Aya Khalil

Strategic marketing leader with 16+ years of experience driving brand growth, creative excellence, and integrated campaigns across education, entertainment, FMCG and banking sectors. Proven track record in building successful brands and leading cross-functional teams to deliver impact-driven campaigns that elevate visibility and engagement across diverse markets.

EDUCATION:

Masters of Mass Communications (specialization Marketing): London Metropolitan University, London, United Kingdom, October 2012 Result: Distinction (highest honors)

Bachelor of Arts: The American University in Cairo (AUC)

Major: Mass Communication specialized in Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)

Minor: Psychology Graduation: June 2009 GPA: 3.7/4 (high honors)

American Diploma: BBC International School, June 2005, SAT examination score: 1230, GPA: 4

International Baccalaureate (IB diploma): Stockholm International School, Sweden, 2002-2004

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Head of Marketing, Events and PR, Emirates NBD, Jan 2026 – Present

• Leading a fully integrated marketing and communications function spanning digital, business marketing, social media, PR, media buying, sponsorships, branding, web, and events.

• Define and execute marketing and corporate communications strategies aligned with business growth, acquisition, and brand leadership.

• Create and execute targeted events and experiential marketing initiatives for our different customer segments to enhance engagement and reinforce brand positioning.

• Partner with GCC teams to ensure cross-market alignment, consistency, and regional synergy.

• Develop segmented communication frameworks across retail, SME, and corporate audiences.

• Drive performance and digital marketing initiatives to strengthen acquisition and conversion.

• Oversee reputation management, corporate messaging, and agency ecosystems to deliver high-impact campaigns in a highly competitive regional banking landscape.

Director of Marketing, The American University in Cairo, Jan 2018 – August 2025

• Led AUC’s first two-year flagship integrated campaign AUC100: Be the Future, celebrating the university’s centennial. Directed strategy, creative development, and global rollout involving 80+ distinguished alumni and international production teams.

• Strengthened AUC’s positioning as Egypt’s leading global university across local and international markets.

• Oversaw social media, media buying, video production, and market research, significantly elevating digital presence among leading global universities

• Drove recruitment marketing initiatives across MENA and the U.S. to support international student enrollment growth.

• Managed multiple agencies and internal teams for efficient campaign delivery.

• Directed multi-channel strategies across ATL, digital, activations, events, print, and web to engage diverse stakeholders (students, alumni, donors, government, faculty)

Head of Marketing, El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), April 23 – December 23 (Seasonal Position)

• Led the comeback marketing strategy for the 6th edition after a two-year hiatus.

• Directed integrated campaigns across digital, outdoor, video, rebranding, and BTL.

• Managed a competitive multi-agency pitching process with leading regional agencies.

• Curated and marketed 40+ events across an 8-day festival program, driving visibility and audience engagement.

• Built strategic partnerships with tourism, cultural, and arts entities to amplify reach.

• Oversaw social media, sponsor integration, on-ground activations, venue branding, and external agencies.

Group Brand Manager, L'Oreal Egypt, Oct 2012 – Dec 2017

Progressed from Brand Manager to Senior Brand Manager to Group Brand Manager

• Drove the success of multiple brands such as L’Oréal Paris, Garnier, Maybelline and Lancôme through innovative campaigns and product launches in a highly competitive FMCG market.

• Developed integrated plans balancing brand equity, awareness, creativity, and commercial growth.

• Led cross-functional collaboration across sales, supply chain, distribution, finance, and training teams to ensure alignment and profitability.

• Managed internal teams and external agencies such as digital, PR and media buying to ensure campaign excellence with a different group of agencies for each brand.

• Worked closely with GCC and global headquarters on launches and strategy alignment.

Communications Manager, Leo Burnett Cairo, July 2011- October 2011 (left to pursue Masters)

• Managed strategic campaigns and client relationships, ensuring alignment with business objectives and creative excellence for clients such as Orange and Juhayna,

• Liaising internally and externally with all relevant teams to ensure prompt execution and delivery of creative campaigns that consumers can engage with.

• Oversaw timelines, budgets, market research and execution

Senior Account Executive, JWT Cairo, January 2010 – July 2011 (Vodafone and Nokia)

• Managed Vodafone and Nokia’s North African accounts, ensuring consistent brand communications across markets and country teams

• Collaborated with creative teams and negotiated with clients to develop campaigns spanning TV, digital, print, and activations ensuring that the brand objectives are met

Intern at Mindshare Tokyo, Japan (Marketing and Media Network), June 2009- January 2010

• Supported media planning and creative campaigns for clients including Lufthansa, Unilever, and Fujitsu, gaining international exposure to traditional and digital media strategies.

Marketing Trainee, Mobinil (Orange now), June - August 2007.

• Coordinated between the advertising agency and the marketing department.

• Supervised several T.V ads shoots to ensure that the agreed upon storyboard was implemented.

UNIVERSITY ACHIEVMENTS:

• Valedictorian, Spring 2009: selected out of forty candidates to represent the graduating students by giving the self-written graduation speech in front of 4000 commencement attendees.

• Group Leader in Graduation Project: Awarded "Best Campaign" by JWT on creating a fully integrated campaign about "Female Harassment on Egyptian Streets".

• Member, Human Rights Council, Cairo International Model United Nations (CIMUN)

• Peer Leader, First Year Experience Program

DIPLOMAS:

• Talk Show and News Presenting Diplomas- Cairo Media School, May 2017

• Television Presenting and Voice Coaching Diploma- ONA Academy, April 2017

LANGUAGES AND SKILLS:

• Fluent spoken and written English and Arabic, basic French

• Proficient in CRM tools such as Salesforce and HubsSpot, digital analytics, and AI-driven tools

TRAVEL EXPERIENCE:

• Lived in Tokyo, Japan for eight years and attended elementary/junior school there. Lived in Sweden for two years and attended high-school there. Lived in London during my Masters.

• Worldwide travel and exposure to many different cultures and countries.