Professional Experience
Leading FINN Partners’ office in the UAE, I provide strategic counsel and a full array of PR and marketing services to our global clients seeking to access local markets, as well as those in the region looking to improve awareness and reputation abroad.
With over 15 years of experience in strategic marketing communications, I have navigated through numerous industries, from finance to technology and tourism. I’ve had the privilege of planning and executing comprehensive marketing campaigns and communication strategies for nations, multinational companies, and innovative startups. My deep understanding of the Middle East market stems from a pivotal research and strategy project for a leading Gulf nation, aimed at enhancing understanding and improving international perceptions.
In my nearly four-year tenure co-leading FINN Partners’ Global Intelligence team, I have utilised a full spectrum of primary research and big data analysis tools to drive strategy, inform our creative platforms and measure the effectiveness of our campaigns — a role I continue to fulfil with enthusiasm, coupled with additional regional responsibilities.
My prior leadership roles include heading FINN’s Financial Services division and serving as Managing Director of a London-based financial service PR agency. There, I developed global thought leadership campaigns for finance giants such as Deutsche Bank, S&P Global, Commerzbank, UniCredit, Citi, and Standard Chartered.
Without data, you're just another person with an opinion.
- W. Edwards Deming
How'd you get here?
My affinity for the UAE was solidified during a transformative 10-month stint in Abu Dhabi, where I became enamoured with the city’s unique allure, as well as the distinct charms of neighbouring Dubai. This period also granted me the opportunity to traverse much of the Middle East, enriching my appreciation for the region’s diverse cultures, dynamic economies, and vibrant societies. These experiences laid the foundation for opening FINN’s UAE office and reaffirmed my commitment to contributing meaningfully to the narrative of this enthralling region.
At the core of my professional journey lies a passion for the definitive logic of data and the expressive artistry of writing. While studying the data-based topics of business management and economics at the University of Warwick, I spent my free time conversely penning articles for the student newspaper and later secured a position with News International, working across their portfolio of titles, including The Times and the (then) London Paper.
Data, to me, signifies patterns and predictions, providing the groundwork upon which strategies are constructed, decisions are made, and progress is gauged. Meanwhile, the artistry of writing transforms simple numbers into narratives that engage and unite people. This dual passion has steered my career through journalism, PR, digital marketing, and research and insights, ultimately leading me to the Middle East—a region where heritage meets innovation, offering infinite opportunities for storytelling and strategic communications.