Ghassan Kassabji

A seasoned business leader with over 30 years of experience in business development, marketing, and advertising across the U.S. and MEA region. He currently serves as CEO of Impact BBDO Dubai and Chief Growth Officer for MENA, where he oversees the growth and operations of one of the most awarded agencies globally and a dominant force in the region for over 40 years. The creator of The Bold Play™, he is a vocal champion of bold creativity as a growth engine.

Before his tenure at Impact BBDO, Kassabji spearheaded the transformation of Extend, a Saudi-owned ad network, into a full-service, audience-first digital creative and media agency. He also spent 15 years with TBWA\RAAD, holding senior positions including Chief Development Officer and Managing Director. A standout achievement was leading Nissan's digital transformation across Africa, the Middle East, and India as Managing Director of Nissan United, TBWA's dedicated unit for the automotive giant. 

His experience spans marketing services, automotive, retail, entertainment, and food service, and includes launching ventures in F&B, digital security, and retail distribution. Academically, he is a graduate of The Ohio State University and holds an MBA in Marketing and executive certificates from Wharton and Columbia Business School, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Innovation and Design Thinking and completion of the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme. A respected figure in the regional advertising landscape, Kassabji is a sought-after keynote speaker on marketing and creativity.