Media & Advertising

The media industry in Abu Dhabi has witnessed a surge in investment recently as sector infrastructure is developed to support the expansion of local production and content creation. By early 2015 direct spending on television and film production was expected to contribute $108.9m to the UAE’s economy over the next five years while the Media Zone Authority is looking to expand the breadth of services and networks it offers, including costume design, hair stylists, makeup artists, camera operators and post-production facilities. Meanwhile, e-commerce presents a significant range of new opportunities, with the segment expected to see growth of 40% by 2020 in GCC states, and with sales likely to reach $41.5bn. This chapter contains an interview with Noura Al Kaabi, Chairwoman, Media Zone, Authority–Abu Dhabi and twofour54.