French multinational advertising and PR company Publicis Groupe has promoted Bassel Kakish to the position of chief executive officer for the Middle East and Turkey.

The new CEO, who will continue to be based in Dubai, will report to regional executive chairman, Raja Trad, and will be responsible for more than 2,000 employees.

Kakish said: “As we emerge from the unfortunate (coronavirus disease) COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more important that we provide our people and clients with the tools and products to win in this platform-led, connected world.

“My experience working together closely with Publicis Groupe’s leaders across various disciplines will help the process of evolving our offering and ideas while providing growth for our clients in less time by providing them with seamless access to all our talents across the entire value chain,” he added.

Kakish started his career in assurance and advisory services and joined Publicis in 2002 where he has held a number of roles as part of its regional management team. Prior to being appointed as CEO, he had worked as the firm’s chief financial officer, chief integration officer, and co-managing director of digital consulting company Publicis Sapient in the Middle East.

Loris Nold, Publicis Groupe’s CEO for Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, said: “I am thrilled with Bassel’s appointment. He brings very strong operational expertise and more importantly his unique understanding of data, tech, media, and creativity, and how we can best assemble these for the benefit of our clients.”

Trad said: “Bassel has been an important member of the core management team for several years now. His experience working across different Groupe disciplines and functions uniquely positions him to collaborate with our leadership, teams, and clients to continue unlocking growth in what is today undoubtedly a platform-led world.”