Mustafa Arqawi, Strategic Communications Advisor and Creative Director

A message is only as strong as the institution behind it.

I build both.

Let's talk
See how

Mustafa Arqawi
مصطفى عرقاوي

Strategic Communications Advisor and Creative Director

Advising Governments, Public Institutions, NGOs, Media and Sports Organisations across MENA

Why both.

A campaign can't save an institution that isn't ready to deliver on it. And a well-run institution goes unnoticed without a message people remember. Most advisors are hired for one side. Institutions hire me for both.Over 25 years, I've become the person institutions call when their communication isn't working, or when they need a campaign that has to land. Today most of my work is with governments, NGOs and public institutions in Jordan, the UAE and Qatar.

Transformed80+Brands and Assets

Generated$Multi‑MillionCommercial Impact

Worked in7countries in the ME and Africa

What I build.

The message.

What people see, hear and remember.

- Brand identity and rebranding
- Narrative and key messages
- Campaigns and creative concepts
- Launches and events
- Content and digital channels
- Leaders' speeches and media presence

The institution.

What makes it work behind the scenes.

- Communication audits and measurement
- Communication and stakeholder strategy
- Crisis preparedness and protocols
- Team structures, roles and training
- Internal communication and engagement
- Commercial and partnership models

Across both, I help institutions adopt AI in their communication work, in Arabic and English.

How I build both.

Diagnosing where an institution's communication breaks down

Diagnose

I audit both sides: what your audience sees and hears, and the strategy, team and structure behind it. That shows me exactly where things break down.

Designing a communication strategy and the system behind it

Architect

I design both together: the narrative, identity and campaigns your audience sees, and the strategy, team structure, crisis protocols and partnerships behind them.

Build

We put it to work together. I direct the creative and the launch, train your team and set up measures that show what's working, so it keeps working after I leave.

How I work.

I join a project in one of four ways, depending on what you need.Strategic Advisor
Senior counsel on communication, reputation and campaigns for leaders facing important decisions, with creative direction on the work that matters most.Project Leader
Full ownership of a defined project from start to finish, such as a rebrand, a national campaign or a new communication strategy, accountable for both the strategy and the creative.

Interim Director
I step in to build, turn around or lead a communication or marketing function, covering planning, team development and hands-on creative work.Consultancy Expert
I work as the senior communication expert within a consultancy or implementing partner's team, as I have with Protiviti in Qatar and with Kaizen on USAID-funded programmes.Remote first, on site anywhere.

Selected work.

Organisations Mustafa Arqawi has worked with

Clients and employers include the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Primary Health Care Corporation in Qatar (with Protiviti), the Jordan Football Association and the Jordanian Pro League, the Jordan Media Institute, the USAID Partnerships Incubator in Iraq and Zimbabwe (with Kaizen), Sharjah Media Corporation, the Public Authority for Radio and TV in Oman, DMCC, Nakheel, Tameer Holding, Union Properties, PwC, the British Council and BMW Saudi Arabia.

Jordan Media Institute, EU-funded
The message. Led communication strategy, key messages and creative direction, including the Media Literacy Caravan across Jordan.
The institution. Trained the communications team and built a digital training platform.

Jordan Football Association, Marketing and Communications Director and long-standing advisor
The message. Rebranded the national teams and professional leagues and led crisis communications through COVID-19. Followers grew by 300% and engagement fivefold.
The institution. Restructured the commercial, TV rights and partnership offerings, bringing in more than $4.2 million in new revenue in the toughest of times. Since then, several advisory and consulting contracts, from strategic counsel on the JFA 2029 roadmap to targeted communications campaigns.

Qatar, with Protiviti
The message. Defined the mission, vision and messaging of the Ministry of Transport and Communications for its main audiences.
The institution. Designed the ministry's communication strategy framework and restructured its PR department, setting its mandate and training its staff. Carried out a current-state assessment and risk review for the Primary Health Care Corporation.

USAID Partnerships Incubator, Iraq and Zimbabwe, with Kaizen
The message. Shaped key messages for three local humanitarian organisations in Iraq and Zimbabwe, and led the rebrand.
The institution. Built communication plans and ways to measure results for the Iraqi organisations, and ran the brand audit and staff training in Zimbabwe.

Public Authority for Radio and TV, Oman
The message. Helped reposition Oman's national television and radio channels through their rebrand, and supported the move into online streaming to reach younger audiences.
The institution. Rebuilt the commercial model behind them, with new commercial policies, a restructured sales team and new advertising models, which helped grow advertising sales.

Sharjah Media Corporation, UAE
The message. Led the corporate brand launch and directed the rebrand of Sharjah TV, which lifted viewership by 40% and commercial income by 50%.
The institution. Built and modernised the corporation's central marketing and communication function.

Let's find out what isn't working.

Every project starts with an audit of your message, your channels and the team behind them. A 30-minute call is the first step: I'll learn how you communicate today and explain how I'd find exactly where things break down.

[email protected]
+971 52 112 9976 (UAE)
+962 79 713 9855 (Jordan)

Schedule a call