As the Middle East accelerates its push toward becoming a digital economy, global consumer electronics brands are being forced to rethink their role beyond simply selling devices. For Hisense, that shift is already underway.

From building connected living ecosystems to strengthening regional manufacturing and R&D, the company is positioning itself not just as a technology provider, but as a long-term partner in the region’s transformation.

In this conversation, Jason Ou, President of Hisense Middle East, Africa and India, outlines how localisation, supply chain investments, and a sharper focus on consumer relevance are shaping the company’s next phase of growth in the region—and why the Middle East is emerging as more than just a consumption market.

The region is increasingly positioning itself as a hub for digital economies. How can consumer electronics brands contribute to this broader transformation beyond simply selling devices?

Consumer electronics brands today play a much bigger role than just providing devices. Our real impact comes from shaping how people live in an increasingly digital world. At Hisense, we focus on anticipating consumer shifts and building our innovation around the needs of modern, connected lifestyles. It’s not only about technology, but about how that technology integrates seamlessly into everyday life.

We see this clearly through connected living. A TV today is no longer just a screen, it becomes part of a wider ecosystem, connecting with appliances, enabling intuitive control, and helping consumers manage comfort, energy, and daily routines more efficiently. At the same time, localization is key. Through regional R&D, partnerships, and a stronger presence on the ground, we ensure our innovation is relevant to local lifestyles and market realities. Ultimately, our role is to translate innovation into meaningful, practical value, supporting the region’s digital transformation in a way that is tangible for both consumers and communities.

Technology companies often struggle between being engineering-led and market-led. How does Hisense maintain that balance internally?

For us, it is not a question of choosing between engineering-led or market-led. The strongest companies are built on both, working hand in hand. At Hisense, we combine strong engineering capabilities with a deep understanding of consumer needs and local markets. Our innovation is driven by technology, but always shaped by how people actually live, interact, and use our products. We focus on one simple principle: every innovation must translate into a better user experience. That is where engineering excellence meets real market relevance, allowing us to stay both forward-looking and grounded in consumer value.

You have led Hisense’s expansion in the Middle East through a period of rapid technological change. What leadership principles have helped you balance global innovation with local market realities in this region?

The starting point has always been staying true to Hisense’s vision and values. That gives us a clear direction, especially during periods of rapid change. The second element is people and partnerships. Building the right team on the ground, and working with the right partners, has been essential to understanding the region and executing effectively across markets.

Third is localization with discipline. While we benefit from strong global innovation, success in this region comes from adapting that innovation to local lifestyles, climate, and consumer expectations in a consistent and structured way. And finally, long-term commitment. We have approached the Middle East as a strategic growth market, continuing to invest in technology, operations, and relationships. That long-term view allows us to balance global ambition with local relevance and build sustainable growth over time.

As most global supply chains and manufacturing ecosystems for consumer electronics remain concentrated outside the Middle East, what role do you see the region playing in the future production and innovation landscape of this industry?

I believe the region will play a much bigger role over time, especially as a center for localization, strategic manufacturing, regional distribution, and application-led innovation. We are already seeing that evolve. Hisense has been strengthening its regional manufacturing footprint, including operations in Algeria and Egypt, alongside localized R&D in Dubai. Our recent export milestone from Algeria into Egypt and Tunisia shows that the region is not only a consumption market, but increasingly part of a broader industrial and supply-chain ecosystem.

Going forward, I see the Middle East and wider MENA region becoming more important in three areas: as a faster response hub for regional supply and customization; as a testing ground for technologies suited to local environmental and lifestyle conditions; and as a bridge between global innovation and emerging-market demand. The opportunity is not just to manufacture more, but to shape products and solutions that are more relevant to this part of the world.

If we fast forward ten years, what will the concept of “home entertainment” look like compared to today?

We are currently witnessing a significant wave of innovation, particularly driven by AI capabilities. I believe this will continue to evolve, becoming smarter, more intuitive, and more seamlessly integrated into everyday life. Home entertainment will not only improve in terms of quality, with better visuals, sound, and performance, but it will also become more personalized and adaptive to each user.

At the same time, we will see more robotic and automated technologies becoming part of the home, supporting everyday tasks and enhancing convenience, creating a more connected and intelligent living environment. Ultimately, the experience will shift from simply watching content to enjoying a smarter, more immersive, and fully integrated home experience.

Finally, if you had to describe the next chapter of Hisense in the Middle East in one word, what would it be and why?

Reliable. We aim to become the most reliable brand in the region, in line with our longterm vision. This means continuously strengthening our position across technology development and market penetration, while keeping consumer needs at the center of everything we do. At the same time, we will further invest in localized solutions to ensure our innovation remains relevant, practical, and impactful for the region.

From content creation to media buying, artificial intelligence is quietly reshaping how campaigns are built, delivered, and optimised across the GCC.

In the UAE and across the GCC, artificial intelligence has moved well beyond the stage of experimentation. What was once a buzzword discussed in boardrooms is now deeply embedded in the day-to-day execution of advertising. Brands are no longer testing AI—they are relying on it to run campaigns, generate content, and make increasingly precise decisions about audience targeting and timing.

On the creative front, the shift is particularly visible. AI-powered tools are now capable of producing ad copy, visuals, and even short-form video content at a pace that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. For marketers operating in a market like the UAE—where campaigns often need to speak to audiences in both English and Arabic, while also resonating across a diverse mix of nationalities, this level of speed and adaptability is more than a convenience. It is becoming a necessity.

Behind the scenes, machine learning has also transformed how media buying is approached. Traditional methods that relied heavily on instinct or retrospective performance reports are steadily being replaced by systems that analyse audience behaviour in real time. These platforms continuously optimise campaign performance, adjusting budgets and placements based on how users interact with content.

In the UAE’s PR ecosystem, brands are already leveraging platforms such as Meltwater, Brandwatch, and Sprout Social to better understand media performance, audience sentiment, and the broader buying landscape.

AI is also influencing emerging advertising formats. Digital billboards, for instance, are becoming more responsive, using live data inputs to tailor content based on factors such as time of day, location, and audience movement. Similarly, augmented reality experiences are beginning to incorporate behavioural insights, offering more contextual and interactive brand engagements.

Looking ahead, the trajectory appears clear. Advertising is moving towards deeper automation, more intelligent recommendations, and tighter integration between creative tools and analytics platforms. The industry is shifting from a model centred on broadcasting messages to one that focuses on responding to audiences in real time, with context and precision.

In this evolving landscape, AI is no longer just an enabler, it is becoming the foundation on which modern advertising is built.

Mohamed Fiaz Khazi, Entrepreneur & Managing Director, Euro Systems

Architecture across the GCC is entering a more demanding phase, shaped by the realities of day-to-day operation. For much of the past decade, design ambition was defined by scale, visibility, and speed. Towers rose quickly, façades grew lighter, and skylines transformed almost overnight. In 2026, the focus has shifted to how buildings perform over time and the quality of experience they deliver to occupants.

This evolution reflects a more mature, performance-driven market while maintaining bold design. Questions around energy use, occupant comfort, maintenance, and durability are now central to architectural decision-making. In a region shaped by heat, dust, and intense solar exposure, design intent carries weight only when it is supported by systems capable of delivering consistent performance over time.

A changing regional approach

Façades illustrate this shift particularly clearly. Glass-heavy architecture remains integral to the region’s visual language, yet it is now approached with greater technical intent. Solar control, shading, acoustic performance, and automation are increasingly considered as parts of a unified strategy rather than isolated design features.

Industry studies consistently show that external shading devices, such as louvers and overhangs, can significantly reduce solar heat gain before it enters the building envelope, lowering cooling demand in the process. Fully shaded glazed areas further reduce thermal loads, easing pressure on mechanical systems while improving internal comfort.

While this performance-led direction is shared across the GCC, each market is responding in its own way.

In the UAE, architectural expression continues to take center stage. Landmark developments, hospitality projects, and mixed-use districts place strong emphasis on experience and identity. What has changed is the level of coordination behind the scenes. Façades are now expected to deliver daylight and transparency without introducing glare or thermal instability. Shading and glazing strategies are increasingly developed together, allowing design ambition to be preserved while meeting operational requirements.

Saudi Arabia presents a different dynamic. Here, scale and speed dominate, with large-scale developments and giga-projects compressing timelines and increasing complexity. In such an environment, fragmented decisions quickly translate into operational challenges. Architecture in the Kingdom is therefore being shaped by early integration, industrialized delivery, and lifecycle planning, where performance and repeatability become essential to building at scale. Research from McKinsey reinforces this approach, showing that large capital projects perform more reliably when coordination replaces siloed decision-making.

Qatar occupies a distinct position between these two models. Following a period of rapid delivery, focus has shifted toward longevity, sustainability, and adaptability. Buildings are expected to operate efficiently over decades and align closely with national sustainability frameworks. Façade performance, shading strategies, and acoustic control are increasingly specified for their contribution to long-term asset value and occupant well-being.

Technology integration

Technology underpins much of this evolution. Smart shading, responsive glazing, and integrated control systems are now practical tools for managing daylight, reducing glare, and stabilizing interior conditions. By reducing solar radiation before it reaches the glazing, external shading delivers measurable performance benefits in high-sun environments.

When façade strategies are developed early and embedded into the design process, materials, structure, and systems align more naturally. The result is architecture that feels deliberate in appearance and dependable in operation.

An operational view

The next wave of GCC projects will approach architecture as a dynamic system, ensuring long-term efficiency and reliability. Design ambition will remain high, but it will be matched by discipline in execution. Integration will increasingly define the process, particularly on complex and large-scale developments, with performance considered alongside form from the outset.

This shift represents meaningful progress. It reflects a region learning from experience and raising its own standards. The skyline will continue to evolve, but its true measure will lie in buildings that remain comfortable, efficient, and resilient long after the initial excitement has passed.