TBWA plans Abu Dhabi creative hub - paper

Saturday, 23 January 2010 2:36 PM

$AGENCY HEAD: Ramzi Raad, the chairman and chief executive of TBWA\RAAD. (Getty Images)$

AGENCY HEAD: Ramzi Raad, the chairman and chief executive of TBWA\RAAD. (Getty Images)

The Middle Eastern arm of Omnicom ’s TBWA advertising agency is planning to open a regional creative hub by March in Abu Dhabi’s media zone, according to a report.

The move will include relocating its downtown offices in the capital to the media zone, which is known as twofour54 [click to see], Abu Dhabi-based The National daily reported on Friday.

The firm will also increase the number of staff in Abu Dhabi from 50 to about 70, including a “swat team” of creative strategic planners who can support important pitches to clients throughout the company’s 14 regional offices, the daily added.

“Abu Dhabi is emerging as the most important national client space in the UAE and across the GCC,” Ramzi Raad, the chairman and chief executive of TBWARAAD told The National.

“With major advertisers such as twofour54, The National, Etihad, TDIC [Tourism Development and Investment Company], Sorouh, Yahsat, ADMM [Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management], the UAE capital certainly could make use of a creative hub based in its media free zone.”

Established in 2000, TBWARAAD operates a team of more than 200 people across three main divisions - advertising, digital and public relations.

Join the Discussion

Disclaimer:The view expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by Arabian Business, its employees, sponsors or its advertisers.

Please post responsibly. Commenter Rules

Posted by: DXBHeadhunter Sunday, 24 January 2010 11:37 AM[UAE] - UAE

TBWA are simply moving to follow the money, nothing really new. If they really want to make a difference then as well as increasing their headcount and developing a "swat team" they need to focus on up skilling the remaining staff or at least recruit consistent creative talent that will deliver on projects and contracts won by their elite BD team. To many clients in this region award contracts to a first class "swat team" who lead a pitch only for the project to be handed to "bums on seats" junior account teams who would struggle to articulate the meaning of the word creative in words let alone Crayola?s!

Reply to this comment.

Posted by: Clyde Saturday, 23 January 2010 4:30 PM[UAE] - UAE

Good timing, I wish them the very best on this initiative. It's about time that Raw Talent received a boost in this region. For too long it's been gliding along on sub standard creativity. I do hope TBWA is looking at a "Swat team that has a diverse background". http://realvision.ae/blog/2009/12/why-advertising-agencies-need-a-think-tank-department/ Regards

Reply to this comment.

Log in Not registered? Register now!

Retrieve password form

Services:

TBWA plans Abu Dhabi creative hub - paper

Related:

Stories

Companies

Also in Media

Also in UAE

Join the Discussion

Further reading

Features & Analysis

Most Popular

Most Discussed