Jeff Zucker says UAE backing helped Banijay-All3Media merger

Jeff Zucker said UAE backing has been central to RedBird IMI’s media ambitions after the Banijay-All3Media merger, telling Fortune that Abu Dhabi’s role as an investor has helped the deal come together. The $8 billion combination creates a larger global production business and gives Zucker a new chairmanship at the merged company.

Zucker, chief executive of RedBird IMI, told Fortune that the UAE has been “a fantastic investor” and a strong shareholder because of its interest in media. He said UAE investors have shown patience and a willingness to support global media bets.

RedBird IMI is a joint venture between New York-based RedBird Capital Partners and Abu Dhabi’s International Media Investments. IMI owns The National and Sky News Arabia, according to Fortune.

What is the Banijay-All3Media merger?

Banijay and All3Media have combined in an $8 billion deal to form Banijay Entertainment, which the companies say will be the world’s largest independent production company. Fortune reported that the new group will span 25 countries and include more than 170 production and live-events companies.

RedBird IMI bought All3Media in early 2024 for £1.15 billion, or about $1.5 billion, in what Fortune described as its largest transaction at the time. Zucker played a key role in completing the merger and will become chairman of the new Banijay Entertainment entity, Fortune reported.

The deal also gives RedBird IMI and its Abu Dhabi partner a bigger platform in entertainment production, live events and branded media. Zucker told Fortune he sees untapped storytelling opportunities in the Gulf, with particular interest in the UAE.

Banijay already has several productions in progress in the UAE, Fortune reported. Zucker said those projects will continue as the company expands under the combined structure.

Why does Zucker see the Gulf as a growth market?

Zucker told Fortune that live events and experiences are likely to be an important growth area for Banijay. He pointed to sports as one field with strong potential in the region, including Saudi Arabia’s scheduled hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2034.

Banijay has already worked on major live-event productions, including the opening ceremonies for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February and the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, according to Fortune.

Zucker also wants to expand Banijay’s brands into gaming and immersive entertainment. Fortune noted that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been putting multibillion-dollar investments into video games and esports as part of broader growth plans.

The UAE-linked push into media has faced political limits in the past. Fortune cited RedBird IMI’s abandoned £500 million, or $666 million, bid for The Telegraph in November 2025 after political opposition and new UK rules restricting foreign state ownership of media companies; under that proposal, Abu Dhabi-based IMI would have owned 15% of Telegraph Media Group.

The Banijay deal gives Zucker a fresh route for international expansion after that setback. His comments to Fortune signal that RedBird IMI still sees the UAE as a long-term partner for building global media assets.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.