Ahmad Chatila has been named a winner of Campaign Middle East’s Marketing Game Changers Awards for 2025.
The awards recognise client-side marketers whose work delivered excellence across six criteria: Leadership & Talent Development, Creativity & Innovation, Performance & Business Impact, Brand Building, Social Impact and Industry Contribution.
The Marketing Game Changers Awards were launched this year to recognise marketers driving meaningful impact for their brands and the wider industry. The programme introduces a structured and transparent approach to spotlighting standout talent, with defined criteria, formal submissions and independent evaluation.
Open to brand-side marketers across MENA and free to enter, the 2025 edition of the Marketing Game Changers Awards named ten winners in total with the Marketer of the Year leading the inaugural cohort.
AHMAD CHATILA
Former Director of Brand and Communication, HungerStation
Years in the company: 4+
Years in the region: 17+
Ahmad Chatila is the Director of Brand and Communication at HungerStation, a leading Saudi food delivery platform that is part of Delivery Hero. He is focused on shaping breakthrough strategies that accelerate growth, strengthen brand equity and set new creative benchmarks for the region. Chatila brings more than 17 years of experience in building brands, leading large-scale campaigns, and pioneering marketing innovation across Saudi and the wider MENA region, including a leadership role at Samsung Mobile KSA.
He championed the brand platform that delivered Saudi Arabia’s first Cannes Lions Grand Prix, establishing a milestone moment in the Kingdom’s creative journey. Recognised by Campaign Middle East as a 2023 Marketing Game-Changer and having served as a Saudi Ad School mentor, Chatila has contributed to the advancement of the local brand and marketing landscape.
Chatila holds a Master’s in Digital Transformation Leadership and a Bachelor’s in Marketing. Passionate about creativity, technology and digital transformation, he holds a track record of turning bold ideas into measurable business and brand impact.
RAPID FIRE WITH CHATILA
A classic marketing trick that never gets old?
Social proof.
Most overrated buzzword in marketing?
Growth hacking.
Favourite nostalgic ad from your childhood?
RayOVac Battery ad from 1982.
One marketing principle you’ll never compromise on?
Positioning before creativity.
Book, podcast or show you recommend to everyone?
Start with Why by Simon Sinek.
Biggest lesson you’ve learnt in your career?
Trust creates leaders.
What you’d be doing if not marketing?
Production and filmmaking.
One thing your colleagues would be surprised to know about you?
I studied psychology on the side.
The future of marketing in one word?
Immersive.
What is the top challenge the marketing and advertising industry needs to address
on priority?
Chatila: The industry’s top challenge is balancing short-term performance with long-term brand building. Brands that focus too heavily on promotions and immediate return on investment (ROI) become vulnerable, risking the dilution of distinctiveness and equity. The priority must be to create sustainable models that blend data-driven efficiency with creativity and storytelling. By addressing this imbalance, marketing can move beyond chasing metrics to humanising brands, building deeper connections that endure. This approach ensures brands not only convert today but also remain relevant, trusted and valuable in an increasingly competitive landscape, delivering both immediate business results and long-term
cultural resonance.
What do you consider your top achievement over the past 12 months?
Chatila: My top achievement over the past 12 months has been leading HungerStation, with my marketing colleagues, to yet another historic milestone: Winning six Cannes Lions in 2025, following Saudi Arabia’s first Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in 2023. This recognition elevated the brand and positioned the Kingdom on the global creative stage.
On a personal level, the real achievement was balance, making sure not to miss my kids’ football training and committing, whenever possible, to a healthier work-life rhythm. Achieving both professional success and personal presence has been the most rewarding accomplishment of the year.
What is your advice to the next generation of marketers?
Chatila: My advice to the next generation of marketers is to stay human in an increasingly high-tech world. Embrace technology as a powerful enabler, but never lose sight of the human element. People connect with emotions, stories and authenticity, qualities that will always matter more than any artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. At the same time, stay endlessly curious. The industry evolves at lightning speed, and what works today may be outdated tomorrow. Keep learning, experimenting and questioning. The blend of human insight and continuous learning will keep you relevant and impactful.
