Elevate Expands into Middle East with Rise Group Acquisition

Editorial Team

Last updated 22-05-2025

3 min

Elevate acquires Rise Group, expanding its Middle Eastern market presence significantly.

The acquisition brings Rise’s offices in Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai under Elevate.

Founders Holmes and Berrington will take on leadership roles following the takeover.

Rise to act as the certified global agent for the NFL team San Francisco 49ers in the UAE.

This move highlights Elevate's ambition to be a top player in the Middle East market.

In a move set to significantly boost its presence across the Middle East, Elevate has announced the acquisition of Rise Group, a regional powerhouse in business consultancy. For Elevate—an integrated global network of agencies known for their expertise across the worlds of sport, entertainment and consumer brands—this takeover represents a major milestone, dramatically expanding its reach into key Middle Eastern markets.

The new deal brings Rise’s offices in bustling hubs such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai into Elevate’s fold, adding to the firm's already impressive spread across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia. With around sixty of Rise’s existing team members joining Elevate's workforce, which now numbers approximately 500 globally, there's no question that the integration promises to blend deep local market knowledge with Elevate’s global clout.

Rise Group was launched back in 2014 by co-founders Seth Holmes and Tom Berrington, who have since built up quite the reputaion for delivering impactful commercial campaigns. They've worked alongside a host of major brands and initiatives, including Saudi Arabia’s futuristic mega-project NEOM, the Saudi Pro League, PepsiCo, and Dubai Sports Council. Following the acquisition, Holmes and Berrington will step into significant leadership positions, bringing their sharp strategic insights to bear as Elevate continues its expansion into new territories.

Al Guido, chairman and CEO of Elevate, has hailed the acquisition as the beginning of a new chapter for the firm, particularly given how sports markets across the Middle East have flourished in recent years. Guido praised Rise’s proven track record, noting the agency’s strong local connections and exceptional campaign execution. Combining Rise’s regional expertise with Elevate’s international presence will allow a “greater value for our clients," he added.

As part of its first major initiative under the Elevate umbrella, Rise will act as certified global agent for the NFL franchise San Francisco 49ers. They'll particularly focus on supporting the team in the UAE as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Programme. The goal is clear—expand the club’s support base, forge deeper brand partnerships in the region, and bolster the profile of American football and flag football throughout the Middle East.

This news continues the recent streak of strategic growth for Elevate. The company previously snapped up SRI, subsequently launching Elevate Talent. This has allowed the firm to better support their clients, helping them to source exceptional talent in sport, entertainment, gaming, lifestyle brands, and media, particularly as these sectors grapple with the ever-changing tastes of consumers.

With this latest step, Elevate has laid down a significant marker, demonstrating a clear aim of being a major player not just internationally, but now right here in the Middle East too. As the team at Arageek would probably say—watch this space.

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