The chief beneficiary of the increased exodus to more stable and prosperous countries is Dubai, which has now taken over the role of the region's creative hub.
Naji Boulos, managing director of Memac Ogilvy & Mather in Beirut, said the situation in Lebanon was getting out of hand. He said it was virtually impossible to find senior advertising employees in the country, most of whom have left to pursue careers in either Dubai, Canada, Australia or the UK.
"It is becoming impossible to find experienced staff," he said, citing last summer's conflict with Israel and Hezbollah's continued demonstrations in Downtown Beirut as the root causes of the increased exodus.
"It is constant problem to fill vacancies and you can only find junior staff in Beirut these days. Everyone else is leaving for Dubai or Canada."
Georges Slim, CEO of Lowe Pimo in Beirut, agrees: "The problem is that Dubai is giving creatives the opportunity of bigger exposure and of bigger packages, so whenever they have the opportunity they are moving. The problem is definitely there and the problem is to find good creative people in Lebanon."
Although Lebanon has traditionally exported its highly educated and multilingual advertising talent abroad, it has always retained a certain number for itself while others have returned after years abroad. But now agencies have to fight to hold on to as many employees as possible.
Dani Richa, chief creative officer of Impact BBDO in the Middle East and North Africa and the agency's Beirut MD, said: "Most of the good people that were in Beirut are now in Dubai and so the challenge for Lebanon is for it to develop new talent.
"We have to prepare the next generation and make sure we retain them. The challenge is to realise Lebanon's lost position and to work hard on regaining it. Lebanon lost its business tradition to Dubai -- but it has the human resources and talent tradition. If they lose that, there's not much left here."