Adriano Silva, Head of Growth for MEA and APAC at VTEX, serves as a key regional amplifier of VTEX’s global strategy in one of the world’s most dynamic digital commerce landscapes. With over two decades of experience spanning Digital Commerce, cloud technologies, and sales leadership, Adriano combines extensive global expertise with a keen understanding of MEA’s ( Middle East & Africa ) unique challenges and opportunities. Fluent in four languages and passionate about fostering partnerships and talent development, he supports regional businesses in unlocking new growth horizons aligned with VTEX’s broader vision
The Great Convergence: MEA’s Moment to Redefine Digital Commerce
Commerce worldwide is experiencing a historic transformation. What began as enthusiastic consumer adoption of online shopping has matured, now reshaping retail, wholesale, and complex B2B supply chains alike. Analysts forecast e-commerce will represent almost a quarter of global retail sales by 2027, and Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions will happen on digital channels.
MEA sits at the forefront of this shift. Boasting a young, mobile-first population, aggressive government digitalization initiatives, and rapid fintech innovation, the region has a rare chance to bypass outdated legacy systems and build a digitally native commerce ecosystem. Yet success here requires more than technology, it demands visionary leadership, agility, and the right strategic partners.
Unlocking MEA Retail Potential with Unified Commerce
The MEA’s retail sector is on a fast-moving digital trajectory, with the wider MEA region expected to see digital wallets handling nearly 70% of online transactions by 2027. In markets such as Turkey, mobile commerce already accounts for close to 70% of purchases—a clear signal of where MEA markets are heading as mobile-first consumers set new standards for convenience.
Shoppers here no longer tolerate fragmented experiences. They expect to browse, pay, and receive their orders seamlessly across apps, websites, and stores. This is why unified commerce—a step beyond traditional omnichannel—is becoming the defining strategy for MEA retailers.
The strength of the market is reflected in the calibre of players it attracts. Global commerce leaders such as Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce (Magento), SAP Commerce Cloud, and Shopify Plus have all established a strong footprint in the region. Alongside them, VTEX—a globally recognized leader in composable commerce—has been steadily expanding across MEA, bringing its experience powering enterprise brands like Samsung, Whirlpool, and Carrefour.
This robust competitive landscape is good news for the region. It gives retailers choice, drives innovation, and accelerates digital maturity. For MEA businesses, the opportunity is to adopt platforms that offer composability—the ability to modernize with precision, selecting AI-driven personalization, live shopping, or marketplace capabilities incrementally, without costly full-stack overhauls. VTEX’s pragmatic approach to composable commerce is particularly well-suited to this reality, helping businesses innovate fast while staying in control of their tech investments.
Bringing a Personal Touch to Digital Commerce with AI and Live Shopping
While scalability is digital’s advantage, the human connection remains paramount. Modern MEA consumers crave efficiency but also intimate, personalized service that reflects longstanding cultural trading traditions. VTEX’s innovations in live shopping and concierge commerce, supported by AI-powered recommendations and search, replicate bespoke service at scale. Retailers can host real-time product demos, interactive chats, and one-click checkout embedded in livestreams—building trust and loyalty in a distinctly MEA style.
AI enhances operational efficiency too—from dynamic pricing to demand forecasting—turning static catalogs into responsive commerce engines. Forrester reports a remarkable 133% ROI and $5.8 million savings for VTEX clients, underscoring the platform’s bottom-line impact.
The Strategic B2B Transformation: Complexity Digitalized
Alongside retail’s digital evolution, MEA’s B2B sectors are experiencing an equally transformative shift. Historically reliant on phone, fax, and paper, industries like construction, chemicals, industrial tools and others are increasingly embracing digital platforms built for managing complexity. Tex’s composable architecture excels here, supporting contract-specific pricing and tailored order workflows. Companies like Colgate and Stanley Black & Decker have successfully digitized their extensive distribution networks and dealer relationships with VTEX, proving that even complex B2B ecosystems can thrive digitally. Several Research shows that B2B companies leading digital transformation can achieve up to multifold revenue growth compared to those slower to adopt digital strategies, highlighting the critical urgency for businesses to embrace this shift
MEA’s Unique Edge: Converging Retail and B2B on a Mobile-First Frontier
MEA is perfectly poised to blend retail agility with B2B scale. Mobile-first consumer habits push retailers to innovate at speed, while industrial and logistics sectors begin digitizing procurement and supply chain processes. Growing digital wallet adoption across Gulf nations and rising super-app ecosystems in Egypt and Nigeria accelerate convergence.
VTEX’s local presence means MEA businesses gain global best practices fine-tuned for regional needs—supporting varied payment methods including cash on delivery, wallet integrations, and installment financing, alongside scalable B2B capabilities that handle everything from local dealers to multinational procurement portals. This future proofing enables MEA companies to deliver personalized, transparent, and efficient experiences to both consumers and business buyers.
Navigating Risks and Seizing Rewards: Priorities for Leaders
MEA’s digital acceleration brings promise, but also sharper risks—from rising cyber threats to governance gaps and fragmented AI adoption. Addressing them is critical for growth.
Security first. Customer trust hinges on protection. VTEX Shield embeds enterprise-grade defenses—Web Application Firewall, real-time monitoring, and pen-test readiness—so businesses can scale securely without added complexity.
Governance at scale. Expansion across channels and markets often creates control issues. With Vision 25’s B2B approval workflows and punchout integrations, VTEX ensures compliance, budget control, and multi-level approvals are seamless, turning governance into an enabler, not a roadblock.
AI with purpose. Many businesses rush AI adoption without measurable ROI. VTEX’s Agentic AI framework—from the Visual Editor Agent for no-code storefront changes, to the Data Insights Agent for real-time analytics, and the Weni Customer Service Agent for conversational commerce—integrates intelligence at the core of operations.
The reward. By combining security, governance, and AI-native innovation, MEA businesses can scale faster, safeguard trust, and compete with global leaders on equal footing.
Looking Forward: MEA’s Role as a Global Digital Commerce Benchmark
The future will blur lines between B2C and B2B; consumers will buy directly from manufacturers, and business procurement will demand retail-like simplicity. Transactions will increasingly happen “in the flow” within apps, social media, and collaboration tools, with AI seamlessly orchestrating personalized, secure commerce.
MEA’s youthful, digitally savvy population, backed by proactive governments and powered by platforms like VTEX, is perfectly positioned not just to keep pace but to set the pace in global digital commerce innovation.
For MEA’s digital commerce leaders, the message is clear: the time to act is now. Embracing composable, unified platforms isn’t just a technological choice—it’s a strategic imperative laying the foundation for sustainable growth, resilience, and global leadership.
References used for the Statistical Data
- Red Stag Fulfillment. What Share of Global Retail Sales Is Ecommerce? Link
- Oberlo. Ecommerce Share of Retail Sales (2024–2028). Link
- GlobeNewswire. B2C E-Commerce and Shopper Insights Report 2025–2028. Link
- Forrester. Global Retail E-Commerce Sales Will Reach $6.8 Trillion by 2028. Link
- Global Consultants Review. 80% of B2B Sales Interactions to Be Digital by 2025. Link
- DestinationCRM. The Future of Sales in 2025: A Gartner Trend Insight Report. Link
About VTEX
VTEX (NYSE: VTEX) is the composable and complete commerce platform for global brands and retailers, delivering greater efficiency and reduced maintenance for organizations looking to make smarter IT investments and modernize their tech stack. Through a pragmatic composability approach, VTEX empowers brands, distributors, and retailers with unparalleled flexibility and comprehensive solutions, allowing them to invest only in what drives clear business advantages and increases profitability. VTEX is trusted by 2.4 thousand global B2C and B2B customers, including Carrefour, Colgate, Sony, Stanley Black & Decker, and Whirlpool, operating 3.4 thousand active online stores across 43 countries (FY ended December 31, 2024). For more information, visit www.vtex.com.”
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