PR News
W Communications sets up GCC hub in Abu Dhabi

W Communications sets up GCC hub in Abu Dhabi

W Communications has expanded its global footprint with the launch of a GCC headquarters in Abu Dhabi. The regional offer brings together three complementary brands:

  • W GCC, which delivers creative services from Abu Dhabi
  • Riyadh-based destination marketing arm Lotus Arabia, representing clients including Saudia and AROYA Cruises
  • Hello Franses!, W’s celebrity and influencer division, which has worked with global sport and entertainment properties including Formula 1, Formula E and the Red Sea International Film Festival

The new office will be led by Joanna Della-Ragione (pictured, left), Managing Partner, W Communications GCC, who previously served as Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Oxagon, NEOM’s first subsidiary, and held a senior role with the Diriyah Gate Development Authority. Joanna is also a former journalist with over 15 years’ experience spanning London and the Gulf.
 
“The Middle East represents one of the most ambitious, dynamic and creative regions in the world,” said Warren Johnson (pictured, right), Founder & CEO of W Communications. “With flagship clients already in Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi now established as our GCC HQ, we’re embedding in the region for the long term. This is a serious investment in talent, creativity, and partnerships in markets that are shaping the global agenda.”

Joanna added: “Across the GCC - from Abu Dhabi and Riyadh to Doha - cities are reshaping culture, tourism and lifestyle on a global scale. Having both Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in our network means we can partner with organisations across the region, combining global creative credibility with deep local cultural fluency.”

W first entered the GCC in 2020 as the agency of record for Diriyah Gate Development Authority in Saudi Arabia. Founded in London in 2009, W has offices in London, New York, Singapore, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

Previous story

Sarah Panther commences media role in the health sector

Next story

Taylor York owns new expanded role at Thinkerbell

You might also enjoy

Hyde
Moves

Hyde & Seek welcomes new team member

Strategic communications advisory, Hyde & Seek, has appointed Carla Montemayor as Senior PR Specialist. Based in Melbourne, she joins after finishing up as Senior Client Manager at The P.R. Group.

Previously based in the Philippines, Carla brings experience across VC, startups, and tech enterprises across APAC markets, having held senior roles at Kickstart Ventures and Klook. 

Rowan
Moves

Rowan Barker is appointed Associate Director

Rowan Barker has joined boutique advisory firm Media + Capital Partners as Associate Director. A former radio journalist, newsreader and Director of Media & Communications at the Tourism & Transport Forum, Rowan was most recently part of the media team at Transport for New South Wales and is in his tenth season as ground announcer for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL. He will lead some of the firm’s key accounts as well as hosting podcasts to help clients build their profiles by sharing their stories across multiple platforms. 

How
Events

How to communicate sustainability in ways that actually work

Despite years of investment, most sustainability initiatives fail to deliver meaningful business impact. One key reason is a disconnect between sustainability efforts and what actually drives customer decisions.

Join Telum Media and Goutam Challagalla, Professor of Strategy and Marketing and dentsu Group Chair in Sustainable Strategy and Marketing at IMD, as we explore how leading companies move beyond “green messaging” to position sustainability as a source of customer value by linking sustainability directly to customer value, improving performance, efficiency, or affordability.

For PR and communications professionals, this represents a shift from promoting sustainability as a virtue to communicating it as a tangible benefit.

Online via Zoom
Monday, 1 June 2026
10
.30am GST
2.30pm SGT/HKT
5.30pm AEST
7.30pm NZT
 

Register for How to communicate sustainability in ways that actually work here.