Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 13th October I Building on the success of the Student Creative Academy at Athar Festival 2024, MCN | Middle East Communications Network is proud to expand its partnership with Athar Festival 2025 through the launch of the MCN BIG Student Academy, a future-forward programme designed to empower the next generation of Saudi creative talent and accelerate the growth of the Kingdom’s marketing and communications industry.
Taking place from October 19 – 20 in Riyadh, the MCN BIG Student Academy builds on last year’s momentum with a deeper and more immersive learning journey. MCN BIG – an acronym for Bravery, Integrity, and Generosity– reflects the core values that shape the programme’s purpose and design.
Crafted to unlock the creative potential of Saudi undergraduate students aged 18–25, the programme is delivered in both Arabic and English, blending mentorship, curated talks, and a live creative challenge across disciplines including advertising, PR, content, digital, media, strategy, and events.
This year’s edition is further elevated through MCN’s collaboration with Al-Futtaim – BYD KSA – a leading global brand and major player in the automotive industry, continues to shape the future of mobility in the region. As part of the programme, students will work on a live brief developed in collaboration with the brand. Under the guidance of senior agency professionals and BYD marketing leaders, participants will gain critical hands-on experience in solving real business challenges and a valuable exposure into building brand relevance at scale.
Further reinforcing this commitment to immersive, real-world learning, the programme will also feature dedicated sessions including Young Entrepreneurship led by Esmé Harvey, Founder of Forme Wellness. Designed to mentor and inspire Saudi Nationals, the session will spotlight unconventional career paths, including those in creativity, while equipping students with the mindset, confidence, and entrepreneurial drive to shape their own professional journeys.
The programme will be led by mentors and leaders from across MCN’s integrated agency network, including FP7McCann, UM, MullenLowe MENA, Magna, Initiative, MRM, Jack Morton, Current Global, and Weber Shandwick. As a continuation of MCN’s long-term investment in local talent through the MCN Academy, the BIG Student Academy reinforces the group’s commitment to Saudi Vision 2030, nurturing Saudi Nationals through meaningful exposure, guided learning, and future career pathways across the MarComms ecosystem.
Ahmed El Ghaziri – Head of Marketing, Al-Futtaim – BYD KSA says:
“This is an exciting opportunity to elevate our collaboration with MCN and engage directly with the next generation of Saudi creative minds. At BYD KSA, we believe in building meaningful connections with our audiences, and that starts with understanding how today’s talent thinks, creates, and communicates. We’re proud to support this programme and present a live brief that challenges students to think boldly and strategically. We look forward to seeing how this partnership inspires fresh thinking and contributes to the Kingdom’s dynamic marketing landscape.”
Ghassan Harfouche, Group CEO of MCN MENAT & President of McCann Worldgroup – APAC says:
“Our commitment lies in investing into future-proofing Saudi talent and fueling the Kingdom’s creative ambitions under Vision 2030. Together with our client and partner Al Futtaim – BYD KSA, we’re creating real opportunities for young Saudis to learn, lead, and co-create with industry leaders. The success of last year’s programme proved that when young people are given the opportunity to learn, lead, and be heard, they rise. With the BIG Student Academy, we’re not just building skills, we’re shaping a pipeline of confident, creative, and culturally attuned talent ready to make their mark on the industry.”
As part of its ongoing commitment to industry leadership and sector-shaping influence in the Kingdom, MCN will host a series of curated panels at Athar Festival 2025, bringing together headline speakers and C-suite leaders to explore the forces driving Saudi Arabia’s creative and commercial transformation.
The sessions will spotlight themes drawn from MCN Blueprint: Travel & Tourism, a proprietary research series developed to decode the evolving behaviours, expectations, and motivations of the Kingdom’s modern traveller, particularly as Saudi Arabia cements its position as a global tourism powerhouse.
MCN will also lead a dedicated panel on DE&I, grounded in the belief that social sustainability is a powerful engine for economic growth. This session will announce the official launch of a whitepaper, developed in collaboration with Fast Company Middle East, capturing key insights and actionable outcomes from the discussion.
Recognising the momentum of KSA’s billion-dollar wellness industry, MCN will further spotlight the intersection of wellbeing, lifestyle, and consumer behaviour through a focused wellness panel examining how brands can meaningfully contribute to a healthier, more holistic national vision.
Bringing together CMOs, CTOs, and CEOs from some of the Kingdom’s most influential and visionary brands, the panels will explore the intersection of creativity, culture, tourism, and inclusion in a rapidly evolving market.
For more information about MCN’s presence at Athar Festival 2025 and full details on panel lineups, please visit: https://atharfestival.evsreg.com/agenda
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