Meet the new team member driving our operations in the Middle East
Halliday Finch is delighted to welcome a new Regional Manager of North Africa and the Middle East, Daboul, to our ever-expanding team. We asked Daboul some questions about how things are progressing and the biggest challenges facing the region.
Q: What were you doing before joining us here at Halliday Finch?
I started my career in brand protection in 2012, I instantly became obsessed with combating the counterfeiters and protecting consumers from them. Over the following years I was rapidly promoted, ending up as a senior investigator and headed up many major investigations, some of which have resulted in the biggest seizures of counterfeit goods in the Middle East. I have built special relationships with law enforcement officials in the UAE and as a student of law, I have been able to understand the technical methods of operations of counterfeiters and ensure we are able to enhance our effectiveness against IP infringements.
Q: How has the first month gone?
It’s been great to learn more about Halliday Finch’s mission in the Middle East and I feel privileged to be chosen as part of the team driving Halliday Finch’s presence in the region. We have had successful enforcements already and some great meetings with both LEAs and brand owners. There is much work to be done in the region, with my background and Halliday Finch’s experience in some of the toughest markets in the world we are well placed to expand and become the number one Brand Protection agency in the Middle East.
Q: What are the biggest brand protection challenges in the Middle East? Are things getting worse?Counterfeiting operations in the Middle East in general and specifically in the UAE are becoming a lot more sophisticated. Some of the facilities we have enforced recently are very well organized to the extent that we believe Chinese counterfeiters are moving their assembly operations here. Despite the low visibility of counterfeit products in the retail markets, the Middle East is now considered a major producer and exporter of counterfeit goods. In my opinion, without the strong efforts of the law enforcement agencies, the market would be over-run by counterfeit products. Law Enforcement do their job extremely capably.
Q: What’s your 5 year plan – how do you see Halliday Finch expanding in this region?
We have established our offices in the UAE now and have been given our trade licenses allowing us to legitimately trade in the region. Currently covering Turkey and Egypt as well we will push through to other key countries hand in hand with our brands, they drive our business and our expansion.