Dubai, [22/02/24] – Creative comms agency, The Romans, has announced the appointment of Joe Lipscombe as Partner, tasked with leading the agency’s new strategic direction in Dubai and furthering its presence across the MENA region.

The agency will continue to bring its globally award-winning creativity to the market, with a renewed focus on growth creation, reputation, and cultural influence.

Lipscombe entered the region as a journalist, reporting for global publications, before serving almost a decade as Ogilvy’s executive strategy and creative director for PR across MENA. His tenure saw him spearhead the agency’s creative success, leading to it becoming the most gold-awarded PR agency in the region over the past two years.

The Romans’ CEO, Joe Mackay-Sinclair commented:

“The MENA region is of huge strategic importance to our business and so we needed a leader that can match its creativity and dynamism. We’ve undoubtedly found that in Joe, who is one of the sharpest and most connected operators I’ve ever met, with the awards to prove it. Clients looking for best-in-class strategic, creative, and media representation, without the encumbrance of an old-fashioned legacy agency network, need look no further.”

Throughout his career, Lipscombe has played a pivotal role in transformative projects across the region, including Expo 2020 Dubai, the Qatar FIFA World Cup, multiple Public Investment Fund launches, and the inauguration of the New Suez Canal in Egypt. He’s also worked across countless global and homegrown brands, including Google, Coca-Cola, IBM, Turkish Airlines, American Express, Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, the Egyptian Ministry of Finance, and Qatar Foundation, among others. He was also featured in the 2023 PR Week Power Book.

Joe Lipscombe, Partner added:

“What The Romans has achieved in such a short space of time is comparable to the MENA region in terms of ambition, attitude, and application, and is nothing short of inspiring. It’s the ideal creative growth partner as the region continues its economic, social, and cultural transformation. I am honoured to join Joe and bring the unique Romans experience to a market that doesn’t know when to quit.

We’re doing that with a blend of best-in-class talent from the region and a global mindset designed to deliver an agency model that’s fit for the demands of the innovative and expansive clients of tomorrow.”

For new business and project enquiries, Joe can be reached at joe.lipscombe@wearetheromans.com.

The Romans has a global headcount of over 120, with offices located in London, New York, Amsterdam and Dubai. The agency’s specialisms include Consumer, Corporate and Reputation, Sports and Social. PR Week reported on its 97% YoY growth last year and this month named it one of the “Agencies To Watch for 2024.” Named ‘Agency of the Year’ annually since 2018, The Romans’ UK client list includes Unilever, Snapchat, Dove, Ben & Jerry’s and LIDL.