IAA

CEO of Media International Services

Marwan Kai started his career in media representation in 1989 working with Media International Services (MIS) in their London headquarters.

Initially, he was responsible for looking after the Far Eastern markets of Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. In 1992, he took over the Middle Eastern markets and moved to Dubai in 1993 to set up the regional office for MIS, embarking on an expansion plan that saw the company acquire the rights for a range of media, including CNN International, Grand Cinemas, T3 Middle East, Rolling Stone Middle East, Cartoon Network as well as developing additional titles; Alam Assayarrat, Zeina, Alam Assaat Wal Moujawharat. The new Digital world is now very much part of the expansion and MIS is proud to offer an exciting platform to our partners.

Marwan has served on many industry bodies including the Joint Industry Committee for Media Research (JICMER), and the GCC Media Research Committee. He was vice president during the IAA World Congress held in Dubai in 2006.

He graduated with a double major in Economics and Marketing from Richmond College in UK.

Travel, The Arts, the Sea as well as being there for my twins and wife, Dana.

Rajeev Khanna has been Group Advertisement Manager of Gulf News since 1998. He currently heads the advertising activities for their flagship brand the daily broadsheet Gulf News,  additionally, he also runs the advertising department of the Digital Media Unit, the Direct Marketing Division and the advertising section of Xpress, a weekly community newspaper that is also part of the Al Nisr Group.

Rajeev joined the newspaper’s marketing department at the time of the newspaper’s re-launch in 1985 and has helped take the publication to the position it occupies today. Before moving to Dubai, Rajeev held senior positions in India’s well known TATA group.

Rajeev has participated with the IAA core team during both the Asian Advertising Congress and the successful pitch to stage the IAA World Congress in Dubai.

Rajeev is a graduate of Bombay University and majored in Economics and Political Science.

His hobbies revolve around a passion for Golf and he is an avid collector of scaled down models of classic cars.

Rajeev is married and has a daughter.

Saad El Zein is currently the founder & CEO of elzein management consultancies since April 2011.

Saad began his career as a banker in Lebanon and later Dubai where he joined Middle East Bank. This role brought him into contact with Leo Burnett, the agency he joined in 1991.  In 1995, he was later responsible for setting up the sixth regional branch of Leo Burnett in Damascus.

In 1998, Saad joined Publicis Graphics occupying the roles of General Manager and Regional Client Services Director over a period of three years.  Saad later took on the role of Regional Director of Madco and was closely involved in the merger between Madco and Intermarkets.

In 2004, Saad joined Abraj Property Development and Able Facilities Management before returning to the media, marketing and communications world.

In 2008 Saad took his career to another level by becoming an integral element of a very ambitious project in Abu Dhabi; Baynounah Media Group.  As Chief Communications and Commercial Officer, Saad leads a division of integrated media platforms, as he builds the BMG brand, safeguards its reputation, markets its diversified platforms, ensures revenue streams, and takes it to global standards.

In addition to his role with the IAA UAE Chapter, Saad is also active in a number of industry bodies including the Lebanese Business Council, Young Arab Leaders UAE Chapter and President of the Lebanese American University Alumni Association.

Education: Beirut University College (Currently LAU - Lebanese American University)  - Spring 1985 - Fall 1989.
BS - Business Management.

Member of the International Advertising Association – UAE Chapter 2008 - Present
Board member of the Lebanese Business council, Dubai & N.E. – 2003 - 2008
Member of Young Arab Leader – UAE Chapter – 2006 - Present
President- Lebanese American University Alumni association – Dubai & N.E. 2005 - Present
Coordinator- Emirati - Lebanese Friendship Association – 2007 - Present

Douglas Palau holds the dual roles of Vice President, IMPACT BBDO and Managing Director, Impact Proximity the region’s first digital agency network.

Douglas started his career at Ketchum in London in 1985 later moving to McCann Erickson to manage the Coca-Cola business from 1987 to 1989. In 1990 he joined BBDO Cyprus, the base from where he managed the Pepsi-Co Middle East Africa account for three years.

In 1993, Douglas moved to Dubai to take up the role of Regional Director for IMPACT BBDO with network client management responsibilities for Pepsi, Emirates and Yum International. In 2001, he was responsible for establishing Impact Proximity (part of Proximity Worldwide) which now has offices in Dubai, Jeddah and Beirut. Proximity was the region’s first branded agency specialising in digital communication.

Douglas attended the London School of Business Studies and holds a BA in Business (marketing major).

In his spare time he develops movie scripts and plays the guitar…badly.

With over 18 years’ experience in the communications industry, Ziad currently heads Weber Shandwick Middle East and North Africa.

Before joining Weber Shandwick, Ziad established and headed GolinHarris’ Middle East operation, where he also overlooked  the public affairs, corporate and consumer practices for major regional and international clients in the energy and payment cards industries.

Prior to GolinHarris, Ziad was in charge of Gulf Space International, the media representative company of Al Jazeera Satellite Channel in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He co-founded and launched a generalist TV station, a satellite news network and several print media in the Middle East.

Ziad’s expertise spans a variety of PR practices including corporate, consumer and public affairs, he provides counsel to clients in the government, energy, aerospace and technology sectors.

A graduate of the American University of Beirut, Ziad is fluent in Arabic, French, English and Italia.

All kinds of sports, in particular cycling and hiking.