From the Founder.
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Brands, cities and leadership. Each note starts on LinkedIn and continues here in full, with the projects behind the idea.
How it works
It starts on LinkedIn
Alex shares the opening idea where his audience already is.
It continues here
The full note, the thinking behind it and the projects that prove it, in one place.
The conversation stays on LinkedIn
Every note links back, so comments and reach keep building there.
All notes
20 of 20 notes
The cyber security rating system
This is an area of great curiosity for me as I was recently appointed as an Advisory Board Member to Xcigence, an industry sector outside of my personal experience sweet spot. In summary, Moody’s helped make credit risk measurable. Who will do the same for cyber risk?
Islamic banking vs conventional banking
In the previous post, we examined Global V Local Banking. Today we focus on philosophy. A different operating model philosophy, but does it translate and deliver a different brand experience!
HSBC vs Emirates NBD
Old World Global Bank. Vs A New World Regional Powerhouse. HSBC was built for a world where global reach was the ultimate advantage, whilst Emirates NBD is being built for a world where where you are matters as much as how big you are.
Competitively calm
This statement is without doubt one of the most underrated qualities of leadership, and has shaped my approach to managing the challenges of 2026 and specifically relevant over the past month, as we venture towards the conclusion of a major ‘Brand Transformation’ project for a city in mid November. Early in your career, you compete through the combination of energy, ambition and relentless activity. You want to move faster, push harder and prove more!
What if Greece had branded all its islands the same way?
Santorini is not Mykonos. Mykonos is not Paros. Paros is not Crete, yet the fact remains that all are unmistakably Greek. Their collective strength comes not from their similarities, but from their differences.
TKMMA vs Fitness First
The power of a tribe vs the power of a network. Two fitness brands, with two very different strategies.
Who you know. Who knows you.
LinkedIn vs TikTok. Two platforms. Two philosophies. Two very different currencies of influence.
Dubai Mall vs Mall of the Emirates
Two malls. Two strategies. Two very different brand propositions. Dubai Mall sells the spectacle, while Mall of the Emirates sells the experience.
The corporate world was my arena. My experiences became my manuscript.
I’ve spent over four decades in the corporate arena. Now I’m stepping into a different one. As a C-suite executive, I learned to lead.
New chapter. New frontiers.
I’m pleased to announce my appointment to the Advisory Board of XCigence / Cyberlabs Inc. As technology, AI and cybersecurity continue to reshape the business landscape, the opportunity to contribute to companies at the forefront of this transformation is both exciting and compelling.
Relative city positioning: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah
In our ongoing series exploring relative positioning, the next case features 3 of the Emirates within the UAE, looking for that element that makes them ‘Unmistakeable’, with a specific focus on Ras Al Khaimah. Dubai built spectacle. Abu Dhabi built substance. Ras Al Khaimah is building escape.
We are not entering India. We are building from India.
It is with great pride that Jayakar Rao and I announce the strategic alliance between ESA360 and Andarakis. For Andarakis, India is not simply another market on the map. It is a strategic pillar for our next chapter of growth, connecting our expanding presence across the Middle East, Asia and the USA.
Makkah vs Madinah: a relative city brand positioning
Having worked across a multitude of projects in both cities, and having had the chance to experience Madinah, I felt this was a fabulous case study for an exploration of relative positioning. Makkah and Madinah should never be positioned the same way. Both are sacred, globally significant, yet from an emotional perspective, they serve very different roles in the hearts and minds of their audiences.
Emirates vs Etihad
Following on from the relative positioning of the major Saudi Airlines, today let’s look at the UAE airlines. Same country and sharing the same premium ambition, however two increasingly different brands.
Retail has not died. It just got boring.
Hope you enjoy my article on the retail challenge of ‘Desire vs Distribution’ for the Smart Gifty Publication. Retail Has Not Died. It Just Got Boring.
Saudia vs Riyadh Air
Same nation. Two very different responsibilities in building Nation and City brand! Saudia carries the story of Saudi Arabia. Riyadh Air is being built to carry its ambition.
Brand watch: ARNE
Legacy fashion may have created a potential problem. Too much heritage. Too many layers. Too many collections. Too many people explaining what the brand now stands for.
One sport, different audiences: the IPL vs Test cricket
Anyone who knows me well, knows my love of sport and also for the platforms of how marketing and business collide. Today the story centres on the proposition that T20 Cricket did not kill Test cricket, but rather exposed it!
The Premier League under the microscope
Following the seismic announcement of Manchester City being found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges levied against them for serious breaches of the Financial Fair Play Laws, the fact remains that Manchester City is not the biggest brand at risk here. The Premier League itself is!
New ideas first appear there.
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