HYVE, a new media agency, has launched operations in Dubai and Riyadh, bringing together strategy, paid and organic media, data, customer experience and artificial intelligence (AI) under a single operating model.
Founded in 2026, the agency has established full operations in Riyadh, positioning Saudi Arabia as a core market rather than an extension of its UAE business.
HYVE’s launch comes amid growing demands on marketing leaders for better measurement, more reliable data and greater accountability for business growth. The agency said fragmented data, frequent revisions to scopes of work and media operations organised around individual channels continue to pose challenges for marketers.
“We’ve built HYVE to capture the opportunity of modern media, around a set of values, brought to life by a combination of exceptional people and our own technology stack, Honeycomb,” said Beth Williams, founding partner, paid media.
Honeycomb, the agency’s technology platform, integrates more than 150 data sources, including performance platforms, market research, analytics and first-party data. It also incorporates HYVE Memory, a repository of insights drawn from the agency’s experience across businesses, brands and campaigns.
The platform combines machine intelligence with human expertise to power AI agents that support media planning, activation and measurement. The agency said the model is designed to integrate AI into its core operations rather than treat it as a standalone tool.
Wajid Ali, founding partner, technology and customer experience management (CXM), said the agency’s model was developed in response to recurring challenges raised by clients.
“The frustrations we hear from marketing leaders are remarkably consistent, rooted in structural problems built into legacy ways of delivering media. AI changes what’s possible, but only if the operating model is built around this new capability, rather than layered onto an outdated one. That’s the opportunity we set out to address with HYVE. Every workflow, every tool and every person we bring into the team is chosen with one question in mind: does this decision build value for our clients?”
HYVE said its approach combines data, technology and specialist expertise, with human judgement remaining central to decision-making and the delivery of measurable business outcomes.
The agency is led by three founding partners.
Williams, who heads paid media and operations, has worked with major global agencies in London, Melbourne, Dubai and Riyadh, with experience in building and scaling marketing operations.
Anis Chohan, founding partner and head of AI and engineering, leads the development of Honeycomb and the technology underpinning the agency’s AI agents and applications. The Dubai-based technology entrepreneur and co-founder has held leadership and development roles across technology, digital platforms and media.
Ali leads technology and CXM, bringing more than 20 years of experience in data-driven marketing, customer experience and digital transformation.
