WPP Media will hold the third edition of its regional NextM event in Dubai on November 12, bringing together clients and business partners to explore developments in artificial intelligence, emerging consumer audiences, media ownership and marketing technology.
The half-day event, titled NextM 2026: Uncharted, will take place at the SEE Institute in Sustainable City. WPP Media said the programme would examine developments in media, advertising and technology and equip attendees with insights for 2027 and beyond.
The space-exploration theme follows feedback from clients who described the 2025 event, NextM: The Canopy Effect, as an “out of this world” experience.
AI, consumer trends and new media owners
Dr Daniel Hulme, WPP’s chief AI officer, CEO of Satalia and founder and CEO of Conscium, will discuss the ethical use of AI to support innovation. Conscium describes itself as the world’s first commercial research organisation exploring machine consciousness.
Hulme has more than 25 years of academic experience in AI and is ranked among the world’s top 10 chief AI officers, according to WPP Media.
Mark McCrindle, a social researcher who coined the term Generation Alpha, will discuss emerging audiences and how businesses can engage a generation expected to become the largest in history.
A panel featuring podcaster Hikmat Wehbe, lifestyle content creator Hadeel Alazaweey and YouTuber Rami Alosta will examine the emergence of creators as independent media owners. The discussion will consider how creators are expanding beyond social media feeds to build media empires, content studios and product lines.
Data ownership and automated marketing
A panel led by The Trade Desk and its managing director, Terry Kane, will discuss data ownership and transparency in automated advertising.
Titled “The Automation Black Hole: Who Really Owns Your Data?”, the session will examine first-party data, supply-chain transparency and the balance of power between advertisers and digital platforms.
WPP Media said the discussion would address which marketing decisions could be automated and which data assets businesses should protect.
Richard Nockles, creative director of sports innovation for Sky Europe, Middle East and Africa, will discuss how generative AI and game engines could create personalised interactive experiences for sports fans.
The session will examine how AI can interpret live sporting action, including tactical analysis and player visualisations, to produce interactive 3D digital twins and combine real-time data with immersive storytelling.
First Arab and African woman in space to headline
Sara Sabry, the first Arab and African woman in space and the first Egyptian astronaut, will be the event’s headline speaker.
Recognised by The Explorers Club as one of its “50 People Changing the World”, Sabry will draw on her experiences to discuss the skills and resilience needed to navigate uncertainty and lead through disruption.
WPP Media said the event reflected its commitment to developing media and marketing across the Middle East and North Africa.
The event’s partners include Amazon and Sky Media as platinum sponsors; The Trade Desk as gold sponsor; Seedtag and JustAd as silver sponsors; and DoubleVerify and Multiply Media Group as bronze sponsors.
NextM 2026 is an invitation-only event.
