Rasha Al-Azem takes the reins as new General Manager

Leo Burnett announced today their decision to appoint a new General Manager to lead the agency's operations in Kuwait.

Rasha Al-Azem, who took over the agency's management in January, brings with her eight years of industry experience, of which the last six have been in the Leo Burnett Group.

Al-Azem will be working in partnership with Managing Director of Leo Burnett Dubai and Kuwait, Kamal Dimachkie. The appointment is the latest development for Leo Burnett Kuwait, which successfully increased its client portfolio in 2007, winning a number of high profile pitches.

Dimachkie commented; 'Rasha was the natural choice for this position - she is a competent communication professional, well respected and admired by her clients and her colleagues, and comes with considerable experience.

'We look forward to great things from Rasha - especially at a time when the agency is poised for significant growth with an even bigger investment in creativity, and a focussed drive on training and nurturing our people for even greater innovation in strategic development,' added Dimachkie.

On the appointment, Al-Azem commented; 'I am very excited about this opportunity to manage Leo Burnett in Kuwait where there is huge potential for furthering our world-class operation and offering clients Leo Burnett's high standard of advertising and brand servicing, as we do elsewhere around the globe.'

Leo Burnett Kuwait received a number of significant wins over the course of 2007 including Nando's and launched The Avenues Mall - Kuwait's largest shopping mall, which is managed by client Mabanee. Other clients include Philip Morris, Kuwait-based Global Investment House and Al-Shaya brands Vavavoom and Milano.

Tejari, the region's leading online B2B marketplace, demonstrated how companies could benefit from its online marketplace, at the recently held second annual CIPS Middle East Conference which took place from October 21- 22, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai.

Tejari was also a key sponsor of the event, and participated by presenting the success story of Leo Burnett to emphasize its commitment to making online marketing beneficial to regional organizations.

The Middle East operations of Leo Burnett, one of the world's largest brand agency networks, has recorded a significant 25% increase in operational efficiency since migrating a majority of its procurement online with Tejari.

"The marketing and communications sector is one of the most competitive industries in the Middle East, and Leo Burnett has taken a leadership role by using online procurement through Tejari to become a streamlined and cost-effective organization,' said Omar Hijazi, CEO, Tejari.

A member since April 2006, Leo Burnett was one of the first media-related organizations to fully utilize the Tejari marketplace. In addition to providing its multinational clients with reputable suppliers of promotional displays, banners, posters, flyers, and other collateral; Leo Burnett has found that working with Tejari has reduced the administration required for procurement, making the entire process more efficient and cost-effective.

"Prior to migrating onto Tejari's network, a large proportion of our work was carried out manually where much of our time was spent chasing documents. Now, we have complete control over the procurement process with greatly improved transparency and clarity. One of our primary objectives was to manage the issue of rising procurement costs," said Craig Parker, Creative Services Director, Leo Burnett Dubai.

"Furthermore, operating in an environment where the business requirements of clients and the Middle East marketplace are ever changing, Leo Burnett is now more agile and better equipped. We have access to an extended range of marketing materials printed and delivered faster than ever, providing an average direct cost saving to clients of more than 15%. We found the Tejari team to be extremely helpful and provided Leo Burnett with continued support throughout the implementation. Utilizing the services provided by Tejari enables Leo Burnett to concentrate more on making their clients money go further," added Parker.

Greater intelligence, enhanced communication links between clients and suppliers, and the added benefit of cost control, means that Leo Burnett is now better equipped to meet the ever growing customer demands, helping to ensure they get the best value for their money.

In order to guarantee that highest levels of quality were maintained, only approved Leo Burnett suppliers were brought onto the network. As part of its procurement through Tejari, Leo Burnett created a range of online auctions enabling approved companies from around the region to bid for the opportunity to supply the client with marketing materials, as well as office products and other internal requirements. All suppliers can now bid for a job and are no longer at the mercy of production managers.

Having implemented the system, Leo Burnett can now more closely monitor the procurement process, track both incoming and outgoing information, and compile reports at the touch of a button. Client spend can also be monitored, making it possible to discuss potential savings.

With future plans for even further advancements on behalf of multinationals such as Philip Morris, Leo Burnett hopes that one day all of its offices in the MENA region will benefit from the exponential growth in procurement offered through Tejari's online marketplace.

Leo Burnett has recently made the strategic decision to strengthen its presence in Kuwait through the creation of a fully fledged service operation in the country.

The office will be supported by the Leo Burnett MENA headquarters in Dubai. Leo Burnett has been in Kuwait since 1986.

"Kuwait was always a strategic market to us,' said Raja Trad CEO of the Leo Burnett Group of Companies, Middle East and North Africa (MENA). 'Today, we renew our commitment by expanding the operation to a full service agency equipped to meet the growing demand for quality strategic thinking and effective services."

The repositioning of Leo Burnett in Kuwait is part of an aggressive business plan to engage the regional market through the support of the agency's talents that has been put to the service of its many clients. The office in Kuwait will continue to demonstrate Leo Burnett's commitment to its unique brand building abilities which have helped clients throughout the region.

"Leo Burnett's passion for building brands is well known the world over,' said Kamal Dimachkie Managing Director of Leo Burnett Dubai, Kuwait and the Lower Gulf. 'Our expanding client base in Kuwait is a demonstration that there are clients who need and value international standards in brand building in Kuwait. We will make sure to extend the hand of partnership to such organisations and work with them in building their brands. Beyond that, such companies can expect Leo Burnett to provide creative solutions for the various communication challenges they face.'

Jad Hindy is the newly appointed General Manager for Leo Burnett Kuwait. He comes to the position with a decade's worth of solid experience in marketing and advertising and has spent the last five years working for the Leo Burnett group. 'Today, more than ever there is a great opportunity in Kuwait for quality communication products and approaches, which is where Leo Burnett has a particularly key role to play,' said Jad Hindy General Manager of Leo Burnett Kuwait. 'Leo Burnett's proven track record in developing communication is what sells and builds brands, and now this is being further strengthened in Kuwait with today's expanded set up.'

Once again, Leo Burnett Group of Companies MENA is leading the way at the CRISTAL de la MENA award ceremony, the festival dedicated solely to the recognition of advertising talent in the Middle East and North Africa.

Winning a total of 16 awards across its various offices in the region, Leo Burnett MENA demonstrates its internationally recognized creative edge and network-wide pursuit of excellence.

In its second year, the CRISTAL de la MENA is a festival dedicated to the Middle East and North Africa region and to its work, executed in French, Arabic or English. It was created by the Mondial de la Publicité des Pays Francophones in Méribel, itself one of the most prestigious award ceremonies in the world. The first edition was held in Casablanca, while this year's event took place in the heart of the Middle East, in Faraya Mzaar, Lebanon.

Nearly 750 campaigns across all media categories were submitted by agencies throughout the Middle East and North Africa - making it the most comprehensive and holistic awards competition in the region. Submissions were reviewed by an international jury led by Jacques Séguéla, Worldwide Vice President & Chief Creative Officer, Havas Group, one of the industry's most celebrated global stars.

The winners were announced during the festival, held at the InterContinental Mzaar Hotel. In the 10 categories, Leo Burnett received 16 top awards, including two Grand Prix Awards for Tide and Re-Lebanon.ORG, firmly establishing the Agency as the most awarded in the region. Arc, the direct & interactive marketing Agency, earned five awards, LB Dubai earned eight awards, LB Beirut earned two awards and LB Cairo earned one award.

Bechara Mouzannar, Regional Executive Creative Director for Leo Burnett, said during the ceremony: 'After last year's success, our impressive showing at the second CRISTAL de la MENA proves once again that when it comes to creativity and excellence, Leo Burnett stands out. To all the creative teams I say, 'Congratulations and the bar is set higher for 2007.''

In addition to the awards ceremony, the festival hosted many workshops and conferences, one of which was led by Farid Chehab, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett MENA. In his presentation entitled 'Nobel or Cannes?' Farid Chehab described the road to discovery and its connection to creativity, tracing the similarities between a scientist winning a Nobel Prize and a creative honored by a Cannes award. The conference was followed by a luncheon that gathered many of Leo Burnett's clients and other invitees.

The CRISTAL Awards round off a challenging year that, despite turmoil for some countries in the region, has been full of success for the entire Leo Burnett team, an agency where big ideas are always pushed further and where exceptional creative work is the standard.