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Hiba Nakshbendi  

Brand, Creative & Cultural Strategist

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STRATEGY

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LOOKING

FOR

STORY-
TELLING

IDEATION

I'm a Brand, Cultural
& Creative Strategist 

I help Brands & Executives design perception  —  combining brand strategy, MENA Cultural Understanding

& creative direction for campaigns, productions, and public-facing moments.

Storyteller · Creative Strategist · Brand Strategist · Cultural Guardian

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ROOTED IN HUMAN
  CULTURAL TRUTH

I’ve always been fascinated by psychology, what makes people care, why some stories stay with us while others fade, and what triggers real emotional resonance, thought, and action. 

 

Raised in Riyadh and building a career/life in the UAE, I’ve learnt how to balance tradition with transformation, watching nations evolve their narratives from competing through scale ‘world’s firsts’ ‘world’s Biggest’ to earning relevance through human connection, becoming the people’s choice world wide.

every great story, and by extension,
every great strategy requires
a solid foundation.

a Conflict:

The problem or goal that the brand must overcome.

a Hero:

The customer or audience whose needs and desires drive the story.

a Spark:

The pivotal moment where the brand’s USP meets the customer’s need.

a Resolution:

The BIG IDEA that brings the story — the strategy — to its fulfilling solution.

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I DISCOVER

The culture.

The trends.

The truths.

- Cultural and behavioural insight
- Audience segmentation
- Trend mapping
- Market research
- Competitive landscaping
- Benchmarking

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I DEFINE

I find the thread.

That single line of clarity that connects purpose to people.

- Brand positioning

- Brand Unique Value Proposition
- Brand world & experience pillars
- Campaign ideation & messaging
- Creative briefing & insight articulation
- Cross-disciplinary strategic alignment

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I DEVELOP

I bring it to life.

Through a big idea, journeys and experiences.

- Big Idea & concept development
- Brand model & narrative
- Event experiential journey
- Experience curation & activation strategy

WHAT I DO

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WHERE I DID IT

A Multidisciplinary Approach 

Mega Festival Ecosystems

Designed the overarching narrative and experience system for large-scale, multi-zone festivals, translating brand values into placemaking, programming pillars, and visitor journeys. Developed 3–5 year scale roadmaps outlining how the festival expands in footprint, programming, partnerships, and revenue—anchored by a long-term brand positioning.

Click on the box to view case studies.

Mobile-first Campaigns

Ideated thumb-stopping, platform-native campaigns and creative concepts, optimised for performance, helping sell Meta’s paid products through culturally relevant, mobile-first storytelling.

Click on the box to view case studies.

Destination Brand & Visitor Journey

Led competitive landscape and insight work to define positioning, brand model, value propositions, and messaging architecture; then shaped the experience strategy, placemaking framework, and programme narrative.

Click on the box to view case studies.

 MY STORY

Don't take my word for it..

More recommendations
can be found on my LinkedIn
  • LinkedIn
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Hiba is an absolute pleasure to work with. She is one of the most intuitive creative strategists out there - she understands the brands she works with inside out and more importantly, understands the psyche of its consumers and those who interact with the brand. She also has a unique way of simplifying complex concepts and distilling them in a way that is powerful yet simple at the same time… whether in English or Arabic! She is a pleasure to work with and on a personal level just an all round lovely human being, with a high level of emotional intelligence and empathy. A true asset to any team.

Project Director | Executive Producer | Mega Events/ Festivals

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It’s rare to come across someone who can think deeply, create boldly, and articulate ideas in a way that just makes sense — and that’s exactly who Hiba is. Her way with strategy, messaging, and storytelling is something I’ve learned a lot from — not because she’s loud about it, but because her work speaks for itself. She brings clarity to chaos, and her ideas always come from a place of meaning, not just trend. I’ve watched her shape narratives, crack creative angles, and contribute with quiet confidence and sharp insight. She’s thoughtful, collaborative, and deeply committed to doing good work. Grateful to have her as a colleague.

Ayah AlRashdan

Marketing Director

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Hiba is a fantastic strategic creative collaborator—engaging, insightful, and was always willing to go the extra mile to support our team. Her ability to communicate complex ideas in a compelling and accessible way made her a trusted advisor to both creatives & key stakeholders across live experiences.

James Merle

Creative Director 

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Hiba is a brilliant strategist, she’s one of those unique planners that is both tuned in on the strategic and creative side of the work. She is incredibly committed and will relentlessly push for turning a good idea into a great piece of work. Her skills and experience have allowed us to land a global campaign with a very challenging client. The work couldn’t have been done without her deep understanding of the client strategic framework and her constant push for better ideas. All this in a matter of days. Thank you Hiba!

Ginevra Capece Galeota

Director & Creative Consultant | Meta

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I have had the pleasure of working alongside Hiba at Facebook during her returnship with us. Hiba is one of the most dedicated brilliant planners I have met, her skill set is multidisciplinary, she is both creative and strategic which sets her up for success in any function of communication in this era of blurry lines. She is not afraid to smash doors and build her knowledge, which was impressive to all of us in the team. In little time she drove impact not only on the business here in MENA but also with global projects on global clients. ...

Weera (Shahwir) Saad Hassan

VP| CSO| CEO| CMO| META| A senior executive

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In recognition of Hiba’s analytical skills and passion to develop and grow brands, I asked her to join the strategy team in early 2008. Since then, I have watched Hiba grow and become a valued member of the team. Her unique perspective and understanding of the region, inquisitive mind has proved incredibly valuable in helping create and validate brands and ensure relevance for multiple stakeholders. ...

Michael Hughes

Managing Director, Brand Strategist | Brand Union

What is your project, and how can I help you ?

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Let’s create !

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