New communications agency North Seventy Five has launched in the UAE, founded by industry veterans Lisa Welsh and Iman Issa. Joining Paritee’s international advisory network, the agency brings regional expertise and global scale to support brands across the Middle East. The launch marks Paritee’s first expansion into the MENA region via its new Dubai hub.
In the UAE’s fast-evolving communications landscape, a new player is stepping in with global backing, regional fluency and an ambition to shape how organisations tell their stories. North Seventy Five, a freshly launched communications agency founded by seasoned industry leaders Lisa Welsh and Iman Issa, has officially opened its doors while joining Paritee’s international advisory network — a move that gives the new firm immediate access to global expertise and positions it as a formidable contender in a competitive market.
The launch marks Paritee’s entry into the Middle East and North Africa region for the first time, with Dubai now set to serve as the group’s regional hub. For North Seventy Five, the partnership provides instant scale, cross-market capability and credibility, allowing the fledgling agency to compete with established players while offering a fresh perspective shaped by decades of local and international experience.
With more than 45 years of combined expertise, Welsh and Issa bring an extensive understanding of the UAE and Saudi Arabia’s communications landscape. Their decision to found North Seventy Five emerged from a clear shift in market demands — organisations increasingly need agencies that are nimble enough to respond to regional complexities while still employing global best practices. The founders argue that clients today expect teams who understand cultural nuance but can also produce world-class creative, strategic and advisory work at speed.
According to Welsh, that intersection of agility and global discipline is where North Seventy Five intends to stand out. Speaking about the agency’s launch, she said the firm was created in direct response to what ambitious brands and government entities have been asking for: “agile, locally rooted teams with the ability to solve complex challenges at speed.” She added that joining the Paritee platform extends that promise even further, giving the agency the ability to “scale across borders, disciplines and industries” from day one.
Issa echoed that sentiment, emphasising the agency’s belief that strategy alone is not enough without the right people to execute it. North Seventy Five’s offering will span integrated communications, strategy, creative development, leadership training and data intelligence — all designed to support high-growth markets across the Middle East. “We’re a partner that knows people are the pulse of every great brand,” she said. “Strategy only works when carried forward by thinkers, makers, leaders and listeners who turn clarity into action.”
The founders aim to position the agency as a trusted partner for both established organisations and emerging innovators, particularly those navigating rapid transformation in sectors such as government services, technology, sustainability, finance and lifestyle. The UAE and Saudi Arabia, two of the most dynamic markets in the region, are expected to be the agency’s primary focus, but the Paritee affiliation gives North Seventy Five a platform from which to support clients with international mandates.
Paritee, a growing European communications network, has been steadily expanding its footprint across multiple markets over the last few years. With offices spanning the UK, Ireland, Brussels, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Spain and Italy, the addition of North Seventy Five marks a significant leap into a region with increasing global influence. The partnership signals Paritee’s intention to build a coalition of high-performing agencies capable of delivering cross-border, integrated solutions for clients operating in complex environments.
For Paritee’s founder and executive chairman, Lars Erik Grønntun, the expansion into the Middle East aligns with the group’s strategy of growing with purpose. He described the partnership with North Seventy Five as part of Paritee’s “disciplined expansion into markets that matter most to clients.” He praised Welsh and Issa as exceptional leaders whose addition strengthens the network’s growing coalition of independent but aligned agencies. “This marks another step in establishing Paritee as a bold challenger in the international communications landscape,” he said.
North Seventy Five will now serve as Paritee’s dedicated partner for cross-border and international briefs originating from or relating to the Middle East. This includes complex mandates requiring regional expertise, crisis response capabilities, creative storytelling across multiple markets, and advisory support for organisations undergoing transformation. With the backing of Paritee’s 500 employees across 17 offices, the Dubai-based agency will be able to tap into resources across strategy, research, analytics, public affairs, creative production and digital disciplines.
For clients, this blend of a nimble regional team supported by a global network offers both the personalisation of a boutique agency and the scale of an international player. It also reflects broader changes in the communications industry, where brands increasingly seek partners capable of navigating geopolitical complexities, technological disruption and rapidly shifting consumer expectations. North Seventy Five’s proposition aligns with this new reality, positioning itself not only as a communications provider but as a strategic advisor capable of helping clients anticipate challenges and seize opportunities.
The launch also comes at a time when the Middle East continues to rise as one of the world’s most active markets for brand building, state-backed initiatives and global event hosting. From tourism and entertainment to sustainability and economic diversification, the region has become a magnet for international investment and talent — and communications agencies have been racing to keep up. North Seventy Five’s founders believe their deep roots in the region give them an advantage in understanding what makes audiences tick, how to navigate policy landscapes and how to build campaigns that resonate across both local and global audiences.
In the coming months, the agency is expected to unveil its first wave of clients and projects, with a pipeline reportedly already forming thanks to industry relationships built over decades. With its strong backing, seasoned leadership and clear strategic focus, North Seventy Five enters the UAE market with momentum, determined to carve out a meaningful role in shaping narratives for the region’s most ambitious organisations.
As the communications sector grows more complex and interconnected, the creation of North Seventy Five underscores a shift toward hybrid agency models that combine regional fluency with global muscle. For Welsh, Issa and their team, the mission is straightforward: to build an agency that not only responds to change but helps shape it.
And with Paritee standing behind its newest partner, the launch of North Seventy Five marks not just the birth of a new agency but a significant milestone in the evolution of the regional communications landscape.
