Walid Kanaan

With over 26 years of advertising experience across the Middle East and North Africa, Walid has worked on hundreds of multinational and regional brands. During his recent time in Beirut, he managed to create landmark talk-of-the-town campaigns that generated tremendous impact in the media scene.
Walid’s trophy cabinet goes all the way back to 1992, spanning a multitude of prestigious local and regional award shows. This includes securing many Gold at the Mean Effie, Grand Prix at the Dubai Lynx, Mena Cristal and Loeries, and the “Creative Agency of the Year” title at the Mena Cristal 2014, and Most awarded MENA agency at the Loeries 2016.
His achievements also include esteemed international award shows such as the Cannes Lions, Clio, One Show, D&AD, Webby, Epica, Sabre, Cresta, New-York Festival and the London International Awards to name a few.
Walid graduated “major de promotion” in 1992 at the Academy Libanaise des beaux-arts (ALBA) – Beirut, receiving the IAA Award for Best Advertising Diploma.
He began his professional journey with Publicis Beirut in 1992, and after four rewarding years, he joined Impact BBDO Beirut in 1997 as Creative Director.
For more than 18 years, Walid worked within the Impact BBDO network, covering numerous key markets including Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Qatar, Yemen, Egypt and UAE, before moving back to Beirut in 2010 where he was promoted to Chief Creative Officer Levant & KSA.
In September 2015, Walid joined TBWA\RAAD as Chief Creative Officer Mena, propelling the network to win top ranks in regional award shows, winning Agency of the year & Network of the Year at Dubai Lynx award show in 2018, and Creative Agency of the year at the Mena Cristal Festival 2018.
TBWA\RAAD Dubai was selected among the "10 Bravest Agencies on the planet" by Contagious in 2018.
Walid founded a Comic Strip magazine in 2000, and and co-founded the Lebanese Syndicate of Graphic Arts and Illustration (SPGIL).