Fares currently leads the Meta business and operations across Middle East and Africa. In his current role, Fares is responsible for the P&L for the region, as well as being the face in the company with policy makers and stakeholders. Fares comes into the role with a wealth of experience, most recently he was a Director for Media Partnerships at META with a global remit leading Meta media investments and operations across Growth Markets (APAC, LATAM, MEA). In this role he worked on some of the most sensitive issues facing the company including the Australian IP regulation, Afghanistan and Middle East unrest and Brazilian elections and regulation to mention a few. During his tenure, he managed to bring cohesion and synergy to a newly established region. At the end of his tenure, in addition to managing challenging regulatory situations, revenues from News for Growth markets became the highest of any other region globally. Amongst other achievements, Fares built a case for MEA to be one of four play-to-win video markets for Facebook, securing funding of $XXX million over 3 years for content from the region.
Prior to Facebook, Fares was leading digital business development and distribution for MBC Group (largest media group in MENA). During his tenure he was able to grow the business by over 4X in 5 years and lead the expansion of the largest Arabic VOD in the world (Shahid). Prior to MBC, Fares spent over a decade in management consulting both in the region and the US working across a wide variety of industries and companies. Fares is also an entrepreneur at heart having started, funded and exited several startups both in the region and the US. He continues to be a very active advisor and investor in the startup scene, guiding some of the most exciting startups and VCs in the region. Fares has also is/has been a board member of several large organizations both in the region and US, including Binghatti, Cafu, Enhance, Urban, ASD, AUD, and Takreem to mention a few. He played the role of a board advisor, board member, as well as head of different board committees. Fares completed his studies in the US and holds an undergraduate degree in Bio Technology (Cum Laude), a Master’s degree in Information Systems (Cum Laude) and an MBA with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and Finance (Highest Distinction). Fares is fluent in English, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese. Fares has lived and worked in the US, Europe, Africa and South America and for the past 17 years has been based in Dubai where he still currently resides with his wife and 2 kids.