Komerz appoints Shahid Sadiq as Group Finance Chief

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Komerz has appointed Shahid Sadiq as Group Chief Financial Officer. He joins from WPP.

Sadiq is among the latest senior hires at the UK-founded commerce business as it expands through acquisitions and international growth.

He brings two decades of experience in marketing communications finance. At WPP, he served as Global CFO of WPP Specialist Communications and PR, overseeing finance across a portfolio of operating companies in multiple markets.

Earlier in his career, Sadiq held senior finance and operating roles at Geometry Global and McCann Worldgroup EMEA. He has also served on listed and private company boards as an adviser and Non-Executive Director.

At Komerz, he will lead group finance, capital allocation, investment strategy, fundraising, governance, performance management and investor relations. He will also support the company’s acquisition programme and overseas expansion across four global hubs.

The appointment comes as Komerz pursues a growth financing round valuing the business at GBP £500 million. Founded in 2023, it has completed more than GBP £50 million of acquisitions across brands, technology and marketing businesses.

Those deals include haircare brand NOUGHTY, wine retailer Great Wines Direct, US-based marketing measurement and attribution company Pathformance Technologies, and brand and marketing consultancy Glassbox.

Acquisition push

Komerz has built its strategy around linking marketing, commerce, data and distribution in a single operating model. It says this structure is designed to connect brand activity with sales conversion, retail planning and revenue measurement.

Its platform, the Komerz Operating System, sits at the centre of that approach. The system combines data, planning and execution across areas including consumer targeting, demand forecasting, channel optimisation and market expansion.

The company has grown quickly since launch, and the arrival of a new finance chief points to a greater focus on managing a more complex group structure as acquisitions are integrated and new capital is raised.

Ramesh Krishnamurthy, Chief Executive Officer, said: “Shahid’s appointment marks another significant milestone in Komerz’s evolution. As we continue to grow and strengthen our global presence, his experience leading complex international organisations and delivering disciplined growth will be invaluable. We are building for the long term, and Shahid brings the financial leadership needed for the next stage of our journey.”

Siddarth Shankar, Chief Operating Officer, said: “Komerz is creating a new kind of commercial growth platform, combining brands, technology, data and distribution within a single ecosystem. Shahid brings world-class financial and operational expertise that will help us accelerate growth, integrate acquisitions effectively, and continue building a category-defining business.”

For Komerz, the appointment underlines the importance of financial oversight at a time when younger technology-led groups are using acquisitions to assemble broader commercial platforms. Bringing in a senior executive from a large listed advertising group may also help reassure investors as the company seeks fresh funding.

Sadiq said the scale of the opportunity was a key factor in his move.

He said: “Komerz is building a highly differentiated platform at the intersection of commerce, distribution, AI and performance-led growth, with a clear vision and significant opportunities ahead. The opportunity to help scale this globally through disciplined investment, profitable expansion and strategic acquisitions is extremely compelling. I look forward to working with the leadership team to build a world-class omni-channel distribution business for brands.”