Dubai taught me the value of hard work, innovation, and global thinking," says Salman Iqbal, President and CEO of ARY Digital Network

DUBAI: President and CEO of ARY Digital Salman Iqbal spoke to Gulf News, UAE’s top English-Language Daily, and reflected upon his transformative career that spans media, real estate, and sports.

With a career that began in the deserts of Dubai, Salman Iqbal has grown into a media mogul with a global footprint, shaping multiple industries and inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders.

As he sat with Gulf News, he reminisced how after completing his studies in the US, he returned to Dubai in 1993 and embarked on his career in the gold industry, joining his family’s business, which was founded by his uncle Haji Abdul Razzak and father Haji Mohammed Iqbal. A turning point in his entrepreneurial journey came with the launch of Dubai’s Shopping Festival in the mid-1990s. Iqbal played a crucial role in introducing the Dubai Festival Gold Coin, a move that catapulted Dubai to global prominence as the “City of Gold.”

Recalling the moment, Salman Iqbal said, “Dubai’s leadership sought our expertise to establish the city as a global gold symbol. My uncle’s innovative idea to give away a kilogram of gold daily during the festival was a game-changer, solidifying Dubai’s position as a major gold hub.”

In 1999, Salman Iqbal set his sights on the media industry, launching Pakistan’s first privately owned Urdu satellite television channel in 2000. This pioneering venture marked the beginning of his foray into entertainment. Undaunted by the dominance of established networks like Star Plus and Zee TV, Iqbal and his team persevered, focusing on creating a niche for Pakistani content. Despite initial hurdles, ARY’s programming gradually gained popularity, ultimately evolving into one of the region’s largest media networks.

“Initially, there was skepticism about Pakistani content, but we remained committed, and today we boast a massive following, with 250 million viewers in Pakistan and 500 million worldwide,” Iqbal noted. “Our YouTube channel has also attracted an impressive 80 million subscribers

As the owner of Karachi Kings, a key team in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and the CEO of ARY Digital Network, Salman Iqbal has also played a pivotal role in shaping the Pakistani media and sports landscape.

Today, ARY Digital Network spans over 126 countries, with over 250 million viewers in Pakistan and 500 million globally. As he looks to the future, Salman Iqbal remains focused on pushing boundaries, with a vision to further expand his media empire and cement Dubai’s position as a global hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.