Fuse MENA, the global sport and entertainment marketing agency, part of Omnicom Media, is stepping up its sports marketing ambitions with the appointment of Freddy Farhat as Senior Director – Sports Partnerships.
Farhat joins from Dentsu Sports International and becomes Fuse MENA’s first senior strategic hire since the agency launched its Dubai operation in May. Based in Dubai, he will lead sports partnerships across MENA, spanning partnership strategy, commercial development and rights consultancy.
His track record includes work with brands including Mondelez, Carlsberg and Capital.com, alongside rights holders such as LALIGA and PFL, across football, Formula 1, tennis and other major sporting properties.
Reporting to Danielle Barwick, Executive Director, Fuse MENA, Farhat will also support new business and strengthen the agency’s relationships with rights holders.
The move comes as brands across the GCC look beyond logo-led sponsorships towards partnerships designed to drive participation, cultural relevance and business impact.
“Freddy joins us at an incredibly exciting moment for both Fuse and the wider sports marketing industry in the GCC. Brands are looking for more from partnerships than ever before, and we’re continuing to invest in our regional offering to meet that demand. Freddy brings exactly the combination of commercial partnership expertise, rights holder relationships and regional market knowledge that will help accelerate our ambitions,” says Barwick.
Farhat added: “”Joining Fuse felt like the right move at exactly the right time. I was drawn to the ambition of the business and its belief that the best partnerships are built through participation, not simply visibility. I’m excited to work alongside the team to help brands and rights holders create experiences that people genuinely want to be part of, while contributing to the continued growth of sport and entertainment marketing across MENA.”
