New initiative aims to support women in Saudi creative sector

Highlights:

• CEO of Publicis Groupe KSA Adel Baraja: You cannot graduate as a creative strategist; you have to grow that skill
• Business lead at MSL KSA Nadin Al-Alami: The vision of Saudi is all about innovation, growth and standing out, and you can't achieve that without the right culture

The Athar Saudi Festival of Creativity has launched an initiative supporting female talent in Saudi Arabia's creative marketing industry on Tuesday(13 May).

Known as the Maheerah Network, it is a year-long program focused on training, leadership development and professional networking, reports Arab News.

Adel Baraja, CEO of Publicis Groupe KSA, which is behind Maheerah, said that the program was designed to be led by women already working in the industry.

"Maheerah Network is an expert-led program by women in the industry, supporting and growing businesses in Saudi Arabia, and helping educate women pursuing careers in communication," he told Arab News.

Baraja said that there was a need to develop creative strategists through practical experience and professional growth, noting that many students graduating in fields such as marketing and design still faced challenges translating their academic knowledge into strategic creative work, says Arab News.

"We need a lot more creative strategists for both men and women in this case. And you cannot graduate as a creative strategist; you have to grow that skill."

During a panel titled "Owning your voice: Authentic Female Leadership in Saudi Arabia," held at the launch event, Nadin Al-Alami, business lead at MSL KSA, emphasized the importance of having authentic leadership in the communications sector.

"It's a very dynamic industry and so flexible, and without authentic leadership, you cannot survive, especially that most of the workforce is Generation Z," she said.

Al-Alami said that managing Gen Z professionals required a purpose-driven and trust-based approach.

"You cannot just impose things on Gen Z without having them believe in your purpose and your vision, without connecting them, without having them trust you."

Al-Alami also underlined the role of cultural intelligence in building internal culture and driving progress.

"Cultural intelligence is bringing all those authentic values and approach to dealing with our people to create a very positive culture and without this, there is no way forward."

Al-Alami cited Saudi Arabia as an example of a national vision built on innovation and growth.

"The vision of Saudi is all about innovation, growth and standing out, and you can't achieve that without the right culture. It's a must."

Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the launch, Nada Hakeem, CEO and co-founder of Wetheloft, said that hiring trends in the creative sector had shifted, particularly among younger professionals.

"Today, most of the talent is from Generation Z. They are not just looking for a job, but for purpose as well," Hakeem told Arab News.

This generational shift had pushed companies to rethink traditional job structures.

"This has made it necessary for companies to have something bigger than just the tasks employees are doing," she said.

Hakeem added that women were increasingly seen as valuable contributors in the creative sector, with companies actively seeking to hire more female talent.

"Women in Saudi Arabia are not just getting opportunities, but we feel a little bit more privileged, and companies are actually actively seeking more women in Saudi."

She said that empathy played a key role in the creative field, particularly in marketing and communication.

"I think women are more empathetic by nature, and empathy in the creative industry is essential. When you understand the needs of others, you can cater to them better. And this is what marketing and communication is all about — understanding the needs and the wants and the problems, and solving problems for others."