Leo Burnett Saudi Arabia has appointed Tarek Akil as Business Lead, tasking him with heading up the agency’s Riyadh operations and driving growth through integrated client partnerships.
Akil brings more than 20 years of experience across Egypt, the Levant, North Africa and the GCC, having led campaigns for major regional and global brands including Vodafone, Ariel, Pampers, Trident, SODIC, Emirates NBD, ExxonMobil, Majid Al Futtaim and Almarai.
The role also marks his return to Publicis Groupe Middle East. He previously worked at Saatchi & Saatchi, where he led the regional Cadbury chocolate portfolio.
“Tarek brings the kind of strategic clarity and client-first thinking that’s critical in today’s market,” said Adel Baraja, CEO of Publicis Communications KSA. “His experience and leadership will play a big role as we continue building stronger, more connected brand solutions in Saudi Arabia.”
As Business Lead, Akil will focus on harnessing the Power of One model to unlock more integrated solutions for clients, in line with growing demand for cohesive brand strategies under Saudi Vision 2030.
Commenting on the new role, Akil said: “Thrilled to announce that I’ve joined the incredible team at Leo Burnett in Riyadh ! I’ve long admired the talents and achievements coming out of the formidable Publicis Groupe across the region, and now I’m honoured to be part of that winning team. Looking forward to contributing to the continued success and growth with the leadership and support of Adel Baraja.”
