Majed Al Suwaidi is a prominent figure in the UAE’s media and technology sectors, currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, and Dubai Production City, part of the TECOM Group PJSC. His leadership role involves overseeing these key hubs for media and entertainment in Dubai, each designed to support different aspects of the content creation ecosystem, including film, broadcasting, production, and digital media.
Dubai Studio City is a leading hub for the film, television, and music production industries in the Middle East, located in Dubai, UAE. Established in 2005 as part of TECOM Group PJSC, it was designed to support the growing demand for high-quality media content creation in the region.
What is your long-term vision for Dubai Studio City, and how does it align with the broader vision of Dubai as a global hub for media and technology?
Dubai is the regional epicentre of a thriving regional content creation economy, and Dubai Studio City enriches this landscape by empowering storytellers and creative entrepreneurs to captivate global audiences. As the region’s largest media, entertainment and broadcasting hub, Dubai Studio City contributes to Dubai Media’s vision of cementing the city’s position as a global hub fostering innovation and economic diversification across vital industries and sectors. As demand for localised content, particularly non-English media, continues to grow among global audiences, Dubai Studio City is uniquely positioned to empower creative talent with a world-class platform and ecosystem to produce high-quality content that resonates with audiences both regionally and globally.
How do you see Dubai Studio City evolving in the next five to ten years, especially with the rise of new media technologies like AI, virtual production, and streaming platforms?
Dubai Studio City is and will remain at the forefront of the broadcast industry's evolution. Launched in 2005 by TECOM Group PJSC, the developer behind 10 of Dubai’s most vibrant business ecosystems – including Dubai Media City and Dubai Production City – Dubai Studio City has consistently fostered a thriving ecosystem for content creators. As AI, virtual production, and streaming technologies continue to permeate industry processes and practices, we are committed to empowering our community to produce creative content for a global audience.
Dubai has a strong focus on technology and innovation. How is Dubai Studio City embracing cutting-edge technologies such as virtual production, augmented reality (AR), or artificial intelligence (AI) in content creation?
Dubai Studio City reflects Dubai’s pro-innovation framework, and we empower content creators to craft richer, more immersive stories by pushing the boundaries of storytelling. Our support is evidenced by the performance of the robust infrastructure across TECOM Group’s Media Cluster, which includes Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, and Dubai Production City. Sound Stages at Dubai Studio City and dedicated recording rooms and facilities at the in5 Media incubator at Dubai Production City hosted 198 calendar days' worth of shoots and recording sessions in 2023, resulting in an impressive 358,000 minutes of original content created during the year. This output underscores our comprehensive facilities, featuring backlots, sets, water tanks, production offices, and recording studios, catering to a diverse range of production needs.
in5 Media also reaffirms our commitment to industry advancement. The industry-dedicated vertical of TECOM Group’s in5 incubator, in5 Media builds and strengthens connections between the next generation of storytellers. Located at Dubai Production City, in5 Media offers media entrepreneurs a launchpad with state-of-the-art co-working spaces, screening rooms, and production equipment, designed to nurture the next generation of media innovators.
Can you share any recent or upcoming projects that showcase innovation and technology integration at Dubai Studio City?
Dubai Studio City’s landscape is characterised by a dynamic blend of established players and emerging innovators, all leveraging cutting-edge technology to redefine content creation. Al Mashhad TV, launched at Dubai Studio City in 2023, exemplifies this trend, using AI and data analytics to tailor Arabic-language programming for Gen Z audiences. Simultaneously, production powerhouse MAP-Media Arts Production, renowned for its work on the acclaimed X-Factor series, is expanding its footprint at our district, underscoring its appeal to globally recognised production companies.
Our commitment to nurturing future media and broadcasting talent is also evidenced in the close ties we nurture through in5 Media, the home of start-ups such as Lichi Studios, Iinfinitty, and Glocal, which we proudly featured during our presence at the CABSAT 2024 exhibition in Dubai this May. These enterprises showcase how our ecosystem is pushing creative boundaries by embracing tomorrow’s technologies.
What strategies do you have to attract more international collaborations?
Dubai Studio City is well-established as a global media hub, and we are actively forging partnerships with international players through industry events such as Broadcast India Showto reaffirm Dubai’s reputation as a global filming destination. Our proactive approach is aimed at inviting talent from the world over to leverage the Media Cluster’s diverse community, comprising more than 38,000 professionals across 3,500 customers. This readily available talent base, coupled with the presence of global media giants like CNN and Reuters within the Media Cluster as well as Dubai’s diverse and multicultural social fabric, reaffirms the city as an attractive location for international talent seeking both production expertise and a strategic gateway to a global audience.
Indian companies are tapping into this potential – for example, NKN Media, a media advertising network with a solid repertoire of clientele and particularly Indian partners, announced the launch of its new office space at Dubai Media City in October 2023. Our customer base also includes Zee Entertainment, established in 1992 in India and among the largest networks of South Asian channels, which operates its headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa region from TECOM Group’s Media Cluster.
How do you see the role of Dubai Studio City in fostering collaboration between Bollywood, and the regional film industry in India?
Dubai's strong ties to India, particularly within its large Indian community, create a natural bridge for Bollywood productions seeking global expansion. More than 3.5 million Indians call the UAE their home – representing about 45% of Indian nationals in the GCC – which is not only a testament to the city's high quality of life, but a representation of the close ties enjoyed by both countries. This is further bolstered by initiatives like the Golden Visa programme, which has attracted an influx of Indian talent in recent years including well-known Indian cinematic personalities such as Rajnikanth and Allu Arjun, as well as the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is strengthening bilateral trade ties for continued growth. Combined with Dubai Studio City's world-class infrastructure and production expertise, these factors make Dubai a natural partner for the global ambitions of not just Bollywood, but its impactful regional cinema industries too, including in the Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil languages.
What role does Dubai Studio City play in the regional market, particularly in the growing Middle Eastern media and entertainment landscape?
Dubai Studio City plays a pivotal role in the Middle Eastern media and entertainment landscape, serving as a dynamic hub for diversified content creation. The Media Cluster is home to more than 120 television and radio channels broadcasting in Arabic, English, Chinese, German, Tagalog, Hindi, and Urdu, among other languages. Our world-class sound stages – the region’s largest of their kind – as well as production facilities and community collaboration platforms and networking events empower content creators, including established players and start-ups, to grow by addressing surging demand for regionally relevant stories.
How does Dubai Studio City aim to support the UAE’s goals of sustainability and economic diversification, particularly within the creative industries?
The inaugural Carbon Emissions of Film and Television Production report by the Sustainable Production Alliance found global productions have an average carbon footprint of 33 tonnes per shooting day, with large films’ footprint estimated at 1,081 tonnes. We recognise the integral role our districts play in elevating the media sector’s contribution to sustainability goals as envisioned by strategies including Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’ and UAE Net Zero 2050.
Dubai Studio City’s commitment to sustainability reflects TECOM Group's environment, social, and governance (ESG) agenda, which includes a strong focus on promoting sustainable practices across its business districts. Its investments to enhance the environmental performance of the Media Cluster in 2023 include the installation of water fountains to divert an equivalent of 334,082 disposable water bottles as well as eight LEED retrofit projects at Dubai Media City, as well as a comprehensive, AED 43.7 million project to upgrade operational infrastructure across its nine of its districts, including Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, and Dubai Production City.
Our commitment to sustainability extends beyond our operations, as exemplified by initiatives like the Escape Climate Change – Mangrove Edition escape room, which we launched at Dubai Media City in collaboration with Emirates Nature-WWF and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi in October 2023. The immersive experience aimed to raise awareness about climate change and encourage our community to take positive action towards a greener future.
What are the biggest challenges Dubai Studio City faces in positioning itself as a global media hub, and how are you addressing them?
Dubai Studio City's trajectory is to focus on the continuous tailoring of our infrastructure to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a culture of innovation and solidifying Dubai’s role as the go-to destination for global productions. Our Media Cluster represents a thriving community for creative innovation and a launchpad for global creators, and I welcome Indian audiences to unlock a new world of possibilities with us.