In this, the third episode in our MENA region series we get down to brass tacks.

Partner Phil Gripton is joined by Nick Walsh, founder of Migrate, to explore in forensic detail how agencies can successfully enter and grow in the MENA market. After nearly 18 years leading network agencies across the Middle East, Nick now helps independents “land, expand, and thrive” there. He set up Migrate to de-risk market entry and provide leadership teams with a route map for sustainable growth.

Together Phil and Nick unpack the mechanics of successful expansion: why many agencies stumble on setup; talent and positioning; how to pace investment; and why a phased “test and scale” model will usually outperform cookie-cutter global playbooks.

They also explore the emerging indie ecosystem and new initiatives Nick is spearheading, e.g. creating an independent agency directory to make it easier for brands to find specialist partners as well as helping launch the Alliance of independent Agencies in the region.

Whether you’re a founder, investor or agency leader weighing entry, expansion or acquisition, this conversation provides practical advice on getting MENA right from someone who’s lived and breathed agency growth in the region for almost two decades.

Key themes include:

• The indie opportunity: Networks are still over-represented in the region (around 80 / 20) and independents under-indexed. So the latter have space to win.
• Foundations first: Get legal setup, licensing, procurement registration and banking right; build for MENA realities (payment terms, gratuities, processes).
• Invest with growth, not ahead of it: Phase hiring and overheads; target foundational clients; plan a realistic 3-to-5-year path.
• Positioning for the region: Don’t copy and paste your home market story and approach
• Talent and culture: Blend HQ “firepower” with local capability; avoid all-expat teams; hire for cultural fluency.

The MENA region offers growth on a scale hard to find elsewhere, but only for those willing to commit, adapt, and align with the region’s long-term vision.

In this episode of Waypointers, partner Jim Houghton is joined by Mike Khouri, Founder & CEO of Tactical.

Together they explore the realities of scaling an agency in one of the fastest-growing, but most nuanced, markets in the world and how Mike and his team have done the hard yard to become one of the region’s pre-eminent independent social agencies.

From the role of AI and innovation, to the local nuances of key markets such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Mike discusses why agencies with a “fly in and fly out” attitude often fail. He explains why investing in truly understanding the region, or to use his words, “going deep on the terrain”, and long-term alignment with specific national visions are critical for lasting success.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or agency leader eyeing expansion, investment, or acquisition, this episode offers clear insights into what works, and what doesn’t, in MENA’s dynamic landscape.

Key themes include:

• Why local depth matters: Global playbooks rarely succeed; agencies must invest on the ground, hire locally, and understand cultural nuance.
• Growth with discipline: Tactical simplified from 18 services down to 4, focusing on what truly delivers long-term results for clients.
• What buyers should look for: Investors should value sustained client success, team retention, and deep market integration.
• The regional dynamic: The UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and beyond - each offers distinct opportunities, underpinned by ambitious national agendas like Saudi’s Vision 2030 and Dubai’s D33.

At a time when growth is hard to come by in traditional markets, the Gulf offers something rare: scale, ambition, excitement and clients hungry for transformation.

In this episode of Waypointers, partner Jim Houghton sits down with colleague, MD Gary Whyte to explore the opportunity and discuss why it’s not always a straightforward play for agencies; missteps can easily happen for businesses that don’t do their homework.

Gary shares practical lessons from working with independent agencies across Dubai and the wider GCC region including a highlight; taking fast-growing local agency Create Group on a journey that culminated in Gary and his team advising on their sale to Stagwell earlier this year.

Whether you're considering acquisition, expansion or partnership, this episode offers valuable insights into navigating a market where growth is very much on the table, but local knowledge is key.

This episode kicks off a new Waypoint series focused on the Middle East, offering advice for anyone looking to enter the market or take their existing operations further.