The Year in Adtech highlights the platform launches, partnerships and technological shifts that reshaped the advertising technology landscape across the Middle East in 2025.
1 In September, Omantel partnered with Publicis Groupe Middle East to launch Oman’s first AI-powered AdTech platform, marking a step towards a more data-driven advertising market aligned with the Sultanate’s wider digital transformation ambitions. The platform combined Omantel’s national infrastructure with Publicis Groupe’s media, data and technology capabilities.
2 Google rolled out AI Mode in Google Search across 36 new languages, including Arabic, and more than 200 countries and territories. Positioned as Google’s most advanced AI search experience, the feature aimed to better understand user intent and support more complex discovery, from shopping to travel planning.
3 In June, The Trade Desk launched Deal Desk within its Kokai platform to improve transparency and accountability in private marketplace (PMP) deals. The AI-powered tool introduced a Deal Quality Score to assess value, pacing and inventory quality, while automating deal activation and optimisation for both advertisers and publishers.
4 In May, Dentsu launched a programmatic connected TV (CTV) marketplace in MENA via Dentsu Media Exchange (DMX). The move gave advertisers access to premium regional and global CTV inventory through a single, curated platform, reflecting the region’s accelerating shift towards streaming.
5 Saudi Media Company (SMC) and Multiply Group signed an MoU to explore collaboration in adtech, focusing on AI-powered platforms, programmatic capabilities and data-driven advertising. The agreement signalled closer alignment between two regional players with growing digital ambitions.
6 Yango Group unified its B2B offerings under the Yango Tech brand and introduced new AI-powered solutions aimed at driving digital transformation in MENA. This included Yango Ads Retail Media, designed to help advertisers reach consumers across retailers’ ecommerce platforms, apps and physical stores.
7 In September, InMotion partnered with US-based Strike Social to bring AI-powered paid social solutions to MENA. The collaboration expanded InMotion’s performance marketing capabilities, particularly across YouTube and social, following a series of strategic adtech partnerships.
8 Tailwind EMEA was appointed exclusive regional partner for Innovid across 36 markets spanning Southeast Europe, MENA and the Nordics. The unified Innovid platform combined creative personalisation, ad delivery, measurement and optimisation across digital, social, CTV and linear TV.
9 In June, Dubai-based adtech company Napptix acquired Yazle Marketing Management’s MENA business. The deal strengthened Napptix’s gaming-focused advertising capabilities by integrating Yazle’s regional client portfolio and team across the GCC and North Africa.
10 MiQ launched MiQ Sigma, an AI-powered advertising platform trained on, as per the company, one of the world’s most connected data sets. The platform unified more than 300 data feeds and 700 trillion consumer signals to support planning, audience development and activation across the programmatic ecosystem.
