Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Elevate, a US-based integrated agency network, acquired RISE Group (RISE), a leading commercial services consultancy in the Middle East, to expand its operations in the region, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Through this partnership, Elevate will expand its global network in partnership sales and brand representation by harnessing RISE's proven expertise, the company revealed in a press release.

This move extends Elevate’s operations into the region for the first time, adding RISE’s strong presence in Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai to Elevate’s established footprint across North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

As part of this acquisition, RISE co-founders Seth Holmes and Tom Berrington will take on key leadership roles within Elevate, bringing their vision and strategic insight into the broader organization.

Elevate will also welcome 60 RISE team members to its global roster of nearly 500 employees and maintain Elevate offices in Riyadh and Dubai.

Al Guido, Chairman and CEO of Elevate, stated that the acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for Elevate as it expands into one of the world's most dynamic and rapidly growing sports markets. “RISE has built an incredible reputation for driving commercial success and delivering impactful brand activation campaigns across the Middle East, and we look forward to combining our global expertise with their deep regional insights to create even greater value for our clients,” he said.

For his part, Tom Berrington, Managing Partner of RISE, commented: “Joining forces with Elevate is a pivotal moment that will propel RISE onto the global stage. We are particularly excited by the significant opportunities to scale our operations and contribute to the ambitious mega projects underway in the MENA region’s sport, culture, and entertainment industries.”

As its first major project under the Elevate umbrella, RISE’s team will support the San Francisco 49ers as its agency of record globally, including in the UAE as part of the NFL’s Global Market Program, expanding the team’s fan base and corporate partnership footprint in the region, and growing interest in American and flag football.