Stagwell Appoints Asda'a Founder Sunil John As MENA Lead

(MENAFN- PRovoke) DUBAI - Marketing group Stagwell has appointed Asda'a BCW founder Sunil John to lead its new Middle East and North Africa office, to support its growth plans in the region.

In his new role as senior advisor, John is tasked with spearheading the group's growth in MENA and enhancing collaboration between its local agencies and partners, as well as developing new client solutions and supporting brands aiming for regional expansion and global reach.

Stagwell has more than 70 agencies worldwide, including PR agencies Allison, KWT Global and SKDK, as well as digital transformation, creative, research, data and media specialists.

John brings three decades of regional experience to Stagwell, having founded Asda'a BCW in 2000. In 2008, WPP Group acquired a majority stake in the firm and in May 2023 acquired John's remaining shares. He left his position as BCW's president of the Middle East and North Africa at the end of 2023 , ahead of the Burson merger.

During his time leading Asda'a BCW, John launched digital and design firm Proof Communications and ESG advisory OnePoint5, and led the annual Arab Youth Survey, the thought leadership platform capturing the hopes and aspirations of 200 million Arab youth. He is also an advisory board member of the Dubai International Chamber.

John's appointment comes after Stagwell announced its intent to acquire Riyadh-based government advisory firm Consulum , which specialises in strategic communications, public policy and leadership support in the MENA and other global markets.

Stagwell chairman and CEO Mark Penn – with whom John worked at Burson-Marsteller – said the MENA region was a key growth market as the group pursues its goal of doubling revenue beyond North America by next year. The group already has a presence in Dubai, Cairo, and Riyadh, and plans to create a campus to bring all its agencies in the region together.

“Marketers who miss out on MENA will miss out on one of the biggest consumer growth stories of our decade,” said Penn.“As we focus on becoming more competitive internationally, Sunil's unparalleled experience in MENA and his leadership are what Stagwell needs to deepen our presence and help our clients succeed in this crucial market.”

John told PRovoke Media:“Stagwell has always been ahead of the curve – they saw the market was changing eight years ago and wanted to build a network fit for the digital era. That really excited me, they are so tech driven. MENA is already Stagwell's fastest-growing market globally with around 450 people across its agencies, and my job will to be run the network here, open doors, bring more brands here and offer integrated services.

“Even though I'm defined as a PR man, I've always had an integrated mindset, and I'm excited to go into a firm that has a 360 degree view of marketing, where I can bring my experience, my love of research and insights, and my focus on digital transformation and technology.”

As well as Consulum, Stagwell's footprint across MENA includes Allison, its omnichannel media agency Assembly, and global creative collective Forsman and Bodenfors. The group's global affiliate partners in the region also include marketing and talent management agency FLC and strategic growth advisory firm Phronesis Group.

So far this year, Stagwell has acquired seven firms, including Leaders in Israel, Team Epiphany and BERA in the US, UK-based Sidekick, What's Next Partners in France, Pros in Brazil , and global firm Business Traveller. The group now has around 13,000 employees in 34 markets, with global revenues of around $3 billion.

MENAFN18092024000219011063ID1108686830