Experts call for collective effort to make Dubai No. 1 hub for marketing – Campaign Middle

Industry experts from across the UAE have written in to Campaign Middle East reacting to a story we carried last week about Dubai securing the second spot in a ranking of the world’s top 100 cities for marketing careers – and they have come to consensus: There’s a need for collective effort to raise Dubai to the No. 1 spot.

The study conducted by Loopex Digital analysed 100 major cities worldwide to determine the best cities for marketing specialists, with final rankings based on composite scores, prioritising cities with higher numbers of job opportunities, salaries, living costs, and safety ratings.

While Dubai ranked No. 1 in terms of safety globally, leaders within the industry called for collaborative effort on other parameters such as job opportunities, better salaries, upskilling opportunities, fulfilling work environments, and more to accelerate Dubai past Bangkok on the list of the best cities for marketing professionals.

Avi Bhojani, the group CEO of BPG Group, said, “It is amazing that the UAE has emerged as the second most attractive destination for MarCom talent in the world – after Bangkok, but ahead of London, New York, Paris, among many others. All credit goes to the leadership of the UAE, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai, who have made this the safest place in the world – and increasing its attractiveness tremendously on the global scale.”

“However, the UAE can easily displace Bangkok at the No. 1 spot if we as members of the industry also join in this effort collectively, and make the UAE a more attractive destination for digital MarCom talent.”

However, this is not going to be a walk in the park. It’s going to take concerted effort to address certain challenges on the path to the No.1 spot – and to retain the ranking once we get there.

“Safety, multicultural talent, and growth opportunities make this city exceptional. However, Dubai’s goal is to be the best, and there are areas for improvement,” said Andrej Arsenijevic, executive creative director at Commonwealth McCann and the sustainability ambassador at MCN.

“Attracting and retaining top marketing talent is becoming more challenging. We must attract younger talent by allowing them to work on innovative, fulfilling projects in environments that prioritise collaboration, inclusivity, and sustainability.”

There’s no doubt about the fact that the UAE remains a magnet for a diverse pool of talent, and job opportunities within the marketing industry remain quite high.

 Lara Arbid, CEO of Initiative MENAT and Magna Global, said, “We are fortunate to be in the MENAT region at this moment in time, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with the rate of growth, aspiring visions from leaders, and the tools, ambitions and talent to achieve them. Combine this with the entrepreneurial start ups rapidly sprouting across the region, multiplying the value to our business, our careers and aspirations, and you have one of the most thriving business environments in the world.”

Commenting on what attracts global talent, Lara added, “We actively recruit from a global pool, identifying the future focused skills that  are critical to for our clients to optimise their growth strategies. Our steadfast commitment to an inclusive environment ensures our people feel valued and empowered to collaborate and create braver, more engaging and impactful work for brands.”

All said and done, the message to the world remains loud and clear. Yes, there’s always scope for improvement on the road to attaining and maintaining excellence, but Dubai is among the best places for marketing careers with plenty of job opportunities, extremely competitive and sustainable salaries, as well as an incredibly great standard of living.

Nehha Bhhatiaa, the founder of Magnetique Marketing, a fractional CMO and the marketing director at ACR Partners, sums it up well saying, “The city’s growing population of millionaires is not just a statistic; it’s a beacon of opportunity for anyone who wants to start and grow their marketing business.”