TAREQ EL ZAYAT

LLM

CEO, EMEA REGION
CORPORATE COUNSEL

Tareq El Zayat is CEO, EMEA Region at OBMI, leading the firm’s business and strategic direction across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. His role spans design leadership, client relationships, operations, growth, and the continued development of OBMI’s studios across the region.

Since joining OBMI in 2019, Tareq has played a central role in building the firm’s international platform. He established OBMI’s operations in the UAE from the ground up, helping develop Dubai into one of the firm’s principal studios, and went on to open its London studio, extending the firm’s reach across the UK and Europe. He has since been closely involved in growing OBMI’s presence across the wider MENA region and building the multidisciplinary strength of its EMEA platform across architecture, interior design, master planning, and strategic advisory.

Design studio leadership is an important part of Tareq’s role. Working closely with OBMI’s design principals, studio leaders, and project teams, he helps shape the vision, positioning, and direction of major projects while bringing a broader understanding of the client, market, and development context. His leadership places equal emphasis on design quality, commercial intelligence, and the ability to translate ambitious ideas into deliverable projects.

Tareq works closely with owners, developers, operators, and investors across some of the region’s most ambitious hospitality, residential, and destination developments, with a focus on building long-term relationships and positioning OBMI as a strategic partner beyond the traditional boundaries of design services.
In addition to his regional responsibilities, Tareq serves as OBMI’s Global Head of Growth & Strategy, working across the firm’s international studios to guide growth priorities, market strategy, partnerships, and global alignment.

With a background in civil engineering and construction law, Tareq brings a technical, commercial, and legal perspective to his leadership alongside his experience in design, strategy, and business. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering and a Master of Laws in Construction Law & Practice.

Outside OBMI, Tareq is an avid traveller with a particular interest in hospitality, culture, and the way people experience places—perspectives that continue to inform his understanding of design and the destinations OBMI helps create.

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