WPP Media has emerged as the standout performer across two of the Middle East’s most closely watched media markets in the first half of 2026, according to COMvergence’s latest New Business Barometer (NBB), posting the strongest net new-business result in the GCC and tying for the top spot in Egypt — even as the two markets moved in almost opposite directions.
“A big thank you to everyone across MENA who contributed to these results. This is a clear statement about our whole region. Every market has contributed to this success, regardless of the size of the win. That is exactly the kind of consistency that builds momentum.” Amer El Hajj, CEO, WPP Media MENA
In an interview timed to the release of the report, Mario Soufia, Senior VP, Strategy, Growth & Marketing, MENA at WPP Media MENA, said the network’s regional momentum reflects a broader shift in what clients across the Gulf are asking for.
“The GCC is at the intersection of a reset alongside accelerated transformation, major national-development agendas and increasingly complex consumer journeys,” Soufia said. “Clients are looking for more than media buying and want connected intelligence, stronger go-to market strategies and the ability to move quickly. That is where WPP Open and our specialist agencies are creating a clear advantage.”
That claim is borne out in the numbers. Per the COMvergence report, WPP Media’s group-level result in the GCC for H1 2026 stood at +$65.0M including retentions — the second-highest of any group in the region behind Omnicom Media’s +$87.2M (combining Omnicom’s globally aligned brands) — built on 13 new client wins worth $87.3M against $34.3M in losses. Strip out retentions, and WPP Media actually leads the net rankings at +$53.0M, ahead of Omnicom Media’s net figure of +$46.6M.
A deliberately broad category spread
The wins driving that GCC total cut across a wide range of sectors: automotive (Jaguar & Land Rover, a $35M account), beauty (Estée Lauder, $5M), pharmaceuticals (SPIMACO, $3M) and gaming (Emirates Draw, $4M), among others. Asked whether that spread is a deliberate strategy or simply opportunistic, Soufia said it’s both.
Where Every Network Stands: The Regional Scorecard
GCC — Group Rankings, H1 2026 (including retentions, in $US M)
- Omnicom Media (all globally aligned agency brands): +$87.2M
2. Omnicom Media (OMD, PHD, Hearts United): +$85.7M
3. WPP Media: +$65.0M
4. Publicis Media: +$18.4M
5. Havas Media Network: +$8.8M
6. Dentsu: +$6.3M
7. Mediaplus: +$0.5M
8. Omnicom Media (MCN MENA Group, Other): -$1.7M
9. Stagwell: -$0.5M(Net of retentions, WPP Media actually leads at +$53.0M, ahead of Omnicom Media’s combined net of +$46.6M.)
Egypt — Group Rankings, H1 2026 (including retentions, in $US M)
- Dentsu: +$3.5M
2. WPP Media: +$3.4M (tied)
3. Publicis Media: +$2.0M
4. Omnicom Media: +$1.6M
5. Havas Media Network: +$0.3M(Net of retentions, WPP Media leads outright in Egypt at +$3.0M.)
“We are not pursuing categories for their own sake and no matter the category, the need for meaningful growth remains the same,” he said. “Our breadth allows us to bring the right combination of expertise and solution to each business challenge. We see no constraints or obstacles in any category and we appreciate the range that they give us as a group.”
Global consolidations dominate the GCC — but not uniquely for WPP
One of the more striking findings in the GCC edition of the barometer is just how skewed the market is toward global and regional account consolidations. COMvergence found that globally, 58% of assessed media reviews and moves in H1 2026 were driven by local pitches — but in the GCC, local pitches accounted for just 13% of total media spend reviewed, with the remaining 87% coming from global or regional consolidations.
It’s worth clarifying that this 87% figure describes the GCC market overall, not WPP Media’s win mix specifically. Soufia confirmed as much when the figure was put to him, while affirming that the dynamic still shapes how the network operates in the region.
“It definitely reflects the reality of the UAE,” he said. “Similar to Saudi Arabia, the UAE is one of the region’s most globally connected markets, so we will continue to see a combination of local, regional and global pitches and we do not expect that to change. Clients in the UAE and across the GCC expect a high standard of solutions, intelligence, technology and delivery. WPP Media’s advantage is connecting everything together under systems and workflows to deliver meaningful business outcomes.”
Egypt: a mirror image, and a different playbook
If the GCC data tells a story of global consolidation, Egypt tells almost the opposite one. COMvergence’s Egypt edition of the barometer found the market running well above the global local-pitch average, with local pitches representing 86% of the $19M in total media spend reviewed across 19 account moves and pitches — compared to the global benchmark of 58%.
WPP Media is tied with Dentsu for the top group ranking in Egypt (+$3.4M vs +$3.5M including retentions), but the composition of that result looks nothing like the GCC picture. It was built almost entirely through local wins, led by Mindshare (the top-ranked individual agency in Egypt, at +$2.4M) and EssenceMediacom (+$1.1M net, on the back of $4.1M in new wins including SCIB Paints and Raya Trading). Excluding retentions, WPP Media’s net figure in Egypt is +$3M, the strongest of any group in the market.
Soufia was direct about the difference in approach the two markets demand.
“Egypt requires a more locally led growth playbook,” he said. “Winning depends on cultural fluency, senior market relationships, speed and a sharp understanding of local business realities, yet require the same standard when it comes to regional capabilities and delivery. The regional network remains an advantage, but in Egypt it must be expressed through locally grounded teams and locally relevant solutions.”
What comes next
Looking ahead to the second half of the year, Soufia said he expects both dynamics — global consolidation and local competition — to continue playing out, but with local opportunities taking on greater weight.
“Both, but with a stronger emphasis on local opportunities,” he said of where he sees growth in Q4 2026. “Following the market reset in Q2 and Q3, brands are reassessing their growth plans and looking for partners who can help them grow again, and further, in the next era of media.”
With new business piling up across both markets, Soufia said the network’s focus is shifting toward making sure the wins stick.
“Growth only matters if it creates durable client partnerships,” he said. “Our focus is on disciplined onboarding, clear governance, senior stewardship and measurable business outcomes from day one. We are scaling the portfolio without diluting proximity, accountability or the quality of the client experience.”
That client-experience emphasis is one Soufia returned to when asked about the technology underpinning WPP Media’s pitch.
“Clients should feel the difference in how easily we work with them: fewer handoffs, clearer ownership and faster decisions,” Soufia said. “The value of WPP Open and WPP AI is not in using it for its own sake. It is in applying it securely and practically to improve decisions, accelerate delivery and unlock greater personalisation and performance. Human expertise remains central, with AI helping our teams elevate the work and create more value for clients.”
The bigger picture: COMvergence’s H1 2026 findings
WPP Media’s results sit within a broader market that COMvergence — the media agency new-business tracking specialist — describes as active but concentrated. Each quarter, COMvergence publishes NBB country reports tracking media account moves and retentions across global markets, drawing on its proprietary CARD database, with net media spend estimates built from IPSOS Stat offline data (subject to deflating factors) and COMvergence’s own digital-share modelling.
In the GCC, the H1 2026 edition tracked 44 account moves and pitches worth a combined $249M in total media spend reviewed — of which $216M came from 29 regional or global pitches and $33M from 15 local pitches, with $63M (26%) retained by incumbents. Of the total, 41 accounts were won or retained by agency-network agencies (worth $242M) versus just 3 by independents. The five largest individual accounts in play were telecom operator Zain ($36M), Jaguar & Land Rover ($35M), Wynn Resorts ($20M), Adidas ($15M) and renewable-energy firm Masdar ($13M).
In Egypt, the market was far smaller in dollar terms — 19 pitches and moves worth $19M in total, with $16M (84%) coming from 15 local pitches against just $3M from 4 regional/global pitches, and only $1M (4%) retained. All 19 wins went to agency-network agencies; none to independents. The top five accounts by value were all valued around $2M each: Froneri, Halwani Bros, El Sewedy Electric, SCIB Paints and Limitless Naturals.
COMvergence’s methodology counts pitch/review outcomes by official announcement date, includes both local and regional/global account consolidations with or without a competitive process, and applies minimum thresholds of $0.5M in the GCC and $0.3M in Egypt for an account to be included in the count. Confidential wins are only logged once the incumbent is identified and confirms the loss.
