Corporate Account Director
DABO & CO
Total years of experience :19 years, 10 Months
DABO & CO • February 2015- July 2015 • Corporate Account Director
• Covering the Assistant General Manager, currently on Maternity leave until July 2015.
• Manage and direct 8-member staff ranging from account executives to associate account directors with clients in the technology, banking, finance and corporate fields.
• Clients include: Honeywell, Microsoft Mobile Devices, Canon, HSBC, Dubai Islamic Bank, Aon Hewiit, Core Savills, National Bank of Fujairah, Equinix, DHL and RSA
• At APCO Worldwide, I independently manage Schneider Electric, Invensys, eHosting Datafort and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority
• twofour54 appointed APCO Worldwide in May as its PR agency and I was tasked as a short-term project to head the in-house team, set up systems and get the account up and running
• Manage two teams - a total of five executives
• Report to the managing director and deputy managing director
MCS Action PR/Action Global Communications (March to May 2013) - provided counsel and managed UAE and regional PR for British Airways; Royal Caribbean and Aetna. Project assignments : APCO Worldwide (February 2013 - Dubai Silicon Oasis, Ambulatory Healthcare Services), Asda’a Burson-Marsteller (June 2012 - Emirates NBD) and Fekra Communications (November 2012 - Dubai Chamber of Commerce Environmental Campaign) H+K Strategies (2010 - 2012): Leadership and counsel on Dow Chemical, Lenovo, Yahsat, Intel and Qatar Airways. For Dow Chemical I looked after the African markets of Kenya, South Africa, Algeria, Ghana and Egypt. A very strategic and media focused approach, which included counseling on sustainability campaigns and executive public affairs communication. Project clients at Gitex Technology Week: Each assignment was a minimum of four weeks and a maximum of three months Dubai Airshow (November 2009, 2011): Managed and ran the press office. Built excellent relations with international aviation and defense media with a media, a list that spans 800 individuals across the Middle East, UK, Europe and the US. Al Ain Aerobatic Show (February 2011) and Middle East Business Aviation show (December 2010) Hansgrohe (November 2006 till December 2007): Highlight - Antonio Citterio, celebrated Italian architect and deisgner’s visit to Dubai and launched his Hansgrohe collection at the Big 5 exhibition in 2007
Others include the Middle East Business Aviation show in December 2010 and Al Ain Aerobatic Show 2011.
Contracted by Hill & Knowlton for four weeks to work with some of their clients during Gitex 2010 and in 2011 for six weeks - clients included ITIDA, Prodea Systems (launch of a white labeled product with Du), ITWorx and Mindware, IXIA, Aruba Networks and SunGard
Marketing and Communications Manager at ARCH Properties - in this role I managed all marketing and communications for the real estate broker firm.
This position gave me a great opportunity to understand the UAE’s real estate market where I managed all marketing and communications of the real estate brokerage firm, including establishing and maintaining corporate client relations. Providing clients holistic communication services such as analysis on real estate market, rentals and sales was integral to this role
Key project: Arch Properties was contracted by Standard Chartered bank to produce their intranet property information kit
Management of key accounts: British Airways, Zabeel Investments, Honeywell Process Solutions, ExxonMobil project, Carrier, Sony, Marriott Hotels and Hansgrohe.
High-level tasks included: Annual PR plans and strategy; provided client counsel on tactical matters; ideated and implemented successful PR programs; Direct client editorial calendars; editorial content - press releases, features, bios, company backgrounders etc; managed press conferences; media training; Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and Crisis Communications for clients and their stakeholders; business development; team management of four staff
Key projects:
•Field trip to Khartoum, Sudan to evaluate launch of Etisalat’s subsidiary, Canar (2005)
•Extensive work on Honeywell Process Solutions to start PR work for the division in the region, setting standards and rolling out successful campaigns, which were used as a framework for future work in the Middle East and Europe
Management of key accounts: DHL, LG, Arabian Travel Market, Dubai Airshow, Arab Health, Standard Chartered Bank, dmg Exhibitions, Novartis, Al Dowali Hospital
High-level tasks included: Managing and developing an account to achieve maximum positive column inches for the client; writing press releases, developing features and tailor made stories for trade journals; meeting and developing media contacts; arranging and managing client press interviews; organising and managing press conferences, product launches and events and budgeting projects
The degree is still in process but has exposed me to strategy management, communications law and communications theory. The importance of social media and the new media landscape driven by technology.
GPA was over 60 per cent. Have competed a Journalism course through London School of Journalism.