Mohamed Al Ayed

Mohamed Al Ayed has been engaged in the public relations practice in the Middle East for more than twenty years and came to prominence in 1998 when he established TRACCS in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In just over 17 years he has grown the single operation to become the largest public relations network in the MENA region with 14 offices across 13markets, serving a diversified portfolio of international brands, leading local companies, government agencies and NGOs. Deeply committed to establishing an indigenous public relations industry imbued with a natural understanding of regional cultures and sensitivities, Mohamed has built TRACCS by employing and training local talent. In addition, he and the management team at TRACCS have up-skilled hundreds more through training programs conducted for employees of clients. Continuing his quest to develop local talent, Mohamed innovated the Driver’s Seat initiative, an educational program designed to create awareness among university students about the importance and value of public relations. Launched in Saudi Arabia in 2012 in partnership with leading universities the program has created a positive impact among the 300 students who have benefited by engaging in interactive sessions and workshop activities. In 2013 the Driver’s Seat initiative won two prestigious global awards as the most innovative program and now in its fourth successful year the program is being extended to educational establishments across MENA. As part of his mission to promote the public relations industry across the region Mohamed organized and chaired Saudi Arabias first Public Relations Forum, drawing approximately 400 of the Kingdom’s leading PR practitioners and subsequently running for four consecutive years. The success of this initiative spread to Kuwait, Lebanon, and Oman, where TRACCS is an active promoter of the industry. A believer and practitioner of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mohamed organized the first CSR Forum in Saudi Arabia under the Patronage of HRH Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s late Crown Prince, and spearheaded the National CSR Initiative, a kingdom-wide public awareness campaign on the importance of social responsibility in Saudi Arabia. He also chaired the first CSR Conference held in Kuwait City organized the first CSR Forum in Amman Jordan under the Patronage of HM Queen Rania Al Abdullah. Mohamed is a member of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA)and has served two terms as Vice President of the Western Province for IPRA’s Arabian Gulf Chapter. He served as a board member of Communication on Top which organizes its annual public relations forum in Davos Switzerland, where he participated as a keynote speaker for three consecutive years. He is also a member of the Arthur Page Society, a prestigious organization that includes CEOs of the largest global public relations agencies and heads of corporate communications officers. Together with the TRACCS Management Team, Mohamed has built TRACCS into one of the most successful enterprises in the Middle East communications industry, earning a place on the list of the fastest growing companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and gaining global recognition with multiple award wins year after year. In May 2015, TRACCS was named "Best Consultancy to Work For" in Continental Europe, Middle East, and Africa, took home a Gold SABRE for Best Campaign in the Middle East, and was awarded Best Employee Program for its internal program "The Maestros by the Holmes Report." TRACCS also won six Stevie Awards in 2015 giving it a total of 60 regional and international awards and accolades. TRACCS is ranked 107 (up from 109 in 2014) in the influential Holmes Report’s Global Rankings, the only Middle East agency to be included among the top 250 public relations companies worldwide.