MEA

Abdulaziz is Branding director at the General Authority for Statistics since December 2021, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is also the acting Director of Communications Planning in the same authority since November 2022, a member of the advisory board at “setup.sa” since January 2023, and a communication consultant at “Guidepoint” in Dubai since October 2022, he is also a senior advisor at ADEC Development Consulting Company since February 2022.

He has been a member of the Gerson Lerman Group in the US since October 2017, and a brand consultant at the Coleman Research Group in London since July 2018. He held the position of marketing and branding consultant at “Oqal Group” between 2020 and 2022, and a senior marketing and branding consultant at “Jahez International Company for Information Systems Technology” between 2021 and 2022.

He held several positions in the “Saudi Ministry of Housing”, including Head of the Residential Loyalty Program during the year 2021, Head of Branding for the Sakani Program between 2020 and 2021, Head of Marketing Communications and Branding for the Real Estate Regulatory Program between 2017 and 2020, and Acting Director of E-Marketing for the Real Estate Regulatory Program between 2019 and 2020.

He held the position of Brand Manager at the “National Housing Company” between 2020 and 2021, Marketing and Brand Consultant at the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises “Monshaat” between 2020 and 2021, Brand Consultant at the “Saudi Capital Market Authority” during 2017, and Director of Marketing and Public Relations In the Investment Securities and Brokerage Company “Al-Istithmar Capital” between 2015 and 2016, Marketing Director at “Al-Rajhi Bank” between 2013 and 2015, Chief Marketing Officer at “Ibram Real Estate Company” between 2011 and 2013, and Marketing Officer at “Gulf Creativity Company” between 2005 and 2007.

João, a Brazilian creative leader with over two decades of experience, has built a career crafting bold, innovative content for global brands, agencies, studios and broadcast giants.

Currently as the Creative manager and brand guardian at Virgin Mobile UAE, João excels at blending strategy, storytelling and design to craft compelling content that not only inspires but also drives impactful results. His innovative approach ensures that every creative endeavour aligns seamlessly with the Virgin brand's identity and vision.

His work, recognized with multiple industry awards, reflects a passion for innovation, a keen eye for detail, and a talent for turning ideas into impactful brand experiences that leave a lasting impression.

Rohit is a passionate advocate for brand-led transformation—collaborating with leaders, global organizations, governments, and SMEs to drive growth through intelligence, imagination, and technology. With over 14 years of experience across the Middle East, Europe, and South Asia, he brings a global perspective and an instinct for navigating diverse brand and consumer landscapes. Having worked across agency, consultancy, and client-side roles, Rohit delivers bold, high-impact strategies that are grounded, actionable, and brand-defining.

Rohit has earned over 30 global and regional awards, including Red Dot, iF Design, and the Transform Awards—most notably winning the Grand Prix at the 2025 Transform Awards MEA, a milestone that also contributed to Accenture Song being named Agency of the Year in only its third year of participation. He has previously served as a juror for the Transform Awards Europe and is also a recipient of the National Creative Excellence Award by UNFPA.

As Chief brand officer, Melissa leads Arada’s corporate identity, focusing on human-centred design and purpose-driven strategies to deliver long-term brand value. She joined Arada in 2017 and has developed and integrated the company's purpose and principles across its culture, design, and communications. In addition, she has also played an important role in cementing many of Arada’s corporate partnerships. 

Melissa holds an LL.M. in International Business Law from Paris Panthéon-Assas University and a B.Sc. in Multimedia Design from the American University of Sharjah.
Apart from work, she has served in various educational, mentorship, and social initiatives in the region, and is passionate about the intersection of education, design, and sustainable urban development.

Youssef is a pioneer at the intersection of creativity and entertainment, with over two decades of experience shaping global brand storytelling. Beginning his career as an Art Director, Youssef’s passion for narrative craft led him to drive campaigns that transcend platforms and cultures.

As Head of Creative at TikTok METAP, he has reimagined how brands show up on the platform, turning marketing into entertainment and ideas into cultural moments. His leadership fuses creativity with TikTok’s dynamic tools to build scalable, high-impact solutions that fuel business growth.

Youssef’s innovative approach empowers brands to tap into pop culture, while his entertainment-first mindset has positioned TikTok as a creative hub in the region. His work has earned acclaim from major global festivals, solidifying his reputation as a creative force.

He continues to push boundaries, crafting campaigns that inspire audiences and elevate creative standards, while nurturing the next generation of talent across the creative ecosystem.

Marcia is an award-winning Creative director based in Dubai with a proven track record in developing impactful brand experiences. With extensive experience across advertising, branding, and marketing communications, her work has been recognized by prestigious international awards such as Cannes Lions, Dubai Lynx, The One Show, and D&AD. Marcia's expertise spans a diverse range of clients, including global brands like Samsung, Virgin Mobile, Honda, and UNICEF, as well as regional players such as Mubadala, NEOM, Aldar, and Etihad Airways. Prior to her current role as Creative Director at EY, she honed her skills at leading agencies including DDB, Cheil, FP7, and M&C Saatchi.

Leigh-Ann is the Head of marketing for global high growth regions at Honeywell, the global industrial technology company. In this role, she leads marketing across the Middle East, Africa, India, Asia and Latin America. She is responsible for both building and activating the Honeywell brand and driving revenue growth through impactful and measurable campaigns. Her teams drive demand and brand preference and across a range of industries – from energy and aerospace to infrastructure and control technologies for buildings and industry, to performance materials, logistics, retail, cyber security, and software solutions for enterprise performance management.

Leigh Ann also oversees the Honeywell Technology Experience in Dubai, a state-of-the-art innovation center that demonstrates the company’s latest technologies and solutions to customers that visit from around the world. She is a member of Honeywell’s global marketing leadership team and the Honeywell Middle East and North Africa executive leadership team.

She earned a Master’s in Management from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree in Art and Art History from Vanderbilt University in the USA. An American national, Leigh-Ann has lived in Dubai for 5 years and is fluent in Arabic. She and her husband have four children.

Nithin is Senior Director and Head of UX, Product & Creative at Tamara, the leading fintech super-app in Saudi Arabia and the GCC. With over a decade of global experience across Dubai, Barcelona, India and SEA, he has built and scaled high-performing design organisations, led major product transformations, and shaped award-winning brand experiences.

Nithin’s work sits at the intersection of design systems, product strategy, and cultural storytelling bringing together craft, clarity, and deep customer empathy. He has previously led design at companies including Glovo, OLX Group, Directi and InMobi, and is recognised for driving ambitious creative vision paired with operational excellence. He is passionate about elevating design as a core organisational capability.

Before joining Snapchat as the Head of creative strategy for MENA, Samer's journey led him from design to advertising, and even to the client side. His passion for ideas and brands has always fueled his love for creative solutions. Through his diverse roles, Samer cultivated expertise across brand communication, from developing brands and crafting strategies to executing integrated campaigns. He's worked in design, digital, branding and advertising across Beirut, Paris, Muscat, Doha, Riyadh and Dubai, collaborating with clients from the cultural, government, banking, tourism, FMCG, automotive and telecoms sectors. Samer's work has been recognized in regional and international awards. Outside of work, he enjoys reading, traveling, and photography.

An award-winning marketer, Hanisha has 16 years of B2B and B2C experience in the Travel, Hospitality and Professional Services sectors across Europe, Middle East, Africa, India and North America. Currently, Hanisha is responsible for driving awareness and demand of Marriott's portfolio of residential brands in the EMEA region. She partners with residential development licensees to drive sales premiums and pace. Her diligent, practical, strategic approach, and customer-centric mindset have made her excel across various roles in her career. It’s no coincidence she hosts her podcast titled ‘Making Things Happen’.  

Lara is an experienced brand marketing strategist and AI champion who has helped various brands – from traditional family-run businesses to mature corporate organizations to startups – develop and grow while helping them carve out a distinctive edge in today’s competitive landscape. 

Her expertise shines brightly through her work with various Abu Dhabi Government entities, where she has driven strategic initiatives across diverse sectors, including aerospace, healthcare, real estate, hospitality, energy and financial services. 

She is currently Vice president, brand within the ADNOC Group Communications team, overseeing the overall brand strategy, including insights, positioning, messaging, and creative direction to position, promote, and protect ADNOC Group's portfolio of brands.

Yara is a global marketing leader with over two decades of experience driving brand transformation, demand generation, and revenue growth for technology companies ranging from high growth scale ups to multinational organizations exceeding USD 1 billion in revenue. Her career spans B2B SaaS, telecom, and enterprise platforms, with a strong focus on category building and market leadership, an impact recognized by Inc. Arabia, which named her among the 30 Women of Influence in MENA. Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Growth at Lucidya, Yara leads brand, product marketing, and go to market strategy, while overseeing the evolution of the company’s inside sales engine across inbound and outbound motions. Previously, she held senior global leadership roles including Global VP of Marketing at CEQUENS and Global Marketing Director at Infobip. A celebrated speaker and mentor, has received industry awards from Inc. Arabia, Tahawultech Women in Tech Awards, and Internet 2.0.

Roxana currently serves as VP Brand Marketing & Social Media for Wego. With more than a decade of marketing experience in the region, most of it in the aviation and travel industries, she passionately drives the brand marketing activities and brand awareness growth in the Middle East. 

Roxana began in this role in October 2017 in Wego’s Dubai office where she focused on developing Wego’s Brand Marketing department as well as played a significant role in expanding the brand footprint across the region.

Over the years, Roxana has worked for several well-known brands in various industries, including aviation, media, and travel tech. Her expertise includes brand strategy development, product positioning, market research, and marketing communications. Roxana has also developed an impressive track record in building brand equity through effective brand management. Prior to joining Wego, Roxana held senior marketing & corps comm roles with leading regional airlines and a radio network in the UAE.

With over 16 years of experience in the design advertising world Debbie brings a wealth of digital experience. Debbie worked in the Digitas and Publicis groups for 12 and a half years where she worked on multiple FMCG Brands across the African continent, Unilever among them. Debbie started as an intern and worked her way up to Design director where she lead a team of talented designers. She is passionate about strategic design and innovation in the campaign space. 

Debbie moved over to Canva in 2021 where she has been involved in content creation space, she has worked across multiple teams from Trends to SEO and most recently was the regional design lead for the MEA region responsible for setting up Canva's design campaigns in various locales. She is now the Design lead for creative education and is passionate about nurturing and inspiring young design talent. She loves being part of a mission to build the most valuable content library in the world to inspire Canva users. 

With an 18-year track record in strategic planning and delivery, Alka specializes Brand Marketing, Media Relations, Reputation Management and Stakeholder Communications.

As Vice President, Destination Marketing & Communications for Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), Alka is tasked with elevating the profile of the northern Emirate in the UAE and driving the toursm board’s vision of becoming a sustainable destination.

A travel and hospitality expert, Alka’s career has taken her from Fairmont, Raffles and Swissotel to Accor, one of the largest hotel operators worldwide. During her time at Accor, she was the custodian of 30+ brands and oversaw a portfolio of over 350 hotels across 36 countries.

As a lead designer at Bloomingdale's and Harvey Nichols, Mel's career path has been marked by success across award-winning agencies, e-commerce platforms and luxury retail. Her passion for creativity drives her to bring a wealth of experience and expertise to every project. Known for her skills in branding, campaign design and packaging, Mel consistently delivers impactful results. Committed to excellence, she leads with hands-on creativity, motivating teams to achieve exceptional outcomes. Mel believes that effective design and storytelling are crucial in building lasting connections between customers and brands.