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 We recently
asked Dave Robinson, CEO of Gulf Hill & Knowlton, about
working in the Middle East. Hill & Knowlton EMEA won
a Stevie® Award for Best Multinational Company in The
2006 International Business Awards
As a European living and working in the Middle
East, what do you miss most?
The rain and the
cold. Even living in Greece prior to the Middle East we used
to have a good deal of seasonal rain and proper winters. The
Middle East—and the Gulf in particular—lacks both. The result
is beautiful sunshine all year round, but one does miss the
rain! On the work front, however, there is little that I
miss. By and large, business is less bureaucratic, and
there is less interference from government both in terms of
regulations and, more importantly, taxation.
What would you miss most about the Middle East if
you had to return to Europe or North America?
The
dynamism of a fast-growing emerging PR market. The growth
rates experienced in this part of the world are but a dream
for most European countries, and the excitement and challenge
that goes with sustaining such growth is something I would
definitely miss if I were to return there.
What advice or useful tip would you give to someone
who is just starting out in business in the Middle
East?
Try and keep a balance between your
professional standpoint and the need to adapt to the local
environment and business culture. In the Middle East people
respect you when you are flexible and adaptable, but not when
you sell out. Patience is a virtue—perhaps the chief
virtue required for working here. But relationships are
everything—trust, loyalty, and humanity are as important here
as professionalism, timeliness, and expertise.
What book are you currently reading?
I
typically read several books at once, picking up whichever
takes my mood. At the moment I am reading The
Responsibility Virus: How Control Freaks, Shrinking Violets
and the Rest of Us Can H Arness the Power of True
Partnership by Roger L. Martin, Neither
Here nor There: Travels in Europe by Bill Bryson, and Father
of Dubai: Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al-Maktoum by Graeme Wilson, which is the
biography of the former ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid.
What is your favorite sport or hobby?
Motorcycling—I often ride through the desert and into the mountains with a group of like-minded individuals. The summer heat and a very poorly back have put paid to this for the next six months, however, so instead I’ll be spending my little free time on photography and music—composition and playing guitar.
Who is your favorite historical figure?
There are many, but Winston Churchill is a favourite because of his wit and fortitude. Plato is another: the dialogues with Socrates are a great teaching method, and I am trying to find a way to develop more training within our business using similar methods.
Who is your favorite living person?
I admire Ricardo Semler because what he has done to change the way we think about business and structure is truly remarkable. Sir Richard Branson, too, continues to inspire as he combines the spirit of the underdog with hard-nosed business strategy—all wrapped up in a highly media-friendly but intensely PR-conscious package.
If you could choose another profession, what would it be?
Either professional musician or restaurateur. Both appeal equally.
What do you think is the worst bad habit to have at work?
Lack of self-awareness.
What quality or qualities do you most value in your business associates?
Commitment, loyalty, integrity.
As someone at the top of your profession, what keeps you inspired or makes you hit the ground running in the morning?
The possibilities innate in the kind of work we do and the satisfaction of overcoming the challenges in those possibilities. I also get a great deal of satisfaction watching my colleagues develop their talents and careers, and in playing a small part in this.
What do you consider has been your greatest achievement in business?
To lead great teams of people. I consider it a major achievement to have worked with some of the best. I could talk about annual growth figures, turnarounds, major client wins, and so on, but the bottom line is always the people you work with. I know a number of people in my line of work, and in other professions, who would do well to think about this dynamic more often.
About Gulf Hill & Knowlton
Hill & Knowlton Middle East has been established since 1985. Its 22-year
history makes it one of the longest established PR consultancies in the
Middle East and the largest and most established of the global PR
consultancies in the region. With a large Arabic-speaking staff and a dynamic mix of multinational and domestic clients, Gulf Hill & Knowlton is a full service regional PR consultancy with owned offices and affiliates covering Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE.
Hill & Knowlton, Inc. is a leading international communications consultancy, providing services to local, multinational, and global clients. The firm is based in New York, with 70 offices in 40 countries, as well as an extensive associate network. The agency is part of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY), one of the world’s largest communications services groups. For more information go to www.hillandknowlton.com.
About Dave Robinson
Dave Robinson joined Hill & Knowlton in 2004 as the CEO of the Middle East network. Dave has spent the last 14 years in the international communications industry but began his career in London with the Holmes and Marchant Group. He also worked for Scope Communications and then with Ketchum London, working on a variety of accounts both national and international.
In 1999 he moved to Greece where he worked for the DDB advertising group as Executive Vice President of PR operations, before moving to independent PR consultancy CIVITAS in 2000. In the next five years the agency grew more than threefold and established a reputation for leadership in public relations
During his career Dave has worked across a variety of practices including business-to-business, consumer marketing, healthcare, corporate communications, nutrition, and crisis/issues management. Dave currently consults clients in the automotive, IT, FMCG, financial, and energy industries. He is also part of the core team advising the Government of Dubai on its international communications strategy and policies.
Dave is a graduate of Edinburgh University and holds an MA in Italian. He is on the Executive Committee of the Middle East PR Association, and is a member of the Hellenic Public Relations Institute. He is working on improving his Arabic.
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1-800-GotJunk of Vancouver, BC
Canada is a Stevie Award winner for Best Communications Team
in The 2007 International Business Awards. The team was
honored for its work over the past year generating a large
number of publicity hits for the company, including
appearances on many popular television programs.
