Osama Siddiq

Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director, LION

Dubai-based advertising creative leader. Cannes Lions Grand Prix winner. D&AD Graphite Pencil winner. The One Show Best of Show winner. Campaign Middle East Creative Face to Watch.

About

Osama Siddiq is a Dubai-based advertising creative leader and Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director of LION.

Across 11+ years in advertising, he has worked across Dubai, Amsterdam and Pakistan, creating work for brands and organisations including Volvo, UN Women, Dubai Tourism, Adidas, KFC, Toyota, Lexus, IKEA, Nissan, du, Dettol, Pepsi and Louvre Abu Dhabi.

Before co-founding LION in 2024, Osama was Creative Director at Grey Dubai, Associate Creative Director at IMPACT BBDO Dubai, Senior Art Director at Memac Ogilvy Dubai and Art Director at TBWA\RAAD Dubai. He also worked with TBWA\NEBOKO in Amsterdam on Adidas and began his career in Pakistan at J. Walter Thompson and Ogilvy.

His work has been recognised by Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, Clio Awards, Dubai Lynx, MAD STARS, Cresta Awards, Spikes Asia, Loeries, New York Festivals, MEPRA and other international creative awards.

In 2023, Campaign Middle East named him one of its Creative Faces to Watch. He was also ranked #1 Associate Creative Director in The One Show Global Creative Rankings.

Among his most recognised projects is Child Wedding Cards for UN Women, created while at IMPACT BBDO. The campaign received a Cannes Lions Grand Prix and Gold, a D&AD Graphite Pencil, The One Show Best of Show and Gold Pencils, alongside recognition from Clio Awards, Dubai Lynx, MAD STARS and Cresta Awards.

Earlier work includes Waxing Lady Tutorials, The Social Distancing Prayer Mat, IKEA Co-Worker for the Day, Martian Ink, Traditional Virginity Test and KFC Napkinized.

In 2024, Osama co-founded LION, an independent creative agency headquartered in Dubai. At LION, his work spans advertising, brand building, PR, innovation and AI-led creativity.

His creative philosophy is rooted in solving human problems with simple ideas, challenging convention and using technology as an accelerator for creativity rather than a replacement for it.

Selected Recognition

Cannes Lions
Grand Prix, Gold and Bronze Lions

D&AD
Graphite Pencil

The One Show
Best of Show and Gold Pencils

Dubai Lynx
Grand Prix, Gold, Silver and Bronze

MAD STARS
Grand Prix of the Year and multiple Grand Prix, Gold, Silver and Crystal awards

Clio Awards
Bronze

Cresta Awards
Gold and Bronze

Spikes Asia
Silver and Bronze

Loeries
Bronze

New York Festivals
Finalist

MEPRA Awards
Gold

Selected Work

Child Wedding Cards
UN Women × IMPACT BBDO

Waxing Lady Tutorials
Indus Hospital / GharPar × IMPACT BBDO

The Social Distancing Prayer Mat
Dettol × IMPACT BBDO

IKEA Co-Worker for the Day
IKEA × Memac Ogilvy

Martian Ink
UAE Government Media Office × TBWA\RAAD

Traditional Virginity Test
M.A.L.I × TBWA\RAAD

KFC Napkinized
KFC × TBWA\RAAD

Career

2024 – Present
Co-Founder & Executive Creative Director
LION, Dubai

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2024
Creative Director
Grey, Dubai

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2022 – 2024
Associate Creative Director
IMPACT BBDO, Dubai

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2021 – 2022
Senior Art Director
Memac Ogilvy, Dubai

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2018 – 2021
Art Director
TBWA\RAAD, Dubai

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2019
Art Director
TBWA\NEBOKO, Amsterdam

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2015 – 2018
Copywriter
Ogilvy, Pakistan

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2014 – 2015
Junior Art Director
J. Walter Thompson, Pakistan

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Education

Bachelor of Arts, Visual Communication Design
National College of Arts, Pakistan