For every child,
regional communication leadership.
A direct response to the Chief of Communication, P-5 at the UNICEF Gulf Area Office, Riyadh. 15+ years building regional communication strategy, advocacy, and cross-country coordination across the UN system, international NGOs, and major MENA brands, currently Senior Communication Expert at UNDP Saudi Arabia.
Borhene Eddine
Fakhfakh
Thinking like a
Chief of Communication,
regionally.
Four pillars define how I operate as a regional communications expert, the lens through which I would lead the UNICEF Gulf Area Office. Built from 15+ years across the UN system, international NGOs, and multi-country campaigns.
- Coherent regional narrative
- Harmonized communications across countries
- Country-adapted storytelling
- Advocacy · visibility · mobilization aligned
- Data translated into decisions
- Multi-country coordination
- Team and focal point management
- Regional workflows and SOPs
- Campaign coordination at scale
- Priority alignment across offices
- Audience growth tracking
- Media reach and quality
- Engagement metrics
- Campaign performance review
- Crisis response efficiency
- Advocacy and policy impact
- Regional journalists database
- Influencer and creator network
- GCC media platforms
- Arabic-language outlets
- International media partnerships
By leading regional
communication that moves policy.
For over fifteen years, I have directed regional communication systems that move audiences and shift conversations, across the UN system, international NGOs, and major regional brands. From UNDP Saudi Arabia on COP16, to Greenpeace International on COP27 and the FSO SAFER crisis, to Amnesty International as MENA Regional Content Manager, to RAWSA MENA on women’s reproductive rights.
I bring to UNICEF a senior expert’s strategic instincts, deep regional fluency, and a profile built for the Gulf, born in MENA, based in Riyadh, native in English, French, and Arabic.
Inside the UN system, today.
Senior Communication Expert
UNDP · Saudi Arabia
Leading strategic communications for COP16 Riyadh, integrated three-phase strategy, AI-assisted production with Runway and Midjourney, multi-level coordination.
Producing advocacy materials with gender-sensitive, inclusive language. UNDP AI Sprint certified (2025).
Every required capability,
demonstrated.
For each skill the JD requires, a concrete case from the past decade.
Directing regional media strategy under pressure.
Led regional advocacy and communications for FSO SAFER, COP27, and the Warrior Ship Tour. Transformed technical briefings into multilingual press releases, mobilizing international awareness and emergency funding.
Regional content strategy and digital governance.
As Regional Content Manager (MENA), oversaw content strategy for human rights advocacy, consistent messaging across country offices in multi-format, multi-language content.
Advocacy for women’s rights, rooted in lived regional context.
Delivered women’s rights advocacy campaigns across digital, radio, and TV. At UNDP with gender-sensitive, inclusive language in all advocacy materials.
Designing communication for global climate moments.
Developed the communication plan from Barcelona to ground execution in Tunisia and Egypt. Connected global audiences with regional demands.
Award-winning campaigns across MENA agencies.
Seven years building storytelling, editorial precision, and audience insight that still anchor the work today.
A regional strategist,
fluent in the Gulf context.
Communication leadership requires cultural intelligence, institutional diplomacy, and regulatory sensitivity. A regional strategist who adapts international standards to the GCC context.
Cultural Fluency
Born in MENA, based in Riyadh. Native in Arabic, including registers used by media, government, and faith-based institutions.
Institutional Diplomacy
Daily coordination with Saudi ministries and government institutions at UNDP. Operating inside official protocols and inter-ministerial workflows.
Regulatory Sensitivity
15+ years navigating MENA and Gulf regulatory nuances, from media licensing to brand governance. Risk-aware, never risk-averse.
“A regional communications expert who knows where the lines are, and how to do excellent, impactful, principled work within them.”
Nine accountabilities,
one cohesive response.
Communication strategy
Gulf-specific strategy anchored in environmental scans, audience segmentation, and KPIs, using the three-phase model proven on COP16.
Media relations
Activating an existing MENA media network across print, TV, radio, and digital.
Networking & partnerships
Building coalitions across UN agencies, government, civil society, and private sector.
Celebrities & special events
Identifying high-profile Gulf voices and structuring engagements for measurable advocacy outcomes.
Global priorities & campaigns
Translating UNICEF’s global campaigns into culturally resonant Gulf narratives.
Resource mobilization
Strengthening UNICEF’s B2B brand in the Gulf for private sector partners.
Management
Leading communication teams, managing budgets, proven across 22+ countries.
Monitoring & evaluation
Establishing baselines, performance indicators, and lessons-learned reviews.
Capacity building
Advising the Representative, country team, and partner organizations.
My vision for the role,
UNICEF Gulf Area Office.
The regional vision I would bring on day one, built from 15+ years of MENA & Gulf experience.
Every requirement,
directly met.
15+ years progressively responsible
From copywriter (JWT, Ogilvy, Karoui & Karoui) to UN system communication expert at UNDP.
GCC experience
Currently based in Riyadh with UNDP Saudi Arabia. Field experience from Tunisia to Yemen, Egypt to Saudi Arabia.
Advisory in comms, visibility & branding
Senior advisor for UN system, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, RAWSA MENA, and major MENA brands.
Print, broadcast & new media
Hands-on across TV, radio, print, digital. Multilingual press releases, briefings, digital-first campaigns.
Development work & UN systems
Active UN experience at UNDP Saudi Arabia, COP16 lead. Prior: Amnesty, Greenpeace, RAWSA MENA.
Native Arabic, English & French
Native in Arabic, English, and French, direct engagement with regional media and global UNICEF.
Native French
Adds a third UN official language, valuable for Francophone Africa coordination.
UNDP AI Sprint · Greenpeace · Amnesty
UNDP AI Sprint (2025) · Greenpeace Campaign Management (2022) · Amnesty (2017). Master’s in Audiovisual Advertising, ESSTED Tunis (2008).
Fifteen years,
UN, NGOs & regional brands.
Senior Communication Expert
Leading strategic communications for COP16 Riyadh. Three-phase strategy, AI-assisted production (Runway, Midjourney), multi-level UNDP coordination.
Communication & Creative Content Consultant
Communication campaigns and multimedia content for investment initiatives in the Saudi market.
Communication Lead & Consultant (MENA)
Led regional advocacy for FSO Safer and COP27. Media relations, proactive pitching, rapid-response messaging.
Communication Consultant (MENA)
Women’s rights advocacy campaigns across digital, radio, and TV.
Regional Content Manager (MENA)
Regional content strategy and institutional communications for human rights advocacy.
Senior Communication Consultant
Campaign design, brand strategy, integrated communication across traditional and digital channels.
Senior & Junior Copywriter
Award-winning campaigns for major regional brands. Master’s in Audiovisual Advertising, ESSTED Tunis.
Four campaigns,
structured as case studies.
COP16 Riyadh
Build international and local visibility for COP16 Riyadh while showcasing UNDP’s SDG commitments.
Integrated three-phase strategy: preparation, execution, post-event follow-up.
AI-assisted content production with Runway and Midjourney.
Sustained UNDP visibility. Strengthened partnerships. Results aligned to SDG objectives.
FSO SAFER
Mobilize international awareness and emergency funding for the FSO SAFER crisis off Yemen.
Transform technical briefings into compelling multilingual press materials.
Multilingual press releases. Coordinated outreach. Real-time media management.
Emergency funding mobilized. Preventative action triggered.
COP27 & Warrior Ship Tour
Create a regional climate justice narrative connecting global negotiations to youth voices.
Regional coordination, multilingual storytelling, rapid-response capacity.
Press releases, media kits, social campaigns. Ground support in Tunisia and Egypt.
Media coverage at scale. Advocacy momentum connecting MENA to global negotiations.
Women’s Rights Advocacy
Advance women’s reproductive rights across MENA with cultural sensitivity.
Multimedia storytelling with gender-sensitive language across digital, radio, TV.
Multi-format content. Coordinated rollout across MENA country contexts.
Audiences mobilized to action. Strengthened regional advocacy networks.
Eight competencies,
demonstrated.
Builds & maintains partnerships
Long-term relationships with regional media, NGOs, UN agencies, and government across MENA and the Gulf.
Self & ethical awareness
Sustained work on sensitive rights-based topics with consistent ethical rigor.
Drive to achieve results for impact
Measurable reach across national and regional campaigns, UN, NGO, and brand.
Innovates & embraces change
AI-assisted production at UNDP. UNDP AI Sprint certified (2025).
Manages ambiguity & complexity
Fluent across cultural, political, and sectoral contexts, MENA, Gulf, NGO and government.
Thinks & acts strategically
Strategies grounded in environmental scans, stakeholder mapping, and rights-based logic.
Works collaboratively
Multi-stakeholder coordination across UN agencies, NGO partners, government, and media.
Nurtures, leads & manages people
Built and led cross-functional teams across MENA, coaching, delegating, developing talent.
Ready to lead regional
communication in the Gulf.
Available for interview · Already based in Riyadh · No relocation required
borhene.fakhfakh@gmail.com© 2026 Borhene Eddine Fakhfakh · Regional Communications Expert · Response to Chief of Communication, P-5 · UNICEF Gulf Area Office · Riyadh