Dubai Lynx announces 2021 jury members

Dubai Lynx is following its sister festival Eurobest’s footsteps and holding a remote judging experience for the judges to meet and discuss the work remotely. (Supplied)
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Updated 01 February 2021
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Dubai Lynx announces 2021 jury members

  • Half the jury will be made up of women
  • The juries are now tasked with setting the benchmark for the creative community in MENA

RIYADH: Dubai Lynx has announced the names of the judges for this year’s edition of the awards festival for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Half the jury will be made up of women – the highest proportion of female panel members to date for the festival – similar to the global Cannes Lions festival, which has 57 percent of women among the jury presidents.
Cannes Lions also recently completed its jury lineup for 2021 with notable names including Susan Credle, global chief creative officer of FCB, and Merlee Jayme, global president at Dentsu Mcgarrybowen.
Philip Thomas, chairman of Dubai Lynx, said: “A 50 percent female representation is our highest to date and something we’re particularly proud to be driving. The juries are now tasked with setting the benchmark for the creative community in MENA and we’re excited to see the outcome.”
Although Cannes Lions is hoping to have the judges present physically for the international awards, Dubai Lynx is following its sister festival Eurobest’s footsteps and holding a remote judging experience for the judges to meet and discuss the work remotely.
“We have created a remote judging experience that’s as close to the physical judging as we can make it. It’s a crucial part of all of our Lions awards; a human experience but also a rigorous and robust process,” added Thomas.
The list of jury presidents for this year is as follows:

  • Brand experience and activation: Bas Korsten, global chief creative officer, Wunderman Thompson
  • Creative effectiveness and creative strategy: Fernando Machado, global chief marketing officer, Restaurant Brands International
  • Design and industry craft: Greg Quinton, global chief creative officer, Superunion
  • Digital and mobile: Caitlin Ryan, regional director, Creative Shop, Facebook, EMEA
  • Direct and outdoor: Peter Khoury, chief creative officer, TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris, South Africa
  • Entertainment: Luke Southern, CEO, DRUM, UK
  • Film, print and publishing, and radio and audio: Kate Stanners, chairwoman and global chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi
  • Film craft: Laura Geagea, managing director and executive producer, The Sweetshop, China/Asia
  • Healthcare: Matt Eastwood, global chief creative officer, McCann Health
  • Media: Imogen Hewitt, CEO, Spark Foundry, Australia
  • PR: Valerie Pinto, CEO, Weber Shandwick, India

Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”