Houda Tohme, CEO, Havas Media Middle East.Title: CEO, Havas Media Middle East
Years in the role: 6 years
Years in the industry: 26 years
Years in the middle east region: All my life
Other roles / board memberships: IAB MENA vice chair, IAA UAE chapter board member
Power Essay: Do we create culture, or just consume it?
Content is not just information. It is culture in motion. The stories we tell, the research we publish, the language we elevate – these are the building blocks of identity. Yet in much of the Middle East, the foundations remain fragile.
Across medicine, economics, education and even popular culture, we rely heavily on content imported or adapted from global sources. Yes, regional newsrooms cover politics and conflict with energy, but the broader spectrum from scientific research to economic thought leadership is rarely homegrown.
This dependency shapes behaviour. Increasingly, young people reach for borrowed cultural references when expressing themselves, rather than those rooted in their own traditions. This is not only a matter of language; it reflects an ecosystem where original local content is underfunded and undervalued. When depth and originality are scarce, identity itself becomes shaped by what comes from outside.
Meanwhile, global tech platforms have deepened this trend. They have democratised access and lowered barriers, but they have also set the market price of content at its lowest denominator. In the chase for scale and efficiency, professional creators are squeezed out. Publishers cannot reinvest in deep journalism or original research when the rewards are measured only in cheap clicks.
“When reach at the lowest cost becomes the sole measure of value, the outcome is shallow, low-impact content.”
And here lies the irony: it is not a shortage of talent. Some of the most celebrated journalists and researchers globally are of Middle Eastern origin. But the region offers little incentive or infrastructure
to sustain its ambitions. We applaud their global achievements, but their absence leaves a cultural vacuum at home.
So, the question becomes: what kind of culture do we want to leave behind? One shaped by borrowed voices, or one authored by our own?
The responsibility does not rest on publishers alone. As marketers, agencies and citizens of this region, we guide where investment flows. When reach at the lowest cost becomes the sole measure of value, the outcome is shallow, low-impact content. But if we choose to reward depth, originality and cultural relevance, we can change the trajectory.
MENA already has the talent, the audiences and the tools. What remains is the will. By funding journalism, research and cultural production that originates here, we can shape a narrative that is not only authentic but lasting. Content builds culture and if we want a culture worth handing down, we must invest in its quality today.
Highlight of the last year
It is never about one moment. It is about how the team rises, time after time, to meet challenges head-on. Every milestone reflects resilience, adaptability, and the commitment to keep pushing our industry forward.
Rapid fire
What the industry needs to talk more about:
Stronger governance and industry standards.
What the industry needs to talk less about:
Whatever the buzzword of the moment is.
If you could change one thing in the blink of an eye, you would.
I would eliminate inequity; I want fairness and dignity for all.
What’s one thing about you that would surprise your team?
Nothing, they know me too well.
What mobile application can you not live without?
Any app that keeps me connected.
What word / phrase do people remember you for using the most?
“Never say: this is not my job.”
What’s one local / regional tradition that you love the most?
End-of-year family gathering.
If you could choose any two people, currently alive, in the world to share a meal with you, who would it be?
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and then maybe Oprah.
What’s your top word of advice for Gen Z and Gen Alpha?
Work on being patient. Good things take time.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Pain perdu caramélisé.
What’s your favourite ad from the past 12 months?
Medco’s ‘Being Lebanese is an Energy’ campaign.
