Shant Oknayan

Shant Oknayan is a prominent business leader with extensive experience in the technology and digital marketing sectors. Here's a comprehensive overview of his professional background:

Current Positions

Shant Oknayan currently holds several high-level positions:

• Vice President, APAC, MEA & Eastern Europe, Global Business Solutions at TikTok (January 2023 - Present)
• VP Business, APAC, MEA & Eastern Europe at ByteDance (January 2023 - Present)
• Member Board of Directors at MMA APAC (March 2023 - Present)

In his roles at TikTok and ByteDance, he is responsible for overseeing business operations in approximately 100 countries across Asia (excluding India and China), Oceania, Middle East & Africa, and Eastern Europe. He manages a multi-billion dollar book of business and leads a large team across 15 offices.1

Previous Experience

Shant has an impressive track record in the tech industry:

• GM of East Europe, Middle East & Africa and Central Asia at TikTok and ByteDance (May 2020 - January 2023)
• Group Director, Middle East and North Africa at Meta (2016 - 2020)
• MENA Head of Marketing, Small and Medium Businesses (SMB) at Google (2014 - 2016)
• Senior Associate (Engagement Manager) at Strategy& (formerly Booz & Company) (2007 - 2011)

He also co-founded GlamBox Middle East, a subscription-based beauty e-commerce platform, where he served as a board member and founding CEO from 2012 to 2017.1

Education

Shant Oknayan has a strong educational background:

• MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2005 - 2007)
• MEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (1st Class Honors) from Imperial College London (1998 - 2002)1

Leadership and Achievements

Shant is known for his outstanding business leadership, bringing "light-hearted energy, intuition and strong business acumen" to his roles.1 He has been recognized for his achievements, including:

• Nomination as a Top 50 SME Executive
• Leading multi-million dollar acquisition efforts at Google
• Achieving triple-digit growth in new advertiser revenue at Google
• Developing YouTube's market entry strategy for the MENA region

His experience spans various aspects of digital marketing, business strategy, and technology, making him a valuable asset in his current roles at TikTok, ByteDance, and as a board member of MMA APAC.