When Lee Petar, the former director of communications at Bicom, left to set up his own PR firm, he probably did not envisage that one of his first major deals would involve advising the emirate of Dubai.

Mr Petar, who co-founded Tetra Strategy seven months ago, recently won the account to advise the emirate — one of the United Arab Emirates — on strategic communications and reputation management. The deal, reportedly worth around £500,000, is one of the biggest PR deals this year. “It’s a real communications challenge and a real opportunity for me,” Mr Petar tells People.

“Dubai is rarely out of the news pages — there is a huge amount being invested into the area.”

Mr Petar, 33, who is leading the account, will report directly to the government’s executive office where Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, is based.

“The toughest thing will be to keep the Dubai story going beyond tourism,” says Mr Petar. Tetra Strategy, which has advised pro-Israel charity KKL and the Innocent drinks brand, will help foster trade and sporting links between the UK and Dubai — one of the favourites to buy Liverpool football club, through its Dubai Investment Capital.

Mr Petar, who used to work for the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), lives in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, with his wife Danielle.