In a digitally-charged era where personal information powers everything from advertising to artificial intelligence, a quiet but profound shift is unfolding, one that could transform data from a byproduct of our online lives into a tangible asset. Leading that charge in the Gulf and Levant region is Bassam Fares, the Regional Managing Director for Gulf & Levant at DrumWave Inc.
From his vantage point at DrumWave, a Silicon Valley firm redefining what ‘owning your data’ truly means, Fares is guiding a regional strategy that reimagines data governance, privacy, and monetisation. Through DrumWave’s flagship product, the “dWallet” platform, he envisions turning personal and organizational data into something with real financial and strategic value, underpinned by transparency, ethics, and local regulatory alignment.
Fares’ journey to this role traces back through strategic consulting, business development, and navigating complex market expansion, especially in environments where regulation, economics, and culture collide. For him, DrumWave is not a pivot but a culmination: a space where technology, policy, and human agency meet. While no day looks the same, his work may include dialogues with government regulators around data sovereignty, consultations with enterprise partners on monetization models, or aligning global technology readiness with local compliance expectations.
In doing so, Fares is not merely scaling a business; he is helping build a new kind of digital infrastructure, one in which individuals and institutions alike can own, exchange, and derive value from data in an ethical, sustainable, and aligned with national ambitions.
Curious how DrumWave’s vision is playing out worldwide and what it might mean for data-driven markets in the Gulf, Levant, and beyond, read on.
Core Vision Driving His Role at DrumWave
Bassam Fares’ core vision as Regional Managing Director for the Gulf and Levant revolves around redefining how data is owned, valued, and governed in one of the world’s most digitally ambitious regions. He sees DrumWave not merely as a platform but as a catalyst for a fundamental shift, one where individuals and organizations evolve from passive data providers into active economic participants.
He emphasizes that through DrumWave’s dWallet technology, “Data dignity, transparency, and monetisation are not competing ideals; they must coexist.” With governments accelerating digital transformation, businesses expanding data strategies, and individuals becoming more conscious of privacy and value, his mandate is to align DrumWave with national visions, cultural expectations, and regulatory frameworks. His focus remains on building a scalable, ethical, and commercially sustainable model for data ownership and exchange.
What Inspired His Career Path
Fares’ professional trajectory in strategic consulting, business development, and market expansion was shaped early on by experiences in complex environments where policy, economics, and technology intersect. Working across multiple regions taught him that real opportunity lies not in duplication but in interpretation.
He understood that emerging markets require adaptive thinking: models from established economies cannot simply be imported; they must be reimagined collaboratively with regulators, enterprises, and communities. This insight steered him toward market-entry strategy, public–private partnerships, and ecosystem development instead of short-term transactional pursuits. To him, DrumWave represents the culmination of that journey, a place where strategy, ethics, and innovation meet with purpose.
A Leadership Day Across the Gulf and Levant
For Fares, no two days resemble each other, and that unpredictability fuels his intellectual drive. His responsibilities span strategic alignment, stakeholder engagement, and operational execution. A single day may include discussions with government entities surrounding data sovereignty, detailed strategy sessions with enterprise partners exploring monetisation models, and internal alignment with DrumWave’s global leadership on regulatory and technology readiness.
Leading across such a diverse region demands agility and the ability to move seamlessly between policy frameworks, commercial objectives, and people-focused leadership.
Navigating Regulatory and Strategic Complexities
The challenges he encounters are seldom technological; they are rooted in regulation, culture, and sovereignty. Data remains a profoundly sensitive asset, especially in regions where national interest and privacy hold deep significance.
His approach centers on education before execution. Fares ensures that DrumWave engages with regulators early, not to sell, but to listen. Aligning the company’s architecture with local laws on data protection, cross-border movement, and digital identity requires precision, patience, and credibility. He believes trust must be secured long before any agreement is formalized.
Building Strategic, High-Impact Partnerships
Fares considers strategic partnerships the foundation of DrumWave’s regional growth. He prioritizes alliances grounded in shared mission rather than short-lived opportunities. Whether he works with telecom providers, financial institutions, innovation units, or large enterprises, his guiding question remains: Does this partnership strengthen the data economy for everyone involved?
He champions co-creation through joint pilots, shared governance structures, and investments that uplift the broader ecosystem. In the Gulf and Levant, he notes that partnerships thrive when they serve as national enablers, not external solutions.
Staying Ahead in a Rapidly Changing Data Landscape
Remaining ahead of the curve requires DrumWave to operate where policy foresight, technological scalability, and market relevance intersect. Fares focuses on anticipating regulatory change rather than reacting to it.
The company invests significantly in government engagement as a strategic dialogue, not a sales pipeline. Simultaneously, it supports enterprises in redefining data as a managed, monetizable asset that respects individual rights. For him, speed is important, but relevance is essential.
Leadership Traits for Cross-Border, High-Stakes Decisions
Fares’ leadership philosophy centers on calm, contextual decision-making. Leading across borders demands emotional intelligence, cultural fluency, and the ability to unify diverse viewpoints into one cohesive strategy.
He is deeply committed to empowering local teams while upholding uncompromising standards around governance, ethics, and delivery. “Consistency builds trust; humility sustains it,” he often emphasizes.
Milestones That Defined His Professional Journey
The milestones that shaped his career consistently involved creating something new, launching operations in developing markets, designing public–private initiatives, or now championing a data-economy model that places individuals at the center.
At DrumWave, one of his most meaningful experiences has been witnessing governments, enterprises, and everyday citizens engage with the concept of personal data ownership. To him, this confirms that the work is not only innovative but essential.
Maintaining Balance in a Fast-Paced Role
Fares views balance as a matter of intention, not equal division of time. Reflection, reading, and meaningful time with family anchor him and help prevent reactive decision-making.
He believes leadership resilience comes from purpose: “When you know why you do what you do, even the most demanding days become sustainable.”
The Road Ahead and His Guidance for Future Leaders
Looking forward, Fares aims to establish DrumWave as a trusted regional force in ethical data monetisation, fully aligned with national digital ambitions and global best practices. The objective is clear: empower individuals to benefit from their data while enabling businesses to access high-integrity, compliant data.
His advice to emerging leaders is grounded in experience: “Don’t chase scale before significance.” He encourages them to understand the system they enter, honor its stakeholders, and lead with integrity. In emerging markets, especially, leadership is defined not by speed but by stewardship.
Final Reflection
What motivates Fares most is that DrumWave is not simply participating in the data economy; it is redefining it. In a region as ambitious as the Gulf and Levant, he finds this responsibility both humbling and energizing. He believes the future of data must be fair, transparent, and inclusive, and is proud to help build that future.
