Title: Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey
Years in the role: 4 years
Years in the industry: 23 years
Power Essay: 10 things we can learn from Iron Man
Why talent is Tony Stark, AI is the suit, and together they’re unstoppable.
Every era of progress has a defining breakthrough. The steam engine fuelled commerce. Electricity rewired societies. AI is doing the same today at a speed and scale unlike anything before. I don’t see disruption; I see enablement. AI is advanced intelligence, not artificial. It is here, like electricity was here, shaping everything, whether we are ready or not. But there is an even simpler way to explain it: Iron Man.
In the films, Tony Stark’s genius and imagination meet cutting-edge technology. The result isn’t just a machine, it’s a superhero. That is how I see the relationship between talents and AI.
Here are ten lessons from Iron Man that shape how I think about talents and AI:
1. The superhero only exists when Tony wears the suit.
The Iron Man suit alone is just technology. Tony Stark alone is just a man. Only when the two come together do you get the real superhero. The same is true for us: AI on its own is powerful, but it needs a driver. Talents give it direction, conscience and creativity. That is when real transformation begins.
2. Talents come first.
Tony Stark’s instinct drives the suit. Likewise, our talents, not the technology, make the difference.
3. Keep upgrading.
Tony’s suits evolved from the clunky Mark I to nanotech in Infinity War. AI has advanced just as fast. Our responsibility is to keep upgrading our talents, so they evolve with it. That is why learning and development must be continuous, embedded into the P&L, with investment in both technical expertise and human skills like empathy and adaptability.
“The future will not be written by technology alone. It will be written by people bold enough to step into the suit. And that is when we unlock Iron Man-level transformation.”
4. Resilience turns setbacks into strength.
Every time the suit fails, Tony rebuilds it stronger. Mistakes are not failures; they are recalibrations.
5. Collaboration creates the Power of One.
Iron Man is formidable alone but unstoppable with the Avengers. The same applies to us. By breaking down silos and uniting creativity, data, media and technology, we deliver impact greater than the sum of its parts. “No silo, no solo, no bozo”. That is the Power of One in action.
6. Ethics define the mission.
Tony Stark’s arc was about purpose, moving from weapons to saving lives. AI must also be guided by human empathy, ethics and cultural intelligence.
7. Curiosity is the real superpower.
Tony is always tinkering, questioning, pushing boundaries. That same curiosity is what our talents need to thrive with AI.
8. Diverse skills win battles.
Tony is not just an engineer. He is a strategist, innovator and collaborator. The future of talents demands the same mix: technical fluency, creativity and emotional intelligence.
9. Culture is the Arc Reactor.
The Arc Reactor powers the suit. In our world, culture is the core. It fuels creativity, inclusion and performance. Without it, nothing else sustains.
10. The next chapter is still being written.
The next chapter is still being written. Tony Stark kept evolving his suits, and Marvel keeps evolving their universe. In our world, AI will keep advancing, but talents remain at the centre. The challenge is not only to keep pace, but to set it.
As leaders, our role is not only to build better suits, but to empower the Tony Starks in our organisations. That means giving talents the curiosity, confidence, resources and infrastructure they need to thrive. The future will not be written by technology alone. It will be written by people bold enough to step into the suit. And that is when we unlock Iron Man-level transformation.
Highlight of the last year
Seeing talents thrive, client successes and some big strategic wins, and continuing to fulfil our promise as a talent-first organisation.
Rapid fire
What the industry needs to talk more about:
Talent enablement.
What the industry needs to talk less about:
“Will AI replace talent?”
If you could change one thing in the blink of an eye, you would …
Inequality.
What’s one thing about you that would surprise your team?
My DJ-ing skills.
What mobile application can you not live without?
WhatsApp.
What word / phrase do people remember you for using the most?
“Do. Or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda
What’s one local / regional tradition that you love the most?
Ramadan.
If you could choose any two people, currently alive, in the world to share a meal with you, who would it be?
Warren Buffett and Elon Musk.
What’s your top word of advice for Gen Z and Gen Alpha?
Be brave enough to make mistakes.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Mansaf.
What’s your favourite ad from the past 12 months?
Publicis Groupe’s ‘The Wishzels’ feat. Snoop Dogg.
