NorthStar Insights, an AI-powered integrated risk and communications advisory firm led by senior industry experts, has expanded its leadership team with the appointment of Mohammed AlMaskati as Partner and Seth Gagahina as Director, based in Riyadh and Dubai, respectively.
AlMaskati joins the company in a key leadership position to drive its growth strategy in Saudi Arabia. He brings extensive experience in strategic communications, corporate affairs, stakeholder engagement, and reputation management across the GCC. Before joining NorthStar Insights, he served as Managing Director at Hanover Communications in Riyadh, where he led the firm’s expansion in the Kingdom. Earlier, he held senior regional leadership positions at BCW, including Vice President, Regional Operations.
Gagahina joins the Riyadh office as Director, adding expertise in creative strategy and visual storytelling. She will continue in her role as Director at Carrot Brand, further strengthening NorthStar Insights’ integrated creative communications offering. Throughout her career, she has worked with brands including Groupon, Checkout.com, Dusit Thani, New Balance, and AirAsia, bringing valuable experience across both the MENA and Asia-Pacific regions.
The appointments are designed to reinforce NorthStar Insights’ presence across Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf while expanding its ability to deliver integrated communications and creative advisory services for clients operating in the region.
Commenting on the appointments, Arth Malani, Founder and CEO of NorthStar Insights, said: “Saudi Arabia’s ambitions are now global and the bar for how the Kingdom’s organisations communicate has moved sharply higher. That demands senior counsel in the room with the relationships, the judgement and the creative range to match.
Malani added, “Mohammed is one of the most respected communications leaders in the GCC and his joining as Partner makes a clear statement about where we are building. With Seth bringing deep creative leadership alongside him, we are strengthening our Dubai office to deliver integrated mandates to the standard of an in-house team.”
According to the company, the appointments come as Saudi Arabia’s communications landscape continues to evolve alongside the Public Investment Fund’s 2026–2030 strategy, increasing the demand for senior advisory expertise capable of managing complex stakeholder engagement and impactful storytelling.
Speaking about joining the firm, Mohammed AlMaskati, Partner at NorthStar Insights, said: “Saudi Arabia’s story is being written at a pace and scale few markets have seen, and getting that story right takes counsel that understands both the institutions shaping this moment and the audiences judging it. I’ve spent my career building that kind of trust across the Kingdom and the region, and NorthStar’s model – pairing senior judgement with real creative capability – is exactly the platform this market needs. I’m looking forward to building that here.”
Seth Gagahina, Director at NorthStar Insights, added: “In today’s volatile global landscape, navigating risk requires absolute clarity in communication. Working with Team NorthStar allows me to bridge the gap between complex stakeholder engagement and powerful, high-stakes visual storytelling. I am incredibly excited to work alongside Arth, Sadeq, and the exceptional team to elevate how clients protect their reputations and command market confidence across global financial markets.”
The leadership additions represent another step in NorthStar Insights’ regional expansion as it continues to strengthen its advisory, communications, and creative capabilities for clients across the GCC and international markets.
