LICENSING OPPORTUNITIES IN SAUDI ARABIA

Provisional Program

10 AM – Welcoming speech by Dr. Mohamed Ben Laden, President of the Saudi French Business Council (CAFS)
10.10 AM – Presentation on the “Overview and major trends in licensing worldwide”, by Mrs. Maura Regan, President of Licensing International
• Global key figures and indicators
• Most dynamic segments (entertainment, corporate brands, sport, gaming)
• Current growth factors (digital, e-commerce, immersive experiences)
10.30 AM – “Understanding licensing: a lever for economic development”, by Dr. Laurent Taieb, President of Licensing International France
• Definition and operation of licensing
• Concrete examples of success
• Impact on value creation and growth sectors
11.00 AM – “Regional focus on licensing in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East”, by Mr. Amer Bitar, BBM Licensing and Mr. Philippe Guinaudeau, BrandTrends Group
• Current situation of Saudi Arabia in the global licensing market
• Comparison with the United Arab Emirates and other neighboring markets
• Opportunities for local and international businesses
11.20 AM – “Saudi Market Consumption, Distribution and Trends”, by Mr. Eric Reingewertz, Executive Advisor at Mii Research
• Changing consumption patterns, distribution channels, and local economic dynamics in perspective with licensing opportunities
11.40 AM – Q&A and discussions with participants on “How to develop a licensing ecosystem in Saudi Arabia?”
Discussions on key topics:
• Which sectors are the most promising over the next five years?
• What synergies can be developed between local and international players?
• What obstacles can be overcome to accelerate the market?
12.00 PM – Networking luncheon buffet

Speakers

Mrs. Maura Regan, President of Licensing International
Maura Regan serves as President of Licensing International, the premier global trade association for the $369+ billion brand licensing industry. She brings more than 20 years of experience in global licensing and media, having joined Licensing International as Executive Vice President before her promotion. Prior to this role, Regan spent 17 years at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, where she served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of International Media Business, overseeing the organization’s global distribution and licensing operations. Her earlier career included executive positions at MTV Networks, Scholastic Entertainment, and The Jim Henson Company, and she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Mr. Laurent Taieb, President of Licensing International France
Laurent Taieb serves as Co-President of Licensing International France, bringing over 30 years of extensive experience in the licensing industries. He began his career at Ideal Loisirs, a French toy company, where he worked on major brands including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Micro Machines, and Super Soakers before they joined Hasbro. He then moved to CPLG as a licensing agency executive, working on prestigious entertainment properties including Star Wars, Marvel, DreamWorks, and Sony. He later joined Nickelodeon where he opened and managed the French office before expanding to oversee the Spanish and Italian offices, eventually leading the “South Cluster” operations from northern France to Cape Town for a decade.

Dr. Amer Bitar, Founder & CEO of BBM Licensing
Dr. Amer Bitar brings over 25 years of experience as a globally recognized brand licensing and cultural business strategist. He has successfully expanded international brands across the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, leading multi-billion-dollar deals with renowned brands including WWE, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and KFC. Previously, he served as Director of Consumer Products for WWE in the MENA region and co-founded Markettcom Ltd., a leading Middle Eastern licensing agency that was acquired in 2025. He holds a PhD in Leadership from the University of Bradford and an Executive MBA, while also co-founding Licensing Horizons, the premier licensing business platform in the Middle East.

Mr. Philippe Guinaudeau, BrandTrends Group
Philippe Guinaudeau is the Founder and CEO of BrandTrends Group, a global market research firm specializing in brand tracking and licensing intelligence across 40+ countries. He has over 31 years of experience in marketing and analytics, including a tenure as Director at The NPD Group after beginning his career at AC Nielsen. Under his leadership, BrandTrends analyzes more than 75,000 brands, providing critical insights to major corporations worldwide. Guinaudeau is a recognized authority in the toys, games, and entertainment industries, regularly speaking at international conferences and serving on the Spielwarenmesse TrendCommittee.

Mr. Eric Reingewertz, Executive Advisor at Mii Research
Eric Reingewertz is Executive Advisor at Mii Research, bringing over 26 years of international experience in marketing and market intelligence. He has held senior roles throughout Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, including CEO of TNS East Africa and Managing Director for TNS Egypt & North Africa. Reingewertz specializes in market research, survey design, and competitive intelligence for both private and public sector clients. He is a graduate of Université Panthéon Sorbonne (Paris I) and is fluent in French and English.

BrandTrends Group: Turning Complexity into Clarity

BrandTrends Group is a global leader in market research, consumer insights, and licensing intelligence. They collect, analyze, and transform consumer data into clear, actionable strategies that help brands, manufacturers, retailers, and licensors grow with confidence.
Operating in 40+ countries worldwide, they track the audiences that shape tomorrow’s markets: children & families, kidults, and adults. Our unparalleled coverage delivers both a global perspective and local precision, ensuring businesses can anticipate trends, measure brand equity, and unlock new opportunities in competitive markets.
Their unique intelligence stack sets us apart:
• Proprietary Analytics: Exclusive KPIs including the Brand Popularity Index, Consumer Demand Gap, and LicenseSelector.
• AI & Automation: Applied in data processing (editing open-ended mentions), data quality (advanced data imputation), and data analysis (predictive modeling with LicenseSelector).
• Interactive Dashboards & Trend Monitoring: Always-on brand tracking across global markets.
• Human Expertise: Cultural context, strategic guidance, and action plans that make insights immediately useful.