OSN Group CEO Joe Kawkabani resigns after three years at the helm
Sheikha Dana Naser Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Chairperson of OSN Group, said, 'I would like to thank Joe for his dedicated leadership and valuable contributions. His efforts have laid a strong foundation for OSN's continued growth and reflect a mutual understanding of the company's ongoing strategic priorities.'
Sheikha Al Sabah added, 'As we move forward, our full commitment remains to offer our subscribers the best and most unique media content experience in the region.'
Most recently, Campaign Middle East reported on OSN's partnership with Magnite to power its 'Advanced TV,' addressable advertising across the network's STB linear broadcast and VOD inventory. The deal saw the independent sell-side advertising company manage the delivery of the advertising format to OSN set-top boxes across the region with its Magnite SpringServe video platform ad server.
Prior to this, Mastercard and OSN+ went past the rules of traditional retail advertising by orchestrating compelling campaigns which turned Amazon's touchpoints into their playground and helped them reach and engage new audiences in the MENA region. Their success stories reveal how Amazon's first-party signals and insights combined with their creative canvas solutions are redefining what's possible in advertising.
Commenting on his resignation from the Group CEO role, Joe Kawkabani said, 'After three incredible years, I have decided to move on to the next challenge. It has been my privilege to lead OSN and to drive its growth and transformation.'
Kawkabani added, 'Through strategic investments and local and international partnerships, we unlocked new growth opportunities for OSN in a challenging but exciting time for the media industry. I am deeply thankful to the Chairperson Sheikha Dana and the Board for their support throughout this journey, and I look forward to seeing OSN's continued success.'
Earlier in 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced a strategic minority investment in OSN Streaming Ltd., a subsidiary of OSN Group, reinforcing WBD's commitment to the region's rapidly growing streaming landscape.
In 2024, OSN Group acquired 55.45 per cent of Anghami Inc., merging it with OSN+ and creating a media and entertainment powerhouse.
Furthermore, OSN has continued to evolve its offering, securing long-term partnerships with major global players, including its exclusive deal with HBO in 2022.
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The National
28-07-2025
- The National
OSN Group CEO Joe Kawkabani steps down after three years
Joe Kawkabani has stepped down as chief executive of OSN Group, the Dubai-based streaming and entertainment company, after three years leading its transformation. He announced his resignation via LinkedIn, calling his tenure 'an incredible journey' and thanking colleagues for their support before departing to new ventures. During Mr Kawkabani's leadership, OSN underwent a broad strategic overhaul. In May, OSN became the first in the region to launch addressable advertising across satellite and video-on-demand services via a partnership with ad-tech firm Magnite. The innovation enabled targeted ads in set-top box experiences, a regional first. Earlier this year, global media giant Warner Bros. Discovery invested $57 million for a one-third stake in OSN Streaming. The phased deal, pending regulatory approvals, reinforces OSN's position in the regional streaming market and underscores a focus on content localisation, co-production, and strategic expansion. Mr Kawkabani previously told The National that the Warner Bros. deal was 'strategic, not financial', emphasising knowledge transfer and building high-quality local originals. Analysts noted the Warner Bros investment could help OSN carve out a unique identity, positioning it as an exporter of premium Arabic originals to complement its role as the region's exclusive distributor of HBO content. In April last year, OSN merged its streaming platform OSN+ with Mena-based music and entertainment service Anghami, acquiring a 55.45 per cent stake and forming a unified platform serving more than 120 million registered users, combining video and audio offerings. OSN also maintained long-term licensing deals, including a 2022 exclusive multi-year agreement with HBO, extending streaming and broadcast rights across Mena, and developed Arabic-language content under its OSN Originals banner. OSN's parent company Kuwait Projects Company (Kipco), which owns a majority stake in the platform, has not yet announced a successor. The National has reached out to Kipco for a comment. His departure comes at a pivotal moment, as OSN continues to build on momentum from strategic partnerships, technology-led advertising solutions, and its evolving content strategy.
Gulf Business
28-07-2025
- Gulf Business
OSN group CEO Joe Kawkabani to step down
Image: LinkedIn Kawkabani's tenure, which lasted three years, saw significant strategic developments for the media company. Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) made a strategic minority investment in OSN Streaming, an OSN Group subsidiary. In 2024, OSN Group acquired 55.45 per cent of The company also secured long-term partnerships, including an exclusive deal with HBO in 2022. OSN chair thanks Kawkabani for his contribution Sheikha Dana Naser Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, chairperson of OSN Group, thanked Kawkabani for his 'dedicated leadership and valuable contributions,' adding, 'As we move forward, our full commitment remains to offer our subscribers the best and most unique media content experience in the region.' Kawkabani stated, 'After three incredible years, I have decided to move on to the next challenge. It has been my privilege to lead OSN and to drive its growth and transformation. Through strategic investments and local and international partnerships, we unlocked new growth opportunities for OSN in a challenging but exciting time for the media industry.'
Campaign ME
28-07-2025
- Campaign ME
OSN Group CEO Joe Kawkabani resigns after three years at the helm
OSN has officially confirmed the resignation of its CEO Joe Kawkabani, who has been driving the company's growth through strategic vision, partnerships and investments for the past three years. Sheikha Dana Naser Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Chairperson of OSN Group, said, 'I would like to thank Joe for his dedicated leadership and valuable contributions. His efforts have laid a strong foundation for OSN's continued growth and reflect a mutual understanding of the company's ongoing strategic priorities.' Sheikha Al Sabah added, 'As we move forward, our full commitment remains to offer our subscribers the best and most unique media content experience in the region.' Most recently, Campaign Middle East reported on OSN's partnership with Magnite to power its 'Advanced TV,' addressable advertising across the network's STB linear broadcast and VOD inventory. The deal saw the independent sell-side advertising company manage the delivery of the advertising format to OSN set-top boxes across the region with its Magnite SpringServe video platform ad server. Prior to this, Mastercard and OSN+ went past the rules of traditional retail advertising by orchestrating compelling campaigns which turned Amazon's touchpoints into their playground and helped them reach and engage new audiences in the MENA region. Their success stories reveal how Amazon's first-party signals and insights combined with their creative canvas solutions are redefining what's possible in advertising. Commenting on his resignation from the Group CEO role, Joe Kawkabani said, 'After three incredible years, I have decided to move on to the next challenge. It has been my privilege to lead OSN and to drive its growth and transformation.' Kawkabani added, 'Through strategic investments and local and international partnerships, we unlocked new growth opportunities for OSN in a challenging but exciting time for the media industry. I am deeply thankful to the Chairperson Sheikha Dana and the Board for their support throughout this journey, and I look forward to seeing OSN's continued success.' Earlier in 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced a strategic minority investment in OSN Streaming Ltd., a subsidiary of OSN Group, reinforcing WBD's commitment to the region's rapidly growing streaming landscape. In 2024, OSN Group acquired 55.45 per cent of Anghami Inc., merging it with OSN+ and creating a media and entertainment powerhouse. Furthermore, OSN has continued to evolve its offering, securing long-term partnerships with major global players, including its exclusive deal with HBO in 2022.
