ABG launches Marketer of the Future Middle East: Region's defining event for the future of marketing

The Advertising Business Group (ABG) has announced its flagship event, Marketer of the Future Middle East (MOTF), taking place on November  at TODA Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.

Designed as the region’s most forward-looking marketing gathering, Marketer of the Future will unite advertisers, agencies, media owners, tech platforms, academia and policymakers to explore the trends, technologies and transformations shaping the next decade of marketing.

A game-changing platform for marketing leadership 

More than a conference, Marketer of the Future is a call to action- a space where the region’s brightest minds meet to redefine how brands grow, communicate, and connect in a changing world.

The agenda features a lineup of global and regional thought leaders transforming the marketing landscape, including:

• Trevor McFarlane, Founder & CEO, EMIR Intelligence, on The new growth mandate: From marketing function to growth engine

Stephan Loerke, CEO, World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), in conversation with Eleni Kitra, Executive Director of ABG, on think global, brand local: Building trust in a fragmented world

• Daniel Floyed, Chief Growth Officer, The Brandtech Group, with 2025: The year of tectonic marketing disruption 

• Olfa Messaoudi, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, L’Oréal Middle East, and Ziad Khammar, COO, DMS/Choueiri Group, on Augmenting marketing : Blending culture, creativity, and AI

• Charles Yardley, CEO, Khaleej Times, and Wolfgang Ulaga, CoDirector, INSEAD MSEI, on Marketing 2030: Geopolitics, AI, and sustainability – what will separate survivors from leaders

• Amine Sadik, Marketing Operations Director, Middle East, Procter & Gamble, and Athanas Jamo, Chief Client Officer, Ipsos UAE, revealing new regional research in Who is the Marketer of the Future

• Lea Karam, Founder & CEO, Mindscope, sharing insights on the future of attention: From capture to filtering

• Ashely Rite, SVP- Marketing, Core42 (a G42 company), on Narrative OS: Rebooting marketing in the age of intelligent storytelling.

The CMO Redefined: Purpose, Pressure, and Performance, will bring together three of the region’s most influential marketing leaders for an unfiltered discussion on leadership in 2025:

• Deniz Yamanel, BEO, Confectionery, Nestlé Middle East 

• Alyza Beg, Group Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Easa Al Gurg Group

• Sevgi Gur, Chief Marketing Officer, Property Finder

Moderated by Sami Kobayter, Head of Consumer Industries, TikTok, this powerhouse panel explores how purpose, creativity, and performance can coexist in an era defined by culture, data, and change.

Exclusive roundtables for MOTF attendees

Beyond the main stage, Marketer of the Future will host two exclusive roundtables open only to MOTF ticket holders:

• The Performance Imperative, presented by DoubleVerify, will decode what truly drives marketing effectiveness in a performance-obsessed world.

• Responsible Advertising in the Gulf, co-hosted by ABG, Dubai Media Council (DMC) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), will examine how self-regulation and ethical communication can foster trust and cultural relevance across the region.

These sessions give attendees rare access to candid, solutions-driven discussions with industry leaders and experts.

Eleni Kitra, Executive Director of ABG, said: “Marketer of the Future Middle East is about empowering our industry to evolve with purpose. It’s where marketing leaders, policymakers and innovators meet to build a future that’s creative, responsible and human-centered. This isn’t just a conference; it’s a catalyst for progress.”

Amine Sadik, Chair of ABG and Middle East Marketing Operations Director at Procter & Gamble, added: “As marketers, we’re navigating one of the most transformative periods our industry has ever seen. This event brings the right people into one room to exchange ideas, set standards and accelerate innovation that drives both growth and positive impact.”

Supported by industry leaders

Marketer of the Future is sponsored by Digital Media Services (DMS) as Platinum Sponsor, TikTok and Snapchat as Gold Sponsors, and Publicis Groupe Middle East, Khaleej Time, DoubleVerify, Tailwind EMEA, Ipsos and Officium as supporting sponsors.