- September 30, 2022
EPISODE #
#39 Meta’s Fares Akkad on the metaverse and the creator economy
About this episode
We’ve all heard so much about the metaverse and we’re starting to see some of its applications. If you own a Virtual Reality (VR) headset, then you’ve experienced the metaverse in some fashion. If you’re a business, you may be considering a presence in the metaverse or might be building apps for the metaverse. The metaverse is all about a heightened experience and total immersion. But would it catch on?
I speak to Meta’s Regional Director for MENA, Fares Akkad about Meta’s $10Bn push into the metaverse and what it would mean for us to have both physical and virtual lives. We also discuss the creator economy and the opportunity it has unleashed. Anyone with a social media account can publish content today. What does that mean for creators and for businesses?
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guest profile
Fares Akkad
Fares Akkad is the new Regional Director of the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] region at Meta. In this role, Fares designs and leads the commercial growth of the company and its portfolio of apps, services and businesses across MENA.
Fares was most recently the Director of Media Partnerships for News in Growth Markets at Meta, supporting journalists and publishers in embedding a sustainable business model in the digital age. Prior to Meta, Fares led digital business development and distribution for MBC Group, joining the group after over a decade in management consulting in both the region and the United States [US]. Entrepreneurship remains a passion for Fares, having started, funded and exited several startups in MENA and the US – he remains an active advisor and investor in the startup scene.