Who we are
Empowering global brands with comprehensive brand management services in the Middle East and Africa
BBM Licensing is a Canadian brand management and licensing agency purpose-built to help global brands expand, scale, and endure across the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey.
We operate at the intersection of brand strategy, cultural intelligence, and commercial execution. Our role is not advisory alone—we work hands-on with brand owners to translate global ambition into locally relevant, commercially viable growth in some of the world’s most complex and high-potential markets.
Our mandate is simple and disciplined:
to enable brands to grow regionally without diluting their identity, compromising authenticity, or sacrificing long-term value.
Why We Exist
Global ambition often fails at the point of local reality.
Regulatory fragmentation, cultural nuance, uneven market maturity, and misaligned partnerships create friction that standard market-entry playbooks cannot resolve. Too often, brands either over-localize and lose themselves—or under-localize and fail to connect.
BBM Licensing exists to close that gap.
We bring structure where markets feel fragmented, clarity where culture is misunderstood, and governance where growth risks eroding brand equity. Our work is grounded in market intelligence, cultural fluency, and execution discipline—allowing brands to move forward with confidence.
Our Footprint
BBM Licensing is headquartered in Canada, with active operations in Toronto and Dubai, and an affiliate network across Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Europe, the United States, and Asia. This hybrid footprint allows us to combine global perspective with on-the-ground execution in key growth markets.
Building a Licensing Business Ecosystem
Beyond advisory and representation, BBM Licensing is part of a broader licensing and cultural business ecosystem in the Middle East and Africa, an ecosystem shaped by decades of experience, setbacks, reinventions, and wins.
It is my way of connecting the dots between global ambition and local authenticity.
Through BBM Licensing, Epicon Media, Licensing Horizons, CLN, and The Artspiration, I am building a unified platform that supports brands, rights holders, and partners at every stage of growth. Together, these initiatives form an integrated ecosystem designed to help global brands grow meaningfully and responsibly in the region—where culture is not a backdrop, but a strategic advantage.
BBM Licensing Advantages
Deep Cultural Intelligence
BBM Licensing brings a deep, operational understanding of Middle Eastern and African cultures, values, and consumer behavior. This cultural intelligence allows us to translate brand intent into authentic, locally resonant strategies, helping brands avoid misalignment and build real trust with regional audiences.
Culturally Tailored Strategies
We design bespoke strategies that align global brand objectives with local market realities. From product adaptation to marketing execution, we ensure seamless localization that maximizes relevance, accelerates adoption, and preserves brand integrity.
Local Expertise, Global Perspective
With on-the-ground presence in key markets and a global strategic mindset, we bridge international brand standards with regional insight. This dual lens enables us to navigate complex market dynamics while delivering scalable, globally consistent growth models.
Alignment for Sustainable Growth
We focus on long-term value creation, not short-term wins. By prioritizing cultural alignment, disciplined execution, and authentic engagement, we help brands build durable market positions that earn regional acceptance and sustain growth over time.
We are a proud member of
We are a proud co-organizer of
Our Strategic Partners
Meet the team
Amer Bitar
Amer Bitar is a brand strategist, entrepreneur, and author whose work examines how culture shapes power, trust, and execution in global business. For more than two decades, he has advised companies, brands owners, founders, and investors on expanding across the Middle East and North Africa. He is the founder of BBM Licensing, a market-entry and brand-licensing advisory operating across the region, and a co-organizer of Licensing Horizons, a senior executive forum held annually in Dubai and Riyadh.
John Lam
John Lam is a senior strategic advisor in cultural branding and licensing, supporting organizations in translating identity, intellectual property, and cultural meaning into sustainable, globally relevant value.
For nearly two decades, he has advised international brands and institutions including Hugo Boss, SAP, Disney, Steelcase, and JLL across Europe, Asia, and North America. His work focuses on market expansion, licensing strategy, and brand stewardship, with particular attention to cultural legitimacy, governance, and long-term value protection.
Fady Ibrahim
Proven leader with over 33 years of broad and deep expertise in sales, business development, and marketing operations in real estate, hospitality, and sports for large multinational organizations.
Joseph Briones
A hands-on and driven professional, he brings a strong blend of technical expertise, sales experience, and problem-solving capability. His background includes building operational systems, improving processes, and consistently delivering commercial results in technical and client-facing roles.