Media personality Kris Fade and entertainment strategist Sarah Omolewu have launched KS Konnect, a new strategic platform aimed at connecting global talent, high-value sports and entertainment intellectual property (IP), and culturally aligned storytelling initiatives across the Gulf.
Positioned at the intersection of entertainment, culture, and national development, KS Konnect will work with governments, institutions, and brands to identify and activate world-class sports and entertainment partnerships that support regional economic and cultural ambitions. The platform enters the market with early collaborations secured alongside National Geographic, Disney, The Sustainable City Dubai, and the International Sports and Entertainment Free Zone (ISEZA).
A key development at launch is KS Konnect’s strategic partnership with ISEZA, under which the company has been appointed the Official Talent and IP Agency Partner of Dubai World Trade Center’s sports and entertainment Free Zone. The partnership will support the attraction, development, and activation of global entertainment and sports IP across the GCC, aligned with Dubai’s broader tourism and economic strategies.
Fade, one of the Middle East’s most recognisable media figures, said the timing for the platform reflects a larger regional shift. “Sarah and I have worked together on some of the most high impact campaigns in the region over the years,” he said. “What’s happening in the Middle East right now is unprecedented. Sports, entertainment, and culture here are commanding global attention. KS Konnect was created to help connect the right talent, IP, and cultural storytelling to that momentum in a way that resonates locally and travels globally.”
Fade’s career has closely tracked the growth of the UAE’s modern entertainment industry. He helped launch Virgin Radio in 2007 with The Kris Fade Show, which went on to become the region’s number one radio programme. He has since expanded his global profile through the Netflix series Dubai Bling and as founder of UAE-based snack brand Fade Fit.
Omolewu, who relocated to the UAE from the United States over a decade ago, brings extensive experience in entertainment marketing and large-scale cultural activations across the GCC. She previously founded Maven Marketing and Events and has been recognised among CEO Middle East’s 50 Most Influential Women in the Arab World, as well as the Top 100 Most Influential People in the UAE for three consecutive years.
“For more than a decade, my work has focused on helping global talent, brands, and storytellers navigate the Middle East with cultural fluency and strategic alignment,” Omolewu said. “KS Konnect is a continuation of that journey. Today, governments and institutions across the region are actively seeking global IP, talent, and storytelling capabilities that support economic growth and cultural ambition. KS Konnect exists to meet that demand, thoughtfully, responsibly, and at scale.”
Among its first projects, KS Konnect is collaborating with The Sustainable City Dubai and producing the Middle East premiere and influencer-led activations for Pole to Pole with Will Smith, as part of a regional campaign with Disney and National Geographic.
With its formal launch, the founders say KS Konnect represents an evolution shaped by the region’s growing global cultural influence, as the Gulf continues to position itself as a hub for international sports and entertainment partnerships.
