Résumé

PROFILE & SKILLS

Experience: Five years of magazine management (2007-2011, print and online) including editing, editorial training and staff management; two years of communications management (2005, 2006) a total of eight years of experience in publishing and communication. Page layout, magazine design, web design and web technologies expert. Social marketing and community building veteran. Trilingual, and a language enthusiast.

Languages: I’m natively fluent in English and Arabic, pretty damn decent with my French, and currently learning Dutch from my wife. Favourite Dutch phrase so far: niet schieten, ik ben geen terrorist.

References: click names to email, or click here to view recommendation letters. Character reference: Dr. Jamil El Imad President of W Investments UK. Academic reference: Dr.Walid Mubarak Director of the Lebanese American University’s Institute of Diplomacy and Conflict Transformation. Professional references: Mr. Michael Hodges, Editor-at-large of Time Out London, Mr. Scott Alexander Young, Author/Scriptwriter/Travel Writer/Actor/Voice Actor, Mr. James Montague, CNN sports journalist and author of top-selling ‘When Friday Comes: Football in the War Zone.’ Click here to read some references.

Published: in more than 12 periodicals in over 8 countries. My most published article to date is here. Find samples of my published social satire column here, and samples of my published interviews here; or go ahead and randomly browse this blog.

Additional skills: A mild obsession with flowcharts, mindmaps and organization in general. I have comprehensive knowledge of InDesign, Photoshop and plenty of desktop productivity packages, blogging and content management platforms, web design and programming – PHP, MySQL, HTML, etc. I’m also very familiar with online marketing including marketing via social networks, search engine optimization, email marketing and linking strategies. And I’ve recently developed a strong interest in guerrilla marketing.

Education: Diploma in English Literature from London University’s Goldsmith College (06/07), studied Computer Science in the Lebanese American University (97/01); currently pursuing an MA in Mass Communication at the University of Leicester.

Personal / Hobbies: I’m Lebanese, 31, and married to a beautiful Dutch writer/video game designer. We collect books, have a fat cat named Abdullah Fluffles and l we ive in the desert. We also love to travel.

I’m strangely addicted to the smell of paper, old books and freshly printed magazines. I love teaching and training and always jump on the chance to interact with people. I enjoy carpentry, whiskey, photography and Lego; and I love ships, on tables, in bottles, and on the water. Ships are awesome.

CAREER & ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE

2011 –  present 
Editor Time Out Abu Dhabi

Currently managing the weekly Time Out Abu Dhabi. Responsibilities so far have included migrating to a new template and style-guide, improving the magazine’s reach and reputation through marketing campaigns and editorial direction, cementing the transformation from monthly to weekly, training the design team, training the new Deputy Editor and Section Editors, writing, editing, managing the magazine’s workflow and integrating the online magazine’s workflow.

2010 –  2011 
Managing Editor for Infopro

Took the lead role for business monthly Lebanon Opportunities at Infopro, a support role in Businessweek Arabia.
•    Managed magazines, editorial team and media relations
•    Generated content for both magazines and covers for translation
•    Advised on the magazine’s social marketing campaigns

2007 – 2010   
Managing Editor for Time Out Beirut

As the only editor in 2008, I helmed this monthly’s re-launch and relations, as well as all commissioning, copy editing, feature writing and interviewing. I eventually hired and trained the staff, and built the workflow and reporting systems.
•    Re-launched Time Out Beirut from scratch, in a hostile, post-war environment
•    Hired and trained the Time Out Beirut’s editors and key staff
•    Wrote 250+ features, reviews and interviews including 36 of the Time Out Beirut 40s
•    Published in two books, 9 cities, and 8 countries; Beirut article translated into multiple languages

2001 – 2004, 2005 – 2007   
Communications Manager for Weddings R Us, Parties R Us

Originally hired as a Photo Editor, I ultimately transferred to the company’s copywriting department and worked up from copywriter to corporate image and Communications Manager, a post I maintained during my final two years with the company.
•    Wrote and proofed over half of the company’s literature
•    Managed the company’s communications and media relations
•    Built the image database and client interfaces

Web Developer for E.A. Juffali & Bros.
I spent over 1 year as a web developer for E. A. Juffali & Bros, in Jeddah. My job included developing the company’s e-commerce and charity portals, and database management.