Google's head of Middle East marketing has reportedly been missing for a week in Egypt after participating in the protests there. His wife has appealed for any information on his whereabouts.

Wael Ghonim has been heading up Google's North Africa and Middle East marketing for the past year. He was a guest speaker at an Al-Jazeera forum on "Online Journalism & Freedom of Opinion" earlier this month, and more recently circumvented Egypt's Twitter block via proxy servers, to document his participation in mass demonstrations against Hosni Mubarak's regime:

  • "Despite all the warnings I got from my relative and friends, I'll be there on #Jan25 protests. Anyone going to be in Gam'et Dewal protest?"
  • "Heading to Tahrir square now. Sleeping on the streets of Cairo, trying to feel the pain of millions of my fellow Egyptians. #Jan25"
  • "Pray for #Egypt. Very worried as it seems that government is planning a war crime tomorrow against people. We are all ready to die #Jan25"

Ghonim's Facebook page lists as inspirations Microsoft founder Bill Gates, legendary investor Warren Buffett, Apple founder Steve Jobs—and Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei.

[Photo via Google]