Darine Elkaissi Takes Charge as Managing Director at Initiative Saudi Arabia

Initiative, a global media agency under Middle East Communications Network (MCN) in the MENAT region and part of Omnicom, has appointed Darine Elkaissi as Managing Director for Saudi Arabia. The appointment strengthens the agency’s leadership in the Kingdom as it continues to expand its presence in one of the region’s most competitive markets and accelerate the digital transformation of its client offering.

Elkaissi brings more than 20 years of experience spanning creative and media agencies, client-side marketing and the media owner community. She has held senior leadership roles at WPP Media and VML, and throughout her career has supported the launch and growth of prominent national projects and PIF entities in Saudi Arabia.

She has also built and scaled high-performing teams while developing relationships with senior client partners across the government, telecom, FMCG and financial services sectors.

Leading Initiative’s Saudi Operations

In her new role, Elkaissi will oversee the strategic direction and operations of Initiative in Saudi Arabia, with the agency’s growth aligned with the ambitions of Vision 2030.

Her mandate will include driving client excellence and new business growth, advancing Initiative’s integrated and data-led media capabilities, and attracting and developing local talent in the Kingdom.

Leadership Perspective

Commenting on the appointment, Lara Arbid, CEO of Initiative MENAT, said that Elkaissi’s career has been defined by scaling businesses, translating client ambitions into results and developing high-performing teams.

Arbid highlighted Elkaissi’s deep understanding of Saudi Arabia, its culture and its people, adding that her strategic vision would help Initiative accelerate growth, compete at the highest level and establish a new benchmark for innovative work in the market.

Darine Elkaissi, Managing Director, Initiative KSA, said she was honoured to lead the agency in Saudi Arabia and described the Kingdom as a market undergoing significant transformation.

She added that she sees an opportunity to combine strategic vision with a collaborative approach to turn ideas into action and contribute to the future of media and culture in the Kingdom.

Experience and Industry Recognition

Elkaissi’s work has received recognition at regional and international awards festivals. In 2025, she was named among the Global 200 Women Power Leaders.

Alongside her industry career, she lectures at Boston University and Pine Manor College and is an advocate for female empowerment and developing the next generation of talent.

Her appointment reinforces Initiative’s focus on the Saudi market, combining Elkaissi’s local experience and cultural understanding with the agency’s wider global resources. The agency aims to use this combination to strengthen client partnerships, advance its media capabilities and create long-term brand value in the Kingdom.