ONE Group has acquired a stake in experiential strategy agency BYSELECT, strengthening its growing portfolio of specialist agencies focused on the future of brand experiences. Supported by YKONE, the transaction includes growth capital and a revised shareholding structure, while BYSELECT will continue to operate under the leadership of its founder and CEO, Yasmine Badri.
The investment comes only months after BYSELECT’s launch, following strong market demand for its experiential and cultural strategy services. Since its inception, the agency has delivered several notable projects, including the LOEWE Greenhouse activation at Al Ain Oasis, centred on craftsmanship, landscape and cultural storytelling, as well as the design and experience management of the World Sports Summit organised by the Dubai Sports Council.
For the World Sports Summit, BYSELECT oversaw the event’s overall design and managed its supporting programmes, including hospitality, satellite events and attendee engagement initiatives.
The partnership combines BYSELECT’s expertise in experience-led brand strategy with ONE Group’s broader capabilities across brand content, influencer marketing, production, cultural programming and physical-to-digital brand experiences. Backed by YKONE’s global network and investment, BYSELECT aims to accelerate its regional growth while expanding its international presence.
The collaboration reflects the growing importance of experiential marketing as brands increasingly prioritise long-term cultural relevance over traditional campaign-led visibility. Through its integration into ONE Group, BYSELECT will enhance its ability to deliver scalable, experience-driven brand platforms while maintaining its focus on cultural insight and operational excellence.
Commenting on the investment, Olivier Billon, Founder and CEO of YKONE and ONE Group, said: “BYSELECT is an entrepreneurial vision that has generated tremendous demand from brands in a very short period of time. Our role through ONE Group is to support that momentum with the right ecosystem, investment, and international platform so BYSELECT can scale regionally and globally without losing what makes the work culturally precise and operationally credible. This step reflects our broader ambition to build a best-in-class group of specialist agencies shaped around the convergence of culture, experience, and content.”
Founded in the UAE, BYSELECT has established itself as a strategic partner for government organisations, luxury and lifestyle brands, cultural institutions and destination-led initiatives. The agency focuses on translating brand strategies into immersive experiences that combine cultural understanding with commercial impact.
Speaking about the partnership, Yasmine Badri, Founder and CEO of BYSELECT, said: “BYSELECT started with a clear vision, and the market response has surpassed our expectations. This marks an important next step in a relationship built on shared ambition and complementary strengths. By joining the ONE Group ecosystem, we are in a stronger position to meet demand, deepen our regional presence, and deploy our work internationally with greater scale while staying true to the intent and craft that define what we do.”
With the acquisition, ONE Group further expands its capabilities across experiential marketing and cultural strategy, with BYSELECT supporting its offering across luxury, lifestyle, hospitality, sports and public-sector sectors. The partnership will focus on experiential advisory, cultural strategy, destination experiences, retail activations and multi-market cultural programming.
