WHO WE ARE
Management Team
Within the team, we have many years of cross-sector experience working with both public, private and governmental organisations. We have particular skills in financial, fintech and corporate communications, but have also represented global FMCG brands.
Stephen Davie
Partner and Co-Founder
Habib Bacha
Partner and Co-Founder
Craig Hewett
Partner – Head of Financial Services
Layla Al Awadi
Director UAE Markets
WHO WE ARE
Team of Experts
Within the team, we have many years of cross-sector experience working with both public, private and governmental organisations. We have particular skills in financial, fintech and corporate communications, but have also represented global FMCG brands.
Silvane Maalouf
Director
Rayan Tarraf
Partner/Digital
Sadeq Al Fardan
Account Director
Eddie Philip Eshoo
Events Specialist
Samer Al Haira
Chairman
Samer is a seasoned executive with a strong international network, deep operational and financial experience, supporting both public and private entities establish and overachieve their objectives.
A creative thinker, operationally focused, with strong negotiation and deal making skills with an entrepreneurial spirit and successful track record. A practical visionary that enables success in diverse businesses and environments.
He was educated in North America and Abu Dhabi focusing mainly in business administration, marketing and finance. He spent nine years as an investment banker at the Abu Dhabi Investment Company (ADIC).
Prior to joining ZonesCorp, Mr. Al Haira was Managing Director of Methaq, Takaful Insurance Company.
Stephen Davie
Partner and Co-Founder
Stephen is the Co- Founder at Credo Communications. He has over 25 years’ experience working as a senior advisor specialising in financial and corporate communications.
He worked in the Middle East for 8 years focusing on Islamic finance and working for a number of high profile companies as well as advising Governmental institutions.
Prior to Credo, he founded and ran his own agency in London, worked for a global investment bank and managed the Northern Gulf region for a global PR firm.
He began his career as a broadcaster, still provides media training as well as crisis, and issues management.
Habib Bacha
Partner and Co-Founder
Habib is the Co- Founder at Credo Communications. Previously he was the Managing Partner at SEC Newgate Communication based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and also covers the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
He specialises in undertaking mandates for corporate positioning and product promotion.
Habib has extensive corporate communications experience and acts as a media advisor providing media support, issues management and advice to groups, senior executives and government offices.
Habib has recently conducted successful assignments for the Qatar Financial Centre Authority and advises international companies including Siemens, BAE Systems and Sotheby’s on their Middle East media outreach strategies.
Craig Hewett
Partner – Head of Financial Services
Craig is a respected expert in the financial services industry having accumulated a wealth of international commercial experience in exchanges and capital markets.
His roles included Senior Vice President and Head of Business development at Nasdaq Dubai his focus was to develop and launch exchange traded products and the promotion of IPO listings as well as promoting capital raising options for SME’S.
Before this he was Chief Business Officer at the Bahrain Financial Exchange, and Commercial Director of the London Metal Exchange (LME), the worlds largest nonferrous metals exchange, where he focused on new business expansion, revenue development and the commercialization of key business activities.
He holds a BA (Hons) in Business Studies and an MBA from Newcastle University.
Layla Al Awadi
Director – UAE Markets
Layla is an experienced senior marketing and communications leader.
She has worked across both the governmental and private sectors leading teams implementing corporate communications and marketing initiatives.
Her previous roles include working for Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’ s office and Arkan Building materials.
She is recognised for creating positive images of companies to the community, government organizations, international bodies, clients and stakeholders through a well-defined communications (internal and external) and marketing strategy.
She holds a Bachelor in Integrated Communications from Zayed University.
Silvane Maalouf
Director
Silvane has more than 15 years communications experience across a wide range of disciplines, including marketing, events management and brand development.
As an Account Director at Credo, Silvane directs and leads the strong and effective delivery of communications campaigns. She provides senior counsel to clients as well as commercial insight and creativity. She is adept at building relationships with key commentators, industry spokespeople and senior journalists.
Silvane produces excellent results for local and international clients and always ensures a high level of client satisfaction.
Silvane speaks fluent Arabic, English and Turkish.
Rayan Tarraf
Partner/Digital
Rayan Tarraf is a best-selling book author and was recently awarded Digital Expert of the year in the GCC.
Marketing, promotion and helping people and businesses get exposure online is what he lives for. Rayan is a pillar consultant for many of the brands that you currently see online.
He spent time in New York, Miami, California, Paris, London, Dusseldorf, Dubai, Kuwait, and Doha helping clients in every industry achieve their potential across every online platform.
Harley Davidson, Chaumet Paris, Hyundai Middle East, Genesis, The Roxy Cinemas name a few of the clientele under his belt. Rayan Tarraf is the author of the best seller “The Middle East Guide To Social Media” and “The Easy Guidebook To Social Media Marketing”, now available across bookstores globally
Sadeq Al Fardan
Account Director
Sadeq, a leading bi-lingual expert in corporate communications, Sadeq brings unparalleled knowledge and experience to the team. A long-time advisor in strategic communications, Sadeq formerly led corporate communication practise for multiple clients across the GCC countries, where he anchored one of the region’s most successful practises. Sadeq has built strong reputation in communications strategy, campaign planning, crisis management, state/location branding, and market entry programs.
Sadeq’s ability to nurture sensitive media and government relationships stem from a wide set of relationships from his native Bahrain, to Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Oman. His counsel has helped many clients to achieve connect with government and private sector partners, positioning themselves as responsible corporate citizens.
Sadeq holds a BSc in Information and Management Science from Žilinská University in the Slovak Republic.
Eddie Philip Eshoo
As the lead project manager for corporate, government and non-government clients in the UAE, Eddie’s role is to provide event implementation, the production and operations expertise as well as project management & budgets. Eddie also provides day-to-day oversight, deliverables of the account management, team leader, as well as third party deliverables and client relations according to the timelines and scope of work. Technically , Eddie plays a lead role as a lead technical director.
Holds B/A Degree in Business with a Marketing major with University of The State Of New York – Albany
Holds Degree in Radio & Television Broadcast with Columbia College & Academy in Journalism Vancouver British Columbia- Canada
Holds A/A Degree in Political Science with Houston Baptist University –Texas –USA