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Building future-ready teams: BPG focuses on talent, culture, and agile solutions

The three-day BPG Camels, hailed as the agency’s best offsite to date, brought together 154 attendees representing 35 nationalities across seven markets

Published: Fri 1 Nov 2024, 10:43 AM

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Award-winning agency Bates PanGulf (BPG) — part of WPP, recently concluded its 28th annual offsite event at the Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah.

The three-day BPG Camels, hailed as the agency’s best offsite to date, brought together 154 attendees representing 35 nationalities across seven markets, reinforcing BPG’s commitment to diversity, integration, and innovation.


Avi Bhojani, Group CEO, BPG Group, said culture is more than just words on paper.

“From collaboration without ego to embracing innovation and staying client-centric, we’re reminded that ideas have no seniority; everyone brings something valuable to the table. In the age of AI, we continue to push together for excellence, celebrate success, and stay human by design,” he said.

The BPG offsite comes at a pivotal moment, amid growing demands for agility and innovative solutions, with AI integration, hyper-personalisation, and sustainability driving new trends. BPG Camels fostered cross-discipline creative brilliance, highlighting BPG’s ‘digital-first, integrated by intent’ positioning. Eleven teams tackled as many creative briefs, highlighting their ability to generate high-impact campaigns under pressure.

Toby Hoare, global client lead for Unilever at WPP and BPG board member, said awards validate creative thinking, foster ambition, attract and retain top-tier talent, and build client trust.

“They also enhance brand reputation, with creative brands achieving 2.4x higher income growth over five years. Awards also amplify campaign impact through earned media, demonstrate the power of data-driven creativity, and underscore a commitment to continuous innovation and future investment in creativity.”

Building on an impressive 50 per cent growth in 2023 revenue, BPG is setting ambitious goals for 2025. The offsite showcased the agency’s potential to achieve these targets, focusing on high-stakes creative challenges evaluated by a jury of industry experts: Sonal Dabral, founder, Creative Consultancy Tribha and former CCO/chairman of Bates Asia, DDB India, Ogilvy India, Malaysia, and Singapore; Mariagrazia De Angelis, GM at Landor MEA; Dominic Stallard, founder, The Experience Makers; Clark Williams, director of Marketing and Communications, Neom/Trojena; and Ravi Rao, former CEO, GroupM, Mena and Strategic Advisor to BPG.

The offsite also underscored the critical role of culture in talent attraction and retention. As the industry grapples with hybrid work models and evolving employee expectations, BPG’s cohesive culture stood out.

Darius Labelle, President, BPG UAE, added: “Creativity thrives within a structure. At BPG, we recognize the importance of creating a deliberate process that allows our teams to not only generate ideas but also refine and elevate them into meaningful solutions. Drawing from John Cleese’s concept of ‘Open and Closed’ states, we make intentional space for both exploration and execution. Open states let us explore ideas freely, while Closed states focus on honing and implementing them effectively. It’s not just about having a spark but nurturing it across disciplines, allowing teams the time and framework needed to solve problems creatively.”

With its multidisciplinary approach, emphasis on collaboration, and a surge of fresh ideas, BPG is poised for global industry recognition and a successful 2025.

Jury comments

Clark Williams: “Nobody does ‘culture’ better than BPG, which continues to attract and retain excellent people who eventually become some of the agency’s biggest advocates. BPG’s yearly offsite is the perfect culmination of how that culture manifests itself once a year through shared experiences and instilling a sense of belonging.”

Dominic Stallard: “The BPG offsite was more than just an event – it was the start of a cultural movement. The agency is well on its way to major industry recognition. With fresh ideas and innovative solutions, the company is primed to take home major awards and solidify its status as a creative force.”

Mariagrazia De Angelis: “It was an inspiring event – in just six hours the competing teams were able not only to come up with exciting ideas but also package them in a compelling way. Their approach was a clear proof point of the agency’s ‘integrated by intent’ strategy. The amazing talent and the cohesive team culture did the rest!”

Ravi Rao: “BPG’s commitment to fostering a thriving company culture - both in workplace and through their off-site events has been key to their sustained success. Their ability to think differently, inspire creativity, and unite their talents ensures that they stay at the forefront of communications industry, ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.”

Sonal Dabral: “What stood out for me, was the remarkable volume and quality of ideas generated in such a short time, driven by a powerful spirit of collaboration. It was heartening to see all the teams work seamlessly together in pursuit of great ideas. A true testament to the exceptional culture BPG is building around creativity and teamwork.”



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