Dubai, UAE, 09 October 2012: Global media agency network Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) announced the elevation of Tarek Daouk to Regional Managing Director of MediaVest, Middle East and North Africa. As part of his new role effective immediately, Daouk will continue in his duties as Chief Content and Innovation Officer of SMG, as well as spearhead MediaVest’s market leadership in the region and further grow the agency’s network.
The appointment reflects SMG’s strategy to consolidate its MediaVest operations and enable the agency’s emergence as a single network comprising clients across various industries – including banking, telecommunications, retail, automotive and FMCGs, to name a few.
Currently based in the UAE, Daouk will report to John Antoniades, Chief Executive Officer of SMG MENA. “Tarek’s longstanding background and gravitas in the industry – spanning the realms of business and content – make him the ideal candidate to take on this much-coveted position,” explained Antoniades. “To date, he has demonstrated utmost versatility, thorough market knowledge and technical expertise – key attributes for this role.”
Indeed, Daouk most recently served as SMG’s Chief Content and Innovation Officer, a title which entailed driving the company’s overall business growth and diversification strategy; developing new product solutions for brands; and forming strategic alliances with developers and content creators to help design their product and monetize their services.
Today, Daouk’s new responsibilities will see him lead MediaVest operations throughout the region and accelerate the agency’s growth momentum; this, in turn, will inevitably help garner new business pitches as well as raise significant awareness of MediaVest’s strong business ethos.
“I am honored to accept this opportunity and look forward to forging MediaVest MENA’s continued path to success,” said Daouk. “This particular region provides a fast-growing market, and I am confident in our capacity to gain powerful competitive advantage and thus, strongly solidify the agency’s leadership position. While we will continue to operate and leverage opportunities at an SMG level, this marks a pivotal milestone for MediaVest, further ensuring future prosperity and steadfast growth.”
Daouk’s first foray into the field of media dates back to 1999, when he joined SMG’s Beirut branch as a Media Executive on the P&G account. A mere six years later, he had become the Managing Director for Starcom UAE, followed by Executive Vice-President for SMG MENA. His extensive media experience – gained over 13 years – has encompassed overseeing key international and regional accounts including P&G, Kraft, GM, GSK, Samsung, Nakheel, OSN, Red Bull and Emirates NBD.
Daouk is also credited with launching SMG MENA’s content specialist arm Liquid Thread – a groundbreaking venture which sees the creation of technology-based solutions for advertisers to produce, curate, and syndicate the right content for their brands and inspire their audiences to share their experiences.
Tarek Daouk
About Starcom MediaVest Group
Starcom MediaVest Group is the Human Experience Company. Our dream is to grow our clients’ business by transforming human behavior through uplifting, meaningful human experiences. These brand ‘experiences’ are brought to life by distinct, strategic point-of-views—Truth and Design and Space for Ideas– created and owned by SMG’s two global agency brands: MediaVest and Starcom, respectively. Ranked one of the largest brand communications groups in the world, Starcom MediaVest Group (www.smvgroup.com) encompasses an integrated network of human experience strategists, investment specialists, content creators and digital experts. With nearly 7,200 employees in 110 offices worldwide, SMG partners with the world’s leading companies including The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft, P&G, Samsung, and Microsoft.
