Eleni Kitra, Executive Director, Advertising Business Group (ABG) Middle EastWhat does the marketer of the future look like — not just globally, but in the fast-evolving, culturally rich, and economically ambitious Middle East?
Marketer of the Future 2025, the latest global research from the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), conducted in partnership with Oxford, set out to answer that question.
The report offers a candid look at what separates high-performing marketing organizations from the rest. And as a proud member of the WFA, the Advertising Business Group (ABG) is excited to see how Middle East marketers are stepping up to the challenge — with clarity, confidence, and purpose
Surveying nearly 600 senior marketers across 25 countries and $90 billion in marketing spend, the study draws a clear line between competitive leaders and under-performing brands.
It outlines what sets high-growth companies apart in areas like marketing fundamentals, organisational integration, technology adoption, and leadership influence in the C-suite.
While the global report reveals key lessons — such as the erosion of marketing fundamentals, the need for cross-functional agility, and the pivotal role of AI — a regional lens shows a uniquely optimistic, innovation minded, and sustainability-driven outlook emerging in the Middle East.
A Middle East pulse on global change
Drawing insights from senior marketers across the region, the WFA Middle East deep-dive reflects a marketing industry that is not just keeping pace, but in many areas, pulling ahead.
An impressive 58 per cent of respondents reported their companies are outperforming competitors, compared to the global benchmark of 51 per cent.
This success is underpinned by a balanced mindset: 76 per cent of Middle Eastern marketers are focused on strengthening fundamentals like brand, strategy, and creativity — while nearly 10 per cent are already pushing the frontier with innovation and emerging capabilities.
The region appears less caught up in the AI hype than others, showing a more deliberate and strategic approach to its adoption.
Growth, Reimagined
Globally, the study shows that only 39 per cent of under-performing companies have strong marketing foundations, while 63 per cent of competitive leaders do — a sobering reminder that trends and tech cannot replace strategy and creativity.
In the Middle East, however, marketers show a clear awareness of this. There’s a commitment to “doing the basics brilliantly” while also investing in future-ready roles like “marketing scientists” and “experience designers.”
Notably, growth goals in the region are increasingly tied to long-term, sustainable outcomes. As one respondent put it, “Growth isn’t just about quarterly numbers anymore — it’s about enduring value and relevance.”
From silos to synergy in the Middle East
One of the biggest global gaps the research uncovered is cross-functional collaboration.
Leaders excel by breaking down silos, while underperformers suffer from fragmented teams and inconsistent customer journeys.
In the Middle East, marketers echo this priority — recognising the importance of alignment, data driven decision making, and integrated thinking.
However, as the region’s brands mature and scale, the challenge will be translating ambition into systems that foster faster decision-making and shared accountability across functions.
A human future, powered by technology
While AI is cited globally as a key differentiator — with leading marketers combining human insight with machine intelligence — Middle Eastern marketers appear more conservative.
This suggests not a lag, but an opportunity: to build AI on strong cultural and operational foundations, with the right governance and ethics in place.
More importantly, marketers in the region understand that soft skills — curiosity, adaptability, and influence — are now power skills. The ability to communicate marketing’s impact to the boardroom is as important as data fluency or tech stacks.
A seat at the table
In 2020, 19 per cent of global marketers believed the CMO role might not exist in 10 years. Today, that figure has dropped to 10 per cent. The shift is telling.
Marketing is reclaiming its seat at the leadership table — and in the Middle East, marketers are ready to lead from the front.
What’s needed now is continued investment in capability building, cross-functional development, and regional frameworks that nurture culturally attuned innovation.
Final word: Is the Middle East ready?
The marketer of the future isn’t a futurist — they’re a builder. They integrate creativity and commercial thinking, purpose and performance.
They know that sustainable impact comes not from chasing trends, but from mastering the fundamentals and knowing when to evolve.
The marketer of the future is meant to be a growth architect, a cultural translator, and a tech-enabled leader. In the Middle East, that marketer is already taking shape — resilient, resourceful, and ready to lead.
A call to action
The marketer of the future is already here in the Middle East. They are building sustainable brands, shaping culture, and bridging strategy with empathy.
But to stay ahead, we must continue investing in talent, technology, and regional collaboration.
At ABG, we’re proud to stand with the WFA and the global marketing community in shaping a future where marketing leads from the front.
By Eleni Kitra, Executive Director, Advertising Business Group (ABG) Middle East
