Us People Podcast

Interview with Rihab Abouzaki

Rihab Abouzaki · January 26, 2026

Entrepreneurin

Interview with Rihab Abouzaki

Podcast: Us People Podcast

January 26, 2026 · 49 min

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Interview with Rihab Abouzaki

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Key topicsLiving between cultures is a business advantage when used intentionallyHaving lived and worked across the Middle East and the US, Rihab describes how not feeling fully Arab, American, or European ultimately became an asset. It allows her to translate expectations, tone, and cultural nuance between regions - from how a message lands in a conservative market to what will resonate with a Western buyer. She shares practical examples of how leaders can build teams and campaigns that use multicultural experience as a real operational advantage, not a buzzword. Why GCC tourism boards struggle to reach real US travelersMassive investments in infrastructure and global events don’t automatically translate into visibility with American travelers. Campaigns run from outside the US often circulate inside regional echo chambers because of internet security layers, proxies, and cultural blind spots. Even when dashboards show strong “reach,” the intended US audiences - honeymooners, destination-wedding planners, luxury travelers - often never see the content. From her base inside the US, with an Arabic-speaking team that understands both systems, Rihab explains how to route tourism campaigns through platforms, partners, and formats that actually reach decision-stage American consumers. Global targeting tools are useless if you ignore security proxiesMany GCC brands still run US-targeted campaigns from outside the US and rely on dashboard numbers that don’t reflect real exposure. In markets with layered internet security, national proxies, and restricted pathways, “30,000 Saudis reached” does not mean those Saudis actually saw the ad. Rihab unpacks what those numbers really represent - and why having in-country US media partners is often the deciding factor between wasted budgets and actual penetration into Western markets. View all topics →

About Rihab Abouzaki

Expert in GCC–US Advertising for Tourism, Luxury Travel & Real Estate Brands

20+ years Branding & cross-border business experience3 GCC markets served: UAE, Oman & Saudi Arabia2 Languages used in media campaigns: Arabic & EnglishMarket launch Helped introduce Dettol consumer antibacterial wipes

Rihab Abouzaki grew up surrounded by journalists, broadcasters, and professionals whose work shaped public conversation across the Middle East. That environment exposed her early to media, strategy, and how ideas move through a culture, but she chose a different route. When she left for Dubai, she was intent on building her own career, starting in an entry-level data-entry role and working her way into design, branding, and cross-border business.

Over the next two decades, she moved through FMCG, manufacturing, and luxury goods across the Gulf. In the UAE, she helped introduce Dettol’s first consumer antibacterial wipes, taking them from medical settings into everyday households. At Marico, she managed regional brand strategy for Parachute, strengthening its presence with Arabic consumers. She later led a full-scale China–Dubai manufacturing operation producing metal gifts, special-edition products, and B2B jewelry and accessory lines for Middle Eastern clients.

Now based in Portland, Oregon, Rihab is the Advertising Manager and Creative Director at This N That Communications, a media and advertising company producing campaigns for clients across the GCC. Her work focuses on helping tourism boards, luxury travel brands, and real estate developers in the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia reach US and other Western audiences, a task that, in practice, is far more complex than placing English-language ads from abroad.

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The Power of Culture and Advertising withRihab Abouzaki

In this episode of the Us People Podcast, host Savia Rocks introduces Rihab Abouzaki an expert in advertising for GCC and the US, particularly in tourism, luxury travel, and real estate brands.

They discuss the importance of eliminating judgment, peeling away cultural traumas, and embracing one's true self. Rehab shares insights into her upbringing in a family of advertisers in Dubai, her experiences in transitioning to the US market, and the cultural nuances in advertising.

She emphasizes authenticity, cultural understanding, and the importance of personal connections in the advertising industry. Rihab Abouzaki also highlights misconceptions about international advertising and the critical difference between local and international marketing strategies. She encourages people to connect with others and stay true to their values, sharing her personal journey and experiences in navigating a multicultural professional landscape.

00:00 Introduction to Savia Rocks and the Us People Podcast

01:23 Guest Introduction: Rihab Abouzaki

02:24 Rihab's Background and Career Journey

05:00 Cultural Differences in Advertising

07:10 Strategies for Elevating Brands

09:51 Personal Insights and Career Shifts

14:43 Daily Life and Work Balance

18:41 Common Misconceptions in Advertising

23:48 Marketing Structures and Global Expansion

28:08 Life Outside of Work

28:37 Balancing Work and Personal Life

29:39 Self-Reflection and Identity