Our Team

Ghassan Maraqa joined Memac in 2002 as a Financial Analyst. In January 2009, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer. Ghassan is currently responsible for the Group’s finance function, including external and internal reporting, taxation and major client contracts.Prior to this, Ghassan spent seven years in Saudi Arabia at Arthur Andersen. He worked in audit and due diligence assignments across Saudi Arabia and the United Arab of Emirates.Ghassan graduated from Texas Christian University in 1995.

As CSO for Ogilvy in MENA, Catherine believes in game-changing strategic thinking and leadership on behalf of our clients’ brands that connect on an emotional level and change perception and behaviour. She has the pleasure and privilege to lead a talented and diverse range of strategists across the region who leverage the twin superpowers of creativity and data in the modern marketing era.    

She joined Ogilvy in 2019 bringing with her a wealth of strategic planning experience having worked for the Publicis, Grey and BBDO agency networks, as well as a small boutique design agency and an award-winning B2B technology communication agency.

Catherine has had high-profile agency strategy leadership roles across Expo 2020, P&G, Unilever, SAS, Mondelez and BAT, winning awards on a number of these clients. She also has significant experience and interest in the opportunities for brands in white space expansion whether in new geographies or incremental innovation in products and services.

She has lived and worked across four continents having spent time in Africa (Kenya and Nigeria), the Americas (Trinidad), Europe (UK) and Asia (Malaysia and the UAE). She firmly believes in opportunity, diversity and equality for all.

Samer is responsible for leading the operations and growth of Memac Ogilvy’s offices in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Iraq in his capacity as regional managing director since January 2019.  Samer has more than 20 years of experience in the communication industry, both client- and agency-side. He started his career working with big corporate names such as Austrian Airlines, Alcatel and Siemens.   Samer joined Memac Ogilvy in 2011, tasked with kickstarting operations in Doha. Under his leadership, Doha became Memac Ogilvy’s fastest growing and healthiest office, with strong advertising, PR and digital offerings and a formidable team of talented and passionate professionals.  He has a passion for leading and managing teams. Samer’s strength as a coach, inspirer and troubleshooter results in consistently excellent work from employees – and praise from clients. 

Jennifer is the MENA Chief People Officer for Memac Ogilvy. 

She has lived and worked in the region for more than two decades, during which time she became one of the first fully Certified Professional Coaches in the UAE, qualifying as early as 2007.

Jennifer is also an Associate Member of the CIPD, an accredited Organizational Relationship Systems Coach and holds a Master Degree in Human Resource Management. Her final dissertation provided a HR perspective on how improved flexible working arrangements helps organizations increase female workforce participation in the UAE.

In her current role, she acts as a trusted advisor to the leadership team, and is responsible for building an operation and collaborative culture that befits one of the world’s most transformative agencies. 

An industry heavyweight, Jennifer has served some of the world’s best and well-known organizations across multiple markets, including The Walt Disney Company, MasterCard International, Aon Hewitt, and now Ogilvy.

Her passion lies in partnering with leaders to inspire and manage organization and employee growth by facilitating an enjoyable, productive and engaging employee experience no matter the weather!

Hazem graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from The American University in Cairo in 2002. Since then, he has developed a passion for and built a career in connecting the business world with technology.  He has led projects across all areas of the digital mix including web platforms, mobile solutions, social media, content, performance marketing, search engine optimization and marketing, paid digital advertising and programmatic, data and analytics, CRM, and ecommerce… making him not only an advocate but also a hands-on practitioner of omni-channel marketing. He has been a consultant to many brands, defining and implementing their digital transformation strategies, and implementing complex MarTech solutions to influence data-driven customer engagement comms throughout their lifecycle.  He’s been fortunate to work across multiple industries and many iconic brands including a.o. HSBC, Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, UAE Central Bank, Gucci, Sephora, Emaar Group, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Dubai Health Authority, The British Council, Egypt Tourist Authority, Wasl Asset Management, InterContinental Hotels Group, Amazon, Unilever, Gulf News, Qtel (now Ooreedoo), Zain Telecom, McDonalds, Philip Morris International, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Sony Mobile, Yas Waterworld, Emirates, and Majid Al Futtaim Group.  Hazem is passionate about the undeniable power of data that digital channels provide and excels at building sound strategic solutions that have data at heart. He is based in Dubai and as a native Arabic speaker brings to the table insights and expertise from an Arabic speaking user point of view ensuring experiential solutions are implemented relative to their needs.

Ghassan is currently the Managing  Director of Memac Ogilvy & Mather Operating Company in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Enjoys 28 years' experience in the Marketing & Communication Business in the Middle East & Africa Region.  Until the end of 2007, Ghassan was heading up TeamNokia Middle East & Africa at GREY Worldwide in Dubai. Before joining GREY, Ghassan spent 6 years as Client Services Director based in Dubai for HORIZONFCB looking after the marketing communication and Brand building of a portfolio of international businesses such as New Zealand Milk, Kraft Foods, Tetra Pak, American Standard/Trane, Samsung Electronics, The Swatch Group, Mercedes-Benz, Power Horse, Applebee’s and many more. Before joining FCB in Dubai, Ghassan spent 8 years at Memac Ogilvy Bahrain where his principal responsibilities involved heading up the American Express, Kimberly Clark, British American Tobacco, Arab Insurance Group businesses and develop new business and manage the P&L of the operation.   Ghassan born in Lebanon in 1967, lived and worked in the USA, UAE, Bahrain, and Lebanon. Earned 1989 a BA in Marketing from Beirut University College, then moved to California and earned an MBA from La Verne University in Pomona/Los Angeles in 1993. Ghassan is able to communicate in Arabic, English, and French. Ghassan is married to Joelle with 2 children, Nour & Bob.

Habib is the Managing Director of Jordan and has been with Ogilvy for over 11 years.  In 1998 he moved to KSA and started his advertising career with BBDO. Since then, he worked across many industries with some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands such as PepciCo, Emirates, and Wrigley’s amongst others. He also moved through different cities across the MENA, making him a hardcore ad man with a track record in building solid relationships and delivering true value to his clients.  Habib was born in Beirut and spent more than half of his life abroad, living in Georgia-USA, Brussels, Jeddah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman. He holds a master’s degree in industrial and commercial management from Beirut’s Saint Joseph University.  Habib currently lives in Amman with his wife and two boys. He is a GS rider and an avid skier.

Born and raised in France by a British mother and a Tunisian father, Amel worked as an independant consultant before joining Memac Ogilvy in 2018. She has extensive experience in Media and Communications, having worked as a Strategic Planner at FP7 McCann and The Cocla-Cola Company, as well as at private Tunisian broadcasting company Nessma TV. She is also the founder of Tunis' first baby-friendly co-working space, BLOOMI, and Tunisia's first ephemeral market, ELBAZAR, designed to promote local crafts and contemporary design. She has a little boy called Adam. 

Mohamed is a creative strategist and business leader with over 20 years of experience across management, advertising, branding, and digital. He has led & managed global brands across a wide geographical area including: G.C.C, Levant, North Africa, South East Asia & LATAM. He is team player and effective leader with strong communication, decision making, problem solving and interpersonal skills, as well as a results-driven mindset.  Mohamed is a dedicated father of three who springs out of bed in the morning to change the world and annoys others who are not morning people. He is passionate about football & helping startups ‘getting started’. 

Ashraf is a seasoned communication practitioner with over two decades of regional and international market experience. His early career years were in journalism, prior to assuming consultancy and corporate communications roles both in-house and agency side. Ashraf leads the Public Relations & Influence MENA network at Memac Ogilvy.   A passionate leader that helped consultancy firms in the GCC and Levant region in introducing best practices, building teams’ capacity, restructuring and improving financial performance.  Over the course of his career, Ashraf has provided consultancy to regional and international firms across a wide spectrum of industries, including McKinsey, Accenture, Philip Morris, Airbus, Visa, CNN, IKEA, Orange and government programs concerning democracy, energy, tourism and economic development and reform.   Ashraf was featured in the 2016 and 2017 Global PR Power List, as one of the most influential individuals in the communications industry in the Middle East.

Antoine Geadah is a top-performing and versatile advertising executive with domestic and global experience, particularly in the Middle East and North America.  

He has twenty plus years of experience and expertise in brand management, direct marketing, omnichannel development, digital and traditional advertising, business development, key accounts and product management.  He has a real talent and aptitude for leading marketing initiatives fueled by customer experience, insights, revenue targets, and product strategy across fast-paced and deadline-driven environments.  Forward thinking, he is a brand builder with a demonstrated ability to work with cross-functional teams, foster partnerships and complete projects that strategically promote and develop brands.

With 30 years of experience in the communications field, Leading a variety of multinational and local accounts. Nabil Touma joined Memac Ogilvy Kuwait 15 years ago as the Managing Director. He managed, with due team support, to turn the office profitable, and since then, the agency’s reputation in the market has gone up among the clients and competition. 

As Regional Director at Memac Ogilvy Health and Wellness, Adil heads a specialized team of medical managers, account managers, and creatives. He leads the pitches process, senior clients’ relationship, day-to-day business, and the development of agency’s portfolio.

Adil has over 17 years of experience on both brand and agency side across the Middle East and Europe. He has extensive experience in FMCG and Health having worked for P&G, Nestle, and Reckitt Benckiser. He then moved to the agency side and lead diverse accounts such as Emirates, HSBC, Beiersdorf,  and PMI.