Leo Burnett Kuwait, a leading creative agency, was recently awarded the creative account for the Kuwait Telecom Company (KTC) - the newest telecommunications company in the Gulf state.

The creative account, which will begin with the company's launch, comes in addition to the successful ongoing partnership between Leo Burnett in Saudi Arabia and KTC's mother company Saudi Telecom Company (STC).

The Kuwait Telecom Company, which will be Kuwait's third telecommunications operator, will offer mobile services throughout the country.

Speaking about KTC's selection of Leo Burnett Kuwait, Mr. Salman Al Badran explained; 'As a creative network, Leo Burnett Middle East and North Africa has consistently proven its scope of innovation and expertise across all sectors, with client successes spanning the borders of the entire region. Most importantly, we were highly impressed with Leo Burnett's knowledge and understanding of the telecommunications sector, and the agency's demonstration of how to efficiently communicate our company's messages in Kuwait's competitive telecoms landscape.'

'Our ongoing relationship with the agency in KSA has proven that Leo Burnett Kuwait is the natural choice, and with the agency's unique mix of enthusiasm and dynamism, we are looking forward to working with the team for creating a real impact in the country with the KTC brand,' he added.

The award of the KTC account is a strategic development for Leo Burnett's Kuwait agency in terms of its continued portfolio growth; complementing the agency's broad base of existing clients and leading the agency to double the size of its operations within the country.

Kamal Dimachkie, Managing Director of Leo Burnett Dubai and Kuwait commented; 'At Leo Burnett we passionately believe in- and are committed to- building brands, and we are very excited to be extending our creative prowess to building the profile of KTC. The company will be a very real contender in Kuwait's bustling telecoms sector, and we look forward to the challenge of soon making the KTC brand an industry leader.'

Rasha Al-Azem, General Manager of Leo Burnett Kuwait added; 'There is such high potential for growth in the telecoms industry here, and creative agencies have a very significant role to play in this battle of the brands. This is an excellent opportunity for Leo Burnett Kuwait to demonstrate each of the capabilities that form the heart of the agency's work.'

Leo Burnett Kuwait has received a number of important wins since commencing operations in 2007, including international restaurant chain Nando's, and Starbucks - one of the most famous names in the worldwide coffee shop phenomenon. The agency currently extends its brand building expertise to a broad range of clients including the Avenues Mall - Kuwait's largest shopping mall, Mabanee, Philip Morris, Kuwait-based Global Investment House, and Alshaya brands Vavavoom and Milano.

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.

Leo Burnett Kuwait announced today that it will help introduce Nando's restaurant brand to food lovers in Kuwait.

The agency has been appointed to develop the launch campaign and ongoing brand building communications for the South African restaurant chain known for its flame-grilled chicken, Peri-Peri hot sauce and Barcelos Cockerel rooster mascot.

Reflecting the creative innovation of Leo Burnett and the versatility of Nando's advertising globally, one key element of the multimedia communication program will be a viral marketing campaign, the first to be executed in Kuwait.

'Nando's is about great food and a great atmosphere inspired by an appetite for life and love of laughter and eating. This must carry through in all of our communications, and so we need an extremely creative agency that demonstrates lots of passion and dynamism,' said Choji Lamba, Managing Director, Nando's Kuwait.

'Leo Burnett showed they were the ideal partner for us as we introduce the special Nando's dining experience in Kuwait,' said Suhail Gidwani, CEO, Nando's UAE.

The restaurant industry is registering strong growth in Kuwait, a situation that means new and existing eateries must work harder to fill their seats through communication campaigns that offer something distinct from the clichéd and generic food quality claims.

Jad Hindy, General Manager of Leo Burnett Kuwait, said, 'Not only is the industry increasingly crowded, but Nando's is a brand that is world-renowned for its advertising campaigns. This makes for an exciting and challenging atmosphere that our enthusiastic team has fully embraced. Nando's is a fun brand to work on and offers lots of creative opportunities that have already inspired our team here.'

The appointment represents Leo Burnett's first food client in Kuwait.

Kamal Dimachkie, Managing Director of Leo Burnett Dubai and Kuwait, said the win not only reflects the agency's commitment to the Kuwait market but also the depth of expertise in the agency's local office. 'The Nando's account demonstrates our ability to bring creative solutions and introduce lateral ideas to this evolving market.'

The campaign, set to break in the fall, will use a variety of media, including print, outdoor, ambient and online.

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.'