VIRTUE Asia has announced the launch of VIRTUE Arabia, marking a new chapter for the agency following the strategic acquisition of VIRTUE’s Middle East operations. The move establishes an independent, entertainment-first and culture-driven agency designed to meet the changing demands of brands and audiences across the region.
Headquartered in Dubai, VIRTUE Arabia will be led by Tarek Khalil, formerly Managing Director of VICE Media Group’s Middle East business. The agency will retain its existing regional team while continuing to serve a portfolio of clients across the government, tourism, culture and private sectors.
The launch builds on the foundation established by VIRTUE’s Middle East business, which began operations in 2020 as part of the global VIRTUE Worldwide network under VICE Media Group.
Following its transition to independent ownership through VIRTUE Asia, the agency aims to address the region’s growing demand for culturally relevant, entertainment-led marketing solutions that move beyond traditional campaign approaches.
Commenting on the expansion, Lesley John, CEO of VIRTUE Asia, India and Arabia, said: “Since becoming independent, we’ve been focused on building the kind of company modern brands increasingly need – entrepreneurial, culturally connected, and built for regional growth. The Middle East is one of the world’s most exciting growth regions and a natural next step in that journey. It represents one of the most dynamic and youthful consumer regions globally, with strong investment in entertainment and transformation.”
She added: “We see significant opportunities for a model that is equipped for the modern realities of regional marketing, with a lack of strong independents being a clear plus in markets which are dominated by traditional network structures and holding companies.”
VIRTUE Arabia has been structured around an entertainment-first model, offering expertise across film, television, music, gaming and live experiences. The agency will focus on high-growth sectors including entertainment, tourism, technology, luxury, sports, alongside government-led transformation initiatives.
Speaking about the agency’s vision, Tarek Khalil said: “I’ve spent years watching brands try to buy their way into culture and mostly get it wrong. What actually works is simpler and also harder. You have to show up honestly, inside the communities that matter, and add something real. That’s increasingly true in a world where the systems shaping what people discover are learning from those same communities.”
He further added: “From real conversations, real culture, real participation. VIRTUE Arabia is built for this reality, entertainment-first, community-led, designed to help brands earn their place in culture. The Middle East has some of the most energised, culturally switched-on audiences anywhere in the world right now, and the timing feels right for an agency that operates this way.”
The Middle East expansion represents the first international growth initiative for Singapore-headquartered VIRTUE Asia and VIRTUE India, both of which became independent from VICE Media Group in early 2025 under the leadership of Lesley John.
With operations now spanning Asia, India and the Middle East, the company aims to create a connected regional network across some of the world’s fastest-growing cultural and consumer markets while continuing to collaborate with the VIRTUE Worldwide network on global projects and research initiatives.
As part of the expansion, VIRTUE Asia is also introducing V47 Entertainment to the Middle East. Developed in partnership with Goldfinch International, the branded entertainment studio focuses on creating cultural intellectual property across films, television series, creator-led content and digital platforms to strengthen long-term audience engagement.
Concluding on the agency’s regional vision, John said “What also makes this expansion powerful is the opportunity to build a truly connected APAC and Middle East creative network. Rather than following a traditional west-to-east agency expansion model, we’re building an east-to-east corridor, connecting regions that are digitally native and increasingly influential in shaping global culture, which creates new opportunities for our clients, partners and people.”
