Appointments

Google has appointed a new head of branding for the MENA region.

PIERRIC DUTHOIT, who is French, held the same position for Google Russia in Moscow for three years. He will be in charge of growing automotive and FMCG clients’ business and for YouTube’s revenue in the region. Before moving to Google, Duthoit was the EMEA director of customer acquisition at Match. com in Paris.

BEN KNIGHT has joined MullenLowe Open’s Abu Dhabi office as global creative lead and executive creative director of MullenLowe Open UAE. The agency is the global activation boutique of creative communications network MullenLowe Group. Its UAE office was opened in 2015 when the agency was appointed as Etihad Airways’ CRM and direct marketing agency of record. Knight will report to global CEO of MullenLowe Open Anthony Hopper, and to Jose Miguel Sokoloff, president of MullenLowe Group Global Creative Council. Knight brings 20 years of experience in brand activation and advertising, nine of which were spent in the UAE, most recently as ECD at WPP brand agency Geometry Global. In Beirut, production collective Good People has hired SABINE

FARAH as executive producer, replacing Michel Abuzeid. She was most recently at The Talkies in Dubai for five years. “Sabine is a highly experienced producer, and more importantly she understands the value and importance of doing great work,” said Good People in a statement. “Her eight years in the industry extend beyond advertising, as she has worked on several shorts and documentaries.” PR agency Grayling Middle East has appointed LAUREN RAMEY as account director. “Lauren’s knowledge of new age communications, paired with her experience advising senior representatives of governments and leading organisations, brings significant value to the Grayling team,” said Jonathan Shillington, managing director of Grayling Middle East. Before joining Grayling, Ramey was director of communications planning for the Premier of Ontario in Canada. More recently she worked as communications advisor to the Ministry of Finance in Saudi Arabia.