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65 top TBWA leaders from across 18 countries met in the Lebanese capital on May 7, to share their practices and learnings

Global Advertising Agency of the Year TBWA recently held its EMEA regional meeting in Beirut, bringing together 65 top leaders from across 18 countries who shared their experiences, learnings and discussed future collaborations that will consolidate the collective and reinforce its determination towards a shared vision.

‘Cross Routes’ refers to the region, a true crossroads where different cultures, ethnicities, religions, languages and insights intersect on a daily basis. It also describes Lebanon, a place with a history of civilizations passing through it and leaving their mark, making the country the diverse, stimulating, spontaneous and truly rebellious place that it is today. 

Three days of pure inspiration included talks and discussions on innovation and digital, as well as global and regional updates from Global Chief Executive Officer Troy Ruhanen, Global Creative Chairman John Hunt, International President Cem Topcuoglu, TBWAIstanbul Chief Executive Officer Burcu Kayimtu, TBWASpain Group Vice President Claudia Safont, TBWADublin Chief Executive Officer Deirdre Waldron, Global Chief Financial Officer Denis Streiff, Chief Financial Officer for Europe Erik Kellerhuis, TBWAIstanbul Chief Creative Officer Ilkay Gurpinar and TBWAGroup Moscow Chief Executive Officer Natalia Abbasova, among many others.

Previously held in Johannesburg and Istanbul, this third regional meeting joins Western countries with the Eastern region for the first time.

Cem Topcuoglu, TBWA’s International President said: “I am extremely proud of the progress we have achieved in the past three years. Seeing people from different parts of the world come together with such synergy, speaking the same language and sharing the same vision is what makes us embrace the diversity of our collective and look forward to greater success together.”

Two guest speakers held motivational talks during the event: Ms. Alissar Caracalla, founder of the Caracalla School of Dance and choreographer at Caracalla Dance Theater, an award-winning troupe performing in the most reputable theaters, festivals and cities across the world, shared her long journey towards success.

Fred Moolhuijsen, Architect and Partner at Brand & Business Architects, a marketing consultancy firm in the Netherlands specialized in brand strategy, spoke about the advertising industry and what’s coming in the near future.

The meeting was followed by a fun trip to the Shouf mountains, a historic region in the South of Lebanon, and concluded with a hike in Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve, home to Lebanon’s largest cedar forests and to the famous cedar tree located at the heart of the national Lebanese flag.