Sustainable Media Partnerships Shape Long-Term Value In Saudi Economy At Forum 2026

The Saudi Media Forum 2026 is set to examine how media partnerships can support a sustainable economy by linking media organisations with companies focused on sustainability. The session "How Can Media Partnerships Succeed in Creating a Sustainable Economy?" will look at practical models that turn shared interests into stable, long-term partnerships based on value and measurable outcomes.

The discussion, held in Riyadh from February 2 to 4, 2026, addresses how economic pressures and public communication now intersect. Media outlets seek resilient business models, while sustainability-driven firms require trusted platforms. The forum uses this shared need to explore ways to build partnerships that both support growth and maintain public confidence.

One core question guides the session: why do media organisations need sustainable companies? As audience habits change and competition for attention increases, content linked to social and environmental value helps media outlets stay credible. Working with sustainability-focused companies can supply reliable stories that align commercial needs with broader public interest.

These collaborations also give sustainable companies wide communication channels that traditional advertising may not provide. Through media partnerships, such companies can explain strategies, report results, and present long-term plans in accessible ways. This helps build trust, deepen public engagement with sustainability themes, and support awareness of projects that influence daily life.

The session examines "Partnership Challenges Amid Slowing Economic Growth in Media Institutions," focusing on structure rather than intention. Participants consider how to design balanced agreements that protect editorial independence while enabling revenue. Key elements include transparent governance, clearly defined responsibilities, and impact metrics that show whether partnerships genuinely support sustainable economic outcomes.

Maintaining editorial independence is highlighted as a central concern for media credibility. Governance frameworks need to separate content decisions from commercial pressure while still allowing joint planning. By setting rules in advance and monitoring performance, organisations can reduce conflict, guard against reputational risk, and keep audience trust during times of economic slowdown.

Media partnerships and sustainable economy for SMEs at Saudi Media Forum 2026

The segment "How Can Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) be Created through Sustainable Media and Economic Partnerships?" looks at new value chains emerging between the two sectors. Opportunities stretch from specialised content studios and video-on-demand platforms to audience measurement tools, performance analytics, and advisory services that help design and manage partnership programmes.

These activities are tied to a wider goal of raising community understanding of sustainability initiatives. Media can translate complex reports and technical projects into practical stories that relate to households and businesses. By doing so, partnerships not only open commercial space for SMEs but also link sustainability concepts to visible, long-term results across different generations.

Media partnerships and sustainable economy leaders at Saudi Media Forum 2026

The session assembles leaders from media, business, and technology. CEO of CME in the Czech Republic Sam Barnett heads a large Central European network operating television and video-on-demand services in seven countries. Barnett joined CME in May 2025, bringing more than twenty years of leadership experience across regional and international media markets.

Before CME, Barnett served as CEO of MBC Group from 2011, where Barnett led the company’s 2024 IPO. Academic studies in history and economics at the University of Cambridge, followed by an MBA from INSEAD, shape Barnett’s approach to sustainable media economics, cross-border alliances, and the balance between commercial targets and public responsibility.

Executive Director of Global Chamber London Zeynab Al-Khero contributes expertise in international trade, foreign investment, and cross-border cooperation. Al-Khero is the first Arab woman to head a London chapter of the International Chamber of Commerce and founded ZALK Consulting, which advises on market entry and sustainable expansion strategies connecting UK and GCC markets.

Al-Khero’s work with the UK government and parliamentary institutions on women’s empowerment and inclusive leadership places media partnerships within a broader development context. Here, sustainability is linked not only to environmental outcomes but also to social participation and economic inclusion, themes that are increasingly relevant to public debates and policy discussions.

CEO of Grass Valley Jon Wilson introduces a technology perspective, stressing how digital tools support sustainable media partnerships. Wilson has led the company since 2023 and became CEO in 2025, focusing on transformation and long-term growth. Previous roles at Telestream and Radisys covered global expansion, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic exits in technology sectors.

Wilson’s background as a Certified Public Accountant at KPMG, together with studies at Linfield University, adds a financial and operational angle to the session. This supports discussion on how to track sustainability performance, allocate resources, and connect technology investment decisions with reliable and transparent measurement of partnership impact over time.

Moderating the session is CEO of Media Rating Company (MRC) Bandar Al-Mashhadi, whose organisation is the Kingdom’s only officially licensed audience measurement entity and a national benchmark for advertisers. Al-Mashhadi has more than twenty-five years of experience in engineering, media, and project management, supported by extensive technical and leadership training.

Al-Mashhadi holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Aeronautics) from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and has completed Harvard Business School’s Executive Leadership Program. This combination supports a data-driven approach that connects societal impact with measurable audience outcomes, aligning discussion themes with the advertising market’s demand for reliable metrics.

Through this session, Saudi Media Forum 2026 stresses that media partnerships aimed at a sustainable economy require structured frameworks rather than general pledges. When agreements rest on clear principles, transparent governance, and shared indicators, they can create lasting value, open new space for SMEs, and raise public awareness of sustainability goals in practical and continuous ways.

With inputs from SPA