Athar Festival 2025 Returns with Expanded Line-Up, New Hubs and Global Names

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Athar Festival—the Kingdom’s largest gathering for the creative marketing industry—will stage its third edition on 21–22 October 2025 at JAX District, Diriyah Biennale Foundation. 

Organised by Motivate Media Group and TRACCS, the event is set to draw more than 3,000 attendees, 150 speakers, 80 activations and five content stages over two packed days.

The expanded programme reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a regional and global hub for creativity, innovation and marketing.

Big-Name Line-Up

Headliners this year include Mo Gawdat (bestselling author and former CBO at Google), Jo Malone (founder and creative director at Jo Loves), Ellie Norman (CMO, Formula E) and Ali Ali (film director, Good People Films). 

They join over 150 regional and international voices tackling themes from AI to influencer culture, storytelling to luxury branding, across four new content tracks: Creative Impact, Future Forward, Screen & Influence, and Luxury & Lifestyle.

“A Movement, Not Just a Festival”

“Athar has grown alongside Saudi’s creative marketing landscape in both scale and reach,” said Ian Fairservice, Chairman of Athar Festival and Managing Partner of Motivate Media Group.

“This year will be our boldest yet, providing a platform where talent can connect, learn and thrive.”

Adding to that, Mohamed Al Ayed, Vice Chairman of Athar and CEO of TRACCS, positioned the event as more than a gathering: “Athar is a movement amplifying Saudi Arabia’s creative potential globally while empowering a new generation of local talent.”

What’s New in 2025

The festival footprint expands to 6,000 sqm, with activations ranging from the Talent Hub (direct engagement between companies and young professionals) to the Ruwad Hub (spotlighting breakthrough agencies and entrepreneurs). 

The Saudi Gamer Arena debuts as a dedicated esports and gaming space, while a Networking Hub will bring together industry leaders and global delegations.

Daily programming will run across five stages, including high-level panels on the Strategic Stage, community-driven sessions at the Community Stage, and lifestyle programming (music, wellness, comedy) at the Courtyard Stage.

Investing in the Next Generation

Returning initiatives include the Young Talent Academies, the Maheerah Programme for women in marketing, and the Future CMO Academy for senior leaders.

Together, these underline Athar’s continued push to nurture emerging talent and accelerate leadership development.

The Awards

The two-day programme wraps with the Athar Awards, now expanded to over 30 categories with 14 new additions, recognising standout campaigns, individuals and organisations shaping Saudi Arabia’s creative economy.

Partners on Board

The 2025 edition is backed by more than 80 sponsors and partners, including MBC Media Solutions (Growth Partner), flynas (Official Airline Partner), the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), Amazon Ads, Bloomberg Media, Omnicom Group, WPP, MCN, King Salman Park Foundation, Stagwell and others.

Ahmed Al Sahhaf, CEO of MMS, reaffirmed their continued involvement: “We aim to broaden engagement, share expertise, and introduce fresh ways of connecting audiences with brands.”