Karim Daoud

Group CEO at Webedia Arabia

Speaker

Karim Daoud is the Chief Executive Officer of Webedia Arabia, the leading media & technology company responsible for connecting businesses with Middle East consumers efficiently and effectively through strategic, culturally-driven and creative solutions.

Part of an international company, Webedia Group, the company was established in 2018, following a merger of digital media company Webedia Middle East – formerly known as Diwanee (Yasmina.com, 3a2ilati.com, AtyabTabkha.com and Millennium) and Saudi-based online entertainment network specialized in Arabic video content, UTURN Group (UTURN Entertainment, Fullstop Creatives and Made in Saudi Films).

Having started his role as CEO of Webedia Arabia in January 2019, Karim spearheaded this merger, bringing together various stakeholders and entities under one organisation. He has been instrumental in ensuring a seamless post-merger integration process as well as assembling a knowledgeable and experienced leadership team. In the short time since his appointment, he has led Webedia Arabia to gain a large share of the region’s growing digital content market and propelled the company onto a path for accelerated growth.

With extensive experience of more than 20 years in the fields of telecom, media, publishing, and technology, Karim has become known as a veteran in the world of content production. He spent the last 15 years of his professional life leading teams on several missions including the rebuilding of a TV network in post-war Iraq, the launch of a Saudi triple-play digital content platform, and the introduction of digital education solutions to schools and universities across the Middle East.

In his previous role, he was the Managing Director of Pearson Education in the Middle East, overseeing a team involved in the development and delivery of print and digital education products to schools, universities, and governments across the region. Prior to that Karim was the founding CEO of intigral, Saudi Telecom’s aggregator of digital content for TV, mobile, and web. He has also worked at TwoFour54 Abu Dhabi as Head of Strategy and Development, Al Iraqiqa (Iraqi media network) as LBC Program Director, Booz Allen Hamilton – Management Consulting as Senior Associate of the Communications, Media, and Technology Division and Andersen Consulting as a Consultant for the Network Solutions Division.

Karim is the holder of an MBA from INSEAD and is a graduate from the École Polytechnique and Telecom Paris in France. He is based in Dubai where he lives with his wife and three children.