Fuse, the global sport and entertainment marketing agency owned by Omnicom Media, has appointed Freddy Farhat as senior director of sports partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as it builds on the launch of its Dubai office earlier this year.
Farhat is the first senior strategic appointment since the launch of Fuse MENA in May.
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Based in Dubai, he will lead sports partnerships across the region, “helping brands and rights holders unlock greater value from sponsorship investments through partnership strategy, commercial development, and rights consultancy.”
Reporting to Danielle Barwick, who leads the Fuse MENA division as executive director, Farhat will work across the agency’s client portfolio, while supporting new business opportunities across the region.
He will also play a key role in strengthening Fuse's relationships with rights holders and “helping clients maximise the value of their investments” across sport, entertainment, and culture.
Farhat joins Fuse from Dentsu Sports International, where he was senior manager of global partnerships, having previously held the role of sports partnerships director at immersive video company VUZ.
Throughout his career, he has advised brands on sports partnerships spanning soccer, Formula 1, tennis and other international properties. He has also worked with regional and international rights holders including LaLiga and PFL.
On Farhat’s appointment, Barwick said: “Freddy joins us at an incredibly exciting moment for both Fuse and the wider sports marketing industry in the GCC. Brands are looking for more from partnerships than ever before, and we're continuing to invest in our regional offering to meet that demand. Freddy brings exactly the combination of commercial partnership expertise, rights holder relationships and regional market knowledge that will help accelerate our ambitions.
“At Fuse, we believe the strongest partnerships are those that invite participation rather than simply capture attention, creating experiences that people actively choose to be part of. Freddy shares that belief, and his expertise will help our clients unlock even greater value from sport, entertainment, and culture while further strengthening our position as the leading sports and entertainment marketing agency in MENA.”
Farhat added: “Joining Fuse felt like the right move at exactly the right time. I was drawn to the ambition of the business and its belief that the best partnerships are built through participation, not simply visibility.
“I'm excited to work alongside the team to help brands and rights holders create experiences that people genuinely want to be part of, while contributing to the continued growth of sport and entertainment marketing across MENA.”
Barwick is part of an all-female leadership team overseeing operations across the MENA region, including existing activity in Saudi Arabia, where Fuse already has a presence.
The company’s offering in Dubai spans commercial strategy, rights consultancy, insights and effectiveness, events and partnership activation, creative strategy, PR, design, and talent and influencer management.
Fuse opted to expand its operations in the Middle East despite the ongoing political situation in the region, stating that “investment in sport, entertainment, and culture remains important as the MENA region establishes itself as a global hub for major events.”
The agency’s Dubai team offers clients direct access to its global network, with its client roster including the UFC mixed martial arts promotion and brands such as PepsiCo, Vodafone, Philips, and The Saudi Investment Bank.
In 2024, Omnicom Media Group launched Fuse in Spain and also recently opened hubs in Spain, India, and Brazil.
Fuse, which is headquartered in London, is currently present in over 20 international markets across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and MENA.
