Zaman appoints Managing Director

Hares was most recently Business Development and Strategic Planning Director of Production Technology (Protec), which he joined at its inception in 1999. He not only was instrumental in securing Protec's most spectacular projects in the region (the King Faisal Foundation, the launch of Dubai Media City, DSF 2002's Opening Ceremony, BMW, Audi), but also spearheaded the industry's drive to integrate events within a client's corporate marketing mix, ensuring they became significant investments in the brand's contact marketing.

Grace Yacoub, founder and CEO of Zaman, commented,

"We are excited to have Hares join Zaman. Our clients are looking for better ways to define their business in order to deliver growth. Hares adds to our ability to develop innovative branding programs and deliver integrated creative solutions throughout a brand's multiple contact points. Hares has a unique depth of experience in strategy and creativity across advertising, events, and public relations. His career has spanned over twenty years in the industry's various disciplines as creative director, strategic planning director and manager and he not only shares our vision but is fully committed to furthering it."

Hares added, "It is wonderful - I am thrilled to join a company as creative as Zaman, both in its approach to strategic solutions and actual output. I have always admired Grace's vision for the business, and this is a partnership that brings minds, ethics and outlooks together. Zaman is a company with an unrivalled belief in creativity as an attitude across the thinking board and a unique understanding of how added value can transform a brand's business. I look forward to contributing to Zaman's track record in creating innovative brand solutions."

Hares began his career in international government and development administration. He entered the advertising industry in 1983, partnering the set-up of RSCG's network in the Middle East, then heading its creative efforts up to 1989. He simultaneously set up under its aegis Lebanon's first corporate communication consultancy which he headed until 1989. He then set up and managed a film production company with offices in Paris and Cyprus, before returning to advertising with Leo Burnett's regional Dubai office in 1992. He moved to Intermarkets in 1995 as regional creative director, taking on strategic planning tasks in the process. He worked on blue chip MNCs in both, contributing to the regional communication of Citibank, HSBC, NCB, BAT, Kellogg's and Kraft, among others. He still feels the need to push the boundaries of communication further and "...I believe Zaman is the ultimate agent of change for the region's brands..." he mentioned. "Watch this space!".

Hares also has interests in the region's history and academic developments. He has lectured on youth marketing in the GCC and has recently co-published "In the Service of the Nation", a chronological selection of documents from the personal archives of his father, the late founder of Lebanon's Surete Generale.