The Middle East’s marketing and communications landscape is evolving at a remarkable pace. As brands navigate new technologies, shifting consumer behavior, and the rapid rise of AI-driven creativity, the region has become a proving ground for innovation. Yet true transformation goes beyond adopting tools or platforms, it’s about designing systems that connect creativity, strategy, and human insight in meaningful ways.
At the heart of this transformation is Jennifer Fischer, Chief Innovation & Growth Officer at Publicis Groupe Middle East & North Africa (MENA). A strategist with over 15 years of experience in the region, she has played a pivotal role in shaping how iconic brands such as Apple, IKEA, Coca-Cola, KFC, NEOM, and Louvre Abu Dhabi connect with audiences in an increasingly digital world. Renowned for her ability to bring together diverse disciplines and teams to craft integrated solutions, she champions the idea that true growth is born from collaboration, and that empathy remains the most powerful driver of innovation.
In this conversation, Fischer reflects on what it takes to embed innovation into the fabric of organizations, how creativity and data can coexist to drive measurable impact, and why human-centered thinking will continue to define the future of marketing.
You lead innovation and growth across 15 agencies in MENAT. How do you align such a diverse network around a shared vision for transformation?
For me, transformation always starts with values. No matter how different the agencies are in their expertise or culture, there is a shared foundation that connects everyone who’s genuinely driving change. Curiosity, for instance, the need to keep learning, exploring, and seeing every challenge as an experiment. Or the ability to lead through paradox, to make confident decisions while staying open and curious, to create belonging while fostering individuality, to imagine the future while acting with urgency in the present. These are universal principles of transformational leadership, and they give us a common language across all our agencies.
Then there’s the practical side of it, I like to look at not just what we can do, but what we should do to make the biggest impact collectively. That’s why we built things like LionX, our innovation program focused on reimagining brand experiences, and The Growth Club, which brings together leaders from across all our agencies to share expertise, build connections, and align around one vision. These kinds of initiatives create shared value and purpose, they turn transformation from an abstract goal into something tangible that everyone can be part of.
With creativity and technology at the core of your work, how do you balance human-centered design with tech-driven solutions in brand experiences?
My approach always starts with people, never with technology. I began my career in strategy, so I’m wired to start with insights, understanding human behavior, cultural context, and what truly matters to people. Technology is powerful, but it’s not the starting point or the destination. It’s a tool that enables better experiences, helps us solve real problems, and amplifies creativity.
When we design brand experiences, we think about how creativity and technology can work together to shape culture. The most powerful work happens when creativity and technology come together in service of something human. When you can use a new tool or platform to create a story, an experience, or a connection that actually matters. That’s when it stops being “tech” and becomes part of life.
Having worked with global brands like Apple and Coca-Cola, what lessons have shaped your approach to go-to-market and brand strategy in the MENAT region?
The biggest lesson is that culture always comes first. No brand, no matter how global, can connect without finding meaning in local culture. It’s about discovering where what a brand stands for meets what people aspire to. That intersection is where relevance lives.
In this region, what makes it fascinating is the optimism. There’s a genuine belief in progress and possibility, and that allows brands to speak to ambition in a way that feels natural. But it also means expectations are high. People want brands to inspire them while staying authentic and relevant to their world. So my approach is always to start with culture, build with empathy, and stretch the imagination, that’s how global brands find their place in this region.
In your role driving growth and innovation, how do you navigate the tension between bold, creative experimentation and the need for measurable business results across diverse markets?
When we run co-creation sessions with clients, one of the first things that usually comes up is how hard it is for them to take risks. Many brands want to innovate, but they’re tied to processes that reward safety and predictability. The challenge is that over time, that very consistency becomes the trap. If you keep doing what has worked before, little by little it stops working the same way.
I believe in building experimentation into the way you work, not treating it as a side project. You can think of it as a mix. Maybe seventy percent of what you do follows proven, trusted models. But then you carve out space for that ten, twenty, or thirty percent that’s about trying new things. And within that, a smaller part that’s truly daring, where you’re setting the tone for others. That’s where new energy comes from.
The real magic happens when innovation isn’t something you have to fight your systems to do, but something that’s built into the system itself. That’s what we try to do with programs like LionX. It’s a structured way for creativity to have a place, for experimentation to be recognized as a driver of progress, not a distraction from business results.
Having led transformation across multiple agencies and major global brands, what are the biggest opportunities and challenges you’ve encountered in driving innovation at scale in MENAT?
The biggest opportunity is the people. There’s so much talent in this region, people with great ideas, a lot of drive, and a strong sense of purpose. You find thinkers, builders, and doers across every discipline, and what’s special is that it’s all concentrated here. You meet local talent who deeply understand their markets, and you meet people from around the world who’ve chosen to be here because they see what’s possible. That mix makes this region one of the most exciting places to lead transformation.
The challenge is not unique to MENAT, but it’s very real. It’s the constant pressure of the modern workplace. Everyone is juggling an endless list of priorities, and it can feel impossible to make space for the kind of long-term thinking that true innovation needs. Transformation rarely delivers quick wins, so leaders often have to fight to protect the time and headspace for it.
The ones who do it well find a rhythm. They deliver what’s urgent, but they also keep investing in what’s important. They make room for the slow work, The thinking, the experimenting, the reimagining that actually moves things forward in the long run. That balance is the hardest to find, but it’s what separates busy organizations from truly evolving ones.
Humor, empathy, and play are key to your leadership style. How do these elements influence your approach to team collaboration, client engagement, and driving organizational change?
I think leadership can easily become too heavy. The pressure, the deadlines, the complexity, it all adds up. So I try to bring a sense of lightness into how we work together. It’s not about pretending things aren’t hard. It’s about reminding people they’re not alone in it, that there’s space to laugh, to breathe, and to think differently.
Empathy plays a big part in that. I try to make sure people feel seen whether it’s my team, my peers, or our clients. I want them to know they have someone to exchange ideas with, someone who listens. And I also try to stay very aware of how our habits shape the way we think. I’ve become quite conscious of things like neuroplasticity and how repetition builds pathways in the brain. So I make an effort to focus my time and energy on positive, solution-driven conversations rather than endless complaining. It’s not about ignoring problems. It’s about framing them in a way that keeps us moving.
I also build rituals that make space for connection. Every week, I make sure we have a moment together that’s not about delivery, just about being human. It helps us stay grounded, it builds trust, and it reminds us why we do what we do. For me, that’s where creativity and resilience come from not from pressure, but from connection.
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