The inaugural Gulf & MENA Decision-Makers Forum 2026 has concluded in Dubai, bringing senior broadcast executives, technology leaders, sports media specialists, and industry decision-makers together for a closed-door discussion on sport, broadcasting, AI, production infrastructure, and monetization.
Organized by TFT1957, the Forum was built around a closed-door format intended to give senior decision-makers room for direct professional discussion without a public audience, exhibition floor, or conventional conference program.
The meeting focused on the challenges and opportunities shaping the Gulf and wider MENA media market, with an emphasis on operational experience, technical strategy, and the business decisions behind the region’s next generation of broadcast and media projects.
The Dubai meeting also marked the beginning of a wider TFT1957 initiative to develop the Forum community into an ongoing regional platform connecting broadcasters, sports organizations, production leaders, technology specialists, and industry partners.
Inside the Inaugural Forum
Forum Partners
TFT1957 thanks NEP Middle East & Asia, the Forum’s Strategic Partner & Host, for supporting the initiative and hosting the inaugural meeting at its Dubai facility.
Special thanks go to Waleed Isaac, President, NEP Middle East & Asia, for his support, hospitality, and commitment to the first Forum.
TFT1957 also thanks Forum partners wTVision, Bridge Technologies, and TVU Networks for supporting the concept from its first edition.
The Forum is intended to operate beyond a single event, providing a framework for broadcasters, sports organizations, production leaders, and technology companies to continue regional discussions throughout the year.
Special Thanks to Ammar Hina
TFT1957 also recognizes the role of Ammar Hina in developing and organizing the inaugural Forum.
From the earliest stage of the project, Hina helped shape the concept, bring together senior participants, and create the conditions for an open discussion between industry leaders. His work as Strategic Chair, organizer, and moderator was central to the inaugural meeting.
His knowledge of the Gulf broadcast community and ability to bring senior industry professionals together were important to establishing the Forum’s closed-door format.
Founding Members
The Forum’s Founding Members group brings together 20 senior professionals working across broadcasting, sports production, digital strategy, media operations, engineering, and business development in the Gulf and MENA markets.
- Feizel Batcha, VP – Sports Partnerships at Genius Sports — Singapore
- Omar Alzoubi, Head of Engineering at Dubai Media Inc. — UAE
- Mustafa Tell, GM Broadcast Operations at ART — Jordan
- Galal W. El-Hakeem, Co-Founder of Transform Media Worldwide — Canada / United Kingdom
- Ali I. Nahle, Founder and Managing Partner at RawLink — Qatar
- Tariq Alhammadi, Manager – Heritage Sports Content Creation — UAE
- Diogo Açafrão, Sports TV Director / EVS Operator at Abu Dhabi Media (ADM) — UAE
- Rama AlDairi, VP of Group Digital at beIN MEDIA GROUP — Qatar
- Ibrahim Al-Jabry, Engineering Manager at Asharq — Saudi Arabia
- Elie Roukoz, Vice President, Broadcast Operations at AFG – Asia Football Group — UAE
- Omar Pleite Guerra, General Manager at Mediapro Middle East — UAE
- Ammar Hina, Business Development Director at NEP Middle East & Asia – Strategic Chair — UAE
- Yusuf Mohammed Buti, CEO, Founder & Managing Director of Harbor House for Management, Media, and Digital Services Consulting – Roundtable Moderator — Bahrain
- Mousa Awni Fakher, Business Development Manager – Video Business Unit at Eutelsat — Jordan
- Emad Awwad, Broadcast QC & Edit Manager at Saudi Pro League — Saudi Arabia
- Abdulelah Alhemaiyd, Senior Project Manager in MBC Group’s Chairman’s Office — Saudi Arabia
- Ben Kimber, Sports Strategy Consultant with the MBC Group delegation — Saudi Arabia
- Ahmad Hanafy, Strategy Analyst in MBC Group’s Chairman’s Office — Saudi Arabia
- Ahmed Sabir, Engineering Sr. Manager at Saudi Pro League — Saudi Arabia
- John Curtis, General Manager at Whisper Middle East — Saudi Arabia
Expert Council
The Forum’s Expert Council brings together senior representatives from the technology partners supporting the discussion, adding regional commercial, operational, and broadcast-technology expertise to the closed-door format.
- Emad Qawasmi — Managing Director – Middle East & North Africa Region, TVU Networks Corporation
- Rafael Castillo — VP & General Manager, EMEA & Latin America, TVU Networks Corporation
- André Chagas — Middle East Regional Coordinator, wTVision
- Michele Dwayk — Head of Sales & Business Development for the MENA Region, wTVision
- Paolo Limo — Head of Sales, Balkans and LATAM, Bridge Technologies Co AS
From One Forum to a Regional Platform
The Dubai meeting was the first step in a broader plan to build a permanent professional community around the people making major technical and business decisions across the Gulf and MENA media.
TFT1957 plans to continue supporting Forum members through editorial coverage, interviews, industry analysis, and dedicated information campaigns while expanding the initiative through a series of Gulf and MENA meetings.
The next stage is the 2027 Forum Roadshow, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia forming the core of the program and additional Gulf and MENA locations rotating as the initiative develops.
The principle remains unchanged: Closed doors. No noise. The people making the decisions.
The first Gulf & MENA Decision-Makers Forum has concluded. The Forum itself is only beginning.
