The Romans MENA hires Lauren Sanders

The Romans has appointed Lauren Sanders as head of client services in its MENA business, completing a newly assembled regional leadership team following a period of rapid growth.

Sanders joins after four years at Edelman, latterly as director of brand reputation, and brings close to two decades of experience across network and independent agencies in the UK, France and the UAE. In her new role, she will be responsible for client leadership, talent development and operational delivery across the agency’s expanding portfolio.

She will work closely with new managing director Sophia Boudjemaa and head of strategy Kassandra Panagiotopoulos, forming a leadership team that is 75% women-led.

Joe Lipscombe, partner at The Romans MENA, said: “Lauren is exactly what we need for this next phase. She understands that great work doesn’t just come from ideas, but from how you build teams, run clients, and create the conditions for creativity and excellence to thrive.

“With our rapid growth comes an increased responsibility to develop an impeccable operational environment, where clients experience frictionless service day-in, day-out. In a creative, forward-thinking agency like The Romans, that backbone is even more important. In that space, Lauren is an absolute pro.”

Sanders added: “I’ve been watching The Romans’ rise for some time, and its exponential growth in just 18 months, alongside the announcement of multi-year partnerships, signals that the region really is ready for a new era of earned influence.

“The Romans’ unapologetically bold and disruptive approach is rewriting the rulebook of what great work can and should look like. Unsurprising given their mindset is well matched to the ambition, pace, and entrepreneurialism of this region. Their energy is magnetic, and it's clear that our clients are committed to partnering in pursuit of work that genuinely shakes things up and proves there is far more to ‘PR' than many have been led to believe. I’m so excited to join the team and shape what’s next as the empire grows.”

The appointment follows a significant year for the agency’s Middle East operation, which has grown from one to 24 people in 18 months and secured major regional mandates, including work around the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Romans MENA was last week named as one of the best agencies in the Middle East by PRovoke Media, as well as being one of the best agencies in the UK. 

The Romans now has around 250 staff globally, with offices in London, New York, Amsterdam, Dubai and Berlin.