LIGHTBLUE has expanded its creative leadership team with the appointment of Gaëlle Moutran as Creative Director and the return of Juraij Ahammed as Senior Design Director. The appointments come as the agency looks to build on its growth and further develop its creative capabilities across the region and international markets.
Moutran joins LIGHTBLUE from Jack Morton, where she led the adidas account and worked on experience-led and multi-sensory creative projects for global brands. Ahammed also joins from Jack Morton, bringing extensive experience in spatial design and work across international brands.
The two creative leaders previously worked together at Jack Morton and will now collaborate at LIGHTBLUE, bringing different areas of expertise to the agency’s multidisciplinary creative offering. Their roles will include leading creative teams and projects across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and international markets.
Commenting on the appointments, David Balfour, Co-Founder of LIGHTBLUE, said, “The work is getting bigger, the briefs are more ambitious and the lines between experience, culture, entertainment and technology are disappearing. Our creative leadership needs to match that.”
Balfour added, “When I met Gaëlle, there was an immediate connection. She has huge creative ambition but she also understands that the best work comes from creating the right culture around the people making it. She challenges, she listens and she wants to push things forward. Bringing Juraij back is just as important. He already knows our DNA, but he’s returning with five more years of experience and a fresh perspective. Gaëlle and Juraij know each other bring very different strengths and they’re both ambitious about where we can take the work next.”
Moutran said, “Joining LIGHTBLUE felt like the right next move for me. It’s an agency born in the UAE, with a real understanding of the region and strong relationships across luxury and culture.
Moutran added, I’m excited to build on that alongside a team that’s genuinely curious about the people and places we design for, and to create work that feels relevant to this part of the world. For me, it’s about finding those interesting intersections between local culture and global brands and creating moments that go beyond just another brand experience.”
Ahammed said, “Coming back to LIGHTBLUE felt like the right choice. There’s a tastefulness to the creative work, a willingness to make bold ideas happen, and an agility in how the team approaches projects of different scales. This way of working feels very aligned with my own.”
He added, “Over the past five years at Jack Morton, I had the opportunity to work across a wide range of projects, which helped me understand the kind of work and ideas I need to pursue as a Senior Design Director, I am excited to continue to build on that here at LIGHTBLUE.”
Read more: R/GA Establishes Abu Dhabi Hub to Expand Across MENA
