The landscape of loyalty and rewards programs across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa is undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by shifting customer expectations for personalized, seamless, and engaging experiences. As businesses seek to forge stronger customer relationships in increasingly digital and competitive markets, loyalty platforms have moved beyond simple point systems to become sophisticated engines for delivering meaningful value. A key player driving this transformation is Cairo-based Dsquares, which is leveraging artificial intelligence to build the next generation of B2B loyalty solutions.
In a recent interview, Marwan Qenawi, CEO of Dsquares, shared insights into the company’s innovative approach, the key trends shaping the industry, and the challenges businesses face in building effective loyalty programs.
A Fully-Managed Approach to Loyalty
Founded in 2012, Dsquares provides an integrated platform for B2B loyalty and rewards solutions, serving clients, including Fortune 500 companies, in over 16 countries. Qenawi explains that the company’s key differentiator is its end-to-end service model, managing the entire lifecycle of a loyalty program. This includes strategic planning, program design, market analysis, on-the-ground execution, and managing a vast merchant network of over 25,000 brands across the MENA region.
This comprehensive approach addresses a major challenge for businesses: underestimating the complexity of running a successful loyalty program. By offering a fully-managed model, Dsquares allows clients to offload the operational burden while benefiting from deep local market expertise and an understanding of regional consumer behavior.
Leveraging AI for Dynamic Personalization
At the core of Dsquares’ technology is a powerful AI engine that transforms loyalty programs from transactional systems into intelligent relationship-building tools. The platform uses advanced data analytics to personalize customer experiences and measure return on investment.
A key innovation is what Dsquares calls “Dynamic Loyalty,” where every message, reward, and offer is tailored to the individual rather than a broad customer segment. For an ExxonMobil merchant loyalty program, Dsquares combined tiered rewards with challenges and gamification tied to specific KPIs, resulting in targeted growth and a doubling of monthly engagement.
Crucially, the company uses AI to ethically acquire “voluntary data.” By designing interactive strategies that incentivize customers to share their information willingly, Dsquares helps brands build trust and navigate data privacy concerns. A prime example was a short-term campaign with Pepsi in Saudi Arabia, the official sponsor of the Saudi Pro League. To increase sales and gather customer data, Dsquares created a gamified strategy that rewarded fans for purchasing Pepsi and completing personal challenges. Customers eagerly shared their data to access exclusive rewards, demonstrating the power of a value-exchange model.
Key Trends Shaping MENA’s Loyalty Landscape
According to Qenawi, several key trends are reshaping the loyalty sector in the region. The emergence of voluntary, or zero-party, data is becoming a strategic asset for building trust and reliable customer profiles. Hyper-personalization is now a baseline expectation, moving beyond segmentation to individual-level customization.
Furthermore, coalition loyalty programs and strategic partnerships are expected to gain significant traction in the Gulf, as companies collaborate to offer greater value to customers. There is also a notable shift from transactional rewards like discounts to experiential loyalty, where customers seek exclusive access, special events, and unique brand interactions. Finally, aligning loyalty programs with national development goals, such as Saudi Vision 2030, presents a major opportunity to support economic diversification, digital transformation, and tourism.
Fostering Digital Transformation Across the Region
Dsquares’ programs are also contributing to the broader digital economy. In markets like Egypt, loyalty programs linked to financial services, such as those with Egypt Post, encourage unbanked or underbanked populations to engage with digital payments. By rewarding digital transactions, these initiatives help reduce reliance on cash and accelerate financial inclusion.
The platform also plays a vital role in digitizing and supporting SMEs. By joining the Dsquares merchant network, small local businesses can gain access to a large customer base from major banks, telcos, and other corporations, helping them compete with larger brands and digitize their operations using points as a currency.
About Dsquares
Founded in 2012, Dsquares is a leading provider of end-to-end loyalty and rewards solutions for businesses. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services, including strategic planning, technology implementation, and merchant network management, all powered by an advanced AI and data analytics engine. Serving clients across 16 countries, Dsquares helps brands build stronger customer relationships through personalized, valuable, and engaging loyalty experiences.
Source: Sharikat Mubasher
