A marketing professional born and raised in Amman, Rami obtained his Bachelor's degree in Marketing from the University of Jordan. He started his career in the marketing field in the telecommunication and automotive industries. He later moved to the public relations field after joining TRACCS, one of the leading PR agencies in the Middle East. At TRACCS, Rami was responsible for planning, organizing and implementing PR and CSR activities, in addition to managing corporate and social events. Armed with his vast knowledge and expertise in the PR industry and his passion for technology, Rami joined Samsung Electronics Levant, the world leader in consumer electronics. As the Brand and Communication Manager at Samsung Levant, Rami oversees Samsung’s brand and public relations affairs in the Levant region (i.e. Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine) in addition to Jordan, Samsung Electronics headquarters in the Levant. Rami's agenda: 7:00AM – 8:00AM The alarm is off, good morning! The way you wake up is important and affects the rest of the day, so I always make sure to have a good night’s sleep. My job requires me to be 100% focused; a large cup of coffee does the job! I start my day with a healthy breakfast and enjoy some good, energetic music. Time is running! I shower, get dressed, and en route to work. 8:00AM – 10:00AM Once at the office, I check my calendar and to-do list. I have a pretty busy day; I receive over 100 emails a day, so I make sure to prioritize and answer them, which usually takes up to an hour. Competitor analysis is one of my top duties, so I read daily newspapers and online news to research their articles, products and advertisements for the Levant region. The electronic market is very competitive, so the smallest missed element can affect our brand and sales. I also need to be updated with economic, political and technology news that could impact us. Staying up-to-date with regional and international news is a key component to being a good Brand Manager. 9:30AM is the time for our daily 30-minute meeting with the marketing team. We discuss and review results of all activities that were recently conducted. My job depends highly on inspiring creativity, so I encourage the team to bring up innovative ideas in order to solve problems and stand out from the competition. 10:00AM – 12:00PM The agenda is set, and now the peak period starts! This time is to check all our brand activities against our regional and local guidelines, while monitoring media channels and seeking opportunities to enhance our overall communication. My team and I also make sure to review all media exposure to guarantee maximum visibility and awareness. Our other tasks include the budgeting and ROI measurement for all marketing expenditures, and measuring the brand’s position and value. 12:00PM – 1:00PM Time for lunch! We get it catered at work every day. I take this opportunity to socialize with my colleagues away from any work-related discussions, disconnecting for an hour from the business environment and enjoying a casual warm chit-chat with friends about random life topics. Samsung encourages work-life balance, so this is a good time to do so. 1:00PM – 4:00PM I engage with the advertising and PR agencies to discuss ongoing and upcoming creative work, such as TV and newspaper ads, but also digital and other communication priorities. Samsung has weekly campaigns for brand and product awareness. My role is to avoid any miscommunication and to ensure 100% effectiveness. 4:00PM – 5:00PM Last hour at work, I usually stay late when we have pending tasks. I recheck my agenda to make sure all appointments, tasks and responsibilities have been ticked. I prepare for the next day by assigning tasks to my team. My job consists of many responsibilities; it’s very challenging, but it pays off once I sit back and look at accomplishments I have been part of. Once all is reviewed, checked and planned, I pack my things and head home. 6:00PM – 11:00PM I enjoy social outings, and meeting people is essential for my job. I meet friends for a nice dinner, spend quality time with them and relax after a long day at work. As a leading brand’s Communication Manager, emails always haunt me even after working hours, but I manage to keep a balance in my life! I stay at home some days and spend quality time with my family, watching movies, playing cards or simply talking and laughing. My advice for anyone interested in entering the field of communication and brand management would be to be alert; always keep an eye and ear on what’s happening in the world. Remember that your brand doesn’t exist in a vacuum; you should stay up-to-date with news in general, but also news related to the commercial activities of your direct and indirect competitors. People skills are a must in this field; you have to have the ability to communicate effectively with your team, your managers, the media, etc. You should also show an understanding of the different types of media available today, and how each type works for every audience. I hope you enjoyed your day with me, see you tomorrow!
