Najeeb Jarrar
I am a curious technologist and marketer. I connect new technology with people across the world. I believe technology only matters when it literally speaks your language.
I am Najeeb Jarrar, Google's CMO & Regional Product & Marketing Director across the Middle East & Africa. I build products and campaigns that work in the languages and cultures of my region, not just translated into them.
A Computer & Software Engineer by education, I began my career in engineering before moving into product and marketing. Since joining Google in 2008, I have worked on global app marketing at Google headquarters in California and now products & marketing for the Middle East and Africa.
In addition to my marketing leadership, I am proud to act as a Global Co-Lead and Executive Sponsor for the CAMENA Employee Resource Group (Caucasus, Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa), and the Arabs@CAMENA ERG advancing diversity and amplifying voices from the region globally.
Away from the screen, I restore old electronics and computers. My latest project was bringing a Sinclair ZX Spectrum +2, Egypt edition, back to life.
Get the latest information about your favorite football teams with Google Gemini
Led the 2026 World Cup AI campaign, showing fans how Gemini tracks team strategies, player stats, and predictions in real time.
Launch of Google Gemini Veo in Arabic
Led the consumer adoption campaign for Gemini Veo 3 across Arabic-speaking markets, showcasing how creators and businesses can generate cinematic AI video from Arabic text descriptions.
Gemini Pro offer for students
Directed an 8-film digital campaign introducing free Google Gemini Pro access for university students across MENA, empowering youth with advanced AI tools for research, coding, and academic productivity.
AI In Search ZA: New Ways to Search with Google AI Mode
Pyramids of Meroe - Behind the Scenes
Produced the documentary behind-the-scenes film detailing how Google engineers and archaeologists braved desert sandstorms to digitally archive Sudan's royal heritage site using laser scanning and Trekker cameras.
Mental Health Support with Google Assistant
Deployed emotional wellness and mental health support responses within Google Assistant during the pandemic, providing users feeling anxious or isolated with clinically vetted coping exercises and local helpline resources.
April 2025 to Present
Regional Director, Marketing, Middle East and Africa
Google
Leading marketing across Middle East and Africa: a team of product marketing managers who build and run the strategy and execution for Google's products and online advertising business, driving user growth, retention and engagement.
January 2023 to April 2025
Regional Product & Marketing Director, Middle East and North Africa
Google
Align marketing strategy with product innovation across MENA. Led a diverse team and multimillion-dollar budgets, and served as one of Google MENA's spokespeople on technology and product trends.
August 2013 to January 2023
Group Product Marketing Manager, Consumer Products, MENA
Google
Scaled Google's consumer products across the region through localization and cross-cultural adaptation, helping make Arabic a top priority language globally for Google, and grew YouTube and Google Play subscriptions into multimillion-dollar annual regional revenue.
June 2011 to August 2013
Product Marketing Manager
Google
Marketing lead for the Google+ mobile app on Android and iOS, a new design language that later shaped most Google mobile apps, with growth and co-marketing campaigns alongside partners such as T-Mobile and Samsung.
December 2008 to June 2011
Product Marketing Manager
Google
Laid the groundwork for Google's market entry into MENA: built the first regional B2B marketing strategy, grew SMB advertisers, and launched 12 Google products in the region including Chrome, Translate and YouTube.
May 2007 to October 2008
Associate Program Manager
Microsoft
Education
BE, Computer Engineering
Princess Sumaya University for Technology
Talks & interviews
جوجل الشرق الأوسط مع نجيب جرار
Arabic Google Assistant responds to users' emotions
How Animation Helps Google Educate First-Time Users
Bylines & coverage
Map Your Dubai: Insider Edition is Boosting the City's Homegrown Hidden Gems
AUTHOREDGoogle (MENA blog, EN) 2026-06-09
مبادرة "دبي على خريطتك" لدعم قطاع المأكولات والمطاعم
AUTHOREDGoogle (MENA blog, AR) 2026-06-09
نجيب جرار: راهنتُ بمستقبل جوجل على الذكاء الاصطناعي الناطق بالعربية
IN THE PRESSArageek 2026-03-08
Combining creativity with AI-driven data models
AUTHOREDCampaign Middle East 2025-09-25
Shifting search strategies in the age of AI
IN THE PRESSCampaign Middle East 2025-07-17
Google's Najeeb Jarrar on user behaviour and the evolution of AI personalization
AUTHOREDEnterpriseAM Egypt 2025-07-09
Coffee With interview on Google's AI strategy
IN THE PRESSThe Enterprise Company (LinkedIn) 2025-07
مدير التسويق الإقليمي في غوغل لـ البيان: معايير إماراتية جديدة بمجال الذكاء الاصطناعي
IN THE PRESSAl Bayan 2025-05-07
Product strategy
What to build, how to position it, and how to launch it. I go into the details too: what to scope, what comes first, and what to cut.
Market entry & localization
Taking global products into Arabic-speaking and African markets: what to change, what to keep, and how to know if the launch worked.
Building the product marketing function
Building a product marketing team from zero: who to hire, how they work with product and engineering, and how to coach them.
Go-to-market for launches
Launch plans for consumer products: the story, the rollout, and how to keep users after day one.
Brand & cultural relevance
Campaigns that earn attention in the region rather than translate into it. I also help with media and spokesperson work.
AI adoption in MENA
Helping teams bring AI products to the region in a way people trust: strong Arabic, honest claims, and promises you can keep.
Advisory, speaking, or simply a good idea: the inbox is open.