Richard Abi Chahla - Senior Product Manager

Q: Where is Richard based?

Richard is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and prefers 100% remote projects.

Q: What languages does Richard speak?

Richard speaks the following languages: Arabic (Native), English (Advanced), French (Intermediate) .

Q: How many years of experience does Richard have?

Richard has at least 23 years of experience. During this time, Richard has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 10 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 4 months . Note that Richard may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Richard's latest experience?

Richard's most recent position is Senior Product Manager at Varda AG .

Q: What companies has Richard worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Richard has worked for Varda AG , Toptal , and Purple Brains .

Q: Which industries is Richard most experienced in?

Richard is most experienced in industries like Information Technology , Banking and Finance , and Healthcare . Richard also has some experience in Professional Services , Agriculture , and Tourism .

Q: Which business areas is Richard most experienced in?

Richard is most experienced in business areas like Product Development , Strategy , and Sales . Richard also has some experience in Information Technology , Operations , and Research and Development .

Q: Which industries has Richard worked in recently?

Richard has recently worked in industries like Information Technology , Banking and Finance , and Healthcare .

Q: Which business areas has Richard worked in recently?

Richard has recently worked in business areas like Product Development , Strategy , and Information Technology .

Recommended expert

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Check rate

Experience

Jan 2021 - Dec 2025

5 years

Switzerland

Senior Product Manager

Varda AG

Established early product practices and delivery processes for the newly formed AgTech venture
Led the design and launch of SoilHive, a global open soil data platform serving governments and research partners
Coordinated multi-disciplinary teams across engineering, agronomy, and data science
Contributed to securing $10M+ in grants from Norwegian, World Bank, and EU programs

Jan 2020 - Present

6 years 5 months

Freelance Product Manager

Toptal

Delivered end-to-end product management for enterprise clients, including JTI International and Yara International
Led global cross-functional teams through discovery, MVP development, and feature optimization
Helped startups transition from prototype to product-market fit, implementing AI-based validation frameworks

Jan 2019 - Dec 2020

2 years

Lebanon

Managing Consultant

CyberChisel

Introduced Agile and Scrum methodologies, reducing delivery deficits by 80%
Improved client alignment and operational efficiency during the company turnaround phase

Jan 2017 - Dec 2019

3 years

Lebanon

Entrepreneurship Consultant

Injaz Lebanon (UNICEF Program)

Coached 50+ youth startups from concept to launch through training and mentorship
Delivered workshops on business model validation and pitch development

Jan 2011 - Present

15 years 5 months

Beirut, Lebanon

Founder & Product Manager

Purple Brains

Founded and grew a venture studio supporting startups and enterprises across 15+ industries
Delivered 50+ projects across healthtech, agritech, fintech, legaltech, e-commerce, and SaaS
Built in-house products, including Mia (AI personal relations manager), Fetch My Ride (valet POS), and DOCISS EMR (health management system)
Introduced structured discovery and validation frameworks used by clients to accelerate market fit

Jan 2011 - Dec 2015

5 years

Lebanon

Partner & MENA Sales Manager

Contracom International

Expanded BMS product line across MENA and South Africa through new channel partnerships
Oversaw regional marketing and reseller network programs, assigning and training partners in the MENA region

Jan 2009 - Dec 2011

3 years

Lebanon

Information Systems Manager

Benta SAL (BPI)

Implemented CRM, HRMS, and GPS systems for pharma operations, enhancing sales productivity
Integrated digital tools with ERP infrastructure to improve field data visibility

Jan 2008 - Dec 2009

2 years

Intern

Contracom Internations

Worked on telemetry reporting system

Jan 2004 - Dec 2008

5 years

Lebanon

Operations Manager

Park Tower Suites

Jan 2003 - Dec 2004

2 years

Lebanon

Insurance Agent

Alico

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Healthcare, Professional Services, Agriculture, and Tourism.

Information Technology

Banking and Finance

Healthcare

Professional Services

Agriculture

Tourism

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Product Development, Strategy, Sales, Information Technology, Operations, and Research and Development.

Product Development

Strategy

Sales

Information Technology

Operations

Research and Development

Summary

Product executive and fractional CPO with 15+ years of international experience building and scaling SaaS, AI, and data-driven platforms. Founder of Purple Brains, a product strategy studio that helps startups validate, build, and grow products users love. Expert in AI-enabled workflows, product-led growth, and cross-functional leadership for high-growth companies from idea to scale.

Built and scaled four digital products: one exit, one profitable SaaS platform still operating, and one active growth venture.
Supported over 50 products across 15 different industries, improving delivery speed and market fit for startups and corporates.
Led AgTech platform from concept to global launch, helping secure $10M+ in public grants from World Bank and EU programs.
Ranked Top 10 % on Toptal, delivering 6,000+ billable hours for clients.
Guided founders to secure $1M+ in early funding through structured product validation and go-to-market advisory.

Skills

Product Strategy
Ai/Llm Automation & Integration
Mvp Design
Ux Research
Agile/Scrum
Lean Methodology
Roadmapping
Growth Experiments
Jira
Notion
Figma
Low-Code/No-Code Tools
Ai Tools
Google Workspace

Languages

Arabic

Native

English

Advanced

French

Intermediate

Education

Oct 2010 - Jun 2011

University of Wales

MBA · Management consultancy · United Kingdom · Discontinued

Oct 2005 - Jun 2009

American University of Science and Technology (AUST)

BS · Management Information Systems (MIS) · Beirut, Lebanon

Certifications & licenses

AI for Product Management

Conversational Design

Data Science Foundations

Design Thinking for Business Innovation

Google Ads & SEO Fundamentals

Product Management for AI & Big data platforms

Wharton Entrepreneurship Specialization

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 10

Experience in Information Technology 17.5 y

Avg length 4 y 10 m

Longest experience 15 y 4 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 2 (Lebanon, Switzerland)

Primary country Lebanon

Expertise

Recent roles Senior Product Manager, Freelance Product Manager, Managing Consultant

Main industries Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Healthcare

Main business areas Product Development, Strategy, Sales

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Certifications earned 7

Profile

Created

March 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Where is Richard based?

Richard is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and prefers 100% remote projects.

What languages does Richard speak?

Richard speaks the following languages: Arabic (Native), English (Advanced), French (Intermediate).

How many years of experience does Richard have?

Richard has at least 23 years of experience. During this time, Richard has worked in at least 10 different roles and for 10 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 4 months. Note that Richard may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Richard be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Richard would be well-suited for roles such as: Senior Product Manager, Freelance Product Manager, Managing Consultant.

What is Richard's latest experience?

Richard's most recent position is Senior Product Manager at Varda AG.

What companies has Richard worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Richard has worked for Varda AG, Toptal, and Purple Brains.

Which industries is Richard most experienced in?

Richard is most experienced in industries like Information Technology, Banking and Finance, and Healthcare. Richard also has some experience in Professional Services, Agriculture, and Tourism.

Which business areas is Richard most experienced in?

Richard is most experienced in business areas like Product Development, Strategy, and Sales. Richard also has some experience in Information Technology, Operations, and Research and Development.

Which industries has Richard worked in recently?

Richard has recently worked in industries like Information Technology, Banking and Finance, and Healthcare.

Which business areas has Richard worked in recently?

Richard has recently worked in business areas like Product Development, Strategy, and Information Technology.

What is Richard's education?

Richard holds a Master in Management consultancy from University of Wales and a Bachelor in Management Information Systems (MIS) from American University of Science and Technology (AUST).

Does Richard have any certificates?

Richard has 7 certificates. Among them, these include: AI for Product Management, Conversational Design, and Data Science Foundations.

What is the availability of Richard?

Richard is immediately available part-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Richard?

Richard's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.