Campaign’s Creative Faces to Watch 2020 – Tala Arakji, Senior strategy manager, FP7 McCann Dubai
Age: 30
Tahaab Rais, regional head of strategy & Truth Central, FP7 McCann MENAT: Tala has a heart of gold. And she’s a winner; winning clients’ affection, agency colleagues’ trust, pitches and awards. She is a pillar for me and for her colleagues, blossoming into one of our key leaders, at a young age, in a short time; through her commitment, passion and hunger. Representing at Young Lynx in 2019, she won Gold. She was integral to our efforts in 2018-2019 in winning for her brands at Effies and selflessly helping out with any support her colleagues needed on their entries. Across new business successes, Tala stands out for her strategic ability and personality.
Career highlights
I believe I am where I am today because of the unorthodox career path I took that eventually landed me in strategy. Although my family kept urging me to stick to one career, this mismatched experience in filmmaking, entertainment and PR is essentially what gives me my unique strategic point of view. After seven years in advertising my top three moments have to be: winning my first Lion four years ago with Legally Bride, winning the 2019 WARC MENA Grand Prix for Uber Legends and, most recently, winning Gold at Young Lynx in 2019.
Guiding principles
“A strategy is only as good as its execution”. A humbling reminder offered by an old colleague that consumers only see the end result.
Dream job
Creator and writer of my own TV show.
Side hustle
Although storytelling is something that I’m paid to do, it’s also my passion—albeit in a slightly different format: I’m a proud 5am screenwriter. Although I got into this hobby while studying film, one thing is for sure: screenwriting is a creative outlet that keeps my strategic thinking in check.
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