MENA’s advertising landscape is consistently evolving. At the heart of this evolution is a commitment to nurturing talent and providing the know-how for future leaders to thrive. This commitment is at the cornerstone of the annual Young Lynx Academies (YLA) at Dubai Lynx, now entering its third year of partnership with Publicis Groupe Middle East and marking an exciting new milestone with the launch of a second Academy, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Young Lynx Academies have played a pivotal role in developing talent in MENA with over 80 participants graduating from the programme to date.
“For the past three years, Publicis Groupe’s commitment to nurturing talent across MENA has been reflected in our support of the Young Lynx Academy, a platform for collaboration, networking, and skill development under the guidance of industry leaders. Expanding the Academy to Riyadh underscores the growing importance of Saudi Arabia as a creative and cultural hub and reinforces our dedication to fostering the next generation of talent in this vibrant market,” said Bassel Kakish, CEO at Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey.
The launch of the Young Lynx Academies, including the third iteration with Publicis Groupe in Dubai and the launch of the Riyadh edition, is also a testament to the creative marketing momentum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made waves on the global creative stage, with groundbreaking campaigns from brands such as HungerStation, that clinched the Kingdom’s first-ever Grand Prix at the Lions. Saudia’s ProtecTasbih campaign also celebrated major wins at both Dubai Lynx and Lions last year.
These achievements not only highlight the innovative spirit and talent within the Kingdom but also underline its growing influence in shaping the future of the creative marketing industry in the region.
Creating the future stars of the MENA region
The Young Lynx Academy is now in its fifth edition and has hosted participants from all over the MENA region.
“I can’t recommend the programme enough. It’s the perfect place to meet young creative minds across the region and across sectors. Conventionally you wouldn’t meet these people,” said Aashna Gopalkrishnan, a winner at the 2023 Young Lynx Academy and currently the Associate Creative Director at Serviceplan Group Middle East.
Aashna also emphasised that the academy offers an opportunity to meet with great mentors and learn about the industry.
In 2024, the Young Lynx Academy brought together notable speakers from brands and agencies like Unitedmasters + Translation, Pizza Hut – Yum! Brands, LIONS, Unilever, Pixis, and TishTash.
The academy has been participated in, by creatives and marketers from top brands and agencies like Burson, Visa, Saudi Tourism Authority, Accenture Song, PepsiCo, Imagination, VML, The Bold Group, Diriyah Gate Company Limited, Kraft Heinz, Majid Al Futtaim Retail, Procter & Gamble, Create Group, Impact BBDO to name a few.
Save the dates
The Riyadh edition of the Young Lynx Academy will take place 18-19 February 2025, offering participants the opportunity to learn from industry experts on how to spark innovative thinking and create impactful work, as well as the opportunity to participate in a 24-hour hack challenge to push their creative boundaries.
The programme is open to young professionals 30 years or under with at least 3 years of working experience from brands, agencies or freelancers working in KSA .
The Dubai edition takes place 7-8 April 2025 and is open to participants 30 years or under and below with at least 3 years of working experience working in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, or the UAE.
To all young talents eager to make their mark in the industry—this is your moment. Applications for the both editions of the Young Lynx Academy are now open, visit www.dubailynx.com to find out more and apply.
