Fuse, the global sport and entertainment marketing agency, part of Omnicom Media, today announces the appointment of Freddy Farhat as Senior Director – Sports Partnerships, as the agency 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, reflecting the agency’s continued expansion as demand for sport and entertainment marketing accelerates across the GCC. Based in Dubai, he will lead sports partnerships across MENA, helping brands and rights holders unlock greater value from sponsorship investments through partnership strategy, commercial development and rights consultancy.
Farhat joins Fuse MENA from Dentsu Sports International, where he was Senior Manager, Global Partnerships, having previously held the role of Sports Partnerships Director at VUZ. Throughout his career, he has advised brands including Mondelez, Carlsberg and Capital.com on sports partnerships spanning football, Formula 1, tennis and other leading international properties. He has also worked with regional and international rights holders including LALIGA and PFL, brokering major sponsorship agreements and delivering commercial growth.
Reporting to Danielle Barwick, Executive Director, Fuse MENA, Farhat will work across Fuse’s growing 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.
The appointment comes as brands look beyond traditional sponsorships to create culturally relevant partnerships that build deeper audience connections and deliver long-term business impact. Powered by Omnicom Media, Fuse combines global expertise with local market understanding to deliver end-to-end services spanning strategy, rights consultancy, insights and effectiveness, events and partnership activation, creative strategy, PR, design, talent and influencer management.
Danielle Barwick, Executive Director, Fuse MENA, 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.
Freddy Farhat, Senior Director, Sports Partnerships, Fuse MENA, 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.”
