Tarek Farahat came to work in Brazil in 1999 as a marketing director for the paper business. Born
and raised in Egypt, he went to a campus recruiting event after completing military service, stopped
at the P&G booth, and was impressed by the company’s thirst for excellence. He began work in 1989
as an assistant brand manager in Saudi Arabia, moving up the organizational ranks in Switzerland,
France, and Germany. He learned during his first year in Brazil how difficult the situation was. When
new CEO Durk Jager and his global leadership team came to Brazil for a meeting, Farahat observed
part of the discussion which included tough questioning to company presidents about whether some
P&G brands should stay in Brazil. The ultimate answer, Farahat recalled, was that there was “light at
the end of the tunnel,” but that he and other managers would need to prove it to corporate – or else.