The new board representatives elected Nisrine Ghazal, Vice President – Digital at RMS, as Chair, and Elie Milan, Chief Performance Officer, as Vice Chair.
The Interactive Advertising Bureau MENA (IAB MENA) has unveiled its newly elected Board for the 2026–2027 term following its General Assembly held on January 27, 2026. The new Board brings together 15 companies representing agencies, technology platforms and publisher and sales houses, reflecting the breadth of the region’s digital advertising ecosystem.
Board members include Havas Middle East, MCN, Omnicom Media Group, Publicis Media Groupe and WPP Media from the agency sector; Amazon, ByteDance, Google, Snap and The Trade Desk from technology platforms; and Multiply Media Group, Choueiri Group, MBC Group, Rotana Media Services and WGroup representing publishers and sales organizations.
During the Board’s first meeting of the new term, Michel Malkoun, Chief Growth Officer at Choueiri Group, stepped down as Chair after completing the maximum number of consecutive terms permitted under the organisation’s governance rules. The Board subsequently elected Nisrine Ghazal, Vice President – Digital at Rotana Media Services, as Chair, with Elie Milan, Chief Performance Officer, appointed as Vice Chair.
Commenting on his experience with IAB MENA, Michel said: “Serving as Chair of IAB MENA has been a privilege and a meaningful chapter in my professional journey. Over the past years, we have strengthened the organisation’s governance, expanded membership, elevated industry standards, and reinforced IAB MENA’s role as a trusted voice for the digital ecosystem across the region. These achievements are a testament to the dedication of our Board, members, and team. As I step down in line with the term limits, I am confident the newly elected Board will build on this strong foundation. I extend my full support and wish Nisrine Ghazal and Elie Milan every success in leading IAB MENA into its next phase of growth and impact.”
On her election to the Chair, Nisrine commented: “I am honoured to take on the role of Chair of IAB MENA and grateful for the trust of the Board. Building on the progress achieved to date, the organisation is entering its next phase of growth and industry influence. Guided by the collective input of IAB MENA members, my focus will be on strengthening collaboration across publishers, agencies, and technology platforms, and on advancing standards and initiatives that meaningfully support the market. I look forward to working closely with the Board, the Vice Chair, and the Executive Director to ensure IAB MENA continues to serve the entire ecosystem and help shape a sustainable future for digital advertising in the region.”
Elie added: “It’s an honour to serve as Vice Chair and to build on what Michel and the Board have achieved. The focus now is on strengthening trust and accountability across our industry, publishers, agencies, and platforms working together on delivering clear value and impactful standards that drive the MENA ecosystem forward. IAB MENA has the right members around the table to make meaningful progress, and I’m looking forward to contributing to that.”
At the General Assembly, Executive Director Ian Manning briefed members on the organisation’s activities over the past year, highlighting the expansion of resources available to members. He also outlined priorities for 2026, including addressing major industry challenges and opportunities, increasing member engagement and hosting content-driven events featuring global speakers. Members were invited to contribute ideas as the association shifts its focus from providing localised resources to establishing broader industry standards aimed at building a more transparent, sustainable and effective digital advertising sector.
