have you overcome them in your organisation?
Pedro: The biggest barriers are:
- Data reluctance and privacy concerns among consumers in the Middle East.
- Fragmented data ownership between brands, retailers, and loyalty programs.
We’ve overcome these by focusing on trust and value exchange with consumers, ensuring data is handled responsibly, and by building collaborative frameworks with retail partners that enable data sharing. By demonstrating how insights can drive commercial returns, we’ve elevated the role of CRM and insights from “reporting” to strategic partnership.
MRMW: As with any region, what would you say are two opportunities to seize, and two challenges to overcome, that are particularly relevant in the MENA region?
Pedro: Opportunities:
- Rapid adoption of AI offers a chance to accelerate personalization and predictive analytics.
- A young, digitally native consumer base that is highly engaged on social and messaging platforms.
Challenges:
- Reluctance to share personal data and limited trust in how it’s used.
- Market fragmentation, with different players holding pieces of the consumer journey, making unified insights difficult.
MRMW: If you could put out a call to external partners – agencies, technology, tools and/or tech stack providers – what can they do to support you better?
Pedro: We need partners who can help us:
- Provide agile, interoperable solutions that integrate across multiple platforms and retail systems.
- Support us in simplifying the tech stack to avoid silos.
- Offer tools that balance personalization with privacy, helping us respect consumer trust while still delivering value.
MRMW: Outside of work, what should delegates talk to you about at MRMW MENA?
Pedro: Outside of work, I’m passionate about travel, wellness, and sports; from yoga and swimming to discovering new cultures. I also enjoy listening to podcasts and reading about psychology and hot topics such as AI, longevity, and how technology is shaping the way we live and connect.
MRMW: Thank you so much, Pedro! We look forward to hearing more from you at MRMW MENA 2025 in Dubai!
Driving CX Insights and Market Research in the Middle East
Merlien Institute is proud to bring its global MRMW conference series to Dubai in 2025! We are excited to host the 2nd MRMW in the MENA region, following strong demand from our community.
Join us on 26–27 November 2025 to explore the latest market research and CX strategies from senior leaders at global and regional brands. Hear from Pedro Dominguez on CRM transformation, as well as:
- Sayantan Sarkar – Head of Insight & Analytics, MENAP, Mondelez International
- Amanda Cano – VP, Head of UX and Design, Mashreq Bank
- Ankesh Agarwal – Director, Group Customer Experience, Majid Al Futtaim
… and many more!
Gain actionable insights into local trends, benchmark against global best practices, and learn from leading experts shaping the future of CX and market research. Register today to secure your place!
