FreeWheel, the Comcast-owned technology company, has appointed Hamid Davari as Commercial Director – MENA, placing him at the forefront of the company’s expansion plans across the Middle East and North Africa.
Davari brings more than two decades of experience across television and streaming, with expertise spanning advertising, partnerships and business development. Before joining FreeWheel, he was with OSN, the MENA-based PayTV and streaming platform, where he held the position of Senior Director – Head of Advertising.
At OSN, Davari played an early role in developing and launching an Advanced TV, or addressable TV, offering in the region. He has also been recognised for his work in CTV advertising and strategy and has contributed to industry development through the IAB MENA CTV Taskforce and various industry whitepapers.
At FreeWheel, Davari will focus on helping regional media companies address complex buy-side and sell-side requirements by modernising their technology infrastructure for premium video environments.
“FreeWheel was built from the ground up specifically for premium video, and I am excited to lead our expansion across the MENA region,” said Hamid Davari, Commercial Director – MENA at FreeWheel. “CTV and premium video are becoming top priorities for regional brands. As a global leader in premium video, FreeWheel is best positioned to support the industry here in this evolving space, delivering planning, targeting, execution, and reporting capabilities never before available in this region.”
As part of the expansion, regional agencies will gain direct access to Comcast-owned media for international campaigns, alongside access to 80 per cent of broadcasters and streaming platforms using FreeWheel across North America and Europe.
The company will also enable broadcasters and streaming platforms to make greater use of its end-to-end technology stack. The offering is designed to help publishers generate demand by providing agencies with data, advanced planning capabilities and local marketplace solutions.
“Hamid’s appointment marks a key milestone in FreeWheel’s expansion, as we accelerate our growth in MENA,” said Gerald Sauvageon, Senior Director – Growth and Emerging Markets, FreeWheel. “With proven experience in the region’s TV and streaming landscape, Hamid will be invaluable as we deliver FreeWheel’s world-class technology and value to our local partners, helping them to unlock the full potential of premium video.”
The appointment comes as the MENA advertising market continues to evolve, with connected TV increasingly becoming a focus for advertisers. While the region has historically seen relatively lower utilisation of linear TV advertising alongside significant investment in social and performance channels, CTV is emerging as a link between premium video and digital advertising.
FreeWheel’s MENA expansion is aimed at helping premium video publishers and agencies address challenges around scalability, audience targeting and unified reporting, while supporting the development of the region’s CTV ecosystem.
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