ABG Hosts First Edition of “Marketer of the Future, Middle East” in Dubai,

The Advertising Business Group (ABG) has successfully concluded the first edition of Marketer of the Future Middle East, in Dubai strengthening the region’s position as a hub for transformative, AI powered and responsible marketing. The event brought together senior leaders from brands, agencies, media, technology and government to explore how marketing in the region is evolving.

Held on 20 November 2025 at the Theatre of Digital Art (TODA) in Souk Madinat Jumeirah, the event welcomed more than 200 industry professionals for a full day of keynotes, C level discussions and curated roundtables focused on the future of marketing, responsible advertising and the impact of AI.

Her Excellency Nehal Badri, Secretary General of the Dubai Media Council, opened the forum and highlighted the importance of advancing responsible advertising, creative excellence and cross sector collaboration as Dubai continues to strengthen its position as a global media and marketing hub: “Uncertainty dominates much of the world... but that is not the case in the UAE. We have moved far beyond that with ambitious leadership and a vision that believes the future is built only through creativity, innovation, and knowledge. This forward-thinking mindset is clearly reflected in Dubai’s D33 Economic Agenda, which aims to position Dubai among the world’s top three economic cities.”

The inaugural edition featured speakers and senior leaders from organizations including WFA, EMIR, The Brandtech Group, G42, Dubai Media Council, Dubai Media Inc., L’Oréal Middle East, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, DMS (a Choueiri Group company), TikTok, Khaleej Times, Snapchat, Ipsos and others.

Discussions explored key opportunities shaping the next decade of marketing, including:

The accelerating influence of AI on effectiveness and creativity
The skills and competencies marketers need to lead the future
Building trusted, transparent and responsible brands
The evolution of content, consumer engagement and measurement
Emerging standards and regulatory expectations across the GCC.

As part of the program, ABG co-hosted a high level Responsible Advertising in the Gulf roundtable in collaboration with the International Chamber of Commerce and the Dubai Media Council. Senior leaders from marketing, legal, policy and media discussed how global and local standards can be more consistently applied in the region, and how self regulation can complement public policy to elevate industry practices.

The event was supported by ABG partners including DMS as Platinum
Partner, TikTok and Snapchat as Gold Partners, and Publicis Groupe as Branding Partner, and Ipsos, Tailwind EMEA and Officium as community partners. Khaleej Times supported the event through coverage and amplification.