The public relations industry in the GCC is no stranger to change. With ambitious national visions, fast-moving private sector clients, and a region constantly repositioning itself on the global stage, our industry is built on momentum. Yet, behind the glittering campaigns and headline wins, there’s a quiet crisis unfolding, one we rarely discuss openly: the chronic neglect of middle management.
In football, it’s usually the strikers and coaches who get the headlines. But anyone who really understands the game knows it’s the midfield that makes everything work. Think Pedri. He’s not the flashiest player, but he controls the rhythm, links every pass, and quietly holds the whole system together.
In public relations, middle management plays the same role. They stabilise teams, uphold client relationships, and reinforce agency culture every single day. Yet in an industry obsessed with visionaries and junior hustle, this crucial tier is often neglected, at a cost we can no longer afford to ignore.
The numbers speak volumes. In the UAE, over half the workforce considers switching jobs annually. Senior PR leaders, especially agency-side, rarely stay more than two to three years in one seat. It’s a pace that keeps things exciting, but also precarious. When leadership changes hands too quickly or carelessly, relationships unravel, team morale dips, and institutional memory vanishes.
I recall one such moment in my two-decade career. I was in a senior leadership role and knew my departure was approaching. I made it my mission to ensure that the transition would be as seamless as possible. Not for the successor, not even for the agency, but for the clients who had trusted us, and for the team who deserved to feel anchored, not abandoned.
Every account was handed over with care. Every conversation documented. Every inter-agency relationship, every point of tension, every budget detail and commercial nuance fully disclosed. I even ensured the team’s performance management plans were updated and in place, so their development wouldn’t stall. Not because I was trying to be a model employee. But because that’s the job. That’s what leadership is.
I didn’t want clients to feel the weight of internal changes. I didn’t want my team’s growth to stagnate. I didn’t want anyone inheriting unresolved issues or hidden fires. I wanted to leave knowing the practice was intact, the team empowered, and the reputation of the agency preserved.
And yet, despite that level of groundwork, a six-month handover no less, it fell apart. The clients left. The team idled. The relationships frayed. The revenue took a hit. I thought I had done enough. But clearly, I hadn’t. Hands up, there are things I could’ve done better. Maybe I overestimated the readiness of the next-in-line. Maybe I assumed that care and effort were contagious. Maybe I mistook process for preparation.
The truth is, I was trying to undo in six months what three years of rushed hiring and compromised decisions had quietly layered in. It was finally catching up with me. I handed over the keys, but didn’t check if the engine was running.
Continuity is not automatic. It takes effort, from both the person stepping out and the one stepping up. Integrity needs to be built into the process. We don’t train for succession. We don’t value middle leadership. We make poor hiring decisions under pressure. We don’t build continuity into our agency culture. And we absolutely should.
Here’s what we need to fix, urgently:
Hire for Integrity, Not Just Charm: Competence is not charisma. Just because someone interviews well does not mean they can shoulder responsibility.
Hire Beyond the Job Description: We need to assess more than capability. Are they aligned with the agency’s culture? Do they have the ethics, passion, and appetite for longevity? When we hire, we’re also hiring for future roles, so we need to ask: can this person grow with us?
Listen, Really Listen, to Your Middle Managers: If someone hates the job, hates the client, or even hates the industry, why are they here? We need to tune in earlier, not just to their performance, but to their attitude, alignment, and energy.
Build Better Mid-Level Leadership: Many mid-managers are stuck executing without mentorship. We need to give them space to lead, not just deliver.
Treat Knowledge Like Capital: Documentation, transparency, and handovers shouldn’t be viewed as “extra.” They are core to reputation continuity.
Normalise Exit Strategy Planning: Not just for those leaving, but for those staying. Make succession a practice, not a scramble.
Redefine Leadership Legacy: It’s not about personal impact. It’s about what, and who, you leave standing when you’re gone.
Transitions, done well, safeguard everything we’ve worked to build. Done poorly, they undo it. The challenge isn’t just about who comes next, it’s about whether we’ve created the conditions for them to succeed. Because when we get it right, continuity becomes a strength, not a risk.
