Tarek Nour is considered to be the father of communications in Egypt, the man who
created the modern art of advertising and pioneered the advertising industry, shaping it
as we know it today. He has worked with presidents and governments and led their
communication campaigns and was instrumental in popularizing the passing of
referendums, the most important of which was the 2014 constitution by having an
unprecedented record number of votes (more than 38%).
He has worked with prime ministers and ministers to communicate government
programs and laws like the famous tax law campaign that has made tax income number
1 in Egypt’s annual revenue.
He has worked with Education, Health, Environment, Trade, Transport, Tourism
ministers, Finance and many government entities.
He has worked practically on all consumer and non-consumer goods and services with
corporate companies and businessmen. On retail, automotive, telecom, financial
services, insurance, Travel and tourism, food, pharmaceuticals and building materials
and real estate developments.
He is an all round marketing strategist- communication professional.
Professional Experience
•1970–1975: Al Ahram Computer programmer; simultaneously began his advertising
career in 1973.
•1976: Established Americana Production Company.
•1979: Established the first full service communications agency providing
integrated communication services including: communications campaigns, TV content
production, outdoor communications, media research and all services related to
communication.
•Early 80’s: Established several sister advertising agencies, as well as marketing
companies.
•1985: Established the first specialized company in events and exhibitions and on
February 15, 1987, organized “‘ ADVISTA ARABIA’ 1987”, the first Advertising
Conference of its kind in the Middle East and Egypt with the theme ‘ ADVISTA ARABIA’
“Horizons of Arab Advertising”. The event was attended by more than 1600 marketers
and advertising professionals later led to the hosting by Egypt of the IAA World
Congress award in Cairo.
•1998: Won the “Leadership in advertising in the Arab World” Award in Beirut.
•June 25th, 1998: Awarded “Hall Of Fame” in Egypt.
•Jan 2004: Awarded “Legend in Advertising Award” by the IAA Egypt Chapter.
•August 2008: Went into partnership with DDB worldwide part of the OMNICOM Group,
at this time the largest communication and marketing companies in the world.
•2009: Founded a TV network “Al Kahera Wal Nas” a general entertainment and talk
network composed of 2 TV channels.
•
2024 headed the Motaheda media group. 48 companies and 9,500 employees. The
largest media group in Egypt.
•
2026 traveling the world for more learning.
Tarek Nour Partners group in a flash
A 700 staff strong organization including advertising, media and broadcasting. 51%
owned by the Nour Family, 49% owned by DDB, a company of worldwide OMNICOM.
Personal Life
•Married to Laurie Nour, an American born, with one son, Karim. Laurie is the manager
of the family’s investments. Karim is the chairman of the TN Holding Group. Tarek and
Laurie have 2 granddaughters, Lara & Taya.
Hobbies
Music: Tarek was heavily influenced by his uncle Ali Lamloum love of music. He joined a
band called ‘The Mass’ in 1966 that became very popular in Agamy, a very distinct
summer resort on the Mediterranean Sea. The Mass were a distinct group that
introduced modern American and English groups songs to the country, away from the
Italian and French music it was used to. This led to Tarek starting his career at Radio
Cairo as a DJ with a program called: “Pop and Underground scene” This is where he
began his advertising career, by broadcasting his first ad on the radio. Combining his
love of music to his first job as a computer programmer (at Al Ahram publishing house)
a floor above the newspaper advertising agency, to his program on Radio Cairo all this
led to his career as an ad-man.
Achievements & milestones
لقشر
فايونا( first ad ( black and white) Viona shampoo :1973•
followed by Solea ) الشعر
cream followed by Mum deodorant followed by Ingram shaving cream. These 4 ads on
TV started his advertising career.
• 1976: Established ‘Americana productions’ with Kuwaiti tycoon Nasser el kharafi.
Produced series of landmark advertising commercials for the Arab region.
• 1979: created the first integrated multi function advertising agency in Egypt.
•1984: The first to establish specialized exhibitions in Egypt.
•1992: The first to modernize Egyptian retail by establishing the first and largest
supermarket chain in Egypt (ABC) in order to gain accurate and actual market
information to feed his advertising business with consumer information buying patterns.
(later sold to Sainsbury)
•2002: Masterminded the first public service campaign for the Children’s Cancer
Children’s Hospital, 57357, the largest in the Arab world. Revenue to date is
approximately $30 BILLION.
•2017: Tarek Nour became a consultant to his companies, all in the communication
industry and all owned by the TN Holding Group. In addition, he is a consultant for “Al
Kahera Wal Nas” TV network.
Life
-He is from a generation that has passed through 9 rulers / 4 wars / more than 30 prime
ministers / 3 revolutions / and a country drowned in financial crises since 1952.
-A generation that lived through colonialism, monarchy, socialism, capitalism and
political Islam.
-A generation that saw the humiliation of defeat in 67 and the glory of victory of the
October War of 73 .
-A generation that passed through a lifetime of events: the wealth and dignity of
royalty, the deprivation of socialism, the success of free economy led by the private
sector and the clear emergence of a new breed of men and women from the Egyptian
society capable of imagination and able to run businesses efficiently.
Sayings and quotes
•
“The social media is nothing but an old habit of gossip and a constant need to grab
people’s attention. And this process takes us away from searching within ourselves and
knowing who we are. It’s really quite simple because internally in our own body there is
a like and a dislike button. Just like in social media. The ability to find the right balance
is the key”
•
“Can a painting go out ot its frame and look at itself? “ If you hit the ‘imagine’ button,
Yes. Imagination is an unconventional thought based on “UNCOMON SENSE”. The
axiom of getting out of the inside, and the challenge and logic of the non-logical . The
ability to get out your shell and look at yourself will widen your understanding of the
world we are living in.
-Every subject has another angle, every word invented by mankind has another
meaning, and everything in this universe has a different concept. And this creates the
biggest problems in our world : Mis-Communication.
-His mantra: “God give me the gift of imagination and the ability to understand this
changing world and the ability to see myself as others see me”
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