Conversation with Awis Kilani – MasterMinds

Today on MasterMinds, we meet a Saudi entrepreneur who is redefining how data, creativity, and technology come together to drive real business growth. Awis Kilani, Co-Founder of On Demand MENA and a digital marketing strategist with over 14 years of experience, has built a career at the intersection of performance marketing, analytics, and scalable digital systems.

As CMO of Multimedia, a Saudi-based consultancy, Awis has helped transform the company into a regional powerhouse for local market insight, media production, and business transformation. Based between Saudi Arabia and Dubai, he works closely with startups, government entities, and fast-growing businesses to design advertising ecosystems that scale—built on data, automation, and deep market understanding.

Through OnDemand, Awis is pushing innovation even further. The platform connects Saudi businesses with international audiences using advanced AI, combining tools like drip marketing, broadcast campaigns, and click-to-WhatsApp ads to deliver personalized engagement and measurable results.

Awis’s journey reflects a mindset rooted in systems thinking and execution. From training and advising over 1,200 companies across the region to building marketing infrastructures that enable long-term independence, he believes true digital growth happens when creativity and analytics move together—and when technology empowers teams to make smarter decisions, faster.

AI’s real value goes beyond automation—it is about decision intelligence. AI helps marketers understand user intent, timing, and context at scale, enabling smarter decisions rather than simply faster execution.

I identified a clear gap between data availability and data usability. Telecom and mobility data existed, but restaurants, cafés, entertainment venues, and tourism businesses were unable to activate this data in real time.
OnDemand was built to turn this data into immediate, measurable engagement, while also adding value for the growing number of tourists coming to Saudi Arabia—helping them discover and experience the many destinations the Kingdom offers.

Telecom intelligence sits at the intersection of regulation, technology, and legacy thinking. When handled responsibly, it provides far more accurate behavioral insights than traditional social media data, which often takes longer to reflect real intent. This data enables real-time understanding of movement, timing, and behavior that most marketers still overlook.

Today’s travelers expect instant relevance. They make faster decisions, rely on mobile-first experiences, and respond to timely, contextual offers—especially at arrival points. At OnDemand, we also aim to support travelers in urgent situations by guiding them quickly to the right services when needed.

We personalize moments, not messages. The focus is on when and where to engage, not just what to say. Using secure, privacy-first data and AI, we connect users with relevant merchants at the right time, creating meaningful engagement for both users and businesses—and measurable ROI.

We tie every campaign to a business outcome—footfall, bookings, redemptions, or revenue. If a metric doesn’t influence a real decision, we don’t track it. Our tools are designed to drive real traffic to businesses and connect customers directly with destinations through OnDemand.

Brand builds trust, while performance builds cash flow. The balance comes from aligning strong brand storytelling with data-backed distribution and conversion paths. Every success story creates impact and opens doors to new opportunities—supported by over five years of experience working with government, semi-government, and private sector entities.

One of the biggest mistakes is the lack of a clear strategy. Marketing includes many critical elements—go-to-market planning, brand building, public relations, events, and performance activities. When these are not managed correctly, it leads to wasted budgets, lost time, and cash flow challenges.

It enforces long-term thinking. I evaluate decisions based on scalability, governance, and sustainability, not just short-term wins. I strongly believe that leaders create leaders, and many talented people simply need guidance and support drawn from experience.

Clarity of focus, continuous learning, listening to feedback, disciplined experimentation, strong data foundations, and ongoing collaboration between product, marketing, and revenue teams.

Marketers must commit to continuous learning. The future is promising, but only for those who evolve. Key skills include data literacy, working effectively with AI, critical thinking, and turning insights into action. Creativity will always matter—but it must be data-informed.

Many companies struggle with where to start and how to use AI effectively. Common challenges include poor data quality, lack of internal alignment, unrealistic expectations of what AI can deliver, and underestimating the importance of change management. AI does not understand a business automatically—it must be trained with clear structures, accurate data, and defined objectives to deliver real value.

Saudi Arabia is enabling advanced growth models through strong infrastructure, progressive regulation, and ambitious national vision. Vision 2030 has created an ecosystem where data-driven, real-time, and cross-sector innovation is not only possible but actively encouraged. The Kingdom is strongly supporting companies that align with these goals, creating a stable environment and a promising long-term future for innovation and growth.

My leadership evolved significantly as I moved from international corporations into the startup world and worked across different departments. Building and leading diverse teams taught me that success is always a team effort. I learned how to create engagement, empower people, and align teams toward shared goals—especially in fast-moving and high-growth environments.

The future of marketing will be defined by results, relevance, and reach. AI and data will enable marketers to target more precisely, reach higher-quality audiences, and measure real impact, while creativity will remain essential to build human connection. Together, AI, data, and creativity will transform marketing into a more intelligent, outcome-driven discipline.