CEO MONTHLY / DECEMBER 2025 11 Comics can be found on the ground floor, with the store housing thousands of comic books – including rare back issues – as well grail collectibles and everything else geek. The store has welcomed a number of high-profile celebrities and artists since opening its doors six years ago, with various brand collaborations also taking place here. Just last year, Speedy Comics hosted a Pokémon-themed event within Times Square Center, allowing people to come along and meet some of the voice artists behind the iconic franchise. Temporarily moving out of its store on the ground floor and playing host to these esteemed guests within the mall’s communal areas, Speedy Comics had tables set up with all kinds of collectibles, clothing, and merchandise, and welcomed shoppers from far and wide. This is just one of many smaller events delivered by Speedy Comics under the ‘Pop-Up Con’ banner, with another example coming in late 2022, when the mall hosted Samantha Alleyne, the first-ever female stormtrooper. Samantha appeared as an uncredited extra across all five of Disney’s Star Wars movies, from The Force Awakens in 2015 through to The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. Her visit served as a teaser for the inaugural PopConME event. “Hosting international celebrities and influencers at PopConME and through our Pop-Up Con events has strengthened our role as the gateway for pop culture in the Arab world”, beamed Rashed, who spearheaded these initiatives as part of his wider vision for the brand. As this connotes, Rashed not only sets these bold targets for the business, he is also more than keen on achieving them. Yes, this is reflected across Speedy Comics Group’s numerous ventures, but also in the way that this acclaimed CEO manages both his team and his approach to working in this space more broadly. “I personally ensure that every team member feels part of something historic, whether it’s organising the largest Pokémon tournaments in the region or launching our new sub-brands like Speedy Gaming and PopCon ME.” “My style has evolved from being execution-driven to being ecosystem-driven – creating opportunities for others, empowering young entrepreneurs, and elevating an entire industry in the process.” Armed with his unwavering resolve, Rashed has had to guide Speedy Comics Group through a number of challenges to get to this point and realise its goal of being Dubai’s ultimate collectibles hub. These difficulties have spanned everything from distribution restrictions (such as securing store approvals for Konami for its OTS programme, which allows for exclusive benefits and access to run events related to its Yu-Gi-Oh! IP), as well as nurturing trust when it comes to authenticating items in an emerging region like the GCC. Diving deeper into this, Rashed continued: “One major disadvantage for us has been scepticism – convincing international players that the Middle East market is ready for global-level collectibles and events. We overcame this simply by delivering results.” Be it hosting more than 50,000 people across its PopCon ME events or featuring in publications such as Rolling Stone MENA, Speedy Comics Groups has more than proven its worth. However, as Rashed went on to tell us, all of this is just the beginning for the brand, and an exciting 12 months await with a number of plans in the pipeline. These include expanding HIT GCC’s submission centres across the region, so that people in countries such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can access these services. Another initiative will see the launch of the Emirati Grail Box, a regional-first series of mystery boxes to appease collectors. Touching on the plans for his own career, Rashed said: “Personally, I aim to expand Speedy Comics Group and HIT GCC into global household names, all whilst mentoring the next generation of Arab entrepreneurs. I will also continue to address industry challenges by building strong global partnerships, investing in AI-driven solutions (like our HIT GCC grading), and expanding into new and strategic countries – like India and Pakistan.” Given he has recently ranked as the top-rated CEO in the UAE and the fifthhighest globally by CEO Rankings, featured amongst Rolling Stone MENA’s list of the Ten Most Influential Entrepreneurs of 2025, and nurtured new partnerships with influencers and global artists (including Rick Fox, Leilani Shiu, Abdul Rozik, and Steve Aoki) the credibility and ambition embodied by Rashed at every turn make him the perfect person to continue to lead Speedy Comics Group as it embarks on this exciting new chapter of growth and innovation. Fundamentally, the transformative impact in the UAE’s status as a hub for pop culture and fandom in recent years would not have happened without Rashed Al Farooq and Speedy Comics Group. With this CEO at the helm, Speedy Comics has served more than a million fans across its various avenues, sharing 100,000 collectibles and engaging with over 2,000 collectors. 52 exclusive releases underpin its standing, and the infinite possibilities the brand offers for people to explore, collect, and celebrate make it something truly special. More information on all of the areas discussed above can be found using the relevant links listed below, and those in and around Dubai are cordially invited to visit Speedy Comics’ store in the Times Square Center, where they can immerse themselves in the one-of-akind ecosystem of geek that Speedy Comics Group has nurtured in this part of the world. Contact: Rashed Al Farooq Company: Speedy Comics Group Web Address: https://www. speedycomicsme.com/ / https://www. hitgcc.com/ / https://popconme.com/
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