DUBAI LYNX TO HONOUR JOSEPH GHOSSOUB, PRESIDENT & CEO, THE HOLDING GROUP

18 March 2008 – The organisers of the 1st Dubai International Advertising Festival announced today that Joseph Ghossoub, President and CEO of The Holding Group (THG), will be honoured with the first Dubai Lynx Advertising Person of the Year Award. Dubai Lynx will pay tribute to Joseph Ghossoub for his outstanding contribution in lifting the profile of Dubai on the International stage of creative advertising.
“Joseph Ghossoub has been at the forefront of promoting the Middle East’s advertising and media industry around the world. We are therefore delighted to recognise and honour his efforts at the Dubai Lynx awards, which ultimately also aim to help raise the creative bar of the MENA region,” said Philip Thomas, Cannes Lions CEO, organisers of the Dubai Lynx event. Joseph Ghossoub is President and CEO of The Holding Group (THG), parent company of Team/Young & Rubicam, Intermarkets Advertising, ASDA’A public relations,mediaedge:cia and Wunderman. He is also the outgoing Chairman and World President ofthe International Advertising Association. As one of the Middle East communication
industry’s most prominent spokespersons, he has been involved in managing regionaland global agencies for over two decades. On learning about receiving the award, Joseph Ghoussoub said, "I am indeed
honoured to be recognised by such a prestigious institution as the Lynx/Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. This award is more a recognition for the important sector of communications in the region and the value added role it plays in society, of which I am proud to be a part of." The award will be presented to Ghossoub during the 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards Ceremony to be held on the 2nd of April in the Sheikh Rashid Hall of the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, U.A.E.
The new Advertising Person of the Year Award will be presented annually to someone who by their efforts, energy and dedication, has lifted the presence and profile of the region within the international advertising, marketing and communications community. This may be either within their own country or at a regional level.

About Joseph Ghossoub

Ghossoub joined Team Advertising as Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer in 1993. In 1997 he and his partners formed THG. Under his leadership, THG has grown to be one of the most successful Middle East communications groups, with offices throughout the Arabian Gulf, the Levant, North Africa and beyond.
Ghossoub took office as Chairman and World President of the IAA in March 2006, coinciding with the start of the 40th IAA World Congress in Dubai. During his term at the IAA, he has worked to open levels of communication across marketing disciplines encouraging the industry to work more closely together.
Previously, he was the President of the IAA United Arab Emirates (UAE) Chapter and in 1996 he joined the IAA World Board and IAA World Council. He was elected International Vice President and Area Director of IAA Middle East North Africa (MENA) in 2000.
Ghossoub also serves a number of business and educational institutions. He has presided over the Lebanese Business Council and is an advisory council member of the American University in Dubai. In 2003, Ghossoub was appointed as a board member of the Dubai Media Incorporated by the Government of Dubai and most recently he has worked to strengthen cultural ties between the countries of his birth and professional life through the establishment of the Emirati Lebanese Friendship Association.
Decorated with Lebanon's highest civilian honor in 2004, Ghossoub is a Knight of the Order of the Cedar, in recognition of his achievements and services towards promoting regional and international understanding and cooperation. In May 2006 he was awarded the Presidency Shield of the Republic of Lebanon in recognition of his role as the Chairman and World President of the IAA.
About the 1st Dubai International Advertising Festival incorporating the 2nd Dubai Lynx Awards, The Middle East and North Africa Advertising Awards for Creative Excellence taking place 31 March - 2 April 2008 in Dubai, UAE.
Presented by Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival together with their regional partners, Motivate Publishing, the Dubai International Advertising Festival is held with the support of Dubai Media City (DMC) and in association with the UAE Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA). The 1st Dubai International Advertising Festival will bring to the Middle East and North Africa a series of high profile seminars, workshops, exhibitions and screenings aimed at giving creative inspiration, learning and networking opportunities to the advertising and allied industries in the region. The 2nd Dubai Lynx awards, which are part of the Festival, will honour creative excellence in TV/Cinema, Print, Outdoor, Radio, Direct Marketing, Media and Interactive advertising. High-profile international jurors will award the coveted Dubai Lynx trophy to establish the definitive standard for creative excellence in the MENA region.