Prime Highlights
- ZEE Entertainment names Ali Zaidi Territory Head – MENA to lead ZEE5 Global’s growth strategy across the region.
- Zaidi brings more than 28 years of leadership experience across broadcast and digital media to the role.
Key Facts
- Zaidi will drive growth for Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Alwan, Zee Aflam and expanding FAST channel offerings.
- ZEE5 Global strengthens its content slate with Weyyak content now available on the platform.
Background
Zaidi now leads ZEE5 Global’s growth strategy across MENA, working to build the company’s market presence throughout GCC territories. His new responsibilities cover driving growth for ZEE’s South Asian entertainment lineup, including Zee TV and Zee Cinema, plus expanding the company’s FAST channel offerings across the region.
He’ll keep running Arabic entertainment brands like Zee Alwan and Zee Aflam too, while scaling up co-production deals across MENA. ZEE5 Global has also grown its content ecosystem lately. Weyyak content now sits on the ZEE5 platform, part of the company’s push to bring culturally grounded storytelling to MENA audiences.
With Zaidi now at the helm, the region looks set for faster growth. The plan centers on growing ZEE5’s user base and turning the platform into the go-to spot for South Asian and Arabic entertainment across GCC markets.
Zaidi isn’t new to this work. He’s spent more than 28 years building a career across broadcast and digital media. At ZEE, he ran the English Cluster as Business Head, overseeing Zee Cafe and Zee Studio.
There, he launched Uncut, a first-of-its-kind push to bring uncensored Hollywood content to Indian viewers, including India’s exclusive premiere of House of Cards.
More recently, as Chief Strategy Sales Officer for ZEE’s North Branch and HSM cluster, he managed a $650 million portfolio and ran a team of more than 100 people, striking partnerships with major brands like Reckitt, Pepsi, Nestle and Coca-Cola.
Zaidi described ZEE5 Global’s MENA business as sitting right where South Asian and Arabic content cultures meet. He pointed to the Weyyak integration, growing co-production ties and the shift toward in-house advertising through Z5X Global as proof the company plans to stick around in this market for the long haul.
