AD Agencies
TheSmallBigIdea opens Dubai office, eyes international expansion targeting MENA
Mumbai: TheSmallBigIdea (TSBI), a leading full-service independent digital agency, has announced its foray into the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region with its office in Dubai, marking its international expansion. Having built an impressive portfolio in diverse sectors, including Entertainment, Sports, Fashion, Real Estate, BFSI, E-Commerce and Technology in India, TheSmallBigIdea now intends to harness their strengths in these sectors to establish its presence in the thriving MENA market.
With remarkable work done for clients like Sobha Realty, Lulu Group and Uganda Government, the agency further solidifies its commitment by offering compelling solutions tailored to the diverse business landscape of the region. Banking on the region’s enormous growth potential, TheSmallBigIdea, with a locally built team and culturally driven insights, is dedicated to taking its innovation, creativity, and digital prowess to new horizons.
Speaking on the agency’s international expansion with the foray into the MENA market, TheSmallBigIdea CEO & co-founder Harikrishnan Pillai said, “Embarking on our growth journey in the Middle East is a pivotal moment for TSBI, marking the realization of a long-envisioned plan. We are delighted with the success of this venture, which serves as the initial stride towards transforming TSBI into a truly global agency, firmly rooted in its Indian heritage. By fusing our profound digital expertise cultivated in India with a nuanced understanding of Middle Eastern culture, TSBI Arabia emerges as our gateway to one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. As we collaborate with clients in the region, we are confident that our unique blend of Indian innovation and Middle Eastern cultural insight will propel us to possess a formidable presence on the global stage. With seasoned professionals who boast over a decade of experience in the market, TSBI Arabia is set to lead the way in the coming years, offering an exciting prospect for both our team and the industry at large.”
AD Agencies
Publicis Brazil’s creative chief Mauro Ramalho lands the jury chair at Abby Awards 2026
Mauro Ramalho brings 25 years of global advertising firepower to the new creative commerce, use of data and B2B category at Goafest
GOA: The Abby Awards 2026, powered by The One Club and The One Show, has appointed Mauro Ramalho, chief creative officer of Publicis Brazil, as jury chair for its newly launched creative commerce, use of data and B2B category. The announcement, made on 18 March, signals the awards’ intent to bring serious international muscle to a category that sits squarely at the intersection of creativity and commercial performance.
Ramalho is not a name that needs much introduction in global advertising circles. Over 25 years spanning three countries, he has worked at some of the industry’s most creatively restless addresses. At AKQA in San Francisco, he worked across McDonald’s, Nike, Fox, Target, Kraft Foods and GAP, and helped lead “The Lost Ring” for McDonald’s, one of the first alternate reality campaigns and among the most awarded projects of its era. He later moved to Organic in Toronto, bridging the Detroit and Toronto offices on Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler, before spending over a decade building CUBOCC into one of Brazil’s most iconic and innovative independent agencies, which subsequently joined the IPG network.
A stint at FCB followed, where Ramalho led integrated work bridging online and offline, before he joined R/GA São Paulo as vice-president and executive creative director, stitching together the São Paulo office with New York, London, Portland and California on global clients including Verizon, Google, Meta, Samsung, American Express and Heineken. He now heads Publicis Brazil as its chief creative officer.
His trophy cabinet includes Clios, Effies, TikTok awards and MMA Smarties, and he has served on juries at the Andys, TikTok and the Lisbon Awards.
The Abby Awards 2026 is scheduled to take place at Goafest 2026 on 20, 21 and 22 May in Goa.
For Indian advertising, landing a jury chair of Ramalho’s calibre for a category built around data-driven creativity and commerce is a statement of ambition. Goafest just raised its own bar.
