Crowd UAE, the global marketing communications agency, has revamped its boutique operational model in the UAE, shifting to a specialised business unit (BU) structure designed to enhance efficiency, elevate client delivery, and accelerate scalable growth as it prepares for 2026. The organisation says the new structure blends AI-powered capabilities with human expertise to support brands with greater precision and speed.
“Our agency has always delivered solid results, but to transform from a boutique into a truly scalable, high-performing enterprise, we recognised the opportunity to embed even greater focus,” said Tom Berne, Managing Director, Crowd UAE.
Under the revised model, the agency now operates through three core business units—Media, Social Media and Digital—each staffed with its own dedicated strategy and execution teams. These BUs are supported by a central Creative and Production Hub responsible for ensuring consistent, AI-enhanced creative excellence.
“This restructure is about optimising our operating model to seamlessly integrate proprietary AI tools, maximising our specialists’ capacity, and providing new levels of brand control,” Berne added.
Each BU will adopt a dual-leadership system comprising a Head of Department managing strategy and operational delivery, paired with a Client Lead focused on nurturing relationships and identifying growth opportunities.
To enable the transition, the agency has announced four key leadership appointments:
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Liyana D’Silva, formerly Account Director, steps into the role of Head of Media, where she will focus on expanding market share and improving performance through automation-driven efficiencies.
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Khushal Chawda, previously Head of Development, has been promoted to Head of Digital, leading the agency’s largest technical team and ensuring alignment between digital delivery and strategic objectives.
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Marwa Abdelsalam has been elevated to Head of Social, leveraging her experience across government and global brand mandates to scale the social media division.
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Hisham Khattab joins as Senior Art Director, taking charge of the Creative Hub, and is credited with strengthening social-first creative output and enhancing the quality and agility of content production.
“We are not just transforming our structure; we are establishing ourselves as growth partners for AI transformation, where human strategy unlocks competitive advantage on an international scale,” said Berne.
Crowd UAE reports that the new operating model is already producing positive results, including securing several major new clients, with formal announcements expected soon. The restructuring underscores the agency’s ambition to evolve into a highly efficient, scalable leader within the region’s marketing and AI ecosystem.
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