Times Network Appoints The Vantage as Exclusive MENA Commercial Partner

For years, brands in the Middle East and North Africa wanting to advertise to Indian consumers had to navigate a maze. Multiple partners. Separate conversations. No single point of accountability.

That changes with a new exclusive deal. Times Network, the Indian broadcast group behind Times Now and ET Now, has appointed The Vantage as its sole commercial representative across the MENA region. Starting now, brands from Dubai to Riyadh have one trusted local partner to handle everything from TV spots to sponsored content on India's most-watched English-language channels.

The announcement is a meaningful upgrade to how Times Network operates in the region.

What The Vantage Will Handle

The Vantage takes over the entire commercial relationship between MENA-based advertisers and Times Network. That covers paid advertising, sponsorships, branded content, and full campaign packages running across both broadcast and digital platforms.

Previously, Times Network worked with NKN Media FZC, which focused primarily on distributing its channels through regional carriers like Etisalat, DU, Ooredoo, and StarzPlay. That was a distribution deal. The Vantage appointment is a commercial partnership, with a mandate to sell the full breadth of Times Network's capabilities to MENA clients, not just get the channels onto cable packages.

The sectors most likely to benefit include real estate, financial services, tourism, aviation, and retail. Government entities looking to attract Indian investment, visitors, or talent are also explicitly in scope.

Why Times Network Attracts MENA Advertisers

Times Network's flagship channels, Times Now and ET Now, are India's most-watched English news and business channels. The broader portfolio adds entertainment properties like Zoom, Romedy Now, MNX, MN+, and Movies Now.

The platform has real credibility with MENA clients. Times Network has worked with Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Expo, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, Abu Dhabi Culture Summit, and Abu Dhabi Tourism. The network also runs Times Now Summit, its flagship leadership event, which in 2026 featured India's Minister of Home Affairs as a headline speaker.

The Vantage's Growing India Representation Portfolio

The Vantage is not a newcomer to exclusive media representation. The company, which rebranded in 2025 from The MediaVantage to reflect a broader services remit, already holds exclusive MENA representation rights for Hearst, News UK, TIME magazine, Mail Metro Media, Nation Media Group, and Pubity Group.

Adding Times Network gives The Vantage a direct line into Indian broadcast television at scale.

Manoj Khimji, Managing Director of The Vantage, framed the gap the deal solves: "What has been missing is a straightforward, trusted way to reach Indian consumers at scale, through a platform they watch and trust. Times Network is exactly that, and this appointment means our clients can now access it directly, with us managing the relationship end to end."

Gaurav Dhawan, Chief Revenue Officer at Times Network, pointed to the strategic logic from the Indian side: "The Middle East is home to some of the world's most ambitious and internationally minded brands, and India is very much on their radar. Through The Vantage, we can offer those brands a clear, strategic, and well-supported route to Indian consumers."

What MENA Marketing Leaders Gain From the Deal

For marketing heads at MENA companies with India on their radar, the deal removes a practical friction point. Instead of managing a relationship with a Mumbai-based network directly, or splitting responsibilities between a distribution partner and a creative partner, there is now a single Dubai-based entity with authority across the full commercial scope.

India's connected TV advertising market is heading toward INR 8,000 crore (approximately US$960 million) in 2026, with streaming audiences crossing 600 million. Times Network's digital properties sit alongside its linear channels, meaning The Vantage can package both in a single campaign proposal.

For MENA brands that have been watching India's growth from a distance, this deal offers a lower-friction way in.