UAE, Dubai – 7 April 2026: PRCA MENA – the region’s official representative of the Young Lions PR Competition – has announced the 2026 shortlist, following a competitive round that brought together 27 teams from across the region.

The winning PRCA MENA Young Lions team will go on to represent the region at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June.

Mirroring the competition format in Cannes, participants were tasked with responding within a 24-hour window to a live brief developed in partnership with Smart Life Foundation. Entries were evaluated by a panel of eleven senior industry professionals, with scoring based on creativity, strategy and execution.

This year’s finalists stood out for their clarity of thought, strong insights and ability to deliver purposeful, well-structured campaigns under pressure.

The six finalists include: 

1. Burson Global – Mohammed Samy and Shirin Zemmo

2. ⁠Current Global MENAT – Giselle Mehta and Riya Awtaney  

3. ⁠⁠Gambit Communications – Alaa Arnaout and Jana Bunni 

4. ⁠⁠MSL Group – Rea Singh Mishra and Sashreek Garg

5. ⁠⁠Siemens Energy – Mina Nashwan and Delfina Ferrao 

6. ⁠⁠The Romans – Siobhan Eagles and Surbhi Lal 

Conrad Egbert, Head of PRCA MENA, said:

“The quality of work this year reflects a strong shift towards more disciplined thinking. The ideas were sharp, but more importantly, they were grounded in insight and built for real-world impact. That’s what sets these finalists apart.”

The winning team that will represent MENA at Cannes will be announced on 15 April 2026.