DUBAI: Raja Trad, executive chairman for the Middle East and Turkey at Publicis Groupe, has decided to retire after over four decades with the company in the region. He will step down from his role on Jan 1. He will continue working with the group in a new capacity as senior advisor to CEO Bassel Kakish, who was appointed to the role earlier this year. Trad started his career with Leo Burnett in 1981, rising to the role of CEO for the Middle East and North Africa of the agency in 2003. He was named CEO of Publicis Communications ME, heading the creative agencies Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Publicis Middle East, in 2016. He was also on the executive management team for Publicis Sapient Middle East. In June 2018, Trad was appointed to the newly created role of executive chairman for Publicis Groupe Middle East and Turkey. The appointment was the next step in the implementation of Publicis Groupe’s country model, launched in April 2017. Throughout his career, Trad has been an active member of the advertising and communications industry in the region. During this time, he has received many accolades including the Lebanese Order of the Cedar (Knighthood).He was appointed to the advisory board of the Dubai International Chamber in 2021 and the Dubai Design and Fashion Council by the Dubai government in 2014. “Amongst the very good assets that were brought to us during the acquisition of Bcom3, there was Raja Trad with whom I have developed a strong professional relationship,” said Maurice Lévy, chairman of the supervisory board of Publicis Groupe. “Under his leadership, we have grown regularly and steadily with some of the best work produced in the region. Loved by teams and clients, Raja has always felt a genuine responsibility towards both. This, combined with his human and moral values, has made Raja so special,” he added. Trad said: “During the course of my over four decades-long career, we have witnessed the transformation of countries, companies, and spawning of new industries and technologies that have immeasurably changed the way we look at the world and do business.” He added: “I have always believed that my success was driven by the opportunity to work in a great company amongst truly talented colleagues, a leadership team that believed in the mission, and wonderful clients who entrusted us with working on brands that transformed people’s lives.”