London based brand experience agency, onepointfive, has announced that is opening an office in Dubai.
The move marks the company’s first permanent base in the Middle East and coincides with a major project with long-standing clients Shopfy, at Shoptalk Luxe in Abu Dhabi this week.
onepointfive was founded in 2019 by Rob Pryce and Joel Barsch, who will lead the Dubai operation. They plan to build a local team using regional talent.
The new office supports growing client demand in the Middle East, where investment in live brand experiences is increasing and where international brands are seeking more complex, design-led formats for senior audiences.
The Dubai launch is anchored by onepointfive’s work for Shopify at Shoptalk Luxe, a new premium B2B conference and exhibition.
Rob Pryce, co-founder at onepointfive, said: “Our clients are increasingly global, and so are the opportunities for experience-led marketing. The Middle East is investing in experiences at a scale and ambition that’s unmatched, and Shoptalk Luxe gives us the perfect launch platform to bring our way of thinking to the region, combining strategic B2B thinking with the emotion and craft of world-class B2C design.”
For Shopify, the agency delivered a bespoke branded environment, which included a custom-built pavillion, product demonstration areas and meeting spaces.
The build also features a beachside cabana hospitality area and is designed for a senior, invitation-only audience.
onepointfive explained that the aim was to create a retail-style environment rather than a traditional exhibition stand, with design and layout intended to support longer conversations and structured meetings alongside informal hospitality. The project builds on an existing relationship between the two companies.
Joel Barsch, co-founder at onepointfive, added: “We don’t believe in cookie-cutter activations or short-term, churn-and-burn RFP culture. Whether it’s a tech exhibition in Cologne or a consumer activation in London, people want to feel something real. Our aim in the Middle East is to bring that same philosophy: exceptional client service, creative firepower from London, and deep cultural understanding on the ground.”
The company said its Middle East operation will support both regional and international projects.