Nationality – United Kingdom
Home address – Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
/ Contact
00971(0)507581386
Objectives
Named as a Holmes Report Top 25 Innovator, I am the firstchartered marketer and chartered public relationsprofessionalin the Middle East with a proven record of developing and implementing internal and external marketing & communications campaigns that achieve measureable results.I have over fifteen years of experience in media, marketing, public relations and communications. My aim is to support my company and its corporate image in terms of market share and thought leadership through aligning marketing-communications with business strategy.
Key Skills
• Media relations • Content marketing • Events management
• Public affairs • Corporate social responsibility • Internal communications
• Crisis communications • Fundraising • Social media
Work Experience
Procter & Gamble, UAE
Corporate Communications and Reputation Manager, GCC February 2013 to present
- Manage reputational affairs for the world’s largest FMCGacross India, Middle East and Africa, and oversee all communications including media relations, branding, crisis management and internal communications for 1,300 staff based in the Gulf region;
- Responsible for the company’s regional corporate sustainability, philanthropy and community relations and for overseeing global sustainability targets on the ground in the Gulf region in partnership with civil society organisations and governmental entities;
- Driving CSR and fundraising initiatives including volunteering, mentoring, and educational programs in KSA and the UAE;
Dubai World Trade Center, Dubai
CRMand Social/Digital Media Director/Consultant November 2011 to February 2013
- Offered a fixed-term contractto providesupport on several marketing and communications functions for both venue and exhibitions at Dubai World Trade Center, the largest venue and exhibitions organizer in the Middle East;
- Overseeing an eight-person team with research, communications and marketing responsibilities that include CRM management, registration & visitor promotion campaigns across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia;
- Supporting the management of alliance programmes at DWTC, including for all visitor functions (travel, hospitality, in-country services etc);
- Responsible for DWTC loyalty program, including front-end marketing and back-end data mining;
- Developing effective, measurable strategies for social and digital media and editorial for implementation across shows. Providing training and creating best practice guidelines for social media channels.
ABB, Saudi Arabia
Arabian Peninsula Marketing and Communications Manager / September 2008 to November 2011
- Owning and driving the holistic view of all marketing and communications management for a US$2.5 billion region of nine countries for the world’s largest electrical engineering, automation company;
- Providing business-critical marketing leadershipto drive the marketing planning process and budget cascade-as well as orchestrating overall marketing plan and execution across sales, R&D, and shared services functions. Verticals covered include electricity, oil and gas, petrochemicals, marine, and construction (including smart building segment);
- Introducing new concepts to establish ABB as a thought leader, including through social, digital, conventional and experiential media. Developing, implementing brand strategies, positioning, messaging and creative such as blogs/magazines/case studies/social media channels both on and offline;
- Leading a team of ten people plus agencies with regards to public/internal/investment relations, branding, marketing, corporate events through multiple communication channels;
- Building and driving marcomms strategies for crisis management, corporate social responsibility, social media, internal communications, educational and government sectors.
Weber Shandwick (Promoseven), Saudi Arabia
PR Lead Consultant (seconded to ABB) / March 2008 to August 2009
- Led the PR arm for Weber Shandwick, the largest agency in Saudi Arabia, a part of the largest agency group in the Middle East – the MCN Holding Group (includes Promoseven, Lowe, Momentum). Seconded part-time to ABB in Saudi Arabia from September 2008;
- Position includes overall management of media relations, business development, and financial management as well as overseeing a team of ten people;
- Emphasize and deliver consultancy services rather than pure media relations. Areas of specialty include corporate social responsibility, internal communications and crisis communications;
IT Arabia and CIO Arabia, Saudi Arabia
Founder and Managing Partner / February2006 to March 2008
- Responsible for launching the first and only IT/business titles in Saudi Arabia in both print and online;
- Led a team of 15 including journalists, designers, and sales to create successful magazines both editorially and also profit-wise;
- Created new media concepts for Saudi with an emphasis on B2B industries and focus on marketing both locally and also internationally through PR, direct touch advertising, and events;
Account Manager February2005 to February 2006
- PR and Marketing Strategist to IT and Business clients, including Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Trend Micro, Symantec, EMC, Acer, Singapore Government,Huawei, Motorola, Standard Chartered Bank;
- Assisting vendors in developing implementations and aggressively promoting vendor wins to acquire further industry gains. Working with companies on long-term strategic planning and expansion in key markets such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar;
Editor March2002to February 2005
- Conducting research into the Middle East IT industry and business; writing articles and leads in both print and on the internet for both Channel Middle East and Arabian Computer News;
- Introducing new businesses from Asia, Europe and the US into the Middle East with travel across the region and project-related work;
- Expanding vendor channels through the GCC and Levant region, with emphasis on value-add and building up skill sets in emerging markets such as Iraq, Yemen, Egypt and Jordan.
Education
2017 to 2019 / Masters in Sustainability Leadership
Cambridge University (pending final acceptance for study, from September 2017)
2015 to 2016 / Crisis Communications Diploma, Merit – World’sleadingcrisis communications qualification from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, London
2014 to 2015 / Advanced Social Media Strategy Diploma – Hootsuite and Newhouse School, Syracuse University, New York
2014 to 2015 / Public Affairs Diploma – World’sleadingpublic affairs qualification from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, London
2013 to 2014 / Internal Communications Diploma, Distinction – World’sleadinginternal communications qualification from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, London
2011 to 2014 / Mastersin Marketing, Merit – Partonline, part residentialexecutive masters from Durham University Business School,University of Durham, United Kingdom
2002 to 2003 / Mastersin Computation and Information Technology
UMIST, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
1999 to 2002 / Arabic,Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, 2.1 – BA (Hons)
CMEIS,University of Durham, United Kingdom
Activities, Interests and Volunteering Roles
Excursion travelling, humanitarian aid and environmental issues. PADI certified rescue diver who aims to help promote marine-related environmental issues
Vice-Chair of the Middle East Public Relations Association
Steering Committee Member - Engage Corporate Volunteering Committee, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Vice-Chair, EMEA Board, International Association of Business Communicators
Chartered Public Relations Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Chartered Marketer, the Chartered Institute of Marketing
Founding Member, the Marketing Society Middle East
Languages
English(native) / Arabic(fluent, degree level) / Malaysian, German(proficient)
French, Hebrew, Aramaic, Shayan (Fair)