Abdul Wahab is a Dubai-based SEO and GEO specialist and the founder of Synap Growth. For more than 14 years he has grown brands through search, helping them rank in Google and, now, get cited in AI answers.
01About
Abdul started in 2012 writing SEO content for Namshi, one of the Middle East’s largest fashion ecommerce platforms. Since then he has led search in-house for DAMAC Group’s Whitespot and Staycae brands and for luxury developer Prestige One Developments, and run SEO and paid media teams at Dubai agencies IBG Digital and Calibrate Commerce.
He founded Synap Growth to give businesses search marketing they can measure: technical SEO, content, local SEO and generative engine optimization (GEO) judged on inquiries and revenue, not rankings alone. He works with businesses across New York, San Francisco and Dallas, and with brands in the UK and the UAE.
Today his work centers on how search is changing. As more buyers ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google’s AI Mode for recommendations, Abdul helps brands become the source those tools trust and cite.
02Track record
Whitespot
DAMAC Group · home cleaning & facilities
Staycae
DAMAC Group · holiday homes
Prestige One Developments
Luxury real estate developer, Dubai
IBG Digital
Real estate & financial services clients
Results from Abdul’s previous in-house and agency roles, before he founded Synap Growth, as listed on his LinkedIn profile. For Synap Growth client results, see our case studies.
03Experience
- Today
Synap Growth
Founder & Head of SearchLeads SEO and GEO strategy for businesses in the UK, the UAE and the US.
- 2025–2026
Prestige One Developments
SEO & Paid Media Manager · DubaiRebuilt the technical SEO framework for a luxury developer; visibility +40%, qualified leads +30%.
- 2024–2025
Independent consultant
SEO consultantTechnical SEO and growth strategy for ecommerce, B2B and financial-services clients, plus AI agents that automate optimization.
- 2023–2024
Calibrate Commerce
Growth Manager, SEO & Content · DubaiLed SEO and content for ecommerce brands and SMEs, and mentored the SEO team.
- 2021–2023
IBG Digital
SEO Lead & Digital Marketing Manager · DubaiLed SEO and paid media teams; organic traffic +70% and leads +50% for key clients.
- 2019–2021
DAMAC Group
Digital Marketing Specialist · DubaiSEO and PPC for Whitespot and Staycae; organic traffic +80%, bookings +35%.
- 2013–2019
MikeNSmith.com
Ecommerce & Digital Marketing Specialist · DubaiTechnical SEO, PPC and a full site redevelopment for a consumer ecommerce platform.
- 2013
Foodonclick.com
SEO Specialist · Abu DhabiGrew organic traffic 70% for a UAE online food-ordering platform.
- 2012
Namshi
Content Manager · DubaiSEO content strategy for a leading Middle East fashion ecommerce platform; organic traffic +40%.
04Specialties
Technical SEO
Site architecture, indexation, Core Web Vitals and structured data.
SEO services →02Generative engine optimization (GEO)
Getting brands cited in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Mode.
GEO services →03Answer engine optimization (AEO)
Featured snippets, People Also Ask and AI Overviews.
AEO services →04Local SEO
Location pages, Google Business Profile, citations and reviews.
Local SEO →05Content & authority
Content plans built on real search demand, and links earned on merit.
Read the blog →06Paid search alongside SEO
Google and Meta Ads run with SEO so both channels share the same data.
Book a call →05Latest writing
06FAQ
Who is Abdul Wahab?
Abdul Wahab is the founder and Head of Search at Synap Growth. He is a Dubai-based SEO and GEO specialist with more than 14 years in search and digital marketing, including in-house roles at DAMAC Group and Prestige One Developments.
What is GEO, and how is it different from SEO?
SEO helps a website rank in traditional search results. Generative engine optimization (GEO) helps a brand appear and be cited in AI-generated answers from tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews. They share the same foundations, which is why Abdul runs them as one program.
Are the Whitespot, Staycae and Prestige One results Synap Growth client work?
No. Those results come from Abdul’s previous in-house roles, before he founded Synap Growth. They are shown here as his personal track record. Synap Growth’s client work is on the case studies page.
How can I work with Abdul?
Book a free strategy call through the contact page. You will speak with the person who would lead your search strategy, not a salesperson. Calls run by video or phone.