Leo Burnett Dubai announced that Peter Bidenko will be joining the agency as the Executive Creative Director, effective 15th March. Bidenko is an integrated creative director with over 20 years of industry experience in advertising, direct and digital and will take over from Malek Ghorayeb who will take on a larger regional creative role for the Levant, to include Iraq, Syria and Jordan. 

 

Bidenko joins the agency after returning from Melbourne, Australia where he was the Integrated Creative Director at Clemenger Proximity looking after all Clemenger clients including Fosters Group, NAB (financial services), Sensis (Yellow and White pages), Crown Casinos, Mercedes Benz and Smart Car.

 

Prior to his stint at Clemenger Proximity Bidenko was the ECD of Impact Proximity and CD of Impact BBDO here in Dubai. In Australia he has worked with Tequila, Lowe Hunt, iLeo (which he helped take to second best in the world as measured by the Won Report) and Wunderman. Bidenko was the integrated CD on Lynxjet and writer and CD of the highly successful Virgin Credit Card launch using Richard Branson. Both campaigns won the WON Report's most awarded worldwide direct campaign.

 

Bidenko has won 11 Cannes Lions including the Media Grand Prix in 2006, D&AD and One Show, the ADMA Grand Prix twice the Diamond Echo and Best in Show at AsiaDM among many others.

 

Malek Ghorayeb, after a productive five years at Leo Burnett Dubai will be moving back to Beirut to take up the expanded position of Regional Executive Creative Director, Levant and P&G, effective April 2011. Ghorayeb, a Leo Burnett veteran having completed 19 years with the network has been heavily involved in winning some of Burnett Dubai's biggest brands, including du, Aldar, McDonald's, VIVA, ADIB, FrieslandCampina, Fox and GM.

 

Said Kamal Dimachkie, Managing Director, Leo Burnett UAE, Kuwait and the Lower Gulf 'Malek has been an instrumental creative force during his time here. His passion for understanding people and their purpose has paid off and we are today starting to see the fruits of his labour. With Malek at the creative helm we have seen Burnett Dubai win some big names including du, McDonald's, ADIB and Aldar and assert our ability to lead the likes of GM in challenging times. I thank him for his contribution and wish him the very best for the future. In Peter we have a highly experienced and awarded integrated creative director with skills that will stand him in good stead as he picks up where Malek left off and leads the creative direction of Leo Burnett Dubai and shapes the next chapter in our creative offering.'

 

Bechara Mouzannar, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett MENA, Added 'Changing creative leadership from time to time is important - it helps maintain a fresh perspective. Malek's expertise is needed to help grow our business in the Levant, and to further craft our creative product on our P&G brands in the MENA region. His success in seeding an exhilarating creative energy at Burnett Dubai and his ability to motivate creatives and non creatives alike will definitely help him to achieve success. Peter is no stranger to Dubai or to our agency's culture and mission of creating fresh insightful campaigns through innovative channels that make a difference to the way people think and feel. His wealth of creative experience in Integration and in Direct, his track record of winning prestigious awards and his ability to inspire talented cross-cultural creative teams makes Peter the ideal candidate to lead our creative product across the UAE, Kuwait and the Lower Gulf.'

 

Added Peter Bidenko, 'Leo Burnett in Dubai is a very strong agency and it's a privilege to be asked to join. Malek's left it in great shape and I hope to build on the creative and effective reputation of Leo Burnett in the region. Our concentration will continue to be on doing innovative work for real clients and making a difference to their brands, to how consumers interact with them and to their bottom lines.'