The ceremony was attended by Mansoor Al Sabahi, Chief Executive Officer, Mada Media; Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Kalbat, Chief Executive Officer, Rail Agency at Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA); Hassan Fardan Al Fardan, Chief Executive Officer, Al Fardan Exchange; and Habib Wehbi, Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer, W Group Holding, owner of Hypermedia.Mada Media, the company mandated for managing, developing, and orgnaising the out-of-home (OOH) advertising sector in Dubai, has hosted its first official ceremony to mark the granting of naming rights for Al Fardan Exchange Station on the Dubai Metro Red Line, formerly known as Al Khail Station.
Held at the station premises, the event was the first formal ceremony celebrating the awarding of naming rights for a Dubai Metro station, and aims to reflect Mada Media’s commitment to strengthening public–private partnerships and empowering national brands,
Under the Metro station naming rights agreements, the station name is updated across all wayfinding signage, road directional signs, entrances and exits, escalators, smart and electronic systems, RTA public transport applications, audio announcements on board Metro trains, and digital advertising screens.
These privileges have contributed to Al Fardan Exchange reaching 19 million consumers, with brand visibility generating around 62 million views last year.
Mada Media holds the exclusive concession to oversee naming rights agreements for public transport stations across Dubai. This mandate extends to 14 stations on the Dubai Metro Blue Line, currently under construction and scheduled to commence operations on 9 September 2029, including two future stations.
Among the most prominent is the iconic Emaar Properties Station, set to become the tallest metro station in the world. Rising within the vibrant Dubai Creek Harbour district, the station will feature a striking architectural design and span approximately 10,800 square metres, with the capacity to accommodate up to 160,000 passengers per day.
The official ceremony for the Al Fardan Exchange Station also signals the start of a new phase in strategic brand partnerships, with additional naming rights events set to follow, further strengthening the integration of national brands into Dubai’s vital public infrastructure.
The ceremony was attended by:
- Mansoor Al Sabahi, Chief Executive Officer, Mada Media;
- Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Kalbat, Chief Executive Officer, Rail Agency at Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA);
- Hassan Fardan Al Fardan, Chief Executive Officer, Al Fardan Exchange; and
- Habib Wehbi, Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer, W Group Holding, owner of Hypermedia, which is responsible for attracting investors to acquire naming rights for Dubai Metro Red and Green Lines stations.
Commenting on the strategic partnership, Mansoor Al Sabahi, Chief Executive Officer, Mada Media, said, “We are pleased to welcome Al Fardan Exchange to the distinguished portfolio of investors who have acquired naming rights for Dubai Metro Red Line stations. This exceptional project offers brands a unique and innovative promotional platform that connects them with the refined, global stature of Dubai, while reinforcing the emirate’s position as a leading supporter of the private sector by offering continuous opportunities for growth and prosperity.
Al Sabahi added, “The strategic locations of Metro stations play a key role in enhancing brands’ ability to reach diverse audience segments, estimated in the hundreds of thousands daily, while simultaneously facilitating seamless access to a wide range of services provided by these long-established national brands.”
This initiative holds particular significance as it underscores Mada Media’s commitment to enhancing innovative investment opportunities in the out-of-home advertising sector and offering high-quality investment platforms that enable brands to engage directly and daily with a broad audience.
Such engagement intends to strengthen consumer trust, reinforces brand presence within the community and supports business growth, while also facilitating seamless and convenient access for Metro users to the services and products available to them.
Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Kalbat, Chief Executive Officer, Rail Agency at the RTA, said, “We are always pleased to establish long-term investment partnerships with the private sector in the context of Dubai Metro station naming rights. The agreement to rename Al Khail Station as Al Fardan Exchange Metro Station represents one of the most prominent of these partnerships, given the distinguished standing of the Al Fardan Group in the financial sector, not only in Dubai but across the United Arab Emirates.”
Kalbat added that the Dubai Metro station naming rights initiative has recorded sustained success since its launch in 2009 through a project that was the first of its kind globally. He affirmed that the RTA remains committed to establishing strategic partnerships with the private sector, given its vital role in driving economic, commercial and service growth across diverse sectors.
This successful public-private partnership model supports the exchange and transfer of knowledge and expertise, creates employment opportunities across various fields, and paves the way for the private sector to support the government’s strategic direction in this regard.
Hassan Fardan Al Fardan, Chief Executive Officer, Al Fardan Exchange, said, “We are very proud to be part of the Dubai Metro network, which millions of passengers use every day to commute across the city. Naming a station on the vital Sheikh Zayed Road, which connects the emirates and its people across the country, after Al Fardan Exchange marks an important milestone in our journey.
Al Fardan added, “This step reaffirms our commitment to serving our customers and supporting them in their daily routines by providing convenient and reliable financial solutions on locations that are integral to their daily lives and mobility needs. As we take pride in keeping pace with the progress embodied in Dubai’s vision for smart and connected cities, we remain committed to enhancing access to our services and supporting urban development by improving customer experiences through the opening of new branches across several Metro stations.”
Habib Wehbi, Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer, W Group Holding, said, “Holding the naming rights ceremony inside the Metro station is a significant moment and a clear demonstration of the strength of public-private partnerships in Dubai. The Dubai Metro station naming rights initiative extends beyond traditional advertising to reflect the Government of Dubai’s broader vision of integrating brands into the daily fabric of society within one of the world’s most connected and dynamic cities.”
Mada Media invites investors and partners to capitalise on such opportunities, which enhances their ability to promote their brands and opens new horizons for distinction and success by enabling seamless and trusted access to their services for millions of residents and visitors across the emirate of Dubai.
Established in 2024 pursuant to Law No. (20) of 2024, Mada Media PJSC is a private joint-stock company mandated by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) under a concession agreement to organise, develop and manage the out-of-home advertising sector in Dubai, as well as to create new innovative advertising spaces and creative investment opportunities to support the sector’s growth.
