Deezer to open Dubai office in Q1 2019; appoints ex-Turner chief Tarek Mounir as CEO

Tarek Mounir, who was previously VP and GM for Turner, MENAT region, has now joined global music streaming service Deezer as CEO for its MENA and Turkey regions. Mounir will head the company from April 1, 2019, and be responsible for growing Deezer’s B2B and advertising business in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, working closely with the company’s global product, marketing and content teams to bring the company’s local strategy to life.

Prior to this, Mounir  spent over eight years at Turner, growing the business in MENA, Turkey, Greece & Cyprus. Mounir is an entertainment veteran. Before his work at Turner, Mounir produced commercials and long form animation; and also served as a TV presenter for shows including Survivor, Middle East.

Following its launch in the MENA region in October 2018, Deezer is expected to open an office in Dubai in Q1 2019 to serve as a hub for its work in the region. The company is in the process of recruiting a number of local employees in various marketing, communication and business development roles and already has team members in place to manage industry relations and local editorial content.

Speaking about the appointment, Hans-Holger Albrecht, Global CEO of Deezer commented: “I’d like to welcome Tarek to Deezer’s management. We’re excited to have him on the leadership team for our regional operations in MENA. His extensive background in entertainment and understanding of local market dynamics and growth drivers will be a great asset for our ongoing expansion.”

Deezer is available all over the Middle East and North Africa. The app can be used in Arabic, French, English as well as a number of other languages and offers exclusive content from Rotana’s market leading music catalogue. New users can try the service for free for 15 days and can then get another 30 days for free by signing up with the service with a valid payment solution.