From left. Saadi Alkouatli, Executive Creative Director, and Rawad Eldahouk, Head of Strategy, FP7 McCANN Riyadh.FP7 McCANN Riyadh has appointed Rawad Eldahouk as Head of Strategy and Saadi Alkouatli as Executive Creative Director, continuing its strong momentum and growth.
These roles reflect the ongoing commitment to creativity as a growth engine, strengthening its ability to deliver culturally grounded, strategically driven, understanding local ambition and business-focused solutions for clients in the Kingdom and across the region.
With more than 21 years of experience in strategic planning, advertising, and communications, Eldahouk brings a deep regional understanding of consumer behaviour, cultural nuance, and commercial impact. A creative at heart and a strategist by craft, he is best known for his award-winning work on iconic brands including stc.
In his new role, Eldahouk will lead strategic planning across FP7 McCANN Riyadh’s client portfolio – helping brands sharpen their positioning, strengthen market advantage, and unlock commercial value through strategy that aligns with Saudi ambition and long-term growth.
Throughout his career, he has shaped brand narratives for major names including ROSHN, SABB, flyNas, and Burger King. His work has been recognised at global and regional award shows including WARC, Clio Awards, Effies, Dubai Lynx and New York Festivals. Eldahouk has also contributed to the industry as a juror for platforms including WARC MENA, Effies, D&AD and Shots.
Tarek Miknas, CEO, FP7 McCANN MENAT says: “Our ambition for KSA has always been clear: to build the most culturally grounded, creatively fearless agency in the Kingdom, one that continues to deliver work that matters for the brands shaping Saudi Arabia. FP7 McCANN Riyadh is investing in talent that understands how to build enduring brands in an ever-evolving Saudi Arabia.”
Miknas added, “These appointments reflect our investment in the right kind of leadership: people who combine strategic sharpness, creative depth, and an intimate understanding of the market in the spirit of working alongside our clients to solve their business challenges.”
Marking a full-circle return to the McCANN network where his creative journey began on Madison Avenue in 1998, Alkouatli joins FP7 McCANN Riyadh as Executive Creative Director with more than 25 years of leadership across North America and the Middle East.
His career span includes McCANN New York, Leo Burnett, TBWA, VML, VICE Media Group and most recently, Webedia Arabia. Alkouatli brings a rare creative duality – blending global craft with deep regional understanding – and has shaped award-winning campaigns for brands including Saudi Tourism Authority, Zain Telecom, McDonald’s and the Royal Commission for AlUla.
In his new role, Alkouatli will oversee the creative direction of key accounts – including Saudi Tourism Authority, Samsung, and PepsiCo – driving ideas that align with the Kingdom’s evolving cultural narrative and business transformation.
Amr El Kalaawy, Regional Managing Director, FP7 McCANN KSA, adds. “These appointments are about strengthening the way we support our clients – strategically and creatively. As our partners in the Kingdom take on bigger ambitions, we want to ensure we’re not just keeping pace but helping them lead. Rawad and Saadi bring the kind of thinking that turns complexity into clarity, and ambition into action. This is about unlocking growth together, through ideas that are locally rooted, commercially smart, and built to move business forward.”
The appointments come at a time of rising client demand and a renewed focus on Saudi-led creativity, bringing together global fluency and local relevance.
As FP7 McCANN Riyadh’s client portfolio continues to grow across sectors including tourism, technology, entertainment, automotive, FMCG, and government-led Vision 2030 initiatives, the agency is deepening its leadership bench to meet evolving business needs with sharper strategy and stronger creative direction.
As part of strengthening its strategic leadership across the region, Nick Salter has been promoted to Regional Head of Strategy. This appointment reflects FP7 McCANN’s continued focus on delivering insight-led, commercially grounded solutions tailored to client growth and market opportunity.
