Waleed Isaac, President of NEP Middle East & Asia, discusses AI-assisted image reconstruction, changing sports viewing habits, and why more flexible tendering could encourage innovation.
Inaugural Gulf & MENA Decision-Makers Forum 2026 Concludes in Dubai
This express interview was recorded during the inaugural Gulf & MENA Decision-Makers Forum in Dubai on October 5, 2026.
— What is the biggest change you expect in sports and broadcast technology in MENA over the next two to three years?
Sports production is going through a major transformation because audiences are changing how they watch. They used to consume sports through cable television and traditional TV channels. Now they watch through OTT services, mobile devices, and apps.
Broadcast companies need to capture more value through more camera angles, vertical integration, and a greater focus on individual players or teams. Production technology has to change with those needs. At NEP, we are introducing what we call the NEP platform as a home for these new forms of added value.
— Where can AI create the most business value for broadcasters and sports organizations?
AI is an enabler, and we embrace it at NEP. It allows us to do more, faster, and more reliably.
For example, we have had to reduce the quality of a production feed to transmit it over a network with limited bandwidth. When it reaches our production hub, AI can help reconstruct and upscale the image. It also helps us work more cost-effectively.
— What would you change about how broadcasters, sports organizations, and technology companies work together in the region?
I would change the RFP and tendering process. Current RFPs are often rigid and do not give innovators room to participate. They can arrive just two days before the requirement, with strict specifications that companies must follow.
I would like clients to allow proof-of-concept work and innovation as part of the partnership. That would let us bring more value, beyond simply responding to an RFP.
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