Member in the Spotlight: Bilal Lezeik of The Limelight

This month, we are proud to shine a light on one of our amazing members from our Brussels Central Station location. Introducing Bilal Lezeik, Founder and Managing Director of The Limelight, a purpose driven communications agency founded on the belief that everyone can contribute to positive change. In this interview, we'll delve into Bilal's inspiring journey, discuss his proudest achievements, and explore what sets The Limelight apart in the world of communications.

Get ready to be inspired!

Hi Bilal! Can you tell us a little about yourself and your business, The Limelight?

The onset of my professional journey was with Procter and Gamble, where I completed a 5-year experience in planning and project management, including being promoted to regional team manager and winning the Agility Role Model Award out of 350 employees. Then I made a career shift to pursue my passion for entrepreneurship, and in 2012, I founded The Limelight, a communications agency with purpose.

The Limelight was built on the belief and conviction that everyone can play a role in encouraging a sustainable impact on their communities. Since 2012, we have grown into a creative agency with specialised expertise in producing and leading communications projects with purpose, particularly on human rights and social wellbeing. Our reputation grew over the years, and we moved from being a local agency to one recommended globally. For the past 6 years, we’ve been commissioned by several INGOs and UN agencies, including UNICEF, WHO, Save the Children, and others, for many global consultancies on complex projects with international reach.

What inspired you to begin The Limelight?

Shortly before founding the Limelight, I worked as a communications consultant, mostly for advertising, but I always felt something was missing. But then, I was commissioned my first humanitarian project by UNRWA to develop an advocacy communications package for women’s rights, particularly refugee women. As part of developing the project, I visited the refugee camps and saw the harsh conditions and lack of rights that some populations endure. It was an awakening experience and a defining moment when I decided to focus my career on purpose and later founded The Limelight as a purpose-driven agency. I found my balance through The Limelight, pursuing my passion for entrepreneurship while actively complying with the values of social responsibility and human rights.

What is your biggest achievement and/or a project or initiative you’ve worked on that you’re particularly proud of?

Many! It is so hard to choose. But the project that was a defining moment for our growth was in 2017 when we had our first international breakthrough. The International Medical Corps (IMC) headquarters commissioned us through a global recruitment process to lead the creative development, project management, and communications plan of IMC's Mental Health Integration Toolkit. Our team of content creators, graphic designers, and web developers executed the project over 18 months of consultations while coordinating feedback from IMC and their partners in 30 country offices over different time zones. We received high praise for the success of this project, which recognised our name further in the global NGO network. Since that project, we’ve been working on several global consultancies with HQ offices of esteemed organisations such as UNICEF, WHO, Save the Children and others.

Another project I am proud to have achieved, at a personal level, was moving The Limelight to Brussels in 2020. In late 2019, a severe and rapid economic crisis hit Lebanon and triggered drastic measures by the government, including blocking our access to our bank accounts. Besides the financial loss we endured, it also meant that it was impossible to pursue business from there, as the banking system got almost paralysed. So, I had to act quickly and extensively to find a solution. Brussels was the choice as it is a hub for purpose-driven organisations, which are our clients. In just 4 months after the crisis, I was in Brussels to reestablish the company, and despite the additional challenge that came with the COVID-19 lockdowns, the company was finally relaunched in October 2020 after almost a year of inactivity. Since then, we regained our success by restoring old contracts from our existing clients and acquiring new ones from new clients who trusted our work and experience.

What is unique about The Limelight's approach to communications, and how does it set you apart from other businesses in your industry?

First, The Limelight is a socially sustainable business model. We solely work on projects that encourage a positive impact on societies, expand access to learning, and promote awareness of pressing matters such as gender equality, child right, peace, health, global human rights, etc. And in the future, we aim to do our share of awareness-raising and advocacy campaigns for social sustainability and justice. That’s what makes our business model unique and socially responsible. Additionally, working on human rights and social justice requires an in-depth knowledge of these subjects, which we have thoroughly acquired through our experience and conscious minds. Our understanding of humanitarian subjects is integral to delivering compelling visuals and strong key messages.

Why did you choose to become a Tribes member?

When I arrived in Brussels, I visited several coworking places to choose our new operating office. The warmth of the Tribes team and the comfortably decorated interior made me feel welcome and at ease for doing my work. Also, the values of the Tribes team felt in line with mine, so it was a great match. That is why I chose to be a Tribes member.

What do you enjoy most about being a part of the Tribes community, and how has it positively influenced your business or professional journey?

The team is on point to support and listen to its clients and meet their demands in the best possible ways. Being a Tribes member opens up networking opportunities as we are surrounded by other businesses and entrepreneurs, which has been great for making new business contacts and fostering collaborations. I also enjoy that it is possible to work together with Tribes to host events. For example, I recently hosted an event together with UBI Business School at Tribes, focusing on Business for Sustainable Societies. The Tribes team were incredibly supportive in helping to organise the event and in making it a great success.

Finally, what does the future hold for you and for The Limelight?

The Limelight has stayed true to its mission for the past 12 years, and I’m already proud and satisfied with our achievements. But our journey does not end here, of course. Besides continuing to grow, The Limelight's vision is to make a change and be a resource hub that raises awareness and inspires action for just and sustainable societies. How will this evolve, we shall see. As I always say, I’m happy taking the ladder one step at a time and curious to see where this will lead us.

Thank you so much, Bilal!

Curious to learn more about The Limelight? Visit their website: www.limelightprod.com