Start Creative, the leading international branding and digital communications agency, today announced two new key appointments to their Middle East operations. Dave Macmillan has been appointed as International Business Director, and Darren Cooke joins Start as Regional Director of the Middle East.

The new team will work together to identify regional business opportunities, open up further territories for expansion, and capitalise on successful long-term relationships with major clients including adidas, Barclays and Virgin Group.

The appointments of Macmillan and Cooke further strengthen Start's ambitions for the UAE and Middle East region, where Start works with clients including DWTC, mbc, Nakheel, Atlantis, and The Planet Pharmacy Group. The Start Middle East team will work closely with the senior management team at Start's London headquarters to oversee the ongoing expansion of Start across Abu Dhabi, Qatar and the wider region.

As International Business Director, Dave Macmillan has Board responsibility for Start's operations around the world. Macmillan will focus on executing the business development strategy throughout the Middle East region. Macmillan has extensive international experience working in strategic marketing and communications consultancies for global clients such as Vodafone, Tesco, Xerox, Jumeirah, Barclays and Havas.

Commenting on his appointment, Macmillan said: "Start is a dynamic, entrepreneurial and independent agency with impressive credentials across its integrated specialisms of brand, digital and environments. The Middle East is proving a great opportunity for Start and I am very much looking forward to being part of its growth going forward."

As Start's Regional Director for the Middle East Darren Cooke will focus on developing new business opportunities in the region. Cooke has more than 15 years' experience in delivering strategic projects for companies in the travel, financial services and FMCG sectors in the UK, Asia and Middle East, including 3M, Fortune Brands, Royal Jet and Lastminute.com. Cooke will be based in Dubai, with a focus on opening up large client opportunities across the Middle East over the next 12 months.

Start's Managing Director, Jen McAleer, said of the appointments: "I am thrilled to say that Start is going from strength to strength, both in the UK and internationally, with the Middle East a particular area of growth. The region continues to present interesting opportunities for enterprising businesses, regardless of the economic climate, boasting a huge number of forward-thinking companies who want to take their branding and digital strategies to the next level."

McAleer continued, "These appointments reflect our need to service the new business opportunities that are coming our way, and drive our development in new and existing markets. Dave and Darren make up a new business 'dream team', and their combined extensive experience will be invaluable in Start's development in the Middle East.