Ali Shabaz has taken over as chief creative officer at Grey Middle East. 

Previously chief creative officer at Grey Southeast Asia, he will be based in Dubai and will report directly to Nirvik Singh, chairman and chief executive for Grey across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. 

He replaces Mike Shackle, who joined the agency in August 2015 and is leaving the agency to ‘pursue other interests’. 

One of Asia’s most awarded creative directors with over 20 years of experience, Shabaz has played a major role in lifting the creative profile of Grey since joining the agency from JWT in 2010. Grey Group Singapore has been ranked among the top two creative agencies for the last three years and under Shabaz’s leadership it was the most awarded agency in Singapore at Cannes Lions 2015.

“Ali is highly experienced and has tackled creative work across numerous industries and geographies,” said Singh. “Under his leadership in the Middle East we are looking to further bolster our creative output and Ali will play an instrumental role in this process. I am confident he will bring the same dedication, vast knowledge and experience to his new role.”  

Shabaz added: “It was truly an honour to be leading the creatives across Southeast Asia and working with some of the most talented people in the industry. I am excited about taking on the new role and creating brand experiences for our clients in the Middle East region.”