Appointment comes amid rapid global OOH growth, accelerating digital transformation and the international expansion of UAE-headquartered media platforms

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Jawad Hassan, Head of the Media and Communications Vertical at Abu Dhabi-based 2PointZero Group and Chairman and Managing Director of Multiply Media Group (MMG), has joined the Board of Directors of DPAA, the global trade marketing association driving the growth and digitisation of out-of-home (OOH) advertising.

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The appointment brings a UAE and wider EMEA perspective to DPAA’s Board at a time when the global OOH industry is undergoing significant transformation, driven by digitisation, artificial intelligence, data and new models of audience connectivity.

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This transformation is being reflected in both industry growth and accelerating digitisation. According to the World Out of Home Organization’s 2026 Global Expenditure Report, global OOH revenues reached US$54.2 billion in 2025, up 15% year-on-year, with digital OOH accounting for 47% of total global OOH revenues. In the UAE, IAB MENA identified more than 5,000 programmatically available OOH screens as of July 2026.  

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It also comes amid the international expansion of the UAE’s OOH sector. Headquartered in the UAE, MMG operates one of the country’s largest outdoor media portfolios, with more than 3,000 advertising units, while expanding its international footprint through operations in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. Across its portfolio, the Group is increasingly integrating data, technology, audience intelligence and AI into its OOH offering.

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Hassan’s appointment gives the UAE and wider EMEA region further representation in international industry conversations around the evolution of OOH, including the growing convergence of physical media, technology, data and artificial intelligence.

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Commenting on this, DPAA President and CEO Barry Frey said: “In addition to the natural synergies with DPAA’s mission across DOOH including the fast growing retail media space, Jawad brings proficient knowledge of the global marketplace - including the fast-expanding EMEA region - to our board. During a time in which real-life marketing is becoming more innovative, impactful and integral to brands and agencies around the world, it is imperative for our industry to glean knowledge from and share ideas with their counterparts around the world”.  

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Jawad Hassan said: “I am pleased to join the DPAA Board at a time when the out-of-home industry is being reshaped by technology, data and new models of connectivity. The transformation we are seeing in OOH reflects a broader shift taking place across industries, as AI and emerging technologies create new ways to connect businesses, brands and audiences, unlock greater value and drive sustainable growth. I look forward to bringing the perspective of the UAE and EMEA region to DPAA, while contributing to the global dialogue on how innovation and strategic thinking can help shape the next generation of connected media ecosystems.”

Hassan has more than 25 years of experience building, scaling and transforming businesses across the media, advertising, communications and technology sectors. At 2PointZero, he leads the Group’s Media and Communications Vertical, with responsibility spanning strategy, organic and inorganic growth, M&A, portfolio development, international expansion, digital transformation and long-term value creation.

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His portfolio includes MMG, where he serves as Chairman and Managing Director. MMG brings together Backlite Media, Backlite KSA, Backlite UK, Media 247 and Viola Media, with operations spanning the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. The Group is building an increasingly technology-enabled OOH ecosystem combining premium media assets with AI, data, audience intelligence and new operating models.

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Hassan also serves as a Board Member of Media 247, a Board Observer at Firefly in the United States and a Board Member of the World Out of Home Organization, working across the international advertising ecosystem with media owners, brands, agencies, investors and technology companies.