Seasoned marketing leader, Leila Salieva brings over 15 years of expertise in product marketing and brand building, driving growth and innovation for tech and entertainment brands. Excelling in developing and executing impactful campaigns across web2 and web3 platforms, she leverages cutting-edge AI, metaverse, and blockchain technologies.
Sombrero Galaxy Agency is a cutting-edge boutique marketing agency specializing in web3 projects. By blending human creativity with AI-powered tools, they create breathtaking visuals that establish their clients’ market presence and drive results.
Early Life And Educational Background
Leila Salieva grew up in a small town where she realized that foreign languages and computer science would be crucial for her future. She shares, “At 10, I began studying English and coding, driven by determination despite financial challenges. Scholarships and grants, including the U.S. Department of State’s Future Leader Exchange program, fueled my passion. Now, I pay it forward as a tutor, believing in education’s transformative power. Pursuing my dream in advertising, I earned a business administration degree in Helsinki, Finland, majoring in marketing and international strategies.”
Leila’s professional journey took a pivotal turn with a 2010 course, ‘Doing Business and Working in Arab Countries,’ which unknowingly laid the groundwork for her marketing agency in Dubai 15 years later. Building on this foundation, Leila enhanced her expertise with a specialization in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Harvard Business School.
Leila Salieva diverse career spans six industries, featuring varied roles, including event coordination for the Olympics, PR direction for a pioneering online fashion aggregator, branding expertise for mass-market chocolate, and metaverse development. This unique blend of experience and academic achievements has equipped Leila for success in her entrepreneurial endeavors.
“Over time, I evolved into a top-level strategist and advised Fortune 500 companies on global marketing before embracing Web3 in 2017. Since then, I’ve pioneered its adoption, building a Web3 division for a fintech giant and leading metaverse development marketing efforts. Notably, I was elected to the Horizen Ecosystem’s Special Council in 2023 and became a candidate for the Apecoin DAO Special Council, solidifying my expertise at the intersection of marketing and Web3 innovation. Finally, at the beginning of 2024, I co-founded Sombrero Galaxy Agency.” Leila added.
Presence Of Sombrero Galaxy Agency
Leila Salieva founded Sombrero Galaxy Agency in 2024. She lets us know that before founding the company, she had visited the UAE multiple times for various conferences and was highly impressed by the vibrant community, numerous region-based projects, and government initiatives in the fields of digital assets, Web3, and AI.
Leila Salieva adds, “Although most of our marketing services are provided remotely, the decision to establish the business in the region was solid and has proven to be one of the best decisions. SGA offers a wide range of marketing services, from creating unique corporate identities and building communities from scratch to devising complete project promotion plans.”
The agency utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to promote projects, brands, and companies comprehensively, with a focus on quality content and thoughtful visuals. While their team is spread worldwide, many members have either studied or worked in the UAE. Leila says, “We are pleased to be part of this diverse, future-driven region where the concepts of blockchain and AI are widely understood.”
Opting For A Flexible Approach
Marketing is more than just writing, designing, or posting; it’s about creating emotional connections between people. Leila believes that the skill set required for this field should be broad. Business leaders in this field need to be able to analyze a lot of data, understand behavioral patterns, and build multifunctional teams. She shares, “Since content creators are a big part of marketing teams, as a leader, you should know how to build processes to facilitate communication between creators and clients.
Also, the market is constantly evolving in terms of technology, cross-cultural communications, types, and methods of content consumption, so you should be ready to adapt yourself and your strategy.”
Embracing Digital Transformation
Since the beginning, Leila’s team at Sombrero Galaxy Agency has been developing their processes and production based on AI solutions and software. She shares that most of her content is a combination of generative models and human creativity. “We continually monitor new tools in the market, not only using them ourselves but also sharing our experiences on our blog to help other businesses succeed in the evolving digital environment. As we mainly work with web3 clients, we are quite confident in navigating these changes.” She affirms.
Message To Aspiring Professionals, We asked: Leila Salieva
Addressing newcomers, Leila Salieva suggests investing time and effort in developing the skill set, trying new approaches, and testing new tactics. She adds, “Learn from others across the industries, look into not related cases, and always think about the final user you are trying to find and convince. Educate yourself first and share your knowledge with your clients.”
Follow Leila Salieva on LinkedIn.
Find Sombrero Galaxy Agency on LinkedIn and visit their website www.sombrerogalaxy.agency.
Also Read: Transforming Skincare With A Visionary Approach At ISSADA Cosmetics: Deb Farnworth-Wood
Companion In Digital Transformation Journey Of Businesses With BEON-IT: Waleed Al Naji
