emirates7 - Snapchat has concluded its significant participation in the fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest event dedicated to shaping the content creator economy.
An extensive lineup of 20 sessions, workshops, and panel discussions, hosted at the dedicated Snapchat House within the summit’s venue, was designed to empower content creators by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and strategies to grow their audience, build sustainable businesses, and master the art of storytelling on Snapchat.
The fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit featured 580+ sessions and specialised networks, and hosted 15,000+ content creators and influencers, 500+ expert speakers with a collective following of 3.5+ billion, and 150+ CEOs and global experts. The event attracted over 30,000 attendees from around the globe.
Saeed Al Eter, Saeed Al Eter, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Projects and Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office, emphasised that the 1 Billion Followers Summit is continuously refining its vision and programmes, with the aim to elevate the content industry and cultivate talent by forging stronger partnerships with major global platforms. Al Eter described the Summit’s fourth edition as a turning point in its history.”
Al Eter highlighted the crucial role social media platforms play in empowering content creators, enabling them to scale their businesses and drive positive change within their communities, noting that this role is fuelled by the vast potential of new technologies and the growing use of artificial intelligence.
Antoine Challita, UAE Country Head for Snap Inc. in MENA, said, “The UAE has positioned itself as a global hub for the creative and digital economy, with creators playing an increasingly important role in shaping culture and storytelling. What we’re seeing across the region is a shift toward more intentional, culturally grounded content, paired with a growing focus on building long-term value. Snapchat’s participation in the 1 Billion Followers Summit reflects our commitment to supporting this direction. Through initiatives like the Snap Accelerator Program, we focused on equipping creators with the skills, tools, and understanding needed to grow responsibly, strengthen their storytelling, and turn creativity into sustainable opportunity on Snapchat.”
Snapchat places a major emphasis on nurturing talent through its flagship initiatives, Snap Accelerator Program, which featured ten dedicated sessions during the 1 Billion Followers Summit, designed to guide emerging creators through every stage of their journey.
The sessions were led by a team of Snap experts including Ali Alshehri, Talent Partnerships Manager for MENA; Aya Kalouti, Talent Partnerships Manager for MENA; Reem Matloub, Snap’s Content Partnerships Manager with over 17 years in digital media; Mashael AlBelaihed, a Junior Talent Partnership Associate focused on fashion and beauty; Naif Alqumaizy, a Junior Talent Partnerships team member managing sports and travel creators; and Ahmad Fares, the Creator Education Senior Specialist leading Snap School across MENA.
Complementing this was Snap School, offered across four sessions and teaching creators best practices for using the platform. Snap School sessions featured insights from Mashael AlBelaihed, Naif Alqumaizy, and Ahmad Fares.
A series of keynote sessions, conversations and panel discussions focused on the business of content creation. A fireside chat titled Breaking Through with Content explored how creators can cut through the noise, featuring Snapchat’s Reem Matloub and Ahmad Fares.
Another fireside chat focused on turning connections into collaborations, guiding creators on how to work with brands authentically. Titled Creators & Brands: Turning Connection Into Collaboration, it featured Samer Lahoud, Snap’s award-winning Head of Creative Strategy for MENA; Heidi Felfella, a Senior Creative Strategist for Creator Marketing with over a decade of experience; and Rami Saad, Co-Founder & CBO of Halo AI and a seasoned digital media ecosystem builder.
In Building Brands, One Snap at a Time, creators learned how to build a real business on the platform. This practical panel discussion featured speakers including Angelo Di Sotto, Client Partner at Snapchat with over 18 years in digital strategy; Mayowa Tola-Voss, Client Partner at Snapchat with a 12-year track record in digital advertising; and Shadi Abdel Malek, Snap’s Business Development Manager with 15 years of experience at top tech companies.
A keynote session titled Building your Public Profile on Snapchat by Majd AbiAli from Snap’s EMEA Sports and Media Partnerships team covered the essentials of bringing a brand’s personality to life on Snapchat.
The Summit also featured unique, creator-led sessions that offered personal insight and inspiration. Comedy Over Coffee marked Snap’s first comedy-led creator session in MENA, delivering an entertaining and humorous take on the creator journey, led by Mohamed Helmy, a rising star in Arabic stand-up comedy and founder of HelmyMan Events.
An intimate fireside chat titled The Female Lens: Where Authenticity Shapes Empowerment explored how female creators are building powerful communities and turning creativity into opportunity. The conversation featured successful content creator Sara Al Wari alongside Snap’s Reem Matloub.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit, organised by the UAE Government Media Office, took place from 9 to 11 January 2026 at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future, under the theme ‘Content for Good’.
An extensive lineup of 20 sessions, workshops, and panel discussions, hosted at the dedicated Snapchat House within the summit’s venue, was designed to empower content creators by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and strategies to grow their audience, build sustainable businesses, and master the art of storytelling on Snapchat.
The fourth edition of the 1 Billion Followers Summit featured 580+ sessions and specialised networks, and hosted 15,000+ content creators and influencers, 500+ expert speakers with a collective following of 3.5+ billion, and 150+ CEOs and global experts. The event attracted over 30,000 attendees from around the globe.
Saeed Al Eter, Saeed Al Eter, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Projects and Chairman of the UAE Government Media Office, emphasised that the 1 Billion Followers Summit is continuously refining its vision and programmes, with the aim to elevate the content industry and cultivate talent by forging stronger partnerships with major global platforms. Al Eter described the Summit’s fourth edition as a turning point in its history.”
Al Eter highlighted the crucial role social media platforms play in empowering content creators, enabling them to scale their businesses and drive positive change within their communities, noting that this role is fuelled by the vast potential of new technologies and the growing use of artificial intelligence.
Antoine Challita, UAE Country Head for Snap Inc. in MENA, said, “The UAE has positioned itself as a global hub for the creative and digital economy, with creators playing an increasingly important role in shaping culture and storytelling. What we’re seeing across the region is a shift toward more intentional, culturally grounded content, paired with a growing focus on building long-term value. Snapchat’s participation in the 1 Billion Followers Summit reflects our commitment to supporting this direction. Through initiatives like the Snap Accelerator Program, we focused on equipping creators with the skills, tools, and understanding needed to grow responsibly, strengthen their storytelling, and turn creativity into sustainable opportunity on Snapchat.”
Snapchat places a major emphasis on nurturing talent through its flagship initiatives, Snap Accelerator Program, which featured ten dedicated sessions during the 1 Billion Followers Summit, designed to guide emerging creators through every stage of their journey.
The sessions were led by a team of Snap experts including Ali Alshehri, Talent Partnerships Manager for MENA; Aya Kalouti, Talent Partnerships Manager for MENA; Reem Matloub, Snap’s Content Partnerships Manager with over 17 years in digital media; Mashael AlBelaihed, a Junior Talent Partnership Associate focused on fashion and beauty; Naif Alqumaizy, a Junior Talent Partnerships team member managing sports and travel creators; and Ahmad Fares, the Creator Education Senior Specialist leading Snap School across MENA.
Complementing this was Snap School, offered across four sessions and teaching creators best practices for using the platform. Snap School sessions featured insights from Mashael AlBelaihed, Naif Alqumaizy, and Ahmad Fares.
A series of keynote sessions, conversations and panel discussions focused on the business of content creation. A fireside chat titled Breaking Through with Content explored how creators can cut through the noise, featuring Snapchat’s Reem Matloub and Ahmad Fares.
Another fireside chat focused on turning connections into collaborations, guiding creators on how to work with brands authentically. Titled Creators & Brands: Turning Connection Into Collaboration, it featured Samer Lahoud, Snap’s award-winning Head of Creative Strategy for MENA; Heidi Felfella, a Senior Creative Strategist for Creator Marketing with over a decade of experience; and Rami Saad, Co-Founder & CBO of Halo AI and a seasoned digital media ecosystem builder.
In Building Brands, One Snap at a Time, creators learned how to build a real business on the platform. This practical panel discussion featured speakers including Angelo Di Sotto, Client Partner at Snapchat with over 18 years in digital strategy; Mayowa Tola-Voss, Client Partner at Snapchat with a 12-year track record in digital advertising; and Shadi Abdel Malek, Snap’s Business Development Manager with 15 years of experience at top tech companies.
A keynote session titled Building your Public Profile on Snapchat by Majd AbiAli from Snap’s EMEA Sports and Media Partnerships team covered the essentials of bringing a brand’s personality to life on Snapchat.
The Summit also featured unique, creator-led sessions that offered personal insight and inspiration. Comedy Over Coffee marked Snap’s first comedy-led creator session in MENA, delivering an entertaining and humorous take on the creator journey, led by Mohamed Helmy, a rising star in Arabic stand-up comedy and founder of HelmyMan Events.
An intimate fireside chat titled The Female Lens: Where Authenticity Shapes Empowerment explored how female creators are building powerful communities and turning creativity into opportunity. The conversation featured successful content creator Sara Al Wari alongside Snap’s Reem Matloub.
The 1 Billion Followers Summit, organised by the UAE Government Media Office, took place from 9 to 11 January 2026 at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future, under the theme ‘Content for Good’.