Leo Burnett has appointed André Pereira Nassar as executive creative director of its Dubai operations following the departure of Peter Bidenko in September.
Nassar, who was previously with AlmapBBDO in São Paulo, Brazil, will take up his new position on 1 December. He will be responsible for the UAE and Lower Gulf and will work under the leadership of Bechara Mouzannar, Leo Burnett MENA’s chief creative officer, and Kamal Dimachkie, the advertising network’s executive regional managing director.
“With his extensive record of success, André will be a strong asset for Leo Burnett Dubai,” said Mouzannar. “André demonstrated his capabilities early in his career, when his work for a wide portfolio of clients – which includes diverse global and local brands – began to win awards as early as 1998. Today, as a winner of 11 Cannes Festival Lions among other accolades, André will bring his fresh, innovative global approach to Leo Burnett Dubai, ushering in a new era of creativity that will allow us to better serve our clients with even more world-class work.”
Nassar, a Brazilian national, has been at AlmapBBDO for the past six years, working under the leadership of Marcello Serpa and Luiz Sanches. He has previously worked for Leo Burnett.
Speaking of his appointment, he said: “Coming back to Leo Burnett, especially in the dynamic Middle East, is an exciting move for me. The region is a cultural melting pot, which I can relate to given my own diverse heritage, and there is a lot of creative potential waiting to be unleashed. It is my hope to lead the Leo Burnett Dubai team to new creative heights by delivering exceptional work to our clients.”
Bidenko left the agency in September in what was said to be a mutually agreed upon decision by Bidenko and Leo Burnett, with Mouzannar overseeing the Dubai office until the arrival of a replacement. Mouzannar will continue to oversee the agency until Nassar’s arrival. Bidenko had been with the agency for two and a half years.
Dimachkie added: “Leo Burnett Dubai has a long legacy of delivering creativity that truly moves people for our clients. We believe André is the ideal choice to not only continue this legacy, but to expand upon it to take our award-winning work to the next level. His impressive career to date demonstrates a deep understanding of people and their behaviour, leaving him ideally positioned to fully implement our HumanKind philosophy to build a lasting connection with brands and people.”
