Rayyan Aoun, Executive Creative Director – Wunderman Thompson, KSA

Originally from Lebanon, Aoun has been getting under the skin of consumers in the Middle East and North Africa region since reading Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut. After graduating in 2004 he began building his creative reputation at J. Walter Thompson Dubai, before taking up the challenge of Creative Director with J. Walter Thompson Riyadh, in 2011. Aoun has worked across diverse business sectors including banking, food & beverage, telecommunications, aviation, luxury, and FMCG.

In Saudi Arabia – which was widely perceived as an ultra-challenging market in which to work – Aoun discovered that restrictions actually brought a unique set of opportunities for the creative. Campaign by campaign, he has helped J. Walter Thompson spearhead a remarkable new benchmark for the quality of work to expect from the Kingdom; and award by award, he has supported a change in the global industry’s perception of what the Kingdom is capable of achieving.

His brave and groundbreaking work has been recognized at international and regional award shows making Wunderman Thompson Saudi Arabia the most awarded agency in the Kingdom. He achieved the first-ever Dubai Lynx Grand Prix and Silver Cannes Lion of any agency in Saudi Arabia, and in 2019 he won the region’s first-ever Glass Grand Prix at Dubai Lynx.

Aoun regularly speaks at Saudi universities, businesses, and schools on innovation in the communications industry. He served as a jury member in various local and international shows.