As marketers and publicists, our careers revolve around shaping brands. We obsess over crafting distinct voices, creating meaningful connections and building trust. Every day we champion the power of storytelling for the companies and causes we represent.
But here’s a truth I’ve come to realise: in the process of building brands for others, we often forget to build one for ourselves.
A new professional necessity
Personal branding isn’t a vanity project, it’s a professional necessity. The same principles we apply to multinational companies; consistency, authenticity, clarity and trust apply to us too. Because before we are marketers of products, we are marketers of ideas. And ideas gain traction only when people trust the voice behind them.
In one of the UAE Marketing Society Scholar sessions 2025, we delved into this very subject. The lesson was simple yet transformative: your personal brand is your professional compass. It shapes not only how people perceive you but also the opportunities that come your way.
So what does personal branding look like for those of us in communications?
Networking with intention
Beyond exchanging business cards, it’s about curating relationships and being known for the value you bring.
Consistency in presence
Just as a brand’s message must be cohesive across channels, so must ours, whether on LinkedIn, at industry panels, or in everyday conversations.
Owning your narrative
If you don’t define your story, someone else will. Personal branding gives us control over the narrative of our careers.
Trust as currency
The credibility we build for ourselves directly impacts the credibility we bring to the brands we represent.
As someone shaping narratives for global brands, I’ve learned that influence isn’t borrowed from the brands we work with, it’s built from the consistency of our own voice. That’s where personal branding becomes critical: it’s the bridge between who we are and the impact we aspire to make.
Building a trusted voice
At 28, I know my brand is still evolving but I’ve also learned that it’s not about perfection, it’s about progression, being intentional about how we show up, what we stand for, and the conversations we contribute to.
For marketers, personal branding is no longer optional, it’s the foundation that allows us to be more than custodians of brands, it allows us to be trusted voices in shaping the future of communications.
Authored by Bushra Kahn, Senior Account Executive, BPG Group
THE UAE SCHOLARSHIP
Accelerating marketing leadership in the UAE
The UAE Scholarship
Open for 2026
An initiative designed to champion future talent and help accelerate the careers of high-potential marketers in the UAE by develop marketing, business and leadership skills in promising individuals.
