5 Minutes with… Hadi Abou Khzam
When Hadi Abou Khzam joined TBWA\RAAD as managing director of Nissan United MENA late last year, he brought over two decades of experience with him.
Multiple awards from the likes of Cannes Lions, Effie, Clio, New York Festivals, and Dubai Lynx are a testament to the esteem in which the seasoned marketing and brand strategist is held, both in MENA and beyond. Transformative campaigns and agency models have shaped that reputation, working with brands spanning sectors from finance to FMCG, but it’s automotive that’s Hadi’s true specialty, having played a pivotal role in setting up Spark44, Jaguar’s dedicated marketing communications agency across 14 markets.
Prior to joining TBWA\RAAD, Hadi also served as head of brand management at DXB LIVE, the experiential agency of Dubai World Trade Centre, where he established an in-house creative and marketing division servicing major government and international events.
Today, Hadi sits down with LBB’s Zara Naseer to discuss the spark that fired up his passion for cards, how he’s putting humans at the centre of automotive storytelling, soft power, and “relearning life”.
LBB> How did you get into advertising? Was it a purposeful decision or more of an accident?
Hadi> I grew up in a family of traders; all hustle, no branding. I didn’t get it then, but it planted a seed. At university, consumer behaviour courses sparked something, how do you shift people’s thinking? When I landed in Dubai, the Sheikh Zayed Road billboards, especially Emirates’ ‘Keep Discovering,’ pulled me right in. I chased that feeling, interviewed, and got my first gig at Publicis Graphics. Accident on the surface? Maybe. But looking back, it was always building.
LBB> In the early days of your career, what were some projects/clients that particularly helped you grow and understand the business?
Hadi> My real schooling was at Publicis with [powdered milk brand] Nido – I learned how brands are built end-to-end: concept to POSM to TVC. Then Havas showed me scale through the Kraft portfolio. But Jaguar was the masterclass. I went from managing a global alignment to leading all communications across 15+ markets under Spark44 and Tata Motors. These milestones, from hands-on execution to guiding brand evolution, shaped how I lead.
LBB> What draws you to automotive as a sector and Nissan as a brand, and what are your ambitions for it?
Hadi> As a kid in the village, my friends and I would sit around, at night, guessing car models just by their headlights. That love for automotive design never left. I learned to drive in a Datsun Laurel, so the Nissan brand has been in my system for a long time. Now, my ambition is to evolve that legacy. With all the tech, AI, and data, we’ll keep the consumer at the centre, staying human. But it’s not just about relevance; it’s about disruption. If we're just keeping up, we're already behind. We need to disrupt culture, innovate, and ensure Nissan doesn’t just keep up, but define what’s next.
LBB> Since joining TBWA\RAAD last November, where have you seen that Disruption® mindset embodied, and how have you embraced it yourself?
Hadi> Since joining, I’ve seen Disruption® in action, teams questioning conventions, asking ‘why not?’ instead of sticking to what’s safe. Personally, I embrace Disruption® as a mindset. I’ve identified conventions and challenged them, from co-creating briefs directly with the client, to shifting our strategic lens toward human-centric insights, not just what the car offers. I’ve pushed to create real synergies, streamlining how Nissan United connects, creates, and delivers, from region to dealer.
LBB> What are you proudest of in your career so far, and why?
Hadi> I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve proven you don’t need to bulldoze people to succeed. While the industry often celebrates ‘tough’ leadership, I’ve doubled down on soft power – building strong relationships, working horizontally, and still hitting those big, shared goals. I’ve stayed laser-focused on creating effective work, work that matters to clients, rather than chasing awards. Ironically, the awards came anyway, but only as a byproduct of doing the right thing. It’s been a journey shaped by the people who’ve mentored me and those I’ve worked with, proving you can succeed with empathy and shared purpose.
LBB> What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in this industry?
Hadi> What I’ve learned is that doing great work is only half the battle, you have to advocate for it. If you don’t shine a light on what you’re building, you risk becoming invisible. So, communicating your impact is just as crucial as making it. The second big lesson? Persistence. Ideas are everywhere. What separates winners is the grit to push them through to execution, to make sure the final product matches the ambition.
LBB> What trends in the industry do you find yourself ranting about the most and why?
Hadi> What I find myself ranting about lately is the immediate default to tactical, the constant ‘80% off’ messaging that runs year-round. It’s become the go-to shortcut for hitting short-term targets. And while I understand the pressure to deliver numbers, this obsession with conversions and data points often comes at the cost of brand building.
It’s a dangerous game. When a brand spends too long playing only in the lower funnel, it risks eroding its equity. Eventually, no promotion will move the needle because the brand has lost meaning, value perception, and emotional connection with its audience.
We must not forget the ‘why’, the purpose and promise behind a brand while we communicate the ‘how’ and the ‘what’. Metrics matter, but not at the expense of meaning.
LBB> Outside of work, what's inspiring you right now?
Hadi> I’m relearning life. Not in the philosophical sense, in the literal, observable sense. I’ve been going back to basics: how sound travels through speakers, how electricity actually works, how cities operate, the physics, chemistry, and biology that shape our world.
These aren't typical advertising conversations, but they're everywhere. That sense of discovery, curiosity without a brief, is energising. Reminds me that inspiration doesn't always come from inside the industry.
