Laura Bakalka is a Saudi Creative Director and Design Manager with over 12 years of experience leading multidisciplinary teams across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the UK. She currently serves as Design Manager and Acting Creative Lead for KSA and Abu Dhabi at DXB LIVE, where she oversees the full creative function across 50+ branding, pitch, spatial, and experiential projects for high-profile events and government activations.
In this role, Laura leads a growing team of designers across multiple offices, driving concept development, project workflows, creative quality control, and client-facing presentations. She plays a pivotal role in daily creative checkpoints, cross-team coordination, and ensuring timely execution across Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. Beyond creative leadership, Laura is deeply involved in operational oversight—managing recruitment, onboarding, timesheet validation, salary justifications, and performance reporting for in-house and freelance talent.
Working closely with internal departments—from HR to finance and production—Laura bridges the gap between creative vision and business operations. She also leads the development of pitch proposals and visual direction for strategic bids, ensuring every touchpoint aligns with brand goals and regional priorities.
Laura's broader career includes directing communication design for initiatives such as the UN-Habitat Quality of Life Index and the National Program for Community Development, as well as teaching design at the American University in Dubai, where she led the Graphic Design Department.
She holds an M.A. in Advertising, Branding & Communication (Distinction) from the University of West London and a B.A. in Graphic Design from Dar Al Hekma University. Laura is also a sought-after mentor and speaker, having contributed to global design conferences and research on personal branding and design psychology.
Driven by purpose, precision, and creativity, Laura Bakalka brings a rare blend of creative leadership and operational excellence, positioning her as a key force in regional creative strategy and execution.