Lexington launches new Middle East offering

UAE-based Sarah Bartlett has been appointed Director and Head of Lexington Middle East, further bolstering the kyu Collective’s offer in the region.

Bartlett brings with her over 25 years’ comms experience, having worked both in-house and in senior agency roles across a number of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Bartlett was previously Vice President, Communications at Expo 2020 Dubai and has extensive agency experience in the Middle East including at Weber Shandwick, where she ran its Abu Dhabi operation and later held the role of Executive Director MENA, and Publicis-owned Kekst CNC. 

In her new role heading up Lexington Middle East, Bartlett will build up a regionally based operation geared towards offering strategic communications services to GCC based clients looking for senior advisory across areas of specialism upon which Lexington has built its reputation including corporate communications, crisis management and political engagement, with specialist offerings in healthcare communications, ESG and property.

Lexington Middle East will work closely with its kyu Collective partners already present in the region, including design and innovation consultancy ATÖLYE, transformation consultancy SYPartners, behavioural change experts BEworks, urban strategy and design firm Gehl and human-centred design consultancy, IDEO/Palmwood.  The move will see the kyu Collective, which is headed up by CEO Michael Birkin and President Farah Ramzan Golant, further expand its offering in the Arabian Gulf region, where there has been an increasing demand for advisory services which fuse strategy, innovation and creativity.

We have looked to expand our international operations having experienced significant growth in recent years, as well as joining the international kyu Collective in September 2022. Our clients include The Football Association, International Airlines Group, Mars and Warner Music, while its healthcare practice works with global names such as Sanofi, Merck/MSD, Roche Diagnostics and Pfizer.

Sarah Bartlett, Director and Head of Lexington Middle East said: “Having worked in the GCC for almost two decades and been a part of the growth of the local communications industry, I strongly believe that there is still room for top quality advisory services in the region. Joining Lexington provides me with a chance not only to become part of a team which is highly regarded in the UK and to help develop its first overseas operation, but also to join a hugely exciting global collective in kyu, which is challenging both how and why the creative industry does business.”

Emily Cook, CEO of Lexington said: “Lexington is renowned for delivering the highest quality strategic advice here in the UK, so we’re really excited to bring our services to the Gulf region with the establishment of Lexington Middle East. We’re also delighted to welcome Sarah to the team, who brings a wealth of comms experience and knowledge of the region. Lexington Middle East will work closely in collaboration with kyu Collective partners, together bringing a diverse range of strategic and creative services for the Gulf region”.

If you’d like to know more about Lexington Middle East and how we can support your business, please contact Sarah at sarah.bartlett@lexcomm.co.uk / +971 50 571 3734