Majed Al Suwaidi

MD

Visionary spearheading creative growth to position Dubai as an international media hub

Majed Al Suwaidi is Managing Director of Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, and Dubai Production City – members of TECOM Group.

He provides strategic direction and ensures steady growth of the Media business districts, home to thousands of media companies and tens of thousands of creative professionals. As the Managing Director of this integrated creative ecosystem which is home to many Fortune 500 companies from around the world, entrepreneurs and star t-ups alike, Majed plays a key role in positioning Dubai as an international media hub.

Prior to this role, Majed was Managing Director of Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource City. Under his leadership, the integrated ICT hub became a strategic partner of the Smart Dubai initiative that is driving Dubai's transformation into one of the smartest cities in the world.

In a previous role as Director of Business Development for Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource City, he was part of the team that launched in5, a dedicated platform for emerging talent that supports innovation and entrepreneurship across TECOM's business parks.

Majed has also served as Director Commercial Operations and Director of Sales at Dubai Internet City and prior to that gained invaluable experience with Dubai International Financial Centre and Emirates Airlines.

Amongst his other responsibilities, Majed is a Board Member in Young Arab Leaders.

Majed holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from American University in Dubai and MBA in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University.

IN CONVERSATION: Creating engaging stories and great movies beyond 2021.

KEYNOTE: Collaborating to deliver the Regional Content Amplification Strategy

Country - United Arab Emirates

Madeleine Noland

President

Winner of Futurist Women in Technology Award

Country - United States

Hans Fraikin

Film and Television Commissioner

Global trailblazer on a mission to establish Abu Dhabi as a global hub for Filmed Entertainment Productions

Country - UAE

Fagr Kassim Ali

Director Media Sector Development

Dynamic veteran in traditional and digital media

Country - United Arab Emirates

Nadine Samra

Chief Business Officer

Lady behind the launch of the Award winning Arabic OTT platform

Nadine runs the Arabic digital business and is responsible for the digital transformation. In recent years has focused on building and running all aspects of digital businesses, specifically OTTs. She is passionate about creating innovative digital experiences for mobile and web. In 2017 has launched Weyyak, the Arabic OTT platform with over 15k hours of Arabic and Indian dubbed/subtitled into Arabic content. Previously, the head of digital operations at MBC Group. She has managed several exciting digital businesses and lead them to success such as the leading Arabic VOD platform "Shahid.net" and the largest TV portal in ME “MBC.net”. Awarded "Digital Transformation Maestro” in December 2018.

PANEL: What is your OTT mantra?

Country - United Arab Emirates

Aduku Armstrong Idachaba

Director General

Prolific producer, writer, academician, journalist & media trailblazer

Aduku Armstrong Idachaba is the Director General Of the National Broadcasting Commission Of Nigeria. He is a Professor of Mass Communication. Idachaba holds PhD in Media Studies and has to his credit over 40 international and local publications; Over the years he has lectured at Nasarawa State University Keffi(Mass Communication Department) Bingham University Abuja (Mass Communication Department) and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Abuja . He has worked severally as Artiste/producer at the NTA, also producer of several films, feature writer at the Voice Newspapers  before joining the National Broadcasting Commission . He has served as the Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Director Research and planning, Zonal Director Abuja, Lagos, Umuahia and Uyo Zones Of the Commission.He is an Alumnus of Harvard University Kennedy School and the GeorgeTown University Business School.

PANEL: Taking Stock: What lies beyond the horizon?

Country - Nigeria

Zahra Zayat

SVP-Digital, OTT & Telco

Woman leading Digital, OTT & Telco strategy for region's foremost entertainment network

Zahra Zayat is the SVP leading OSN's strategy on Digital, OTT (currently named as WAVO) and Telco. Before that, Zahra was VP and Head of Middle East and North Africa for YuppTV. Under her leadership, YuppTV has launched in the MENA and has grown to become one of the largest OTT platforms serving South Asians in the region.

Zahra is an experienced media executive with expertise in OTT, e-commerce, digital transformation, telco partnerships, market entry strategies, technology and Analytics. She is passionate about re-inventing the future of TV and revolutionizing the way TV is viewed across the MENA region. Being awarded “Woman Media Executive of the Year” by BroadcastPro, Zahra is also committed to improving gender diversity and inclusion policies by creating growth opportunities for qualified women in the industry. Prior to joining YuppTV, Zahra has held senior leadership roles at OSN and Deloitte.

PANEL: What is your OTT mantra?

Country - United Arab Emirates

Sanjay Raina

Media & Entertainment Professional

Global media professional with over two decades of experience in creating viewer delight

Sanjay's last position was as the Chief Commercial Officer at Abu Dhabi Media, the region's largest media company. Sanjay headed a team of 76 people and his role envisaged planning and strategizing the monetization efforts for all ADM assets

Sanjay took over the position of FOX Networks Group' as General Manager in August 2013, with the core responsibilities to ensure the overall growth and enhancement of the channels with a specific task to build the Fox and National Geographic brand in the MENA & Pakistan region.  

Sanjay joined the FNG team with over two decades of experience in the International media industry. His current remit covers P&L responsibility for the Middle East & North Africa region, Content Acquisition and Planning, Channel Operations, Brand and Consumer Marketing. Sanjay ran a team of 80 over people based out of Dubai.

Prior to FNG, Sanjay has worked across various categories namely Consumer Electronics, Publishing and News Television, Pay Television and Sports broadcasting with esteemed organizations like Philips, Hindustan Times, Times Now, Astro Malaysia and Ten Sports. Sanjay has had International stints in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and currently Dubai.

Sanjay is also an award-winning executive having been awarded the Broadcast Executive of the year at the Digital Studio Awards 2016 and the Broadcast Executive of the year at Broadcast Pro ME awards 2017.

He holds an MBA in Marketing from University of Pune, as well as a Bachelor in Electronics from the same establishment.  Sanjay is married with two sons' and is an avid golfer.

IN CONVERSATION: Creating engaging stories and great movies beyond 2021,

PANEL: Taking Stock: What lies beyond the horizon?

SPOTLIGHT PANEL: What's your OTT monetization plan?

SPOTLIGHT: IN CONVERSATION- Content Everywhere to Content Everyone

Country - United Arab Emirates

Augustus B. Ajibola

Director, Department of Entertainment and Creative Services

Passionate leader promoting creative ideas and endeavors

Country - Nigeria

Bernhard Hafenscher

Austrian Partner, Executive Consultant

Serial entrepreneur, co-ordinating international rollout of a 24/7 e-sports channel

SPOTLIGHT: e-sports going TV – is there a formula yet?

Country - Austria

Catherine Mwangi

Head of TV Production & Programming

Lady fostering creative thinking & innovation for Kenya's first and oldest private TV station

Catherine Mwangi is a seasoned Broadcast Media Executive with 20 years' experience in Television and related services including, media management, content acquisition and scheduling, content and news production, platform branding & imagery. Catherine is renowned as a creator, storyteller, and author with a sterling pedigree in all things content. Her work with the Kenya Television Network as Head of Programs and Production has immensely contributed to and elevated the content landscape in Kenya. Her diverse work in Kenya and across East Africa is oriented towards giving platforms to creators of various content genres, for TV and Digital consumption. Working with a dynamic team of creatives and innovators, Catherine's vision is to ensure that Africa's stories are seen, heard, and acknowledged for their authenticity and story integrity; and perhaps more importantly, the talent that brings those stories to life, does it with skill, professionalism and a touch of finesse.

He achievements among other things include her being the Production Lead for the 2017 Kenya General Elections, leading a team that successfully launched KTN News channel in July 2015, producing the Kenya Special Referendum coverage through 48 hours of wall-to-wall Live News Broadcast in November 2009, and as an integral part of the team that produced the Uganda Elections wall to wall LIVE News Broadcast in February 2011. Catherine led the Project for the creation and development of KTN News Channel on-air look and content philosophy in July 2015. She continues to be instrumental in the introduction of in-house produced Reality Shows on the KTN Home programming bouquet.

Catherine's eye for detail was also key as she was Project Lead for the rebranding of KTN Studios in Nairobi and Nationwide Bureaus. Catherine's involvement in some of the Major events in East Africa's Political calendar can't be overstated including her role as Project Lead for the broadcast that celebrated Uganda's 50-year milestones during her time at NTV Uganda; to rounding up key CEOs in The East African Debate, a live talk show she produced featuring 20 CEO's from 3 East African countries following the signing of the East African Treaty in November 2009. She hosted the 50 Year Anniversary Celebrations that produced special features with guests including Pop Rock Star Bono (Paul David Hewson) and Rwandese President Paul Kagame. Catherine has also dabbled in curating Live sports content from providing direction for the LIVE soccer match in Kampala between Uganda Cranes vs. Nigeria Super Eagles in 2008 to producing the first ever LIVE kick-boxing match in Uganda in December 2011.

Catherine is a well-rounded Content Executive that has straddled across all major content creation spheres and has formidable experience. Her participation in the CABSAT conference as a speaker would add much needed insight of how content is created and consumed in East Africa, and by extension the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Who is even watching Linear ?

Location : Kenya

Kinda Ibrahim

Director of Media Partnerships for the Middle East and Africa and Turkey

International digital media expert, accelerating Twitter's push for content partnerships in MEAT

Kinda Ibrahim is Twitter's Director of Media Partnerships for the Middle East and Africa and Turkey . Her team focuses on accelerating Twitter's push for content partnerships across the news, politics, sports, TV and entertainment verticals through working  with key publishers to prioritize Twitter as their first and immediate platform to reach and engage with their audience across Twitter's live, public platforms. Kinda has over 18 years of international experience in digital media, marketing and analytics acquired in both the Middle East and North America. She joins Twitter from Microsoft where she was the Editor-in-Chief responsible for English MSN Arabia. Prior to that she led the media operations division at Yahoo Maktoob. Previously, she played an instrumental role in shaping the digital and data strategy at companies such as EMAP Middle East, the Yellow Pages group and the National bank of Canada.