• Three Powerhouse Agencies Unite to Deliver Transformative Leadership Program Aligned with Kingdom’s Vision 2030

TBWA\RAAD, Omnicom Media Group MENA, and Impact BBDO today announced the successful launch of the second Omnicom Future CMO Academy at Athar Festival, bringing together 23 of Saudi Arabia’s promising marketing professionals from the Kingdom’s most trusted and renowned brands for an intensive day of strategic learning, creative innovation, and leadership development.

The expanded program represents Omnicom Group’s commitment to nurturing Saudi talent and positioning the Kingdom’s marketers to compete on the global stage. This year’s Academy featured interactive masterclasses covering strategic planning, AI-enhanced creativity, crisis management, brand building, and agency-client partnerships, delivered by industry veterans alongside CMOs from Saudi Arabia’s leading brands.

Reda Raad, Group CEO of TBWA\RAAD, said: “Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of creative transformation in the region, and Vision 2030 represents more than economic growth, it’s about unlocking the Kingdom’s creative potential. Our Academy is about unleashing the disruptive potential of a region that’s ready to embrace bold, authentic ideas like never before.”

“This partnership harnesses the power of human wisdom in an increasingly AI-driven world, where knowing how to ask the right questions becomes your competitive advantage”, added Elda Choucair, CEO of Omnicom Media Group MENA. “We’re teaching the next generation that continuous learning isn’t just important, it’s essential for survival in an industry that evolves faster than ever. More than a learning experience, the Academy is a shared space for inspiration, mentorship, and networking. Together, we’re building the agility, foresight, and curiosity needed to navigate challenges and seize new opportunities.”

In a landscape where over two-thirds of Saudi Arabia’s population is under 35, the Academy addresses a critical need for future-ready leaders who can balance technological sophistication with human creativity and cultural intelligence.

Dani Richa, Chairman and CEO of Impact BBDO International, said: “Our initiative comes at a pivotal moment when Saudi Arabia’s transformation demands we keep pace with unprecedented change, and these young marketers bring perspectives we never had access to before. This program creates a knowledge exchange that elevates everyone involved. When they get better at what they do, we’re all able to produce better work together. By investing in talent development, we’re building a culture of sustained creative excellence across Saudi Arabia.”

The day concluded with a graduation ceremony on the Strategic Stage at Athar Festival, where Omnicom’s agency leaders presented certificates to participants, celebrating not just their completion of the program but their commitment to shaping Saudi Arabia’s creative economy.

Romy Abdelnour, Program Lead and Head of Communications at TBWA\RAAD, concluded: “The overwhelming response we’ve witnessed in our participants validates the power of this initiative. In 2026, we’re taking the Future CMO Academy to new heights, running more frequent sessions, expanding across different markets in the region, and continuously enhancing our curriculum to reflect the evolving needs of the industry. This isn’t just a program; it’s a movement to elevate marketing excellence across borders, and we’re committed to making it more accessible to emerging leaders wherever they are.”

Recap Film: https://youtu.be/z0mzFxr3oqw

**About TBWA\RAAD: **

TBWA\RAAD was established in the United Arab Emirates in 2000 to develop and expand TBWA Worldwide’s presence across the Middle East and Africa. We are The Disruption® Company, a collective of creative minds with an unlimited creative canvas. We use creativity to help businesses challenge the status quo and capture an unfair share of the future. Named Best Place to Work in the World by Campaign, one of the Middle East’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company Middle East in 2024, 2023 and 2022, one of the Best Workplaces for Women in the Middle East in 2024 by Fast Company Middle East, Adweek’s 2024, 2022, 2021 and 2018 Global Agency of the Year, we are a disruptive brand experience company that uses trademarked Disruption® methodologies to help businesses address their challenges and achieve transformative growth. Our collective is made up of passionate, dedicated individuals with expertise across the total brand experience — from retail to social and digital, from B2B to experiential, from innovation to production, from design to content. Our regional clients include: Abu Dhabi Government Media Office, Apple, AWR Rostomani Arabian Automobiles, CNN, Commercial Bank of Dubai, du, Essence, Etihad Rail, First Gulf Company, Gatorade, Henkel, Hilton, Infiniti, Johns Hopkins, KFC, Meta, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, NEOM, Nissan, Pfizer, Philips, Pladis. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter and like us on Facebook. TBWA is part of Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC).

About Omnicom Media Group:

Omnicom Media Group MENA is the holding of OMD, PHD and Hearts & Science in the Middle East. Omnicom Media Group is the media services division of Omnicom Group, Inc. (NYSE: OMC). Named the Most Creative Company of the Year at the 2023 Cannes Lions Festival, Omnicom is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. As well as its full-service media networks, Omnicom Media Group includes data and analytics platform Annalect Group and a number of specialty media communications companies, including Flywheel and TRKKN.

https://omnicommediagroup.com/markets/mena/

About Impact BBDO:

Part of the Omnicom Group, IMPACT BBDO is a leading regional marketing communications group operating across the Middle East and Africa for more than 50 years. IMPACT BBDO offers comprehensive and integrated marketing communication solutions, covering a wide and prestigious base of global, regional and local brands.

About Omnicom:

Omnicom (NYSE: OMC) is a leading provider of data-inspired, creative marketing and sales solutions. Omnicom’s iconic agency brands are home to the industry’s most innovative communications specialists who are focused on driving intelligent business outcomes for their clients. The company offers a wide range of services in advertising, strategic media planning and buying, precision marketing, retail and digital commerce, branding, experiential, public relations, healthcare marketing and other specialty marketing services to over 5,000 clients in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.omnicomgroup.com.

Contact Romy Abdelnour Head of Communications, TBWA\RAAD romy.abdelnour@tbwaraad.com