Sholto Douglas-Home, Chief Marcomms and Sales Officer – Sales, Marketing and Communications at Expo City Dubai presents the Head of Agency - PR trophy to Cicero & Bernay’s MD Tariq Al Sharabi. Tariq Al Sharabi, Managing Director, Cicero & Bernay was named Head of Agency – PR at the 2025 Campaign Agency of the Year Middle East awards.
To back their choice as a winner in this category, the jury said, “This leader stands as one of MENA’s most mature and forward-looking PR leaders. This leader balances commercial growth with societal responsibility, combining scale, innovation, and mentorship. The leader embodies modern PR leadership with a strategic, data-driven, and people-centric mindset.”
Tariq Al Sharabi reflects on his win in conversation with Campaign Middle East.
How does this award reflect the way your leadership has evolved over the past year?
This award validates a leadership approach rooted in consistency and accountability, rather than distance or hierarchy. Over the past 12 months, my focus has been on building an agency that is agile, integrated and people-led; I’ve stayed closely involved in every aspect of the business, from structuring and hiring to pitching and client delivery, ensuring we operate as one unit under a shared vision.
What is your proudest moment from 2025, and what’s your key takeaway from it?
My proudest moment in 2025 was scaling the agency while retaining clients, expanding teams, and growing regionally without compromising our culture. The key takeaway is clear: growth is only sustainable when people move forward together; our recent win of seven Gold awards at the 2025 MENA Digital Awards testifies to this. Strategy may set direction, but it’s alignment that drives execution. When teams feel ownership in the journey and operate as one unit, performance becomes a natural outcome rather than a
forced objective.
How do you navigate the tension between short-term performance and long-term ambition?
Short-term performance is the proof point and long-term ambition is the direction; they are not mutually exclusive. We hold ourselves accountable to results today while deliberately building the systems, talent and capabilities needed for tomorrow. That balance comes from staying deeply connected to clients and teams via execution excellence that ensures our credibility and cements our vision.
What responsibilities do leaders carry as the industry adapts to new tools, structures and expectations?
As new tools and technologies emerge, our role is to ensure we optimise their adoption, ethically and with purpose. Leaders have a responsibility to guide; this is not about chasing trends or automating for its own sake but about understanding impact, setting clear guardrails, and protecting the quality of thinking and execution. However, equally important is leadership through change: offering clarity and direction while creating an environment where teams feel confident to learn and experiment.
What skills or mindsets will define effective leadership for 2026?
Effective leadership in 2026 will be defined by adaptability and emotional intelligence; leaders must be able to pivot quickly in response to change while maintaining high standards and consistency. While technical knowledge and tools are important, mindset is what ultimately differentiates leaders. Those who communicate clearly and lead with accountability and empathy will be best positioned to guide organisations through ongoing transformation.
