Athar Festival 2025: Saudi Creativity Comes of Age

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With 3,128 attendees, 200+ speakers, and more than 100 hours of content, the festival underscored the Kingdom’s expanding cultural and commercial influence across gaming, film, lifestyle, and beyond. 

The event culminated in the Athar Awards 2025, a glittering gala that brought together the region’s top agencies, brands, and creative leaders under one roof.

From Vision to Momentum

Day One opened with scale and ambition: 1,900+ attendees, 150 speakers, and a bold new agenda that reflected the breadth of Saudi Arabia’s creative economy. “Athar continues to expand its horizons, mirroring the ambitions of a nation redefining creativity across multiple industries,” said Ian Fairservice, Chairman of Athar Festival and Managing Partner of Motivate Media Group.

For Mohamed Al Ayed, Vice Chairman of Athar Festival and CEO of TRACCS, the festival’s evolution is part of a much larger story. “When creativity thrives, societies thrive,” he said. “Saudi Arabia’s creative economy reflects our people’s resilience, imagination, and the pride that fuels our progress.”

Star Power Meets Substance

Headliners set the tone for a festival that blended inspiration with insight.
HRH Princess Lamia Bint Majed Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies, opened conversations around authenticity, Saudi culture, and women’s leadership — offering a grounded yet forward-looking vision of Saudi influence.


Former Formula 1 CMO Ellie Norman explored the evolving intersection of sport, purpose, and storytelling, while Egyptian filmmaker Ali Ali brought wit and candor to the craft of commercial filmmaking, revealing the chaos and charm behind his most challenging shoots.

Day Two turned reflective and personal.
Egyptian actor and comedian Ahmed Helmy drew some of the festival’s biggest crowds with a talk on humour as a universal language — precise, revealing, and deeply human. “Comedy,” he noted, “depends on timing and truth — the same things that make great communication.”


British fragrance icon Jo Malone CBE offered a powerful take on endurance and intuition in brand building, while former Google X executive and author Mo Gawdat challenged audiences to think about creativity in the age of AI, where imagination, not algorithms, remains humanity’s greatest edge.

New Frontiers for Saudi Creativity

The 2025 edition introduced new dimensions to Athar’s programming — from Screen & Influence to Luxury & Lifestyle and Gaming. Each reflected a sector where Saudi Arabia is not just participating, but shaping global conversations.

The debut of the Saudi Gamer Arena spotlighted the Kingdom’s fast-growing esports scene and the women leading its next phase, including Jenan Almeather, Wasayf Abdullah, Modhi Alkanhal, and Juri Alamri.


In Luxury & Lifestyle, conversations around travel, fashion, and hospitality explored how the Kingdom’s definition of luxury — rooted in culture, personalization, and sustainability — is rewriting global expectations.

Talent, Mentorship, and Connection

Athar’s flagship talent programs once again took center stage, with 63 participants in the Young Talent Academies, 16 senior women in the Maheerah Programme, and 20 marketing professionals in the Future CMO Academy. Across workshops and masterclasses, themes of leadership, personal branding, and creative confidence defined the tone.

Beyond the sessions, the festival’s Talent Hub hosted over 100 meetings connecting emerging talent with leading agencies and brands. Meanwhile, Unplugged sessions — audience-led conversations with CMOs and creative leaders — offered rare access and candid dialogue, lending the event an authenticity often missing from large-scale conferences.

The Grand Finale: Athar Awards 2025

The festival’s crescendo came with the Athar Awards, now firmly established as a benchmark for creative excellence across MENA.


With 274 finalists competing in 35 categories, the awards saw 87 winners honoured, including 36 Gold, 34 Silver, and 17 Bronze trophies — up significantly from the previous year.

Among standout performers, VML emerged as the night’s biggest winner with 22 awards, including seven Golds, followed by SRMG Labs, which earned four Gold and three Silver trophies.

“The Athar Awards are more than recognition — they’re a reflection of the creativity and innovative spirit putting this region on the global map,” said Fairservice. “This year’s festival exceeded every expectation, offering inspiration, connection, and community.”

Al Ayed added: “Athar has become a true festival — not just a conference. It gives Saudi talent the space, voice, and visibility it deserves. The progress we see tonight is proof that Saudi creativity is becoming one of the Kingdom’s most valuable exports.”

Culture, Creativity, and Connection

Over two days, Athar’s discussions moved seamlessly between strategy and soul — from AI and data innovation to authenticity, empathy, and inclusion. The message was consistent: creativity is no longer a department, it’s a driver of business and culture.

“If Athar has proven anything,” Fairservice reflected at the festival’s close, “it’s that Saudi Arabia now stands at the heart of one of the world’s most exciting creative movements. Every year brings new voices, new alliances, and new possibilities — and we’re only getting started.”

By the Numbers – Athar 2025

• 3,128 attendees

• 200+ speakers

• 39 panel discussions, 26 presentations, 9 interactive sessions, 6 keynotes, 9 fireside chats, and 8 masterclasses

• 100+ hours of content

• 87 awards presented across 35 categories

Presented by Motivate Media Group and TRACCS

Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, Athar – Saudi Festival of Creativity continues to position the Kingdom as a dynamic creative hub — connecting global expertise with local ambition, and transforming Saudi creativity into a cultural export with growing international impact.