Shaheryar Ghayas did not set out to make a career in advertising. Even less, set up an entirely remote-first agency that would challenge the traditional agency model.

Starting his professional journey in IT, Ghayas found himself drawn to a different rhythm, one that allowed for interaction and creativity rather than data and code. “I realised early on,” he says, “that I wanted to work with people, not just screens.” This eventually led him down an unexpected path: building Madnest, a remote-first advertising agency.

Before that, however, Ghayas had a career in advertising that spanned nearly two decades. Starting as a copywriter at Adcom, he quickly moved into senior creative roles at Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO and Publicis, and along the way handled some of Pakistan’s biggest brands, including Pepsi, Nescafé and Jazz. His time in Lahore, Pakistan’s FMCG hub, was a defining chapter in his career. “Working in Lahore gave me the FMCG experience I needed to understand the fast-paced demands of this industry. It’s where you learn how to speak to a broad consumer base and how to balance brand vision with mass appeal.” His immersion in Lahore’s advertising scene exposed him to high-profile clients and honed his expertise in delivering high-impact campaigns for FMCG goods.

He recalls the intense demands of those early years, with New Year’s Eve sometimes spent in the office for last-minute production tweaks and long nights dedicated to meeting client expectations. “Back then, it was all about going the extra mile. You had to learn every aspect of production, from casting and location scouting to understanding sound and lighting. It was all part of delivering what the client needed.” These experiences, though gruelling, were invaluable, teaching him the nuances of production and the mechanics behind every campaign’s impact.

This career journey gave Ghayas the skills and insights he would eventually need to launch Madnest. His work with Pepsi, for example, required him to innovate within strict brand guidelines while making successive campaigns feel fresh. At Nescafé, he managed a team tasked with executing a bold, coffee-over-tea campaign that had him balancing client ambitions with consumer sentiment, ultimately driving record sales. These roles taught him to appreciate the balance between vision and execution. “You realise that every big idea is only as good as the details, and I wanted Madnest to be a place where our team could focus on getting both right without being bound to a physical location.”

Yet, as he grew within these roles, he noticed significant flaws in agency culture. “I saw so much potential for change,” he recalls. “At Publicis, for instance, we revitalised the Nestlé brand in a way that challenged norms. But the structure was still too rigid.” This awareness grew into a vision for something radically different. A place where creativity could flourish without the constraints of conventional office spaces.

Ghayas launched Madnest in 2017, although the seeds were planted long before. “Madnest started in my living room,” he chuckles. “Our first address was not even an office; it was a spare bedroom with a makeshift setup.” However, it was Covid-19 that proved to be the catalyst that forced Madnest to go fully remote. “We tried going back to the office after the first wave,” he says, “but by the third wave, we said, why fight it? Let’s perfect this model instead.”

Shaheryar Ghayas’ approach is not about efficiency only. It is about creating a sustainable work culture in an industry notorious for demanding hours.

“I spent 20 years in agencies where late nights were the norm. But I realised that it doesn’t have to be that way.” At Madnest, the workday ends promptly at six pm, a rare boundary in advertising. “I want my team to go home, unwind, and come back recharged. If they are burnt out, the work suffers. It’s as simple as that.”

Today, Madnest operates as a remote-first agency with team members scattered across Pakistan and even Dubai. Despite the distance, the team is connected by clear, disciplined protocols, which Ghayas believes are essential to a remote model’s success. “We operate almost like clockwork,” he explains. “If someone steps away from their screen, they update the team on their status. It sounds strict, but it keeps everyone synced and respectful of each other’s time.” These protocols, combined with real-time feedback loops and daily progress updates, have allowed Madnest to thrive as an efficient and cohesive team.

Ghayas’ approach is not about efficiency only. It is about creating a sustainable work culture in an industry notorious for demanding hours. “I spent 20 years in agencies where late nights were the norm. But I realised that it doesn’t have to be that way.” At Madnest, the workday ends promptly at six pm, a rare boundary in advertising. “I want my team to go home, unwind, and come back recharged. If they are burnt out, the work suffers. It’s as simple as that.” This people-centric ethos is what has enabled Madnest to achieve a high retention rate in an industry notorious for burnout. “We are committed to doing things differently. I think that’s why people stick around.”

While the advertising industry is known for its hierarchy and tight, often restrictive timelines, Ghayas believes in a looser approach that encourages responsibility and trust. “In a remote setting, you have to trust people to do their jobs without being constantly checked up on. So, we developed a culture that is both relaxed and disciplined. Everyone knows what is expected of them, and they are free to manage their time accordingly.” He takes pride in the fact that Madnest’s processes are thoroughly systematised; from task sheets to naming conventions, everything has its place.

“It might sound a little regimented, but structure is what lets us be as creative as we are.”

This philosophy has resonated with clients as well, although they initially had reservations. “Now, clients say they prefer the setup; less time spent commuting, more time spent in productive meetings.”

Reflecting on his journey, Ghayas attributes much of Madnest’s success to his own unorthodox career path, which began with a phone call from a friend. “I didn’t even know what a copywriter was,” he laughs. “I showed up for an interview at Adcom thinking it was for client servicing, but they hired me as a copywriter.” His eclectic background, which includes performing in the Pakistani rock band Qayaas (it was featured in Rolling Stone), has shaped his approach to storytelling. “I have always seen advertising as an art form. It’s not about selling a product; it’s about creating something memorable and that resonates.”

In building Madnest, Ghayas took his experiences from the large agencies he worked at and applied them in new ways. He remembers drawing inspiration from childhood icons when rebranding the Rio biscuit line for EBM. “I grew up watching Sesame Street,” he reminisces. “Cookie Monster was always my favourite. When the brief for Rio came up, the first image that came to mind was Cookie Monster. I wanted kids to feel that same joy and mischief.”

Ghayas’s vision for Madnest extends beyond operational success. He aims to redefine what a creative agency can look like in Pakistan.

“We don’t pitch for work unless we believe in the brand. I want Madnest to work with clients who believe in our process and our expertise.” This approach, while risky, has paid off in loyal partnerships and a steady flow of projects that align with the agency’s ethos.

As Ghayas reflects on his journey, he says he is not interested in being just another agency. “I want Madnest to be a place where creativity is not bound by location, where our team can work from anywhere, and where our clients see results.” Not surprisingly, he does not measure success by traditional markers, but by impact. “If Madnest changes how agencies work in Pakistan, even just a little, then I will know we did something right.”

In Shaheryar Ghayas’ world, the boundaries of what is possible in advertising have shifted. In the process, he has proved that sometimes all it takes is a living room, a dedicated team, and a vision that refuses to be confined by walls.

Shahrezad Samiuddin works in communications and is an agony aunt. shahrezadsamiuddin@hotmail.com