From left, Lesley John, CEO of VIRTUE Asia, India and Arabia, and Tarek Khalil, Managing Director, VIRTUE ArabiaVIRTUE Asia has completed its strategic takeover of VIRTUE’s Middle East operation to launch a next-generation, culture-led and entertainment-first agency, built for the evolving needs of brands and consumers across the region.
Headquartered in Dubai, the agency will be led regionally by Tarek Khalil, the former managing director of VICE Media Group’s Middle East business, with the existing VIRTUE team and a portfolio spanning government, culture, tourism and private sector clients transitioning to VIRTUE Arabia.
The now independent agency expands on the foundations of VIRTUE’s existing Middle East business which launched in 2020 as part of the broader VIRTUE Worldwide network established by VICE Media Group.
Following its transition to independent ownership under VIRTUE Asia, VIRTUE Arabia enters a regional market where demand is shifting towards culturally fluent, entertainment-led work that moves beyond traditional campaign models.
Lesley John, CEO of VIRTUE Asia, India and Arabia, said: “Since becoming independent, we’ve been focused on building the kind of company modern brands increasingly need – entrepreneurial, culturally connected, and built for regional growth. The Middle East is one of the world’s most exciting growth regions and a natural next step in that journey. It represents one of the most dynamic and youthful consumer regions globally, with strong investment in entertainment and transformation. ”
She added, “We see significant opportunities for a model that is equipped for the modern realities of regional marketing, with a lack of strong independents being a clear plus in markets which are dominated by traditional network structures and holding companies.”
Positioned to respond to this shift, VIRTUE Arabia is designed around entertainment-first, spanning film and television, live experiences, music and gaming, to capitalise on high-growth sectors including entertainment, tourism, technology, luxury and sport, alongside significant government-led transformation initiatives.
Khalil said, “I’ve spent years watching brands try to buy their way into culture and mostly get it wrong. What actually works is simpler and also harder. You have to show up honestly, inside the communities that matter, and add something real. That’s increasingly true in a world where the systems shaping what people discover are learning from those same communities.”
He added, “From real conversations, real culture, real participation. VIRTUE Arabia is built for this reality, entertainment-first, community-led, designed to help brands earn their place in culture. The Middle East has some of the most energised, culturally switched-on audiences anywhere in the world right now, and the timing feels right for an agency that operates this way.”
It marks the first expansion for Singapore-headquartered VIRTUE Asia and its subsidiary, VIRTUE India, both of which became independent of the VICE Media Group in early 2025 under the leadership of chief executive Lesley John.
Together, the business now spans Asia, India and the Middle East, creating a connected regional platform across some of the world’s fastest-growing consumer and cultural markets. It will continue to collaborate with the VIRTUE Worldwide network on proprietary research and global clients where relevant.
As part of this expanded offering, VIRTUE Asia is bringing V47 Entertainment to the Middle East, the branded entertainment studio launched earlier this year in partnership with Goldfinch International. V47 is designed to help brands develop and scale cultural IP across formats, from films and series to creator-led content and digital platforms, to drive deeper and more sustained audience engagement.
John concluded, “What also makes this expansion powerful is the opportunity to build a truly connected APAC and Middle East creative network. Rather than following a traditional west-to-east agency expansion model, we’re building an east-to-east corridor, connecting regions that are digitally native and increasingly influential in shaping global culture, which creates new opportunities for our clients, partners and people.”
