It's Showtime: TBWA\RAAD and D&AD Turn Dubai HQ into a Launchpad for the Region's Next Creative Stars
(MENAFN- OMC) DUBAI, UAE — 12 October 2026 - TBWA\RAAD and D&AD hosted the third edition of the D&AD New Blood Portfolio Review in Dubai, turning the agency's headquarters into a full afternoon of mentorship, talks and one big reveal. Branded ‘Disruption Showtime’, the event gave recent graduates and early-career creatives direct access to the people who hire, judge and lead the industry.
TBWA\RAAD first brought the initiative to the region, and the partnership with D&AD has since grown into one of the Middle East's most direct routes from portfolio to profession. This year's edition exceptionally ended with two Best Portfolio Awards: Samyuktha Shankar, a graduate of VCU Brandcenter, and Sara Shakil, a graduate of FAST University, both walked away with an internship at TBWA\RAAD.
The format is simple and deliberately demanding: bring your work, defend your thinking, and leave with a sharper portfolio and the contacts to take it further.
The afternoon opened with one-on-one portfolio reviews. Young creatives sat down with TBWA\RAAD's art directors, copywriters, strategists and social and digital specialists for candid, tailored feedback on both the thinking and the craft behind their work.
The floor then opened to the agency's leadership and the forces reshaping creative work:
•Ask Me Anything! a rapid-fire session with Reda Raad, Group CEO of TBWA\RAAD, who took the room's toughest questions on careers, creativity and what agencies really look for.
•How to Win a Pencil: Ali Rez, Chief Creative Officer at Impact BBDO and D&AD 2026 Impact Jury President, on what separates good work from award-winning work.
•Disrupt or Die! Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA\RAAD, on why in 2026 Disruption® is no longer optional, it is survival.
•Agents & Prompts Best Practices: Sabrina Porcari, Digital Account Executive at TBWA\RAAD, on building AI agents and writing prompts that actually work.
Certificates and networking closed the day, before the moment every participant was waiting for: the announcement of who would be joining the pirates' ship as TBWA\RAAD's newest intern.
"The best ideas in this region are often sitting in a student's laptop, waiting for someone to take them seriously", said Reda Raad, Group CEO, TBWA\RAAD. "New Blood is how we do that. We open our doors, put our best people in front of young talent, and give them honest answers to hard questions. Our industry needs people brave enough to disrupt it, and today we met some of them."
"Pairing expert feedback with real-world case studies gives young creatives practical direction and the confidence to challenge conventions", said Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\RAAD. "When we give new blood a platform to be seen and the insight to move forward, we turn fresh potential into the industry's next creative force."
Paul Drake, Foundation Director at D&AD, added: "Investing in emerging talent is investing in the Middle East's creative influence. Three editions in, our partnership with TBWA\RAAD continues to give the region's next generation the guidance, skills and connections to turn local promise into global possibility."
END
TBWA\RAAD first brought the initiative to the region, and the partnership with D&AD has since grown into one of the Middle East's most direct routes from portfolio to profession. This year's edition exceptionally ended with two Best Portfolio Awards: Samyuktha Shankar, a graduate of VCU Brandcenter, and Sara Shakil, a graduate of FAST University, both walked away with an internship at TBWA\RAAD.
The format is simple and deliberately demanding: bring your work, defend your thinking, and leave with a sharper portfolio and the contacts to take it further.
The afternoon opened with one-on-one portfolio reviews. Young creatives sat down with TBWA\RAAD's art directors, copywriters, strategists and social and digital specialists for candid, tailored feedback on both the thinking and the craft behind their work.
The floor then opened to the agency's leadership and the forces reshaping creative work:
•Ask Me Anything! a rapid-fire session with Reda Raad, Group CEO of TBWA\RAAD, who took the room's toughest questions on careers, creativity and what agencies really look for.
•How to Win a Pencil: Ali Rez, Chief Creative Officer at Impact BBDO and D&AD 2026 Impact Jury President, on what separates good work from award-winning work.
•Disrupt or Die! Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA\RAAD, on why in 2026 Disruption® is no longer optional, it is survival.
•Agents & Prompts Best Practices: Sabrina Porcari, Digital Account Executive at TBWA\RAAD, on building AI agents and writing prompts that actually work.
Certificates and networking closed the day, before the moment every participant was waiting for: the announcement of who would be joining the pirates' ship as TBWA\RAAD's newest intern.
"The best ideas in this region are often sitting in a student's laptop, waiting for someone to take them seriously", said Reda Raad, Group CEO, TBWA\RAAD. "New Blood is how we do that. We open our doors, put our best people in front of young talent, and give them honest answers to hard questions. Our industry needs people brave enough to disrupt it, and today we met some of them."
"Pairing expert feedback with real-world case studies gives young creatives practical direction and the confidence to challenge conventions", said Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\RAAD. "When we give new blood a platform to be seen and the insight to move forward, we turn fresh potential into the industry's next creative force."
Paul Drake, Foundation Director at D&AD, added: "Investing in emerging talent is investing in the Middle East's creative influence. Three editions in, our partnership with TBWA\RAAD continues to give the region's next generation the guidance, skills and connections to turn local promise into global possibility."
END
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