The Abu Dhabi Media Office announced on September 21, 2026, that Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed issues resolution appointing Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani as Director General of Abu Dhabi Media Office. Sheikh Khaled, who chairs the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, issued the resolution with immediate effect to guide the office’s ongoing work in shaping media policy across government entities. The appointment draws on Al Hosani’s deep familiarity with Abu Dhabi’s strategic priorities in culture, tourism and public communications.
Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani has served as Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism since a December 2020 decree, according to records from the Abu Dhabi Media Office. A professional profile from the Department of Culture and Tourism noted that he brought more than two decades of experience in strategic planning and financial management spanning tourism, culture, media, technology and finance. His tenure included spearheading digital transformation projects that helped the department adapt to evolving global conditions while advancing the emirate’s position as a cultural and leisure destination.
Before joining the Department of Culture and Tourism, Al Hosani held senior roles including Chief Financial Officer at Advanced Integrated Systems and Head of Finance and Administration at the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, earlier biographical information showed. He has participated in multiple committees such as the Wellbeing Committee of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and the Finance and Development Committee at the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas. Al Hosani earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Abu Dhabi’s Higher Colleges of Technology.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office was created in January 2023 through a law issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, the office’s official website explained. As an independent entity, it unified the emirate’s media ecosystem by aligning plans across government bodies, regulating media activities including those in free zones and overseeing both the Abu Dhabi Media Network and the Creative Media Authority. The office also builds partnerships with local, regional and international media organisations while developing policies to strengthen media capabilities and enforce brand guidelines.
In March 2025, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan appointed Maryam Eid AlMheiri as Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Media Office with the rank of Department Chairman, a step that reinforced the entity’s leadership framework, according to an earlier Emiri decree. The Director General position now filled by Al Hosani supports efforts to communicate the government’s vision locally, regionally and internationally while promoting creative media growth. Official statements have described the office’s mandate as essential to highlighting national identity and fostering a knowledge-based economy.
Al Hosani has previously underlined how Emirati hospitality and cultural integration drive sustainable tourism, comments issued through the Department of Culture and Tourism in April 2026. In a later interview, he described Abu Dhabi’s tourism model as one that links culture, technology and community to create lasting resilience rather than depending on single attractions. Such insights are expected to shape media strategies that convey the emirate’s diversified development priorities under his direction.
The Abu Dhabi Media Network, which reports to the office, received a refreshed vision in 2023 aimed at enriching public knowledge, producing educational content and elevating the emirate’s role in the media sector, a government announcement at the time stated. This leadership transition arrives as the office continues initiatives to support private creative companies and attract media production to Abu Dhabi. Al Hosani’s appointment underscores continuity in advancing coordinated government communications across multiple sectors.
