UAE, Dubai: Havas Middle East, the official agency partner of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, successfully wrapped up the region’s inaugural Havas Café as part of the event, creating a dedicated space for conversation, collaboration, and connection between brands and creators.

Designed as a relaxed yet purposeful setting, HAVAS Café brought together creators, brands, and communications experts for curated panel discussions, informal networking, and one-to-one exchanges focused on the evolving creator economy.

Alia AlHammadi, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Government Media Office and CEO of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, affirmed that the summit continues to expand its strategic partnerships and strengthen its collaboration with major digital platforms and global firms across the media, marketing, and creative industries. AlHammadi noted that the fourth edition of the summit marked a significant step forward in forging long-term relationships with leading companies, empowering content creators to refine their toolkit and collaborate more effectively with brands.

Alia AlHammadi also emphasised the significance of Havas Café, which provided a unique platform for content creators to connect with top brands and experts, helping creators grow their audience, achieve sustainable business growth, and elevate their creative output, ensuring it aligns with their personal ambitions, brand visions, and the true needs of their followers. AlHammadi said that this approach reflects a deep understanding of each community's specific cultural context and audience expectations.

Dany Naaman, CEO of HAVAS Middle East, said: “HAVAS Café was designed as a space for honest conversations and practical exchanges between brands and creators. At a time when audiences expect more than visibility, bringing these conversations to the forefront helps brands build relevance and meaning through how they show up, who they work with, and what they stand for.”

James Wright, Global CEO of HAVAS Red and Global Chairman of the HAVAS PR Network, added: “Creators are an area we’ve been investing in for more than a decade, and being at the 1 Billion Followers Summit with our clients reinforced just how important direct engagement is. Listening to creators, understanding how they want to work with brands, and learning how they can support real business objectives made HAVAS Café a genuinely valuable experience for our clients.”

The Café hosted a series of discussions led by experts from HAVAS Creative UAE, HAVAS Life Middle East, HAVAS Red, and H/Advisors, exploring how creators, brands, and audiences are reshaping the communications landscape.

Moderated by industry leaders including Oliver Obeid, Rezan Karim, Carlo Nakhle, Sarah Helal, and Amel Osman, the conversations centred on the evolving role of creator talent, the need for stronger alignment between brands and creators, the pace at which audiences are influencing brand behaviour, and the growing importance of credibility and compliance.

Collectively, the sessions reinforced a shared takeaway: building meaningful brands today requires collaboration, clarity, and a long-term approach to how brands engage with creators and communities.

In addition to the panel programme, HAVAS Café hosted curated brand-creator matchmaking sessions designed to facilitate direct, practical conversations. These focused, time-bound exchanges gave both sides the opportunity to share perspectives, understand working styles, and explore potential collaborations. Participating brands included Adidas, The Estée Lauder Companies, Dubai Retail, L’Oréal Middle East, Calvin Klein, and Charlotte Tilbury.

Dana Tahir, CEO of HAVAS Red Middle East, concluded: “Creating a space for direct dialogue between brands and creators was a deliberate choice. When both sides engage openly, it leads to clearer expectations and stronger working relationships. That clarity is critical as the industry moves toward more meaningful and effective content strategies.”

Through HAVAS Café, HAVAS Middle East reinforced its role as a connector within the region’s creative ecosystem, providing a platform that encourages open dialogue, learning, and collaboration at the intersection of creativity, culture, and commerce.

About the 1 Billion Followers Summit

With a goal of reaching over a billion people worldwide, the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest event dedicated to shaping the content creator economy, organized by the UAE Government Media Office, brings together top global social media influencers across all online platforms. The summit explores how new media can drive positive societal change and fuel sustainable economic growth for nations. It is a key component of the UAE’s drive to foster a vibrant content creator community.

For more information, please visit www.1billionsummit.com