Ibrahim Al Mayahi 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.
IBRAHIM AL MAYAHI
VP – Brand and Marketing Communications, du
Years in the company: 19
Years in the region: Emirati. Born in the region.
With 19 years of experience in strategic marketing communications – all at du – Ibrahim Al Mayahi has grown from a passionate designer into a brand and creative powerhouse. His journey began at the American University of Sharjah, where he studied design and laid the foundation for a career driven by storytelling, emotional resonance and bold visual thinking.
At du, Al Mayahi has led transformative campaigns that connect deeply with audiences, blending insight with imagination. He’s a brand guardian, a creative strategist, and someone who lives and breathes the art of emotional engagement. Whether crafting a visual identity or shaping a narrative, Al Mayahi brings heart, vision and nearly two decades of hands-on expertise to every challenge.
RAPID FIRE WITH AL MAYAHI
A classic marketing trick that never gets old?
Tapping into nostalgia to evoke emotion and trust is a timeless marketing move that never fails
to connect.
Most overrated buzzword in marketing?
Viral.
Favourite nostalgic ad from your childhood?
I grew up loving the Lurpak ads and the classic 7 Up commercials. They are simple, catchy and unforgettable.
One marketing principle you’ll never compromise on?
Authenticity. Because real connection only happens when your message reflects genuine purpose and truth.
Book, podcast or show you recommend to everyone?
Tony Buzan’s Guide to Mind Mapping. It completely transformed how I organise my thoughts and approach creativity. I’d like to highlight an app: Be My Eyes. It allows you to assist blind individuals with everyday tasks and opens your own eyes to new perspectives and the beauty of human connection.
Biggest lesson you’ve learnt in your career?
Always stay human – feel deeply, listen with intention, and honour the stories people carry. It’s not just talent that shapes greatness, but the quiet power of showing up, day after day, with heart and discipline.
What you’d be doing if not marketing?
Chief AI Officer or Creative AI Officer. And, if not that, I would 100 per cent be an interior designer.
One thing your colleagues would be surprised to know about you?
I’m a professional horseback rider and foodie.
The future of marketing in one word?
Connection.
What is the top challenge the marketing and advertising industry needs to address on priority?
Al Mayahi: The top challenge facing the marketing and advertising industry today is cutting through digital fatigue with authentic, emotionally resonant storytelling. Audiences are bombarded with content across platforms, yet crave genuine connection and purpose-driven messaging. Brands must shift from transactional communication to building trust through empathy, relevance and cultural sensitivity. It’s no longer about being louder – it’s about being meaningful. In a world of algorithms and short attention spans, the priority is crafting campaigns that feel human, spark emotion and foster lasting relationships. Only then can marketing truly move hearts and minds.
What do you consider your top achievement over the past 12 months?
Al Mayahi: I’m proud to have driven impactful business results, including significant revenue growth through emotionally resonant campaigns that elevated brand engagement.
But beyond the numbers, my greatest achievement has been nurturing and empowering my team. Watching them evolve creatively, take ownership, and push boundaries has been deeply rewarding.
Building a culture of trust, passion and purpose has not only amplified our output
– it’s created a space where ideas thrive and people grow.
I am so proud to have grown and empowered this team to a point where I can send them off to a chief meeting by themselves, and I know they will deliver with perfection. This team is the heartbeat behind every milestone
we’ve reached.
What is your advice to the next generation of marketers?
Al Mayahi: Lead with heart, be human no matter what, and nurture. In a world overflowing with data and automation, emotional intelligence is your superpower. Don’t just sell; connect.
Understand your audience’s hopes, fears and dreams, and craft stories that resonate deeply. The most memorable campaigns aren’t the loudest; they’re the ones that make people feel something. Be curious, stay human and never underestimate the power of empathy in shaping brand love. Marketing isn’t just about products; it’s about people. So listen more, feel more and create with purpose. Emotion moves markets, and authenticity builds legacies.
