If you’re a global tech brand eyeing the UAE for your next big expansion (or your next big funding round, or your next “hey we’re relevant again” moment), welcome to the party. The UAE in 2026 is a different beast: faster, louder, more competitive, and more AI-powered than ever before.
Winning media coverage here isn’t about blasting out a press release. It’s about understanding how the market really works, who actually decides what gets published, and how to make your story matter in a place that loves innovation but doesn’t tolerate generic noise.
Here’s the no-fluff, CMO-friendly playbook.
1. Know the Media Landscape: It’s Bigger and More Nuanced Than You Think
The UAE tech media ecosystem is multilayered:
English-language tech & business outlets:
Gulf Business
Arabian Business
TechRadar Middle East
ITP brands (Gadget, CXO Insight, Arabian Computer News, etc.)
Startup & VC-focused platforms (MENAbytes, MAGNiTT, Wamda)
Arabic-language outlets:
Where the deepest influence actually sits.
Al Bayan
Al Khaleej
Emarat Al Youm
Al Arabiya
Vertical-specific media:
Cybersecurity, mobility, AI, fintech — all with strong editorial demand and increasingly high standards.
If you want credible visibility, you need a bilingual PR strategy, not a “just add Google Translate” strategy.
2. Be Culturally Fluent — This Is Not a Copy/Paste Region
Here’s where many Silicon Valley CMOs get humbled.
In the UAE, media prefer:
Clear messaging (no jargon soup)
Local relevance (“How does this help the UAE’s digital transformation?”)
Real executives available for interviews
Stories backed by data, research, or tangible impact
Leave the “We’re disrupting X” clichés at the airport.
3. Tailor Your Story to UAE National Priorities
Every PR win becomes easier when your narrative supports national direction:
AI leadership
Smart cities
Cybersecurity resilience
Fintech adoption
Mobility innovation
Digital government
Sustainability + tech-enabled efficiency
A pitch that aligns with these pillars punches above its weight. A pitch that ignores them gets archived without ever seeing daylight.
4. Build Real Relationships, Not Transactional Push(es)
The UAE is still — gloriously — a relationship market.
That means:
✔ Media days
✔ Executive roundtables
✔ Coffee chats
✔ Showing up at industry events
✔ Insider briefings, not press-release spam
The PR teams that win in this market are the ones journalists actually know.
5. Be Present at GITEX — Not Just Physically, But Strategically
GITEX isn’t a conference.
It’s a gravitational force.
Your media plan needs:
Pre-GITEX thought leadership
Exclusive media previews
Arabic interviews lined up ahead of the show
“Noise-proof” launch timing
Owned content + video assets
A post-GITEX news cycle strategy
Brands that wing it?
They disappear into the purple fog of the exhibition hall.
6. Use Research — It’s Catnip for UAE Media
Data plays incredibly well here.
Examples:
AI adoption research
Industry market trends
Behavior insights
What your platform reveals about regional users
If your brand doesn’t have research, commission it or localise global findings.
7. Make Your Newsworthy Moments Count
The UAE media will give you coverage if you give them something worth covering:
Market expansions
Local partnerships
Hiring announcements (especially in AI)
Tech product launches
Investment rounds
Localised features
Government collaborations
The more “local impact,” the more attention you get.
8. Work With a PR Agency That Lives and Breathes the Region
Tech PR in the UAE is not a remote-control sport.
You need a team in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh who:
Speak Arabic
Know the journalists
Understand the culture
Navigate the nuance
Get tech
And measure results, not noise
(Yes — this is where NettResults gracefully enters stage left.)
Final Word
The UAE rewards brands that show up, localise, build trust, and tell stories that matter. If you want serious media traction in 2026, this is your moment — the window is wide open.
Let’s get your story into the right rooms.