Regional Director and Entrepreneur
META, Middle East & Africa Fares brings a wealth of experience to his role, having most recently served as a Director for Media Partnerships at META, leading the News team across Growth Markets (APAC, LATAM, MEA). In this position, he addressed sensitive issues such as the Australian IP regulation, Afghanistan and Middle East unrest, and Brazilian elections and regulations. During his tenure, he successfully unified and strengthened a newly established region, achieving the highest revenue globally for News in Growth Markets. Prior to this global role, Fares led the Media Partnerships team in MEA, where he significantly impacted Facebook’s operations by securing $45 million in funding over three years, making MEA a leading region in return on investment. He also contributed to the design and launch of the 1Africa initiative and secured resources for Sub-Saharan Africa. Fares continues to be an active member of the MEA leadership team and serves as an executive sponsor of the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiative. His appointment is a testament to internal growth and the opportunities created by the partnership between GBG and 1MBG. His leadership and expertise have contributed to a culture of diversity and success. Before joining META, Fares was responsible for digital business development and distribution at MBC Group, the largest media organization in MENA. During his time there, he expanded the business by over 4X in five years and oversaw the growth of Shahid, the world’s largest Arabic VOD platform. Prior to MBC, he spent more than a decade in management consulting in both the region and the US, working across various industries and companies. An entrepreneur at heart, Fares has founded, funded, and exited multiple startups in the US and the region. He remains an active advisor and investor in startups, supporting some of the most promising ventures and VCs in the region. Fares holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology (Cum Laude), a Master’s degree in Information Systems (Cum Laude), and an MBA with a focus on entrepreneurship and Finance (Highest Distinction), all completed in the US. Fluent in English, Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese, he has lived and worked across the US, Europe, Africa, and South America. For the past 10 years, Fares has been based in Dubai, where he resides with his wife and two children.