An award-winning public relations professional, Majdi Al Ayed is one of the most experienced Gulf Arab practitioners in the region, having entered the field in 1998 at age 16 as a PR trainee at TRACCS Headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi national, educated in Jordan and Lebanon, Al Ayed joined TRACCS U.A.E. as a trainee while studying at the American University in Dubai. After graduation and an accelerated apprenticeship, he began handling an impressive range of local, regional and international clients, including VISA International, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Dubai Summer Surprises, Dubai Shopping Festival, AT&T, Pepsi Cola, the Jeddah Economic Forum and many others, and rapidly worked his way through the ranks to become Managing Director of the TRACCS UAE office, which is the company’s headquarters for the entire Middle East and North Africa, and Regional Director.

The multiple campaigns he designed and led for Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises won the prestigious 2008 IPRA Golden World Award in the Travel and Tourism category, the only recognition given for the Middle East in that year.

As Managing Director, he has introduced new and innovative client-servicing systems and procedures across the network, developed major business – particularly in the Public Affairs sector – and has spearheaded communications programs for a range of clients, including The Dubai Shopping Festival Office, PepsiCo International, Dubai Cares, GCO (Government Communications Office of Dubai), AT&T, and Saudi Telecom among others. Al Ayed currently manages a team of more than 100 professionals including client-servicing managers and account planners, as well as media relations executives and administrative personnel across six markets including the UAE.