BARCELONA—Forty years after launching Action Global in Cyprus, Tony Christodoulou now oversees a network that stretches from Morocco to Russia to Pakistan, employing almost 400 staff across 31 owned offices in North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East—and earned one of our SABRE Awards for Outstanding Individual Achievement.

For the 70-year-old Christodoulou, the agency's continued progression serves as vindication of a pioneering mindset that has seen him launch offices in many countries where others have feared to tread. Along the way, Christodoulou has cultivated a reputation as a fearless client representative, braving conflict and chaos to help steer positive outcomes in a variety of sensitive situations.

Action's 40-year relationship with British Airways is testament to this approach. So is Christodoulou's unique approach to management in emerging markets, creating a collegial approach that values relationships above all else.