Managing Director · Meta MEAForbes #3 · Tech Leaders 2026Dubai · UAETAKREEM Laureate20+ years in techEx-MBC · Shahid70+ markets

FaresAkkad.

Leading Meta across the Middle East & Africa — and Meta’s Messaging & Enterprise business across EMEA. Building the corridors of trust between global platforms, governments, and the next billion users.

Why he matters

Forbes Top Tech Leader 2026 — #3 in MENA
4× consecutive Forbes regional-leader listee
TAKREEM Foundation Laureate & Jury
LinkedIn Top Voice in Tech
YPO Middle East & North Africa member
USC Marshall MBA · UC Berkeley Haas

Specialties

Tech DiplomacyMeta AI · MENAWhatsApp BusinessEnterprise MessagingRegulatory StrategyMedia PartnershipsCreator EconomyStreaming & VODArabic ProductDigital Policy

Managing Director · Meta MEAForbes #3 · Tech Leaders 2026Dubai · UAETAKREEM Laureate20+ years in techEx-MBC · Shahid70+ markets

Tech Diplomat

Meta's face to heads of state, ministers, and regulators across MENA.

Platform Builder

Shipped Meta AI in Arabic. Scaled WhatsApp Business across EMEA.

Regional Architect

Anchored Meta's Dubai HQ. Shapes how a billion people experience the internet.

Streaming Pioneer

Scaled Shahid at MBC into the world's largest Arabic-language VOD platform.

AI Champion

Led Meta AI's Arabic-first rollout across KSA, UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq.

Policy Voice

Shaped Meta's response to Australian news code, MENA stability, and global elections.

What he does

Tech DiplomacyMeta AI · MENAWhatsApp BusinessEnterprise MessagingRegulatory StrategyMedia PartnershipsCreator EconomyStreaming & VODArabic ProductDigital PolicyM&A AdvisoryGenAI Go-to-MarketCross-border GTMPublic AffairsAngel InvestingBoard Leadership

Forbes Middle East · Top Tech Leaders of Global Companies, 2026

20+

Years at the intersection of strategy, media & technology

70+

Markets under Meta MEA leadership remit

$45M

Secured for MENA content as Meta's play-to-win video market

Start hereInside 20 years of impact Say helloConnect on LinkedIn

MetaMBC · ShahidBooz & Co.BCGKPMGForbes Top Tech Leaders 2026TAKREEM LaureateYPO MENAUSC MarshallUC Berkeley Haas

01 · About

From a war-torn childhood to the boardrooms of global tech.

Fares Akkad leads Meta's business across the Middle East & Africa — one of the world's fastest-moving digital regions — and runs Meta's Messaging & Enterprise business across EMEA.

Born in Syria and educated across the United States, Fares has spent two decades at the intersection of strategy, media, and platforms — from elite consulting at Booz & Co., BCG, and KPMG, to scaling Shahid into the world's largest Arabic VOD platform at MBC Group, to representing Meta with heads of state, regulators, and strategic partners across 70+ markets.

He is widely recognized as one of the region's most influential technology leaders, ranked #3 on Forbes Middle East's Top Tech Leaders 2026, and named a Forbes regional leader for global organizations in MENA four years running.

Born

Syria

Based

Dubai, UAE

Family

Wife & two children

Languages

Arabic · English

02 · Current Leadership

Two roles. One mandate: shape how Meta shows up for a region of a billion people.

2022 — Present·Dubai, UAE

Managing Director, Middle East & Africa

Head of Messaging & Enterprise, EMEA

The work that changed how a region builds, ships, and scales digital.

PLATFORM STRATEGY

5 markets

launch region

Brought Meta AI to the Arabic-speaking world

Led the regional rollout of Meta AI across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq — built natively into Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp with full Arabic-language support.

COMMERCIAL

4×

digital business growth in 5 years

Scaled Shahid into the world's largest Arabic VOD

As Head of Distribution & Digital at MBC, architected the distribution, licensing and partnership strategy that transformed Shahid into the global leader in Arabic-language streaming.

INVESTMENT

$45M

regional content investment

Secured $45M for MENA as a Meta play-to-win market

Built the business case that elevated MENA to one of Facebook's four global video-investment priorities, unlocking three-year content funding for regional creators and publishers.

INFRASTRUCTURE

100+

regional employees

Anchored Meta's regional HQ in Dubai Internet City

Opened by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed and Sheryl Sandberg — a 100+ person hub serving hundreds of millions of MEA users monthly.

POLICY & TRUST

70+

markets under remit

Tech-diplomacy at sovereign scale

Represents Meta with heads of state, ministers and regulators — navigating the Australian news code, MENA stability, Brazilian elections, and shaping Meta's engagement with national digital strategies.

ENTERPRISE

EMEA

messaging & enterprise P&L

Made WhatsApp the business-messaging default in MENA

Built the BSP ecosystem and enterprise go-to-market that made WhatsApp Business the primary commerce channel for brands across a region with 20M+ active WhatsApp users in KSA alone.

04 · Journey

Twenty years across consulting, media, and the world's biggest platform.

2022 — Now
Managing Director, Middle East & Africa
Meta · Dubai
Elevated from MENA Regional Director to full MEA remit — business, policy, and P&L.
2020 — 2022
Director, Media Partnerships · Growth Markets (APAC, LATAM, MEA)
Meta (Facebook & Instagram) · Global
Led News across growth markets — Australian news code, MENA stability, Brazilian elections.
2017 — 2020
Head of Media Partnerships, MEA & Turkey
Facebook · Dubai
Secured $45M over 3 years to make MENA one of four global play-to-win video markets.
2012 — 2017
Head of Distribution & Digital Business Development
MBC Group · Dubai
Scaled Shahid into the world's largest Arabic-language VOD platform. Grew digital 4× in 5 years.
2008 — 2012
Management Consultant
Booz & Co. · BCG · KPMG · US · Middle East
Advised media, tech and telecom clients across the US and MENA. Led M&A at KPMG's LA office.
Education
MBA, MSc Information Systems, BSc Biotechnology
USC Marshall · UC Berkeley Haas · United States
All with honors. MBA focused on entrepreneurship and finance.

05 · Expertise

A rare overlap of strategy, commercial, policy, and product intuition.

Tech Diplomacy

Head-of-state & ministerial engagement
Regulatory & policy negotiation
Cross-border digital strategy
National AI & platform frameworks

Platform & AI Strategy

Generative AI go-to-market
Arabic-first product rollouts
Messaging & enterprise commerce
Creator & publisher ecosystems

Media & Content

Streaming & VOD distribution
News partnerships at scale
Rights, licensing & syndication
Creator monetization

Commercial Leadership

P&L ownership across MEA
Enterprise sales & partnerships
Pricing & go-to-market design
Channel & BSP ecosystem build-out

Venture & Investing

Founded, funded & exited multiple startups
Active angel investor across MENA & US
Advisor to regional VC funds
Board & jury positions

Strategy & Consulting

Decade at Booz & Co., BCG, KPMG
Media & telecom M&A
Digital transformation
Growth & market-entry strategy

06 · Recognition

Honored by the institutions that track the region's most influential leaders.

Forbes Middle East·2026

Top Tech Leaders of Global Companies · #3

Ranked third regionally behind Amazon's Ronaldo Mouchawar and Google's Anthony Nakache.

Forbes Middle East·4 years consecutive

Top 50 Regional Leaders · Global Organizations in MENA

Recognized annually among the region's most influential executives at global firms.

TAKREEM Foundation·Ongoing

TAKREEM Laureate & Jury Board Member

Honored for exceptional Arab achievement; serves on the jury selecting future laureates.

LinkedIn·Ongoing

LinkedIn Top Voice in Tech

Recognized thought leader on AI, platforms and the future of MENA's digital economy.

Young Presidents' Organization·Active

Member · YPO Middle East / North Africa

Peer network of the region's most influential chief executives.

Della Leaders Club·Active

Member · Della Leaders Club · Dubai Chapter

Invitation-only leadership community convening global change-makers.

07 · Speaking & Thought Leadership

From Perugia to Dubai — stages where the future of tech is debated.

01
International Journalism Festival
The future of news on platforms
Perugia
02
WAN-IFRA World News Media Congress
Media partnerships & publisher sustainability
Global
03
RLC Global Forum
Tech, AI & regional leadership
Dubai
04
EEA Talks
Web3 and the next digital economy
MENA
05
Women in News · WAN-IFRA
Safer online spaces & GBV
Global
06
Government of Dubai Media Office
Meta's regional HQ & MENA digital strategy
Dubai Internet City
07
YPO Global Meets Local
Building global brands in regional markets
MENA
08
Della Leaders Club Summit
Leadership in the age of AI
Dubai

08 · In his own words

A point of view on trust, power, and AI.

Selected excerpts from public commentary — on where technology leadership is headed and what will actually matter in the next decade.

AI stopped being a product conversation and became a power conversation. The hard part is no longer models or capability — it's trust, governance, and who gets to deploy AI at scale, where, and under whose rules.

On the defining shift of 2025 · The Brand Berries · Signals for 2026

By 2026, the most valuable AI leaders won't run companies — they'll run corridors of trust between governments, enterprises and platforms.

On the next generation of technology leadership · The Brand Berries · Signals for 2026

Success won't be defined by who builds the best model, but by who is allowed to operationalize AI inside national systems, regulated industries and critical infrastructure.

On the real frontier of AI deployment · The Brand Berries · Signals for 2026

This new office is a testament to the work we've done so far. It's an embodiment of our presence in the region.

On opening Meta's regional HQ in Dubai Internet City · Government of Dubai Media Office

09 · In the News

Coverage, commentary, and appointments — the trail on the record.

Filter by type

Recognition·2026-02

10 · Connect

For partnerships, press, and conversations that matter.

Based in Dubai. Speaking engagements and media requests are reviewed personally. LinkedIn is the fastest way to reach out.

LinkedIn X · @akkadfares

Speaking & press

Reach out via LinkedIn with a brief outline.

FaresAkkad.

From a war-torn childhood to the boardrooms of global tech.

Two roles. One mandate: shape how Meta shows up for a region of a billion people.

Managing Director, Middle East & Africa

Head of Messaging & Enterprise, EMEA

The work that changed how a region builds, ships, and scales digital.

Brought Meta AI to the Arabic-speaking world

Scaled Shahid into the world's largest Arabic VOD

Secured $45M for MENA as a Meta play-to-win market

Anchored Meta's regional HQ in Dubai Internet City

Tech-diplomacy at sovereign scale

Made WhatsApp the business-messaging default in MENA

Twenty years across consulting, media, and the world's biggest platform.

Managing Director, Middle East & Africa

Director, Media Partnerships · Growth Markets (APAC, LATAM, MEA)

Head of Media Partnerships, MEA & Turkey

Head of Distribution & Digital Business Development

Management Consultant

MBA, MSc Information Systems, BSc Biotechnology

A rare overlap of strategy, commercial, policy, and product intuition.

Tech Diplomacy

Platform & AI Strategy

Media & Content

Commercial Leadership

Venture & Investing

Strategy & Consulting

Honored by the institutions that track the region's most influential leaders.

Top Tech Leaders of Global Companies · #3

Top 50 Regional Leaders · Global Organizations in MENA

TAKREEM Laureate & Jury Board Member

LinkedIn Top Voice in Tech

Member · YPO Middle East / North Africa

Member · Della Leaders Club · Dubai Chapter

From Perugia to Dubai — stages where the future of tech is debated.

A point of view on trust, power, and AI.

Coverage, commentary, and appointments — the trail on the record.

Top Tech Leaders 2026 — Fares Akkad ranks #3 among global-company leaders in MENA

UAE dominates Forbes Middle East's 2026 ranking of the region's most powerful tech leaders

Signals for 2026: Meta's Fares Akkad on AI, power and the corridors of trust

How Meta's AI & WhatsApp are changing business in the Middle East — Fares Akkad

Fares Akkad on Chinese digital-first strategy in the GCC

Exclusive: Meta AI launches in the Middle East, extends support for Arabic language

Fares Akkad — Laureate profile

Meta appoints Fares Akkad as Regional Director, MENA

Meta appoints Fares Akkad as Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa

Hamdan bin Mohammed opens Meta's new regional headquarters in Dubai Internet City

Facebook's Meta opens new headquarters in Dubai Internet City

Hamdan bin Mohammed opens Meta's new regional headquarters in Dubai Internet City

Unscripted — Featured Alumni: Fares Akkad

Regional Director of Meta Fares Akkad to Talk Web3 at EEA Talks

For partnerships, press, and conversations that matter.