CEO Insights Magazine

Ramzi Nakad

Co-founder & CEO

The Event Planning and Entertainment Services industry has transformed into a powerful driver of the global experience economy, where success is measured not merely by flawless execution but by the ability to create memorable, immersive, and emotionally engaging experiences.

As governments and businesses increas­ingly leverage festivals, concerts, cultural events, and destination experiences to promote tourism and economic growth, the industry has become a strategic contributor to city branding and community engagement. In this rapidly evolving landscape, leadership extends far beyond event management.

Industry leaders are expected to anticipate market trends, embrace innovation, build resilient organisations, and create experiences that inspire audiences while generating lasting social and economic value. Their vision, adaptability, and ability to balance creativity with operational excellence are shaping the future of experien­tial entertainment worldwide.

Among these forward-thinking leaders is Ramzi Nakad, Co-founder and CEO of BRAG WORLD, Managing Director of Live Nation UAE, whose entrepreneurial journey reflects resilience, innovation, and a passion for transforming the events industry.

He co-founded BRAG in 2009 during the global financial recession, a period widely viewed as an unlikely time to launch a business. Seeing opportunity where others saw uncertainty, he and his co-founder left secure careers with a shared vision of redefining the UAE's event landscape by moving beyond conventional event execution to create purposeful, experience-led en­gagements.

As BRAG expanded rapidly, Nakad focused on building a strong team capable of sustaining its ambitious growth while preserving its creative vision. The COVID-19 pandemic became another defining chapter, during which BRAG remained operational through close collaborations with government entities and tourism authorities, delivering initiatives such as drive-in cinemas, the Dubai Comedy Festival, the Dubai Fitness Challenge, and reopening programmes including the Mother of the Nation (MOTN) Festival Abu Dhabi.

These experiences strengthened BRAG's reputation as a trusted partner in the region. Today, under Nakad's leadership, BRAG continues to deliver large-scale festivals attracting more than 500,000 attendees annually while driving the evolution of live entertainment through creativity, resilience, and meaningful experiences across the Middle East.

What inspired you to establish the company, and how has your original vision evolved as audience expectations and the entertainment industry have transformed over the years?

From the outset, my vision was to redefine what events could represent. At the time, the industry focused largely on execution—staging, logistics, décor, and technical delivery. While those elements remain essential, I believed every event should tell a story, evoke emotion, and leave a lasting impact. That philosophy continues to guide BRAG today. The difference is that audiences now expect far more immersive, interactive, and technology-enabled experiences. We have embraced these changes while remaining true to our original purpose: creating meaningful experiences that celebrate creativity, foster human connection, and inspire communities rather than simply delivering events.

How do you define experiential marketing, and what distinguishes BRAG's approach from traditional event management companies across the region?

For me, experiential marketing is about creating moments that people genuinely connect with on an emotional level. It is not simply about organising an event—it is about designing an experience with purpose. At BRAG, creativity is always at the heart of everything we do, whether it is a music festival, cultural activation, or large-scale public event. What truly differentiates us is our commitment to building communities around shared passions for art, music, food, design, and culture. Our audience doesn't simply attend our events; they become part of an experience and a community that continues to grow year after year.

How has BRAG contributed to this remarkable transformation, and what role has the company played in enhancing the country's global reputation?

Our growth has closely mirrored the UAE's evolution as a global tourism and entertainment destination. We began by delivering corporate and community events, but as our festivals attracted larger audiences and international visitors, tourism authorities recognised the value of experience-led destination marketing. This led to long-standing collaborations with government entities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where we've helped develop annual festivals and public events that engage local communities while attracting visitors from around the world. I'm incredibly proud that BRAG has contributed to showcasing the UAE as a vibrant, creative, and culturally rich destination capable of delivering world-class entertainment experiences.

As technology continues to reshape live entertainment, how is BRAG integrating digital innovation, immersive storytelling, and emerging technologies to create next-generation audience experiences?

A defining milestone for BRAG was joining the Live Nation family in 2023, which significantly expanded our access to global artists, productions, and digital capabilities through platforms like Ticketmaster. Beyond technology, however, our focus is on creating experiences where the physical and digital worlds complement one another. We've incorporated immersive content, interactive installations, live streaming, and digital storytelling into many of our projects. Experiences such as Infinite Nights during Expo and our collaborations with Moment Factory demonstrate how technology can amplify creativity, deepen audience engagement, and transform live entertainment into something far more immersive and memorable.

What qualities do you look for in a strategic collaboration, and what makes a partnership truly successful?

I've always believed that successful partnerships are built on shared values rather than transactions. We look for organisations that share our commitment to creativity, collaboration, mutual respect, and long-term growth. Trust is fundamental because every successful partnership should create value for everyone involved. Whether we're working with government organisations, sponsors, creative studios, or media partners, our objective is always to build relationships that extend beyond individual projects. The strongest collaborations are those where both partners contribute equally, grow together, and remain aligned around a common vision and shared purpose.

Looking ahead, what major shifts do you anticipate in live entertainment, and how do you believe event experiences will evolve over the next five years?

I believe audiences will increasingly expect experiences that seamlessly combine physical engagement with digital interaction. Technology won't replace live entertainment—it will enhance it by making experiences more immersive, personalised, and interactive. At the same time, people continue to seek genuine human connection, shared emotions, and memorable moments that only live events can provide. The future belongs to experiences that successfully integrate creativity, storytelling, technology, and audience participation into one seamless journey. Those who can balance innovation with authentic emotional engagement will define the next generation of experiential entertainment.

Looking beyond 2026, what is your long-term vision for BRAG, and how do you see the company contributing to the future of the global experiential entertainment and cultural economy?

Over the years, we've developed a successful blueprint for destination marketing through events, and our ambition is to replicate that model internationally. By leveraging Live Nation's global network, we're expanding into high-growth markets such as India and other parts of Asia while also supporting regional partners with activations across Europe and North America. Beyond geographical expansion, our long-term vision remains centred on creating experiences that inspire people, strengthen communities, and positively showcase our region on the global stage. We want BRAG to continue setting new benchmarks for experiential entertainment while contributing meaningfully to the cultural and tourism economies of emerging destinations worldwide.

Ramzi Nakad is the Co-founder and CEO of BRAG WORLD and the Managing Director of Live Nation UAE. A visionary entrepreneur in experiential entertainment, he founded BRAG in 2009 and has since transformed it into one of the Middle East's leading live entertainment and destination marketing companies, delivering world-class festivals, cultural experiences, concerts, and large-scale public events that have helped shape the region's global tourism and entertainment landscape.

Hobbies: Music, live entertainment, art, travel, cultural experiences, and creating meaningful events. He describes his work as his greatest hobby.

Favourite Cuisine: Lebanese cuisine—particularly his mother's home-cooked food.

Favourite Book: Rather than books, Ramzi prefers visual storytelling through films, documentaries, and short films.

Favourite Travel Destination: He believes every destination offers something unique and values the diversity of cultures and the hospitality of people around the world, particularly across the Middle East and Asia.