In this, the third episode in our MENA region series we get down to brass tacks.

Partner Phil Gripton is joined by Nick Walsh, founder of Migrate, to explore in forensic detail how agencies can successfully enter and grow in the MENA market. After nearly 18 years leading network agencies across the Middle East, Nick now helps independents “land, expand, and thrive” there. He set up Migrate to de-risk market entry and provide leadership teams with a route map for sustainable growth.

Together Phil and Nick unpack the mechanics of successful expansion: why many agencies stumble on setup; talent and positioning; how to pace investment; and why a phased “test and scale” model will usually outperform cookie-cutter global playbooks.

They also explore the emerging indie ecosystem and new initiatives Nick is spearheading, e.g. creating an independent agency directory to make it easier for brands to find specialist partners as well as helping launch the Alliance of independent Agencies in the region.

Whether you’re a founder, investor or agency leader weighing entry, expansion or acquisition, this conversation provides practical advice on getting MENA right from someone who’s lived and breathed agency growth in the region for almost two decades.

Key themes include:

• The indie opportunity: Networks are still over-represented in the region (around 80 / 20) and independents under-indexed. So the latter have space to win.
• Foundations first: Get legal setup, licensing, procurement registration and banking right; build for MENA realities (payment terms, gratuities, processes).
• Invest with growth, not ahead of it: Phase hiring and overheads; target foundational clients; plan a realistic 3-to-5-year path.
• Positioning for the region: Don’t copy and paste your home market story and approach
• Talent and culture: Blend HQ “firepower” with local capability; avoid all-expat teams; hire for cultural fluency.