Agenda

Ahmad Fahad Al-Shagra, a graduate of the University of Sunderland, currently serves as the Chief Platform Officer, specializing in product growth and innovation . A recognized figure in the Middle East tech arena, Ahmad is not only a mentor to emerging startups but also a startup enthusiast himself, having successfully achieved an exit previously. His visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of excellence continually set new industry standards.

Kalpesh Barot, Vice President of Product at StarzPlay, brings over 15 years of leadership in the OTT and digital media space. A pioneer in shaping scalable streaming experiences across MENA, Kalpesh has led transformative product strategies at Shahid and now at StarzPlay—delivering innovations in SVOD, AVOD, sports interactivity, and cross-platform UX. His approach is rooted in data-driven design, AI-powered personalization, and innovative monetization strategies that elevate user engagement and business growth

Visionary Tech Executive with over 15 years of experience in driving innovation and leading digital transformation. Specializing in digital strategic management, product development, and technology leadership, Basel has successfully spearheaded numerous high-impact digital initiatives across various industries, including VR/AR, Media, Sports, Telecom, and FinTech.

Currently serving as the CINO of VUZ, the leading VR Streaming Platform in the MENA region, Basel is renowned for his proven ability to integrate cutting-edge technologies with business strategies, resulting in scalable and efficient solutions. His deep passion for technology and knack for solving complex challenges have made him a significant influencer in the tech community.

In addition to a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Basel holds an MBA in Digital Strategic Management. He is committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement, driving forward-thinking initiatives that shape the future of technology.

Raghida Abou-Fadel is Chief Growth & Commercial Officer at VUZ, where she drives global growth for a
next-gen OTT platform. A media executive with 20+ years of leadership at STARZPLAY, OSN, and NoorPlay, she brings deep expertise in commercial strategy, partnerships, and scaling digital platforms.

As Channel Director for MBC 2, MBC 4, MBC Max and Shahid AVOD content, Lina Matta steers the
creative and strategic vision of the channels as well as works on achieving the ratings and financial
milestones. On AVOD she does a balancing act between TV & AVOD while shepherding new initiatives
like launching FAST channels and integrating podcasters and YouTubers to enrich the platform's offering.
Matta also sits on the Content Coordination Unit (CCU) that assesses all pitches submitted to MBC, and
on the Content Board that makes the case for getting the selected projects greenlit.
Before joining MBC GROUP, Matta was a media consultant at Dubai Media Incorporated, where she
masterminded the transformation of Dubai One, overseeing everything from content acquisition to
production.
As the co-founder of the New York based Brown Hats Productions, Lina Matta co-produced two award-
winning documentaries Running for Bogota, and Prison Lullabies, and a digital talk show about books,
Titlepage.tv . Since 2012, Matta has curated ANA an annual film series at BAM in Brooklyn that
celebrates the best of Contemporary Arab Cinema.
Matta sits on the Advisory Board of the Mohamed Bin Rashed School of Communication (MBRSC) at
AUD and is a voting member of BAFTA.
A native of Lebanon, Lina Matta has an undergraduate degree in Mass Communication from LAU and a
Master’s degree in Film Production from Boston University.
She divides her time between Riyadh, NY, Dubai, and Lebanon

Peter El Daher is a dynamic executive at LBCI, one of Lebanon’s leading broadcasters,
where he oversees all operational, programming, and commercial initiatives. Leveraging
a deep understanding of the network’s heritage and strategic direction, Peter plays a pivotal
role in driving innovation and audience growth.

Maroun Bedran is a digital media leader with over 20 years of experience in transforming content, communications, and audience growth. As Head of Digital at Al Mashhad, he drives innovation in digital products and data-driven storytelling for Gen Z and millennials.

He previously worked with the World Bank, led brand building at Algorythma Group, where he helped launch Alef Education, and headed the business department at Sky News Arabia. Starting his career in business journalism, Maroun has since built a track record across technology, finance, and entertainment.

Freddy is a seasoned sports and media executive with over a decade of experience driving commercial growth across the MENA region. Currently serving as the Senior Commercial Manager at Dentsu Sports International, he leads strategic partnerships and rights commercialization across key sports properties and brands.

With a track record of delivering innovative sponsorship solutions Freddy has worked with rights holders, broadcasters, brands, tech platforms, and government entities to activate impactful campaigns and drive ROI through sport. Prior to joining Dentsu, he held senior roles at VUZ and before that Opta (Stats Perform), where he pioneered immersive content initiatives with leading sports leagues and events across football, combat sports, and esports.

In addition to his strategy and investment role at beIN Media Group, Hugues was directly involved in the technical and commercial launch of TOD in January 2022 and the development of this OTT business since then.

The launch of the first sports and entertainment OTT platform in the MENA region was a key milestone in beIN Media Group's digital transformation, one of the key pillars of the Group's corporate strategy.

Before joining the pay-TV industry at beIN Media Group in 2017, Hugues worked for 10 years in the FTA environment at the strategy department of the TF1 Group.

This explains why Hugues believes there is a path to sustainability and growth through good customer segmentation and a mix of business models.

Hugues lives in Paris with his wife and three daughters.

Remi is a senior business leader with strong international experience across MENA, Asia, and Europe. He is the founder of ELAN Media, providing strategic consulting to media and streaming platforms. Previously, he was Director of Account Management at NBCUniversal in Singapore, where he was in charge of the transactional Video-On-Demand (VOD) business across Asia. Before that, he served as Business Development Director at iflix in Dubai, establishing key partnerships and driving subscriber growth throughout MENA. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at Grey Juice Lab, including Managing Director for EMEA, leading major content and VOD agreements with Hollywood studios.

Mo Harb is the Head of Partnerships at TikTok Middle East and North Africa, where he leads the platform’s efforts to build a thriving ecosystem in collaboration with publishers, broadcasters, and business partners across the region. His work is particularly focused on the Sports, TV, and Film industries.

With over 20 years of international experience across sports business, digital operations, and strategic partnerships in MENA and Europe, Mo has been instrumental in shaping the growth of digital media and content ecosystems.

Amin is a seasoned business leader with over 24 years of experience in the telecommunications and digital industries, having held strategic roles with global giants such as Vodafone and e& (formerly Etisalat). Throughout his career, he has spearheaded commercial and digital transformation initiatives across a diverse range of markets, including Egypt, Pakistan, the UAE, Qatar, and South Africa—developing a deep understanding of regional dynamics and consumer behavior.

Amin currently serves as the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Shofha, where he leads the strategic growth of the company's video-on-demand (VOD) platform, driving innovation, audience engagement, and digital monetization.

Raghida Abou-Fadel is Chief Growth & Commercial Officer at VUZ, where she drives global growth for a
next-gen OTT platform. A media executive with 20+ years of leadership at STARZPLAY, OSN, and NoorPlay, she brings deep expertise in commercial strategy, partnerships, and scaling digital platforms.

coming soon

Cecilio Chidiac is an experienced growth strategist having worked extensively across MENA and within the Media & Entertainment industry. Cecilio is currently the Head of Strategy and Business Planning for evision/ e& life, e&’s media entertainment arm, driving evision’s growth and most strategic projects.

Cecilio is passionate about revolutionizing the way entertainment is consumed across the region with specific focus on Video, Audio and Gaming.

Mohamed Elgohary is the Head of Business Development at Yango Play, a cutting-edge AI-powered entertainment streaming Super App. He oversees the B2B distribution strategy, forging partnerships with leading telecom operators, eCommerce platforms, voucher distributors, and big screen providers across the MENA region.

With a rich background in sales management, partnerships, and commercial operations, Mohamed has successfully led initiatives across the OTT, broadcasting, e-commerce, telecommunications, and retail sectors. He has been instrumental in driving revenue growth for global brands by negotiating and managing key relationships with telecom operators and OEMs in the region. His expertise lies in building strategic alliances, navigating complex commercial deals, and expanding market presence for digital and entertainment platforms

Scott heads B2B distribution and partnerships for the Shahid VOD service at MBC GROUP, focused on enhancing Shahid’s network of partnerships with telecom operators, connected device manufacturers, payment services, and a variety of consumer finance, retail, travel and digital service companies.  

Through 25 years’ experience in the ICT sector, Scott has conducted business in over 50 countries on six continents.  Following his passion for leading expansion in international growth markets, he relocated to Dubai in 2009, and has since helped open distribution and operations across the Middle East, African and Asia. Prior to Shahid, Scott has worked with Mondia Group, Docomo (Buongiorno!) and Motorola, and holds an MBA from the University of Miami Herbert Business School

coming soon