14-05-2025
TBWA\RAAD and D&AD re‑ignite creative careers with New Blood Portfolio Review 2.0 in Dubai
Dubai, UAE - TBWA\RAAD teamed up with D&AD to host the second edition of the New Blood Portfolio Review in the Middle East, bringing together emerging creative talent and seasoned industry professionals for an inspiring day of hands-on learning and career-shaping opportunities.
After a sold‑out debut last year, TBWA\RAAD and D&AD reunited yesterday to stage the Middle East's second New Blood Portfolio Review, turning the agency's Dubai headquarters into a live classroom where emerging voices sharpened their craft—and their career prospects—in real time.
Recent graduates and early‑career creatives rotated through intensive 1‑on‑1 critiques with TBWA\RAAD's award‑winning art directors, copywriters, strategists, and digital specialists. Each session delivered tailored, actionable feedback designed to elevate portfolios from 'promising' to 'pitch‑ready', giving attendees a rare face‑to‑face advantage in one of the world's most competitive creative markets.
The reviews were followed by rapid‑fire talks led by TBWA\RAAD 'pirates,' drilling into:
Disruption® Thinking – turning rule‑breaking into brand‑building.
Strategy as a Creative Superpower – why insight fuels impact.
Crafting Social That Cuts Through – lessons from scroll‑stopping work.
Interview & Career Best Practices – landing the job before the job.
Each session fused real‑world case studies with practical next‑steps, arming participants with the mindset and momentum to navigate—and reshape—the industry.
'Keeping creativity future‑fit means investing in the talent that will define it', said Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\RAAD. 'Watching these young creatives challenge conventions and stretch their ideas keeps our own thinking sharp—and it proves the region's next wave is ready to lead.'
Paul Drake, Foundation Director at D&AD, added: 'The Middle East continues to command attention on global stages. Partnering with TBWA\RAAD lets us super‑charge that trajectory, giving new voices the skills and confidence to compete—and win—anywhere in the world.'
The day closed with certificates, networking, and the announcement everyone waited for: the Best Portfolio Award, granting its winner a coveted internship at TBWA\RAAD—an on‑ramp to real briefs, real clients, and real impact.
About TBWA\RAAD:
TBWA\RAAD was established in the United Arab Emirates in 2000 to develop and expand TBWA Worldwide's presence across the Middle East and Africa. We are The Disruption® Company, a collective of creative minds with an unlimited creative canvas. We use creativity to help businesses challenge the status quo and capture an unfair share of the future. Named one of the Middle East's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company Middle East in 2024, 2023 and 2022, one of the Best Workplaces for Women in the Middle East in 2024 by Fast Company Middle East, Adweek's 2024, 2022, 2021 and 2018 Global Agency of the Year. We are a disruptive brand experience company that uses trademarked Disruption® methodologies to help businesses address their challenges and achieve transformative growth. Our collective is made up of passionate, dedicated individuals with expertise across the total brand experience — from retail to social and digital, from B2B to experiential, from innovation to production, from design to content. Our regional clients include: Abu Dhabi Government Media Office, Apple, AWR Rostomani Arabian Automobiles, CNN, Commercial Bank of Dubai, du, Essence, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton, Infiniti, Johns Hopkins, KFC, Meta, NEOM, Nissan, Pfizer, Philips, Pladis.
About D&AD
D&AD, considered by many as the world's most prestigious benchmark for commercial creativity, is a global nonprofit organization that celebrates creative excellence in design and advertising. As part of D&AD, the New Blood initiatives - including Awards, a Festival, and an Academy – exclusively tailored for recent graduates and emerging creatives aim to nurture and inspire future creative talent worldwide to help them propel their careers.
