The MENA Power List 2024

Campaign Middle East’s annual MENA Power List is back in its 2024 iteration, and it is only getting bigger and better by the year.

Experts with decades of experience, who have been instrumental in the evolution of marketing, advertising, creative, media, public relations, and communications across the Middle East have had their say.

From keying in their insights on their top focus for the year ahead, to sharing ‘rapid fire’ responses on what marketing needs to prioritise, change, and buzzwords we need to bury, these leaders have left our readers with a lot to dissect and learn.

The tasty details, however, lie in the ‘power essays’ – open, honest, and unfiltered opinions from the brightest and the best on threats and challenges within the industry that are often spoken about only in hushed tones, as well as trends and opportunities that will continue disrupting an industry in a constant state of flux.

Leaders have also shared their opinions on dealing with ‘change’ itself: how to embrace it fearlessly, how to mould the seeming ‘chaos’ of change into value and growth, how to keep a steady hand on the helm amid the maelstrom, and how to bring a touch of beauty into the business through empathy – for clients and creatives alike.

Critical themes of conversation continue to circle around first-party data, the strategic implementation of AI, making machines look beyond mere metrics, the need for industry-wide collaboration, and balancing data-driven decisions with the human elements of consumers and communities.

On a lighter note, the MENA Power List 2024 also offers a very down-to-earth look at the men and women photographed behind their powerful desks. It offers details on their pet peeves, their next travel destination, their favourite restaurants, their hobbies, and the books they are reading.

I was – in equal parts – surprised and fascinated to read that many leaders are currently poring through the same books that I’ve just marked as ‘finished’ on Audible: The Anxious Generation and Atomic Habits. I’ve also made a mental note of the leaders that have marked Japan as their next travel destination, ready to share a score of travel hacks from my recent trip over the next meal that I have with them.

All in all, the unifying feature that ties the wealth of knowledge shared in the upcoming pages together is this: the future of marketing in MENA region will be determined by a human-first approach in a data and insights-led world.

As one of our esteemed leaders writes, “When wielded wisely, data has the power to elevate human connection, to help brands navigate cultural nuances with precision, and to nurture relationships that last. It’s not about outpacing competitors; it’s about using data to create bonds that transcend the transactional and endure in the hearts of consumers.”

Can we look beyond our KPIs to collaborate? Can we unite to tackle common challenges? Can we truly raise trust and transparency to ensure that it’s not just individual agencies that succeed, but the industry as a whole that takes a step forward in the right direction?

The ball is in our court. The future of this industry is in our hands.