As the Vice President of Innovation and Creative, and the founder of both the innovation and product divisions of Somo, Maani is credited with helping global clients reinvent consumer engagement and interaction by influencing how brands like Audi, DeBeers, Domino’s, Disney and Red Bull devise and deliver industry-leading, award-winning mobile solutions. These customized solutions range from virtual test drives for Audi to utilizing high frequency audio triggers to allow festival goers to check-in at different stages of a music festival.
Maani is responsible for driving the ideation, conceptualization, and creation of some of the world’s leading mobile products for more than 80 global brands.
Somo considers itself both a prominent mobile agency and a company that creates solutions for “the connected world.” With a strong emphasis on strategy and insights, Somo focuses on custom product development, marketing for the connected world, and products and platforms. Their mission is to help businesses increase sales, customer engagement, and productivity. Founded in 2009 and privately-held, Somo now has over 180 employees in its offices in London, as well as it satellites in San Francisco, New York, and Bristol, UK.
Maani also runs Somo's global innovation labs in New York and London. Designed as centers for creativity, conceptual thinking and technological innovation, Maani and his team use next-generation mobile products to guide and deliver solutions for clients looking to use mobile to create better efficiency for their brands.
Maani Safa’s career took off at the early age of 26 when he was Head of Mobile for The Telegraph Group in London. He built, designed and launched the first news app on iOS and Android.
Originally from Iran, Maani's family were forced to leave their home country when he two years old for praciging the Baha'i faith. He has since called London his home, but continues to live by the Baha'i mantra: "The Earth is but one country and mankind its citizens." He considers himself a true global citizen.