Dentsu Aegis Network is expanding its operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with the launch of a new office for Merkle (www.merkle.com), a leading technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency.

In MENA, Merkle will be led by Rudy Banholzer, formerly the managing director of full-service social media agency Your Social prior to its acquisition by Merkle in the EMEA region.

Your Social is being rebranded to Merkle with Rudy’s remit now to grow the business’ capabilities to help clients adopt people-based marketing. PBM enables brands to identify real people by leveraging the data behind them to create personalised experiences - ultimately driving customer loyalty.  As a global leader in PBM – with a rich heritage in data, technology and analytics - Merkle has expanded rapidly in EMEA, which now comprises almost 1500 people in 14 offices across five countries.

Rudy joined Your Social six years ago, tasked with setting up the regional office in Dubai and growing the business in the UAE and across the Middle East. The team of 25 people is already supporting leading global and regional brands including Daman Insurance, Dolby, Pioneer and National Bank of Fujairah in social media, customer experience and performance marketing.

In his new job Rudy will be supported by Vimal Badiani, who has been recently promoted to the role of commercial director. Vimal was previously at Merkle Periscopix in the UK, the performance media agency acquired by Merkle in 2015, most recently as head of paid search

Michael Komasinski, president of Merkle EMEA, said: “This launch represents a significant development in the continuing and rapid expansion of our global footprint and range of capabilities. The appetite for people-based marketing, combined with Rudy’s experience of growing businesses in MENA, creates an exciting opportunity for us.”

Rudy added: “I’m looking forward to accelerating growth by tapping into the power of Merkle’s position as a world leader of people-based marketing and the incredible scale of Dentsu Aegis Network to support the needs of our clients on their people-based marketing journeys.”

Tarek Daouk, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network MENA said: “I am thrilled that we are launching Merkle in the region and that we can continue to advance the Dentsu Aegis data story here through a suite of new services and analytics products. Merkle compliments our existing offering and in a world of personalised digital marketing we are pleased to be able to offer our clients a new and powerful range of CRM and performance capabilities."