Episode
PRAXIS MENA review with North Seventy Five's Iman Issa
- Podcast
- Earned First
- Published
- Feb 6, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1684
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://rss.com/podcasts/earned-first/2526680
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Summary
In this episode of the Earned First podcast, Arun Sudhaman is joined by Iman Issa, co-founder and managing partner of North 75, to unpack the key ideas and tensions that shaped the inaugural PRAXIS MENA summit in Abu Dhabi. The conversation moves beyond surface-level optimism to examine why the Middle East communications market feels structurally different right now — from the centrality of culture and talent, to the growing importance of government reputation, institutional diplomacy, and the region’s unusually confident outlook amid global uncertainty. Issa reflects on what this means in practice for senior communicators: why authenticity and judgment still matter in an AI-accelerated world, how agencies should defend the value of “brain power” as automation reshapes pricing models, and why PR risks irrelevance if it continues to position itself as the final execution layer rather than a creative and strategic lead. The discussion also explores the rise of homegrown consultancies, the capital reshaping the regional agency landscape, and what it really takes to build influence — not just visibility — in one of the world’s fastest-moving communications markets.