My Bio
My name is Manal Assaad (منال أسعد), a Lebanese born and raised in Saudi Arabia. Professionally, I'm a digital marketing consultant and researcher with 15 years of experience,an MBA in Marketing and an M.A. in International Management. My career also led me on a journey to fulfill my dream of traveling the world! As a traveler and adventurer, I'm always keen on exploring new destinations and seeking out different experiences... If you're not in a hurry, you can learn more details below.
As a Digital Marketing Consultant and Trainer:
I'm a Lebanese national, born and raised in Saudi Arabia, living in Germany. This gave me an insight into very contrasting cultures, feeding my affection for “social communications”.
I'm known across the Middle East for my contribution to and influence in the digital scene as "The Manalyst: Branding Fanatic, Marketing Enthusiast, Media Addict", a personal brand which I created to reflect my passion for my marketing profession as well as various interests such as art, technology and psychology... You can find out more about my interests by reading my blog.
In Saudi Arabia, I was mostly an independent Social Media Strategist, after having gained a 360° communications experience in branding, marketing, advertising and public relations in all 3 major Saudi cities: Khobar/Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh, and an MBA in Marketing in Bahrain. You can get the full details of my professional experience by visiting my Work page.
I have also spoken at various digital events and been appointed as a brand ambassador in major regional events such as ArabNet, Arab Social Media Forum, and Social Media Club Bahrain. Find my interviews and articles in Media.
I have helped multiple local and international brands within different industries (FMCG, retail, automobiles, luxury, food and restaurants, etc.) create and maintain a successful presence online, and provided training and consultation in social media strategy, marketing, and personal branding. To know how I can help YOU, simply contact me!
As an Experiential Traveler and Adventurer:
Traveling and exploring have long been a passion of mine. I have always felt like a nomad, in search of my true home, and traveling is the only way for me to find it... But it is through traveling that I felt most like myself, and found my happiness. The more I lose myself in this world, the better I find myself. I share my adventures and expeditions in my travel blog, to bring out the best in every destination, in hope that they guide others in their adventures.
I've been to Switzerland, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Georgia, Singapore, Malaysia, India, many countries around Europe, and the UK, and I hope that is just the beginning!
As an experiential traveler, I always aim to do more than just chilling at hotels, restaurants, markets and malls as a typical tourist, and often try to experience a country as a local or explore around for adventurous activities that imprint unforgettable memories... Traveling is the perfect opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds, share with them the beauty of my culture while learning about theirs. I have always believed that the best part about traveling are the new friends we make along the way, and the people we meet that shape our journey... You can visit the same place a hundred times, but experience it differently depending on your company!
