The Middle East loyalty market is undergoing changes as brands increasingly explore artificial intelligence, personalised customer experiences, embedded rewards and payment-linked programmes.

The regional loyalty economy is growing at 15.1% year-on-year and is forecast to reach $5.6 billion by 2030, according to figures cited by the organisers of the upcoming Loyalty Programs: The Complete Masterclass™.

Loylogic, Epsilon and Loyalty & Reward Co will bring the two-day executive masterclass to Marriott Marquis Dubai Creek on November 4 and 5, 2026, bringing together loyalty professionals and senior executives from across the region.

Masterclass to focus on evolving loyalty strategies

The programme is aimed at senior professionals working in loyalty, customer relationship management, customer engagement, digital, marketing and partnerships.

The organisers said the programme will examine how brands can move beyond traditional points and discounts by combining customer data, AI-powered personalisation, reward innovation and programme economics.

Topics will cover the loyalty lifecycle, including programme objectives, design frameworks, consumer psychology, rewards strategy, gamification, data and technology, commercial modelling, return on investment, security and fraud.

The programme will also examine emerging areas such as AI, agentic commerce and the changing role of loyalty within broader customer experience strategies.

A dedicated section on reward innovation will look at reward marketplaces, partner ecosystems and redemption models, and how these can influence customer engagement and perceived programme value.

Industry experts to lead sessions

Gabi Kool, CEO of Loylogic, said loyalty programmes are increasingly being shaped by the overall customer experience rather than rewards alone.

“Brands have an opportunity to use data, AI and richer reward ecosystems to create more relevant and meaningful relationships with their customers,” Kool said.

Adam Whatling, Chief Commercial Officer at Loylogic, said loyalty now intersects with customer experience, data, technology, partnerships, revenue and long-term customer value.

Epsilon executives also highlighted the growing role of data and AI in helping brands develop more differentiated loyalty strategies.

Brad Macdonald, Vice President of Product Management at Epsilon, said brands need to understand customer needs and use loyalty strategies to differentiate their offerings.

Fares Zayoud, Senior Director of Client Services at Epsilon, said AI, data and new loyalty systems are creating additional ways for brands to develop more relevant customer experiences.

Faculty includes regional and international specialists

The masterclass faculty will include executives and loyalty specialists from Loylogic, Epsilon and Loyalty & Reward Co.

Speakers include Gabi Kool and Adam Whatling from Loylogic; Dave Allen, Vice President of Technology and Data, and Brad Macdonald, Vice President of Loyalty Strategy, from Epsilon; and Phil Shelper, CEO and Founder, Hunter Murray, Principal Consultant for Europe, and Krishna Mohan, Loyalty Director, MENA, from Loyalty & Reward Co.

The organisers said the programme will combine industry case studies with practical frameworks designed to help participants assess and develop their existing loyalty programmes.

Participants who complete the masterclass will receive a certificate independently certified by The CPD Certification Service. They will also be authorised to use the Certified Loyalty Expert™ designation and Masterclass graduate emblem.

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