Leo Burnett’s European leadership today announced the promotion of Farid Chehab to the newly created role of chief creative officer for the CEEMEA region.
Chehab, the co-founder, current Chairman and CCO of Leo Burnett in the Middle East/Africa region, will now work in partnership with Jarek Ziebinski, chairman of Burnett in Central and Eastern Europe - while continuing to partner with Raja Trad, CEO of the network’s Middle East operations.
Said Richard Pinder, president of Leo Burnett EMEA, “Farid has proven experience in improving the quality of an agency’s creative product in the dynamic and fast-evolving environment of the Middle East’s emerging markets. He’s the man to bring additional fresh thinking to the CEE.”
Chehab has steadily improved the creative work within Burnett’s Middle East region, recently helping the network to scoop a Grand Prix at both the Phoenix and Golden Sword awards –
the leading awards in the Middle East - as well as an Epica, three consecutive Grand Prix at the Picasso outdoor awards, two Cannes nominations and the press Grand Prix at the world’s leading Francophone advertising awards.
Added Ziebinski, “There are many similarities between the Middle East and much of the CEE – especially, and increasingly Russia, Ukraine or Kazakstan - and we want to harness Farid’s know-how across both emerging regions. Everyone is very much looking forward to Farid taking up this role.”
Burnett offices in the region have already notched up a solid reputation for creativity and effectiveness, with the network’s Prague office recently sweeping the board at the top creative show ‘Nutcracker’ locally; Leo Burnett Romania being named Agency of the Year at the leading regional awards show Golden Drum last year and LB Group in Warsaw scooping twenty awards at Poland’s top awards earlier this year.
Chehab, who started his advertising carrier as an associate creative director with Young and Rubicam in 1970 in Beirut, co-founded Beirut-based H&C Advertising with Charles Homsy in 1974, going on to develop a partnership with Burnett in 1981. Born in Lebanon and raised in Beirut, Chehab has a degrees in Public law and Political Sciences.
About Leo Burnett MENA
The Leo Burnett Group of Companies, Middle East and North Africa, whose origin dates back to 1974, has always been progressive in its thinking and approach. From a single brand agency, Leo Burnett as a group has grown to encompass a comprehensive range of communications solutions, including advertising, media, public relations, digital and CRM. The group offers both specialization and holistic integration to answer the ever-changing needs of both clients and the marketplace.
About Leo Burnett Worldwide
Founded in Chicago in 1935 with eight employees and three clients, Leo Burnett Worldwide, Inc. today operates a global network of over 200 operating units including a variety of specialty marketing services and 94 full-service advertising agencies in 82 countries. Leo Burnett creates ideas that inspire enduring belief for many of the world’s most valuable brands and successful marketers, including McDonald’s, Disney, Procter & Gamble, Marlboro, Altoids, Heinz, Kellogg and Nintendo.
The world’s eighth largest agency network (as ranked by Advertising Age in April 2005), Leo Burnett Worldwide (www.leoburnett.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Publicis Groupe (www.publicis.com).
