Speakers

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Roxana Nicolescu

VP Brand Marketing & Social Media

Wego

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Roxana Nicolescu

VP Brand Marketing & Social Media

Wego

A travel search engine that empowers users to find and compare travel deals, enhancing the online travel booking experience.

About the speaker

A true marketer at heart, Roxana’s passion for marketing began in college, where she studied marketing strategies and public relations while also working as a junior market researcher for a large advertising agency in Bucharest. Over the years, Roxana has worked for several well-known brands in various industries, including aviation, media, and travel tech. Her expertise includes brand strategy development, product positioning, market research, and marketing communications. Roxana has also developed an impressive track record in building brand equity through effective brand management. Roxana currently serves as VP Brand Marketing & Social Media for Wego. Roxana began in this role in October 2017 in Wego’s Dubai office where she focused on developing Wego’s Brand Marketing department as well as played a significant role in expanding the brand footprint across the region. In 2020 the company launched its cashback rewards online platform, ShopCash, with Roxana leading its identity development and market launch. Prior to joining Wego, Roxana held senior marketing & corps comm roles with leading regional airlines and a radio network in the UAE.

Panels

The role of smart TVs and other streaming devices

Anam Amin

Associate Director - Digital Partnerships

Publicis Media

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Anam Amin

Associate Director - Digital Partnerships

Publicis Media

About the speaker

Anam Amin is a seasoned digital marketing professional with over 10 years of experience in building impactful product strategies through partnerships. Known for her strategic approach in programmatic advertising, Anam has collaborated with several regional and global players to deliver winning use cases. She currently works on product enablement and adoption at Publicis Media along with improving video strategies across MENA clients. Anam contributes to industry initiatives, including IAB MENA for their DOOH proposition, and their DE&I initiative. Anam is passionate about innovation and elevating products through strategic thinking.

Panels

Connected TV: Agency and Media partners integration

Wassim Abi Salloum

Managing Director – Nissan United business

TBWA\RAAD

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Wassim Abi Salloum

Managing Director – Nissan United business

TBWA\RAAD

About the speaker

Wassim Abi Salloum is a seasoned Managing Director with over 18 years of expertise in advertising, digital marketing, and brand strategy across diverse regions, including the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. Currently leading the Nissan United business at TBWARAAD in Dubai, Wassim has a proven track record of driving innovation through strategic marketing, cross-functional collaboration, and award-winning campaigns. Under his leadership, the team recently achieved significant recognition, securing the Grand Prix for Marketing Award, Retail Award, and Agency Award for Nissan Middle East among all Nissan campaigns globally. With an MBA and a technical foundation in computer science, Wassim is passionate about fostering creativity and delivering impactful, customer-centric solutions

Panels

Innovations in creative advertising

Shujah Farooq

Partnerships & Content Acquisition Manager

TCL

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Shujah Farooq

Partnerships & Content Acquisition Manager

TCL

About the speaker

Shujah is an entertainment executive with extensive experience in partnerships, content distribution/acquisition. He has been in the content industry for over 10 years; looked after Partnerships for 5 years at Huawei, prior to that he launched EE TV in the UK, and built several VOD services in Europe. Shujah was on the forefront of the AVOD take up in Europe and MENA since 2020.

Now at TCL, the world second largest TV manufacturer, Shujah looks after Content Partnerships and TCL CTV monetisation.

Panels

The role of smart TVs and other streaming devices

Joey Feghaly

AdTech & Growth Manager

MMS

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Joey Feghaly

AdTech & Growth Manager

MMS

About the speaker

Panels

Boosting Brand Exposure with CTV Advertising

Ghida Salem

Digital Growth Manager

MMS

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Ghida Salem

Digital Growth Manager

MMS

About the speaker

Panels

Connected TV: Agency and Media Partners Integration

Awaise Hyder

MarTech Strategy Lead

Annalect MENA

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Awaise Hyder

MarTech Strategy Lead

Annalect MENA

About the speaker

A self-starting, consultancy-focused professional with over a decade’s experience in highly competitive sectors within the FMCG, Home electronics, car rental, apparel, and global finance industries

Gaining experience across account management, planning, and buying, data strategy, media operations and MarTech consultancy; with a proven record of successfully seeing global campaigns, intelligence projects and multi-channel processes from conception to roll-out.

Expertise in building tailored CX strategy projects; driving value through data partnerships and leveraging various MarTech solutions to enhance audience & data synergy, customer journey optimization, and ultimately driving bottom-line impact.

Panels

Innovations in creative advertising The social media revolution: Impact on advertising

Mohamad Sharif Oubaid

Director and Head of Visual Display Division

Samsung Gulf Electronics

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Mohamad Sharif Oubaid

Director and Head of Visual Display Division

Samsung Gulf Electronics

About the speaker

Panels

The role of smart TVs and other streaming devices

David Do Rosario

Head of Digital Specialties

Havas Media Middle East

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David Do Rosario

Head of Digital Specialties

Havas Media Middle East

About the speaker

David moved to Dubai in January 2017 to join Havas Middle East as Head of digital specialties. As such, he manages the development and implementation of clients’ digital media strategies by utilizing the Havas specialties and products. Technology driven, David is constantly looking for new digital technologies and partners in order to provide strategic direction and buying strategies for digital media campaigns.

Originally from France, David started his career at alapage.com -the French amazon- as digital traffic acquisition executive. He then spent 10 years in Paris developing zanox to become the European leader in digital performance marketing as a client service director. During his career, David developed performance strategies for large international ecommerce brands including ASOS, Zalando and Groupon.

Panels

Boosting brand exposure with CTV Advertising

Marie-Lou Penin

Head of Marketing

DanAds

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Marie-Lou Penin

Head of Marketing

DanAds

About the speaker

As Head of Marketing at DanAds, I focus on bringing our brand to life through creative strategies and smart decision-making. Whether it’s crafting engaging social media content, managing email campaigns, or analyzing performance data, I’m passionate about finding ways to grow our presence and connect with our audience.

Working closely with the commercial team, my goal is to position DanAds as the go-to partner for self-serve and automation advertising. A big part of this is delivering fresh ideas, research, and best practices that help us and our clients stay ahead.

With over 10 years of experience in B2B marketing, I’ve had the chance to work in Paris, London, Dubai, and now Sweden. Since joining DanAds in 2021, I’ve seen firsthand the power of adtech to transform the industry and loved being part of this incredible growth.

Panels

The role of smart TVs and other streaming devices

Ksenia Alekseeva

Associate Business Director - Performance - Paid Social

Publicis Media

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Ksenia Alekseeva

Associate Business Director - Performance - Paid Social

Publicis Media

About the speaker

Ksenia is a digital marketing expert with more than 10 years of experience in paid social advertising and 7+ years working across key European markets. Currently leading Paid Social at Publicis Media, she focuses on introducing innovative solutions, products, and strategies to help clients optimize their campaigns and achieve their goals

Her expertise includes driving brand awareness for FMCG brands, increasing sales for e-commerce businesses, and generating leads for fintech companies. Ksenia was among the first in her market to achieve TikTok Advertising Certification, showcasing her commitment to staying at the forefront of social media innovation.

Panels

The social media revolution: Impact on advertising

Shayan Ahmed

Head of Media - MENAP

Reckitt

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Shayan Ahmed

Head of Media - MENAP

Reckitt

About the speaker

Shayan is currently the MENAP Head of Media for Reckitt with 14 years’ experience working across verticals of media; managing consumer connect strategy and media executions. He has previously worked across multiple agencies & companies working on various clients in FMCG & consumer goods category. He is super passionate on measurability and building bridges between media metrics and brand growth.

Panels

Connected TV: Agency and Media partners integration

Saadeddine Nahas

Head of Product and Partnership

dentsu

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Saadeddine Nahas

Head of Product and Partnership

dentsu

About the speaker

Saadeddine Nahas is the Head of Product and Partnership for dentsu MENA, his role is pivotal in enhancing dentsu’s competitive edge by tailoring media solutions that align with market needs. He will oversee the agency’s offerings, ensuring they remain at the forefront of industry trends and meet the evolving demands of our clients.

Saad has over 15 years of experience in the advertising and media industry, having previously held significant positions at leading agencies, including Initiative KSA and UAE. He has a proven track record of spearheading digital media transformations and driving business results for tier-1 brands across various sectors, including QSR, automotive, and technology. Throughout his career, Saad has received numerous awards, including 3 Effies, 2 Festival of Media awards, 1 M&M Global Award, multiple Smarties MENA and Lynx awards, and recognition as one of the 40 under 40 by Communicate annual ranking.

Panels

Audience measurement in a fragmented world

Jad Abou Mitri

Digital Growth Senior Manager

MMS

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Jad Abou Mitri

Digital Growth Senior Manager

MMS

About the speaker

Panels

3 V’s to Unlock Growth Across Digital Platforms

Islam Salama

Founder & CEO

Attech - CTV agency

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Islam Salama

Founder & CEO

Attech - CTV agency

About the speaker

Panels

Boosting brand exposure with CTV Advertising

Debashis Mohapatra

Head of Media

Socialize

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Debashis Mohapatra

Head of Media

Socialize

About the speaker

Deb brings over 15 years of experience in scaling up businesses in the digital era across industries like CPG, Electronics & Lifestyle. He is specialized in performance & retail media along with digital business transformation. Previously he was leading Publicis Commerce Media in India.

Panels

The social media revolution: Impact on advertising

Sa Eva Nébié

Head of Research

Dataxis

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Sa Eva Nébié

Head of Research

Dataxis

About the speaker

Sa Eva Nébié joined Dataxis Berlin office in 2016, after a business degree specialised in media and several experiences in films’ financial industries. Since then she has been vividly contributing to Dataxis’ media, video and telecom research and she is currently in charge of Dataxis’ global market intelligence products, including the data collection, creation of modules and strategic insights published.

Panels

Burcu Dolunay

Insights & Analytics Director, Global Business Services

PepsiCo

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Burcu Dolunay

Insights & Analytics Director, Global Business Services

PepsiCo

About the speaker

Burcu Dolunay is an Insights & Analytics director in Global Capability center within Strategy & Transformation function at Pepsico. She has 16 years of experience in predictive advertising and innovation research, having established systems across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.. Passionate about weaving meaningful stories from data, Burcu is brings a wealth of experience in driving media efficiency and unified measurement in a fragmented media landscape.

Chris Redmond

CEO and co-founder

RedHolt

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Chris Redmond

CEO and co-founder

RedHolt

About the speaker

Chris Redmond is the CEO and co-founder of RedHolt, a global leader in recruitment and consultancy specializing in the streaming and broadcast industries. With over a decade of experience, Chris has built a reputation for delivering innovative talent solutions to some of the world’s most prominent media and technology companies.

A passionate advocate for the future of digital content, Chris also leads OTTRED, a thriving global community for streaming professionals, boasting members from 65 countries and 900 companies. Through initiatives like Media Mondays in Dubai and highly engaging LinkedIn LIVE sessions, he connects thought leaders and pioneers in the media space.

As a seasoned moderator and speaker, Chris combines his deep industry knowledge with sharp insights on trends shaping the media ecosystem. At the NextTV event in Dubai, he will bring his expertise to guide a dynamic panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities in the ever-evolving streaming landscape.

Panels

The role of smart TVs and other streaming devices

Layla Tamim

Director of Ad Sales MENA and Digital CEEMENAT

Warner Bros. Discovery

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Layla Tamim

Director of Ad Sales MENA and Digital CEEMENAT

Warner Bros. Discovery

About the speaker

Layla Tamim is a seasoned professional who currently serves as Director of Ad Sales MENA and Digital CEEMENAT at Warner Bros. Discovery. With an impressive length of service of 10 years at the company, Layla has developed her expertise in marketing and ad sales, bringing a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight to her role.

Armed with a bachelor’s degree in business and finance, Layla combines her business and financial acumen with her passion for media and entertainment, driving innovative solutions and fostering growth opportunities within the industry.

Panels

Innovations in creative advertising The social media revolution: Impact on advertising

Hamad Malik

Managing Director, STARZPLAY Advertising Sales Operation

STARZPLAY

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Hamad Malik

Managing Director, STARZPLAY Advertising Sales Operation

STARZPLAY

About the speaker

Hamad Malik leads the advertising sales and commercial services for STARZPLAY (www.starzplay.com), one of MENA region’s top 3 subscription video on demand service that brings the best of entertainment and sports in one app. The platform exclusively handles the advertising sales and commercial services for Abu Dhabi Media’s portfolio. Hamad joined the business in 2018 to develop, lead and implement the organization’s marketing strategy. After successfully leading and elevating the brand’s marketing initiatives including performance marketing, strategic business planning, digital marketing and brand development, Hamad’s role was elevated to lead the advertising sales business team at STARZPLAY. His remit includes overseeing all day-to-day management of advertising and promotional campaigns, advertising sales strategy, ad sales contracts, identifying new markets, exploring partnerships to drive business growth while generating ad revenue opportunities for the business. With more than 25 years’ experience, Hamad has held senior marketing roles at a host of leading organizations in the technology, lifestyle and entertainment sector where he drove brand value through strategic marketing management. He has led the marketing team at beIN Media Group across MENA as well its key international markets, prior to which he was Chief Marketing Officer at OSN and LG Electronics Middle East and Africa. Hamad holds a Master of Applied Research from Swiss Business School, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Arkansas State University and completed the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Sports Program from Harvard Business School. He is an Advisory Board Member of the CMO Council.

Panels

Boosting brand exposure with CTV Advertising

Ahmed Aly

Regional Media Manager - MEA/ANZ

Henkel

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Ahmed Aly

Regional Media Manager - MEA/ANZ

Henkel

About the speaker

Ahmed is currently the media manager for the Middle East & Africa region, as well as Australia, New Zealand, for Henkel consumer brands.

He has been in the media industry for over 12 years.

He started his career at OMD Dubai, where he was mostly working on the PepsiCo account for over 5 years. Then moved to Henkel to manage the media buying and planning topics.

Panels

The social media revolution: Impact on advertising

Ashok Namboodiri

Chief Business Officer - Internatinal Business

ZEE Entertainment

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Ashok Namboodiri

Chief Business Officer - Internatinal Business

ZEE Entertainment

About the speaker

As Chief Business Officer at ZEE Entertainment, he oversees international operations across 36 channels in 170 countries, managing both linear and digital businesses. Based in Dubai, he is responsible for strategic direction, profit and loss, and spearheading original productions and digital innovations. Previously, he led Star Sports India’s regional expansion, launching five channels and delivering outstanding results during three IPL seasons and the ICC Cricket World Cup. He also held leadership roles at Tata Tea, a German salon brand, and Coca-Cola, where he managed sales, marketing, and distribution across various markets, including an international stint in Thailand.

Panels

The role of smart TVs and other streaming devices

Richard Fitzgerald

Founder & CEO of Augustus Media, broadcasters of Smashi TV

Augustus Media

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Richard Fitzgerald

Founder & CEO of Augustus Media, broadcasters of Smashi TV

Augustus Media

Augustus Media is a dynamic media company based in the Middle East, known for its diverse portfolio of brands spanning digital media, publishing, and content creation. They focus on delivering engaging and innovative content across various platforms, targeting a wide audience through lifestyle, technology, and entertainment. Their commitment to quality and creativity has made them a notable player in the regional media landscape.

About the speaker

Richard Fitzgerald, CEO and Founder of Augustus Media is a media advertising leader with over a decade of experience across Ireland, England, and the UAE. After leading the Social Media department at Mindshare MENA, he ventured into a creative technology start-up, highlighting his versatility and entrepreneurial spirit. In 2015, he founded Augustus Media, a pioneering ‘new media’ company behind platforms like Lovin’ and Smashi. Starting with Lovin Dubai, the local news and entertainment channel is now live in 35+ cities across the Middle East and North Africa. In addition, Smashi TV, telling inspiring stories for the driver, the dreamers and the doers cover 13 verticals including Smashi Sports, Smashi Business and Smashi Entertainment. Augustus Media received the 2022 Fast Company Most Innovative Companies award for AI in media. Richard continues to redefine storytelling in the UA

Panels

Connected TV: Agency and Media partners integration

Nisrine Ghazal

VP digital

Rotana Media Services

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Nisrine Ghazal

VP digital

Rotana Media Services

About the speaker

Nisrine Ghazal serves as the Vice President for Digital at Rotana Media and concurrently holds the position of CEO at AdArabia, a recently established advertising sales representative firm specializing in the monetization of CTV, OTT, OLV, and digital linear TV platforms.Nisrine’ responsibilities include driving the Group’s digital strategy, leading digital operations, and
spearheading innovations that keep Rotana at the forefront of the evolving media landscape. She is deeply committed to enhancing digital offerings that deliver value to both clients and stakeholders, ensuring sustainable growth in a rapidly changing industry.

Additionally, Nisrine serves as a Board Member of the Interactive Advertising Bureau MENA (IAB MENA),contributing her industry expertise to the region’s digital advertising ecosystem.

Bringing over 25 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry, Nisrine boasts a wealth of expertise and has made significant contributions, particularly in crafting innovative digital strategies and successfully spearheading digital transformation initiatives.

Panels

The transformation of broadcasters to embrace the streaming era

Karim Fouad

Head of Brand and Media

Talabat Egypt

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Karim Fouad

Head of Brand and Media

Talabat Egypt

About the speaker

Karim Fouad has been leading marketing communications at Talabat Egypt, the leading online delivery platform in Egypt and the MENA region, for the past three years. In his role, Karim has been instrumental in shaping the platform’s brand presence and driving impactful campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences across the regionPrior to joining Talabat, Karim built a strong foundation in marketing,growth, and sales at Vodafone Egypt, where he held various roles over an 11-year tenure. His experience at Vodafone allowed him to develop a comprehensive understanding of the telecommunications industry and sharpen his skills in customer engagement and business development.Karim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Cairo University

Panels

Innovations in creative advertising

Heba AlSamt

AWAAN Director

Dubai Media Incorporated

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Heba AlSamt

AWAAN Director

Dubai Media Incorporated

About the speaker

Heba AlSamt Arab Women’s Award Winner in Digital Media in 2017 and ASIA’S Most Influential Digital Media Professional in 2015, is the First Emirati Woman to enter the field of digital/ social media in 2009. She entered this field since it’s very beginning started the first social virtual community called “Emiratweet”, which gained huge success and acceptance in the UAE & GCC community. DMI headhunted her after noticing her success in this field, and appointed her to initiate the first digital media department in DMI and in Dubai Government. She took that department from scratch, restructured all it’s digital assets, platforms, apps, websites and social media accounts and took them a new level of professionalism, much higher level of followership and engagement with the UAE and GCC target audience, leading to higher success back to DMI. She also initiated the UAE chapter of the international Social Media Club, and is a member of the MENA chapter. Aside of everything she does, she’s also a consultant, trainer and mentor.

Panels

The transformation of broadcasters to embrace the streaming era The role of smart TVs and other streaming devices