Personalisation, sustainability and the digital transformation in print in the Middle East

FESPA Middle East 2025 will return to Dubai from 20 – 22 January at the Dubai Exhibition Centre. During this event a 3-day conference programme will offer useful trends and business advice for those in both the speciality and signage sectors. In this blog, the conference programme for 21 January will be covered as well as information about the industry experts that will be partaking in these sessions.

During the second day of the conference programme the sessions will cover the current trends and opportunities in personalisation, the regional challenges and the digital transformation in the printing industry as well as the latest technological advances in sustainable printing and the role sustainability plays in print.

The story of personalisation so far

Caption: Richard Askam

Since 2007, Richard Askam has been working in Personalisation and has been involved in numerous exciting campaigns that have personalised products at the heart of their offering. He is the Founder of Woolly North Consulting Limited which offer marketing solutions to brands, business and organisations around the world to help them engage with customers on a personal level and is the Non-Executive Director at Ballpix Limited who have developed technology to print individual text and photo personalisation directly on to the curved surface of a sports ball.

He has lead campaigns for famous brands such as Coca-Cola, Marmite, Toblerone, Kit Kat, Nutella and many more. In this session, Richard will discuss the journey of Personalisation from hand applied labels in 2010 to AI generated art in 2024. He provides insight regarding how personalisation provides a unique offering and engages consumers like nothing else does.

The power of personalisation and unlocking its potential

Caption: From left to right, Richard Askam, Samer Abdel Qader from Bolough Al Maram and Mohamed Alayat, Founder of Event Gift.

In an additional session, Richard will also discuss “The Power of Personalisation” where he will lead a discussion regarding the importance of personalisation in today’s world. The other experts that will be joining this panel include Samer Abdel Qader, Managing Director at Bolough Al Maram who are a paper distributor from UAE  to overseas clients and Mohamed Alayat is the Founder of Event Gift and has been leading a time of creative professionals the last nine years. Event Gift delivers gift solutions across the Middle East.
They will explore the different techniques that is driving the success of personalisation and the transformative impact it has on both businesses and customer engagement.

Regional challenges and the digital transformation in the printing industry

Caption: Samer Abdel Qader from Bolough Al Maram

Samer Abdel Qadar from Bolough Al Maram will discuss the various regional challenges that are experienced in the printing industry as it undergoes a digital transformation. He will focus on the type of print buyers’ requirements, and the publishing industry changes. His session will cover key topics, including market trends, technological advancements, and strategies for adapting to digital workflows while simultaneously addressing customer needs in a highly competitive environment.

How sustainability meets technology

Caption: Mohamed Alayat, the Founder and Managing Director of Event Gift

Mohamed Alayat, the Founder and Managing Director of Event Gift will deliver a session on how the printing industry is using the newest technologies to tackle sustainability challenges. These range from eco-friendly inks, the latest innovations in digital printing, AI, waste reduction strategies and will provide guidance on how these latest advancements are transforming print businesses to become more environmentally responsible.

Visitors to this session will experience actionable insights and examples of how different printers and brands are ensuring that including sustainable measures in their business will help in meeting the growing demand for greener solutions from their customers.

Technological advances for more sustainable printing

Caption: George Simonian, Dean of Applied Arts Faculty at BADR University

George Simonian is the Dean of Applied Arts Faculty at BADR University in Cairo and has a long career in both the printing and visual communicator industries. He will share how the latest innovations such as eco-friendly inks, energy-efficient machines and sustainable substrates are encouraging the use of more sustainable practices in printing.
In this session you will learn how to utilise these technologies and how doing so can reduce waste and environmental impact and will ensure that your business meets the demand for sustainability.

Veesham Printing Press – A Sustainable Journey

Caption: Prasanna Naidu, General Manager at Veesham Printing Press

Prasanna Naidu is the General Manager at Veesham Printing Press who offer a range of customised solutions from printing to finishing and are one of the leading printers in Dubai. Prassana will provide the steps that their business took to achieve their existing sustainability certifications and what their plans are for the future regarding sustainability. He will share different examples and the challenges they have been confronted with via brand case studies.

Sustainability in Print

Caption: from left to right, Amit Radia, George Simonian, Kumail Khalfan and Richard Askam

Richard Askam will lead a panel of experts including Amit Radia, Founder and CEO at Atlas Group - Print & Beyond, Kumail Khalfan, CEO at SignWorks and George Simonian, the Dean of Applied Arts Faculty at BADR University. Atlas Group offer innovative print and digital media solutions with a key focus in the Middle East and Africa and have expertise in advertising campaigns, new business development, and new media.  SignWorks specialises in visual merchandising and turnkey retail solutions. They collaborate with luxury brands and create attractive retail experiences.

Today, customers are demanding for the industry to change and to become cleaner and more sustainable. These experts will discuss the importance of attaining certifications and best business practices. They will clarify what sustainable printing truly is and will discuss carbon footprint calculations, second life products and discuss the question is it possible to have a PVC free world?

FESPA Middle East 2025 is a world-class regional speciality print and signage exhibition. The event will offer a meeting place for visionaries to discover the latest industry innovations and learn from leading global experts, allowing you to discover industry possibilities, and make investment decisions to grow your business. Register to visit here.