Shaker Akbar Joins APO as Regional Vice President - Middle East

APO, a rapidly growing Pan-African communications company, has appointed Shaker Akbar as Regional Vice President - Middle East.

A sales and marketing veteran, Shaker’s career spans over two decades with some of the most prestigious hotel brands in the world, including Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and Caesars Palace.

Born in Afghanistan and raised in Washington DC, Shaker spent most of his early career in various sales and marketing leadership roles at Four Seasons. As Regional Director of Sales - Middle East at Four Seasons, he was instrumental in the group’s expansion in the region.

Shaker later joined Palazzo Versace Dubai as Commercial Director, heading up the Revenue, Sales, Marketing & Communications departments. There, he helped to establish the company’s sales, marketing and PR structure, as well as its brand standards.

In his most recent position as Vice President of Business Development for Caesars Palace, Shaker played a key role in extending the brand to Dubai - the first time a Caesars Palace venue had ever launched outside the United States.

“Appointing an executive of Shaker’s calibre is fantastic news for APO Group,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group. “Many of our Pan-African clients are either based in the Middle East, or have a presence there, and Shaker’s experience and expertise in sales and business development make him ideally-placed to provide local support ... We are delighted he is joining us in our ongoing efforts to help companies in the region grow their business on the African continent.”

Shaker, who obtained his degree in Economics from the University of Maryland, will be based in Dubai.

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