Marie- Joelle Rizk

André Rizk is my father, so forgive me if I sound biased.

I will skip the part about how you will never meet a more generous man, how behind his icy blue eyes is the biggest most beautiful heart; how no day of mine can be complete if I don't hear his voice on the phone because sharing my stories and life with him gives them meaning. Getting his opinion on my projects and ideas validates them. Hearing about his day bridges the gap between my two worlds and condenses the vastness between them.

Yes, let's skip all this, because this is Arabad and in this issue, André Rizk is (finally) Man of the Year (what took you so long Arabad?!)

André Rizk is an advertising man first and foremost. You will not meet a man who breathes, eats, drinks, smokes (please quit!) and drives advertising like he does. My father lives and believes in his products with the most intense and fierce devotion.

You will not meet a man with a more creative mind, someone with more innovative ideas, with a more thorough grasp of the market and the consumer, someone more passionate about his work and clients.

My two years working alongside him in the business have schooled me more than the 10 years I have spent in universities, more than any experience in my 27 years in the work field.

He is the quintessential advertising man and in my opinion a genius and an artist.

And no, I am not biased because he is my father, I am biased because he is my best friend.