Linda Kender, Regional Director MMA MENA, talks to Communicate about balancing innovation with accountability, combating ad fraud and other practices.
How should CMOs in the region balance experimentation with AI-driven innovation against the need to deliver measurable growth today?
The challenge is not choosing between bold experimentation and accountability for results—it’s connecting the two. At the MMA, we’ve seen that the most effective marketers treat AI not as an add-on but as a core enabler of precision, speed, and scale. That means running controlled pilots, but always anchoring them in measurable business outcomes.
For example, deploying AI for creative optimization or predictive modeling can generate immediate ROI while simultaneously strengthening the organization’s ability to adopt more transformative AI use cases in the future. In this way, experimentation and growth become two sides of the same coin.
With rising concerns around misinformation, privacy, and ad fraud, forecast to cost the GCC over $300 million in 2025, what role can industry associations like MMA play in setting standards and building trust across the marketing ecosystem?
Industry bodies such as the MMA have a unique responsibility in shaping the ecosystem. Our role is twofold. First, to set standards and establish frameworks for measurement, transparency, and accountability—globally benchmarked but locally relevant.
Second, to build trust by convening brands, platforms, and regulators around responsible practices. By doing so, we ensure the ecosystem delivers not only efficiency but also consumer confidence. Associations provide CMOs with both the guardrails and the collective voice needed to safeguard credibility and protect long-term growth.
MMA has a truly global membership spanning major brands and tech platforms. What best practices or insights from global markets do you believe are most relevant for marketers in the GCC as they navigate fragmented audiences, new business models, and increasing regulation?
Through MMA’s global network, we consistently see patterns that are highly relevant to GCC marketers:
- Omnichannel orchestration: Global leaders are moving beyond channel silos to create seamless brand experiences across digital, offline, and emerging platforms. In the GCC, where audiences are fragmented across both local and global media, this discipline is essential.
- Data ethics as strategy: In markets with strict privacy laws, forward-looking CMOs view responsible data use as a competitive advantage. As GCC countries advance their own data protection frameworks, early adoption of these practices will give marketers an edge.
- Agility in business models: From subscriptions to commerce-led media, marketers globally are experimenting with hybrid models. With the GCC’s fast-growing digital economy, CMOs who build agile teams capable of testing, learning, and pivoting will be well-positioned to capture growth.
Ultimately, what matters most is mindset: being globally informed while staying locally attuned. By applying global insights to the GCC’s cultural and regulatory context, CMOs can lead with both confidence and creativity.
