Joe Kawkabani has stepped down as chief executive of OSN Group, the Dubai-based streaming and entertainment company, after three years leading its transformation.
He announced his resignation via LinkedIn, calling his tenure “an incredible journey” and thanking colleagues for their support before departing to new ventures.
During Mr Kawkabani’s leadership, OSN underwent a broad strategic overhaul. In May, OSN became the first in the region to launch addressable advertising across satellite and video-on-demand services via a partnership with ad-tech firm Magnite. The innovation enabled targeted ads in set-top box experiences, a regional first.
Earlier this year, global media giant Warner Bros. Discovery invested $57 million for a one-third stake in OSN Streaming.
The phased deal, pending regulatory approvals, reinforces OSN’s position in the regional streaming market and underscores a focus on content localisation, co-production, and strategic expansion.
Mr Kawkabani previously told The National that the Warner Bros. deal was “strategic, not financial”, emphasising knowledge transfer and building high-quality local originals.
Analysts noted the Warner Bros investment could help OSN carve out a unique identity, positioning it as an exporter of premium Arabic originals to complement its role as the region’s exclusive distributor of HBO content.
In April last year, OSN merged its streaming platform OSN+ with Mena-based music and entertainment service Anghami, acquiring a 55.45 per cent stake and forming a unified platform serving more than 120 million registered users, combining video and audio offerings.
OSN also maintained long-term licensing deals, including a 2022 exclusive multi-year agreement with HBO, extending streaming and broadcast rights across Mena, and developed Arabic-language content under its OSN Originals banner.
OSN’s parent company Kuwait Projects Company (Kipco), which owns a majority stake in the platform, has not yet announced a successor. The National has reached out to Kipco for a comment.
Mr Kawkabani declined to comment beyond his LinkedIn announcement.
His departure comes at a pivotal moment, as OSN continues to build on momentum from strategic partnerships, technology-led advertising solutions, and its evolving content strategy.
