Dubai-based independent brand experience agency onepointfive has appointed former LightBlue executive creative director Simon Walsh as its Global Executive Creative Director, as it looks to strengthen its presence in the Middle East and expand its global creative operations.
Based in Dubai, Walsh will oversee the agency’s creative direction worldwide while leading its Middle East growth strategy. He will work with co-founders Rob Pryce and Joel Barsch to align the agency’s UK and UAE operations under a unified creative vision.
Walsh joins onepointfive after seven years at LightBlue, where he helped establish the agency as one of the Middle East’s leading creative firms. During his tenure, LightBlue was named Campaign Middle East Creative Agency of the Year in 2022 and 2023 and was globally shortlisted in 2024.
He has led campaigns for corporate and consumer brands across sectors including sport, technology, property and luxury, working with clients such as Formula One, UEFA, Amazon, Google, Nakheel, Red Sea Global, Nike, adidas, Burberry and Dior.
The appointment comes as onepointfive continues its expansion in the Middle East following the opening of its Dubai office to support growing demand from regional and international clients.
Over the past two years, the agency has expanded its operations across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, delivering projects for brands including Shopify, Microsoft, Bumble and Primark. It recently completed its first Middle East-based project at Shoptalk Luxe in Abu Dhabi.
Commenting on his appointment, Walsh said: “I’ve watched this region grow up from every brief being the world-first, the biggest, the never-been-done. Over time it’s matured, and brands require impactful work people carry with them. The next era is all about the relationship, and in a crowded market, the creative and brave ideas gets you in the room, but it’s the long term relationships that keep you there and makes good work compound over time. That’s exactly how Rob and Joel have built onepointfive, and it’s why I can’t wait to built the next chapter with them.”
Rob Pryce, co-founder of onepointfive, said: “Simon has built an incredible reputation across the Middle East and brings a depth of experience that perfectly complements where we are heading as a business. We’ve always believed that great work comes from brave thinking and great people, and Simon embodies both. His understanding of the region and his appetite to push creative boundaries make him the ideal person to help lead our next phase of growth.”
Joel Barsch, co-founder of onepointfive, added: “One of the things we’ve worked hardest to build at onepointfive is a culture where people feel empowered to push ideas further and challenge what’s possible. Simon immediately understood that. He brings a huge amount of creative energy, but also a genuine passion for developing teams and helping people do the best work of their careers. As we continue to evolve globally, we’re excited about the fresh perspective he’ll bring and the impact he’ll have on both our people and our work.”
