Leo Burnett has announced the promotion of Flip Media’s CEO, Yousef Tuqan, to the position of Chief Innovation Officer of Leo Burnett Group of Companies MENA, effective January 1, 2014. Kareem Monem will take over Leo Burnett-owned Flip Media, the region’s largest digital agency, as its new Managing Director.
In his new role, Tuqan will create an environment of experimentation within the Group, encouraging its creative teams to combine the Leo Burnett HumanKind philosophy with innovations and breakthrough technologies. Working with Leo Burnett’s Managing Directors around the region, and with the Leo Burnett MENA digital leadership team, he will map future plans for growth and development to better meet the needs of clients.
“Innovation is the key to combining creativity and technology and with his extensive background Yousef is well positioned to take his involvement with the Group to the next level,” says Raja Trad, CEO, Leo Burnett Group of Companies MENA. “Under his guidance, our teams will be encouraged to go beyond the norm in seeking new creative solutions to our clients’ needs, further establishing Leo Burnett as not only a leading source of innovative work, but as an avant-garde agency setting new standards across the advertising board. We welcome Yousef into his new role, and wish him the best of luck.”
Tuqan joins Leo Burnett following an eight year tenure at Flip Media, during which time he has served as CEO since 2007, and has worked with Leo Burnett across the Group’s network since Flip Media’s acquisition by Leo Burnett in 2012. With close to two decades of regional experience, Tuqan is at the forefront of the digital industry and is a respected digital marketing expert who frequently participates in industry and innovation seminars and events. He is a Board Member of the International Advertising Association’s UAE Chapter, as well as a Goodwill Ambassador for the children’s charity, Gulf for Good.
“I am delighted by this opportunity,” said Tuqan. “Since Flip’s acquisition in 2012 by Leo Burnett, I’ve worked extensively across the Leo Burnett network with some amazing people and iconic brands. I look forward to building the agency of the future with them.”
Kareem Monem, who has been announced as the new Managing Director of Flip Media, has more than 10 years of international experience in leading digital agencies and software companies. Before joining Flip in 2012 as its Practice Director, he worked in the UK with a number of leading digital agencies and software companies, on top consumer brand accounts such as GSK and Vodafone. During his time with Flip, he has developed new market areas of operation for the agency with clients in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar and the US.
“Kareem is the ideal person to write the next chapter in Flip’s story,” says Yousef. “He’s earned the respect of everyone around him, and has a clear vision on how he and the Flip Media management team will build on our success into the future. I look forward to us working together in the years ahead within our agency network.”
