The ABG Retail Media Summit 2026 will take place on June 11, 2026, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Organized by the Advertising Business Group (ABG), the half-day summit convenes leaders from across the Middle East’s retail media ecosystem — brand marketers, retailers, media platforms, agencies, and measurement partners — to explore the rapid growth and future direction of retail media in the region.
Retail media refers to advertising that runs on retailer-owned channels — websites, apps, in-store screens, and connected networks — using first-party shopper data to reach consumers at or near the point of purchase. It has emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments of the global advertising industry, reshaping how brands connect with consumers across the full customer journey.
The ABG Retail Media Summit is an open, industry-wide gathering designed to bring the Middle East’s retail media conversation into focus. Unlike ABG’s closed-door leadership forums, the Summit is open to professionals from across the advertising, marketing, retail, and media industries who are shaping the future of retail media in the region.
By convening brands, retailers, agencies, platforms, and technology partners in one room, the Summit creates a dedicated space for cross-industry dialogue on first-party data, measurement, in-store and online convergence, and the standards needed to scale retail media responsibly across the Middle East.
ABG INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
The Retail Media Summit is part of the Advertising Business Group’s broader commitment to advancing responsible, effective, and future-ready marketing across the Middle East. Through open industry summits, working groups, and leadership forums, ABG supports collaboration among the brands, agencies, retailers, and platforms shaping the region’s advertising ecosystem.
As retail media continues to reshape the global advertising landscape, ABG’s role is to bring the Middle East’s stakeholders together to share insights, align on standards, and strengthen the category’s foundations for long-term, sustainable growth.
KEY TOPICS
Discussions at the ABG Retail Media Summit 2026 will focus on the priorities shaping retail media in the Middle East today, including:
- The growth of retail media networks (RMNs) across the Middle East and their role in the wider media mix
- First-party data, consumer privacy, and the shift away from third-party signals
- Closed-loop measurement, attribution, and proving retail media effectiveness
- The convergence of in-store and online retail media in an omnichannel environment
- Collaboration between brands, retailers, agencies, and platforms across the MENA region
- Standards, transparency, and interoperability in retail media
- The intersection of retail media with connected TV, commerce media, and shopper marketing
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
The ABG Retail Media Summit is open to professionals from across the Middle East’s advertising, marketing, retail, and media industries. The Summit is designed to bring the full retail media ecosystem together under one roof, making it relevant to anyone working on, investing in, or shaping retail media in the region.
Attendees typically include:
- Brand marketers, CMOs, and e-commerce leaders
- Retailers and retail media network teams
- Media agency leaders and retail media specialists
- Ad tech, measurement, and data platform professionals
- Shopper marketing, commerce media, and digital advertising practitioners
- Publishers, platforms, and industry partners active in retail media
The open, cross-industry format ensures a broad exchange of perspectives across every part of the retail media value chain.
REGIONAL CONTEXT
Retail media is reshaping how brands and retailers engage with consumers globally, and the Middle East is emerging as one of the most dynamic markets for this growth. A rapidly digitizing retail sector, high consumer engagement with e-commerce and quick commerce, and the rise of regional retail media networks are creating significant opportunities for brands, retailers, and platforms across the MENA region.
At the same time, the industry faces important questions on measurement, standards, data governance, and how to deliver consistent, responsible retail media experiences across diverse markets. As consumer privacy expectations rise and third-party data signals decline, first-party retail data is becoming a critical asset for the region’s advertising ecosystem.
The ABG Retail Media Summit provides a dedicated platform for the Middle East’s retail media community to address these opportunities and challenges together, and to shape the region’s next chapter of category growth.