In an event held at the Prestigious Phoenicia Hotel, ArabAd awarded Leo Burnett MENA Chairman and CEEMEA’s Chief Creative Officer, Farid Chehab, the Man of the Year award, for his numerous accomplishments and for continuously reaffirming the core reason of the advertising industry: creativity.
The event brought together established and aspiring leaders of the advertising, communication, and media fields, to recognize the unshakeable talent of one of Lebanon’s most important creative heads. The event follows the release of ArabAd’s latest issue, which chronicles Chehab’s impressive work and impact in the world of advertising, in Lebanon, the region, and around the world, starting from his early days as an illustrator in the 1960s, to becoming the Chief Creative Office of Leo Burnett Central, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, along with his position as Chairman for the MENA region.
Walid Azzi, Editor in Chief of ArabAd, explains, “Rather than having adopted the viewpoint that creativity is just another cost to be absorbed and therefore one to be reduced, Chehab has rightly identified it as his agency’s primary product, a key differentiator in the face of competition, and therefore a worthy recipient for the investment of time, money and energy.”
ArabAd also noted that Chehab has transformed the advertising field in the region, emerging as a standard by which other agencies are measured. Furthermore, the article highlights Chehab’s unique ability in creating world-class talent out of budding creatives, giving them the education and experience needed to develop and become leaders in the field.
The article goes on to discuss Chehab’s remarkable talent by pointing out the way he has transformed his agency from a relatively minor player in Lebanon into a regional force to be reckoned with. It points out a key differentiator in Chehab’s vision and life’s work: his singular devotion to creativity and his early adoption of true partnership and team work. As Chehab mentioned in his ceremony speech: “this is not my title, this is the title of Raja Trad, Maher Achi, Bechara Mouzannar, and the Leo Burnett teams that together helped me get there”.
Praise for ArabAd’s choice has come from various people around the world, most notably from Maurice Levy, Chairman & CEO of Publicis Group, who wrote, “[Farid] has a very singular understanding of people, their feelings and their traditions, and he knows how to bring BIG ideas to life in a compelling and relevant way.”
Chehab has worked on numerous notable brands, including some of the most memorable campaigns for Python Jeans, Pert Plus, Camay, Bank Audi, Dewar’s, Exotica, General Electric, Kraft, Shell, Dubai Airport, and many, many others.
