Latest news with #GlobalAgencyoftheYearAwards
Campaign ME
18-07-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
TBWA\RAAD reveals senior promotions across key departments
TBWA\RAAD has revealed a host of promotions within the regional agency with new faces in roles including Head of Strategy, Head of Digital and Innovation, and Group Creative Director. Astha Sirpaul has been promoted to the role of Head of Strategy. A champion of culture-driven thinking, Sirpaul will now steer end-to-end strategic planning across the agency's portfolio, embedding TBWA's Disruption methodology to unlock long-term brand growth. Rony Skaf will take over as the Head of Digital and Innovation. With more than a decade of expertise in performance marketing, emerging technologies and building digital experiences, Skaf blends creativity with innovation to craft measurable, future-ready solutions that drive impact for clients. A fearless storyteller at the intersection of culture and commerce, Noor Akar has been appointed Group Creative Director. In this role, Akar will continue to orchestrate boundary-breaking ideas that aim to ignite conversation, reshape norms and turn cultural relevance into business growth. Also promoted to the role of Group Creative Director, Rita Nasr steps up to co-lead the creative department in Lebanon, mentoring rising talent and pushing bold ideas that resonate with regional audiences. Commenting on the promotions, Reda Raad, Group CEO, TBWA\RAAD, said, 'Talent is the engine of everything we produce.' The agency, which won the Gold trophy for Best Place to Work: Individual Shop/Network of the Year 2024 at Campaign's Global Agency of the Year Awards, has been recognised for the systematic overhaul of its workplace culture. The creative shop has highlighted employee engagement rise from 68 per cent to 81 per cent year-on-year in 2025, while the resignation rate decreased from 28 per cent to 11 per cent, a 62 per cent reduction that saved the agency AED1.5m annually. Trust in senior leadership rose from 60.6 per cent to 79.8 per cent, reflecting the success of its collaborative agency reset programme. Raad added, 'Being named Best Place to Work in the world proves we attract and grow the region's best minds. By elevating our people from within, we're doubling down on that momentum — giving them the runway to keep defying expectations and setting new benchmarks for creativity.' 'Nurturing people is more than a policy — it is the agency's growth engine. By relentlessly investing in learning, mentorship, and well‑defined career pathways, TBWA\RAAD has built a workplace where its employees thrive,' he concluded.
Campaign ME
13-06-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Strategic Planning Leader of The Year 2024: Tahaab Rais, Publicis Groupe ME&T
The Gold winner of Strategic Planning Leader of The Year 2024 for Campaign's Global Agency of the Year Awards is Tahaab Rais, Chief Strategy Officer and Film Director, Publicis Groupe ME&T. Since joining Publicis Groupe in 2022 as its first regional chief strategy officer working across the Middle East and Turkey (ME&T), Rais has transformed the network's ME&T operations into a strategic powerhouse, delivering a +6.6 per cent organic revenue growth in the hard commercial reality of 2024's challenging economic climate. By introducing new models of thinking, Rais has reimagined how strategy should work – from '4P' a proprietary strategic thinking model, to 'OPEN' for democratised strategic and creative thinking, to 'The A.I. Strategist' a suite of AI tools, to 'Collabs' for synergies between brands, and a novel measurement framework called the '7 Dimensions of Effectiveness' – these initiatives have evolved how Publicis Groupe ME&T delivers proactive and evolved strategic thinking for clients in the region. Saudia Airlines 'Rihla' (meaning 'journey') was shot across three countries. Besides co-writing and directing the moving narrative film, Tahaab also handled camerawork in Mecca amongst 2 million pilgrims. NBA's 'Jump' tackled female basketball exclusion in India, while repurposing neglected fishing nets, demonstrating strategy that solves multiple problems simultaneously. Meanwhile, 'ProtecTasbih' – self-sanitising prayer beads – proved that strategic innovation can emerge from addressing pilgrims' practical needs. Rais' 'Duvet Days' initiative gives strategy team members the opportunity to take days off during weekdays, in lieu of overtime hours worked, to allow for rejuvenation and self-care. This is combined with breakfast or lunch delivered to their homes. Judges called Rais 'a visionary leader who redefines what strategy means in today's ever-evolving landscape. A clear towering strength of impact across his agency.' Shortlisted: Sophia Durrani, MG OMD Celia Garforth, Special This content was first published on Campaign UK.
Campaign ME
13-06-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Corporate Communications/Marketing Person of The Year 2024: Romy Abdelnour, TBWA\RAAD
The Gold winner of Corporate Communications/Marketing Person of The Year 2024 for Campaign's Global Agency of the Year Awards is Romy Abdelnour, Head of Communications, TBWA\RAAD. When United Arab Emirates-based agency TBWA\RAAD decided to hit the reset button in 2024, its top-down transformation was designed to redefine the agency's culture around four core values: courage, belief, hunger, and collaboration. But first they needed someone who could turn corporate transformation into compelling narrative. Enter Romy Abdelnour: the communications maestro who orchestrated agency-wide change. She turned internal transformation into external triumph through a symphony of strategic storytelling. The numbers don't lie: 81 per cent employee engagement (up 14 points), 77 per cent drop in resignations, and 10 per cent revenue growth in 2024 alone, meant Omnicom's TBWA\RAAD emerged as a new benchmark for agencies in the Middle East and North Africa. Not bad for a year's work. But Abdelnour's genius wasn't just in the metrics, it was in the execution. She transformed International Women's Day from corporate box-ticking into genuine policy change, adding 75 days full maternity pay, extra WFH days for working mothers, and annual wellbeing days. The result? A 48-point boost in female employee satisfaction and Fast Company recognition as a 'Best Workplace for Women'. From launching #IAmRemarkable workshops to hosting industry-shaping events like the TikTok White Paper Launch: 'Storytelling in the Next Creative Renaissance,' analysing how technology fuels creativity in modern marketing, Abdelnour elevated the agency's voice and influence. Her efforts amplified the work of agency leaders, garnered $10m+ in earned media, and led to soaring client trust scores with brands like Nissan and Hilton. Judges praised Abdelnour's 'strong track record on brand building, brand reputation and media relations.' This content was first published on Campaign UK.
Campaign ME
13-06-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Head of Agency of the Year 2024: Bassel Kakish, Publicis Groupe ME&T
The Gold winner of Head of Agency of the Year 2024 for Campaign's Global Agency of the Year Awards is Bassel Kakish, chief executive officer, Publicis Groupe ME&T. The metrics speak volumes of Kakish's three-year leadership of Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey (ME&T): 84 per cent of employees find work meaningful, staff turnover has been slashed to 12 per cent (down 9 per cent over two years), and diversified capabilities now represent 66 per cent of revenue. His 'Growth Club' initiative – a workplace community spanning 80+ participants across 11 agencies and seven markets – achieved an 85 Net Promoter Score with 68 per cent monthly attendance. Meanwhile, 'The Strategy Garage' boasts 97 per cent retention and 33 per cent talent acquisition growth, with an 11:3 female-to-male ratio demonstrating conscious inclusion and support for female strategy talent. When regional conflict escalated, Kakish's business continuity plan seamlessly relocated Lebanese staff to Jordan, maintaining operations without missing a beat. This human-centric crisis management epitomises his leadership philosophy. Commercial vindication is undeniable: 76 per cent new business win rate, €62m in new revenue across Middle East and North Africa, and market share leadership surpassing Omnicom, making ME&T the only region besides North America where Publicis significantly outpaces competition. Strategic partnerships tech platforms position the agency at AI's forefront, while the socially conscious creative work made under Kakish's leadership, from NBA's basketball equality campaign to Anghami's child protection initiative, proves purpose can be a strong multiplier for profit. His colleagues' testimonials reveal a leader who reliably answers calls no matter the time of day or night, solves problems collaboratively, and genuinely prioritises people over processes. In Kakish's hands, 'talent-first' is competitive advantage. Judges applauded Kakish for turning Publicis Groupe ME&T into 'a real powerhouse.' Shortlisted: Tom Otton, Create. Group Tyler Turnbull, FCB Natalie Bell, MG OMD Sam Stuchbury, Motion Sickness This content was first published on Campaign UK.
Campaign ME
13-06-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
Best Place to Work: Individual Shop/Network of the Year 2024: TBWA\RAAD (UAE)
The Gold winner of Best Place to Work: Individual Shop/Network of the Year 2024 for Campaign's Global Agency of the Year Awards is TBWA\RAAD. The creative shop's systematic overhaul of its workplace culture delivered measurable results that justify this recognition. The Dubai-based agency engineered change through data-driven initiatives, and the numbers tell the story. Employee engagement jumped from 68 per cent to 81 per cent, while the resignation rate decreased from 28 per cent to 11 per cent, a 62 per cent reduction that saved the agency AED1.5m annually. Trust in senior leadership rose from 60.6 per cent to 79.8 per cent, reflecting the success of its collaborative agency reset programme. TBWA\RAAD's approach centred on four core values, 'Belief, Courage, Hunger, and Collaboration,' embedded across every touchpoint from hiring to performance reviews. A standout initiative was the shop's Women & Working Mothers programme, addressing industry-specific challenges with extended maternity leave (75 days' full pay), additional work-from-home days, and annual wellbeing days, driving a more inclusive, family-friendly culture. The impact was immediate: female employees' Net Promoter Score shifted dramatically from -20 to +28. TBWA\RAAD also introduced 'We Win, You Win' incentives to reward teams for successful pitches, fostering greater collaboration and equity across the agency. Meanwhile, the agency's 'Always-On Listening' strategy captured feedback through multiple channels – stay interviews, exit interviews, and leadership workshops – creating personalised retention plans that achieved zero turnover among key talent. Internal promotions increased 50 per cent, with women receiving 47 per cent of promotions (up from 18 per cent the previous year). Judges commended 'the increase in the trust of senior leadership is not only an outstanding result, but incredibly good news for their business.' Shortlisted for Best Place to Work: Individual Shop/Network of the Year 2024: Apparent Communications TBWA\SMP This content was first published on Campaign UK.
