About.
INSPIRED BY DIFFERENCE.
Marketing leader with 15+ years of experience building and scaling global brands across MENA. I’ve led high-impact campaigns for TikTok and Huawei, driving brand growth and market expansion at scale.
Currently, I lead TikTok’s marketing across MENA, where I’ve played a key role in strengthening the platform’s position as one of the region’s most trusted brands and the #1 most downloaded app. I oversee end-to-end marketing — from brand strategy and integrated campaigns to performance measurement — while leading cross-functional teams and agency partners. My experience spans both B2C consumer marketing and B2B enterprise partnerships.
Trilingual in Arabic (native), Chinese (Mandarin), and English, with over five years of experience living and working in China. I hold a master’s degree in marketing from the University of Wollongong.
Skills.
From zero to #1 — and everything in between.
Here’s how I get there — the expertise I’ve built taking brands from launch to market leadership across the Middle East.
Brand Strategy & Positioning.
I define how brands show up in the market and build the trust to make them stick. At TikTok, I led the brand’s entry into MENA when no one knew what TikTok was — and built it into the #1 most downloaded app and one of the most trusted brands in the region.
Event Production & Activations.
I plan and deliver brand events from concept to on-site execution. I managed TikTok’s 1 Billion Summit for three consecutive years — a flagship event that strengthened trust and deepened relationships with the creator community across the region.
B2C & B2B Marketing.
At TikTok, I built the brand for millions of end users while leading strategic partnerships with major entertainment companies including MBC, Rotana, Dubai TV, Abu Dhabi TV, and UMS Group. At Huawei Cloud, I led B2B partnerships with Zain, STC, and Du alongside consumer campaigns for flagship devices.
Market research & Performance Tracking.
I use research and data to make smarter decisions, not just validate existing ones. During the Huawei Mate 10 launch, our research revealed that the most effective way to reach Emirati consumers was through local influencers — an insight that shifted the entire campaign approach and led to selling out all pre-order inventory in the first day.
Influencer & KOL Partnerships.
I build influencer strategies across all tiers — from regional celebrities and top creators to micro-influencers and niche KOLs. Whether it’s product seeding at Huawei, creator partnership at TikTok, or campaign amplification, I match the right voices to the right audience.
Digital Marketing & Media Strategy.
I plan and execute campaigns across the full channel mix — social, search, display, programmatic, TV, OOH, radio, and print — managing both content strategy and media spend. At TikTok and Huawei, I built digital-first strategies while balancing budgets across paid, owned, and earned channels to maximize reach and ROI.
Cross-Cultural Marketing Arabic, Chinese and English.
I take global brands into new markets and make them feel local. I’ve done this three times — launching TikTok, Huawei, and Changyou (Sohu Group) across MENA from the ground up. Fluent in Arabic, Chinese, and English, I sit between headquarters and local markets, translating strategy in both directions so nothing gets lost and everything lands.
Experience.
The Journey So Far.
A career built across three continents, three languages, and some of the world’s biggest tech brands.
MENA Marketing Lead
TikTok | Bytedance
Jul 2019 – Present | Dubai
- Lead brand positioning and go-to-market strategy for TikTok across MENA, driving growth from market entry to the #1 most downloaded app. Elevated MENA to become TikTok’s highest-trusted region globally by generating an approximate +3 P.P. annual increase in brand trust.
- Develop and execute integrated, multi-channel campaigns spanning digital, social, OOH, TV, and strategic partnerships — including high-impact Ramadan campaigns and regional entertainment collaborations, with multiple award-winning executions.
- Plan and produce brand experience events, activations, and pop-ups across multiple markets — managing venue sourcing, vendor coordination, collateral production, and on-site execution.
- Own and manage multi-million dollar annual marketing budgets, optimizing spend across in-house teams and external agencies to maximize ROI in creative, media, and research functions
- Act as a key bridge between regional markets and global HQ, aligning strategy, approvals, and execution through daily collaboration in Arabic, English, and Chinese.
- Lead agency strategy and performance, including selection, scoping, creative evaluation, and continuous optimization of media mix across diverse MENA markets.
- Drive strategic partnerships and brand integrations, working with top celebrities, creators, and media companies across the region, including placements in films, music videos, and TV content.
- Oversee market intelligence and performance measurement, commissioning consumer research, tracking campaign effectiveness, and optimizing ROI through data-driven decision-making.
MENA Digital Marketing Manager
Huawei Technologies
Aug 2015 – Jul 2019 | UAE · KSA · Kuwait
- Led digital marketing for Huawei’s consumer business across the GCC, covering SEO/SEM, social media, email campaigns, display, and programmatic advertising.
- Drove digital marketing and creative strategies for flagship device launches, including the P Series and Mate Series, by coordinating integrated multi-channel campaigns that generated strong market demand and
- successfully achieved sales targets.• Produced and managed flagship device launch events across the GCC — handling venue selection, media invitations, product staging, influencer attendance, and on-site coordination.
- Managed the regional digital marketing budget, allocating spend across paid, organic, influencer, and event channels to maximise reach and reduce acquisition costs.
- Built a network of tech reviewers, lifestyle influencers, and KOLs across the Middle East for product launches, events, and ongoing content partnerships.
- Worked with the global team to localise landing pages and e-commerce experiences for Arabic-speaking users, improving usability and conversion rates across GCC markets.
- Led B2B marketing for Huawei AppGallery and enterprise software/hosting solutions, working directly with
- major telecom operators including Zain, STC, and Du on product positioning, go-to-market strategy, and partner marketing initiatives.
- Managed end-to-end project delivery for B2B service launches — coordinating between Huawei’s product teams and operator partners to align timelines, marketing materials, and commercial objectives.
Middle East Operations Manager
Changyou.com (Sohu Group)
Dec 2011 – Aug 2015 | China · Dubai, UAE
- Managed the launch and daily operations of Changyou’s platform for the MENA market, including content strategy, Arabic localisation, UX, and promotional campaigns.
- Developed promotional content around trending events and cultural moments to grow the active user base. Tracked performance metrics and used data to refine campaigns.
- Oversaw customer service operations on social media and app stores, analysing user feedback to improve service quality and satisfaction.
- Worked across two continents and three languages — operating in Chinese within HQ while managing a product for Arab users. This role built the cross-cultural foundation I rely on today.
Experience.
RESULTS DRIVEN DESIGN.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed consectetur a nisl a tincidunt. Etiam placerat velit sem, vel suscipit augue fermentum nec. Sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis.
MENA Marketing Lead
TikTok | Bytedance
Jul 2019 – Present | Dubai
Led TikTok’s brand positioning and go-to-market strategy across MENA — driving growth to the #1 most downloaded app, lifting brand trust +3 p.Led TikTok’s brand positioning and go-to-market strategy across MENA — driving growth to the #1 most downloaded app, lifting brand trust +3 p.p. annually to become TikTok’s highest-trusted region globally — through award-winning multi-channel campaigns, celebrity and media partnerships, large-scale brand activations, multi-million dollar budget ownership, and daily cross-cultural collaboration with global HQ in Arabic, English, and Chinese.
MENA Digital Marketing Manager
Huawei Technologies
Aug 2015 – Jul 2019 | UAE · KSA · Kuwait
Led Huawei’s GCC consumer digital marketing across SEO/SEM, social, programmatic, and influencer channels — driving flagship launches (P Series, Mate Series) t…Led Huawei’s GCC consumer digital marketing across SEO/SEM, social, programmatic, and influencer channels — driving flagship launches (P Series, Mate Series) through integrated campaigns, on-ground events, and localized e-commerce experiences — while managing regional budgets, building a KOL network across the Middle East, and leading B2B marketing for AppGallery and enterprise solutions with telecom partners including Zain, STC, and Du.
Middle East Operations Manager
Changyou.com (Sohu Group)
Dec 2011 – Aug 2015 | China · Dubai, UAE
Launched and managed Changyou’s MENA platform — leading Arabic localization, UX, content strategy, and promotional campaigns while overseeing social and app-store customer service — operating across two continents and three languages (Chinese HQ, Arabic users, English coordination) to build the cross-cultural foundation underpinning my work today.
Recommendations.
From colleagues, leaders, and partners..
Marketing is a team craft. These are the people who’ve shared the work — and what they had to say about it.
“Its been nothing but a pleasure to work Hossam as a partner, making brand marketing and advertising for TikTok in the MENA region and beyond. He has a rare combination of attributes that make him an excellent marketeer: rigorously data-driven, highly intellectual, great creative and brand instincts, and a really heroic work ethic meaning he’ll always go the extra mile to get the job done well, from managing creators and agencies, attending shoots in faraway places for weeks on end, and negotiating with suppliers. 10/10 would work with again..”
Jake Cooper | Head of Brand & Creative EMEA & APAC | TikTok
“Hossam has been instrumental in delivering TikTok’s most high-impact and high-visibility campaigns across the region this year. His professionalism, creativity, and strategic execution have consistently reinforced TikTok’s brand trust, relevance, and cultural connection. He has effectively managed complex, multi-market campaigns while aligning stakeholders and business objectives, demonstrating ownership, discipline, and attention to detail. Hossam’s collaborative spirit and calm demeanor make him a reliable partner across teams, fostering a positive and productive working environment.”
Paul Katrib | Head Of Brand Marketing & Strategy – Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Pakistan & South Asia | TikTok
“I’ve had the pleasure of workingwith Hossam in different organizations for the past few years. I have found himvery dedicated, hardworking and committed digital manager. His excellent content creation and digital marketing skillshave helped in delivering some great campaigns. I’ve always enjoyed working alongside Hossam. He is clearly an asset to any organization.”
Ali Khan | Marketing Director – Middle East & Africa | Huawei