OSN announces senior appointments
May 1, 2020
OSN, the Dubai-based entertainment business, has announced three senior appointments as it continues to expand its presence in the Middle East.
Zahra Zayat joins as Senior Vice President – Telco and OTT, Sonia Lekhal as Chief Marketing Officer and Peter Riz as Chief Technology Officer.
Zayat joins OSN with an extensive experience in both regional pay-TV and OTT. Now serving as Senior Vice President – Telco and OTT on the network’s leadership team, Zayat leads strategy on the digital and streaming business in addition to business development and partnerships with major telecommunication players in the region. Her previous position saw her act as Vice President Head of YuppTV in the MENA region, where she played a vital role in launching YuppTV service and driving subscriber growth in the Middle East and North Africa.
Lekhal brings over 20 years of marketing experience having worked for some of the fastest-growing consumer brands across the world. As Chief Marketing Officer, Lekhal is now responsible for OSN’s brand communication and marketing strategy and plays an educational and supporting role in the digital transformation of the overall business. A former Vice President, Corporate Communications at Emirates Airlines, Lekhal restructured the digital marketing strategy, helping to elevate the brand. Prior to her position at Emirates Airlines, Lekhal served as Regional Marketing Director at the largest e-commerce site in the MENA region, Souq.com – now an Amazon company, where she was responsible for driving the site’s monthly double-digit revenue growth through a 360-marketing approach.
Riz has over 20 years of television and OTT experience within the Middle East and Europe, with a focus in Digital Transformation. Riz takes the role of Chief Technology Officer, where he leads both the broadcasting and streaming technology strategy for OSN. Prior to this, Riz was Chief Technology Officer at Intigral in the Middle East, where he played a key role in driving the company’s digital transformation. He also spent over 12 years with HBO Europe where he was the Senior Vice President – Technology.
Patrick Tillieux, CEO of OSN said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Zahra Zayat, Sonia Lekhal and Peter Riz to OSN. They each bring a wealth of experience in leadership roles at some of the most well-known and respected companies in the world. Their trusted expertise, drive and passion will be invaluable as we continue to execute on our strategic priorities and strengthen our position as the leading entertainment network in the region. I look forward to their contributions to OSN.”