Dubai, [06/05/26] – Following the recent appointment of its first Managing Director, The Romans MENA has completed its new-look senior leadership team with the hire of Lauren Sanders as Head of Client Services.

Sanders will be responsible for delivering The Romans experience across its growing client portfolio. Her remit spans client leadership, talent development, and building a seamless, high-performing operational engine that enables the agency’s earned-first creativity to thrive at scale.

Arriving from Edelman, Sanders brings close to two decades of experience from some of the biggest network and indie agencies, across several territories, including the UK, France, and the UAE. 

Joe Lipscombe, Partner at The Romans MENA, said, “Lauren is exactly what we need for this next phase. She understands that great work doesn’t just come from ideas, but from how you build teams, run clients, and create the conditions for creativity and excellence to thrive.

With our rapid growth comes an increased responsibility to develop an impeccable operational environment, where clients experience frictionless service day-in, day-out. In a creative, forward-thinking agency like The Romans, that backbone is even more important. In that space, Lauren is an absolute pro.”

Sanders will work closely with Managing Director Sophia Boudjemaa and Head of Strategy Kassandra Panagiotopoulos, forming a leadership team that is now 75% women-led—a reflection of the agency’s commitment to building a modern, representative leadership culture.

Lauren Sanders, Head of Client Services at The Romans MENA, added, “I’ve been watching The Romans’ rise for some time, and its exponential growth in just 18 months, alongside the announcement of multi-year partnerships, signals that the region really is ready for a new era of earned influence. 

The Romans’ unapologetically bold and disruptive approach is rewriting the rulebook of what great work can and should look like. Unsurprising given their mindset is well matched to the ambition, pace, and entrepreneurialism of this region. Their energy is magnetic, and it’s clear that our clients are committed to partnering in pursuit of work that genuinely shakes things up and proves there is far more to ‘PR’ than many have been led to believe. I’m so excited to join the team and shape what’s next as the empire grows.”

In December, The Romans MENA was named Agency of the Year by the PRCA, MEPRA, and Campaign, following an incredible 12 months that saw the agency grow from one to 24 people, open a creative hub in Al Quoz, and run key national projects such as the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. 

The Romans has a global headcount of almost 250, with offices in London, New York, Amsterdam, Dubai, and Berlin. The agency’s specialisms span Consumer, Corporate and Reputation, Sports, and Social. The Romans is the 2025 Cannes PR Agency of the Year.