David King appointed FD's Chairman for the Gulf region

FD Gulf is one of the longest established strategic communications consultancies in the Middle East and this appointment is the latest of a number of recent moves by FD to invest in the growth of its business in this economically strategic region.

It also follows on from the recent news of FD securing a number of high profile client assignments across the GCC. FD Gulf currently operates out of offices in the UAE and Bahrain, with a further office currently in the process of being established in Qatar.

David King is one of the most high profile and universally respected members of the Gulf's financial services community. He has worked in the region since 2003 and led the Dubai Financial Services Authority prior to joining global banking giant HSBC where he was Managing Director, Business Development for Global Banking in the MENA region. Between 1989 and 2001 David was CEO of the London Metal Exchange in the City of London.

Commenting on the appointment of David King as Chairman, Gulf Region, John Hobday, FD's regional MD, said,

"David King brings vast experience, unrivaled contacts and considerable expertise to FD and I am thrilled that he has agreed to join us as our regional Chairman. David is universally well regarded and I am very much looking forward to working with him as we build on our market leading position in the region."

David King added,

"I have long admired FD as one of the highest quality consultancies in the critical areas of financial communications and reputation management. I am delighted to be joining them and becoming part of a genuinely global business, which can offer its numerous clients expert advice in all major markets of the world. Specifically in the Gulf region, FD is ideally positioned to continue to grow from its already well established base as the GCC's leading financial and corporate communications consultancy".

FD was the first specialist financial and corporate communications consultancies to set up in the Gulf opening its offices in Bahrain and UAE in 2003. Since then, FD, led by regional MD, John Hobday has advised numerous international Financial Services businesses such as Merrill Lynch, Lloyds TSB, Invesco, Schroder and Jones Lang LaSalle.

FD continues to advise leading regional players such as Dubai Mercantile Exchange, Mumtalakat, Arcapita, Commercial Bank of Qatar and The Investment Dar and has worked in each GCC country for institutions such as Zamil Industrial Investment Co (KSA), Global Investment House (Kuwait), Qtel (Qatar) and Petroleum Development of Oman (Oman).