- Chantal Saliba to drive training as the Academy’s Media & Training Director
- Khalid Al Hosani to drive operations for the Academy as its Academy Operations Director
 |
Abu Dhabi, UAE: IMI Media Academy has announced the appointment of Chantal Saliba as Academy Media & Training Director and Khalid Al Hosani as Academy Operations Director, marking a new chapter in the Academy’s evolution and reinforcing its ambition to expand its impact across the region and beyond.
The appointments come as IMI Media Academy builds on a strong track record of delivery and partnerships, having trained more than 1,000 professionals and worked with over 100 local and international partners across the public and private sectors.
In her role as Academy Media & Training Director, Chantal Saliba will lead the development and delivery of the Academy’s training portfolio, with a focus on programme quality, trainer excellence, and curriculum innovation. A certified coach trainer, she brings extensive on air and newsroom experience to the role, ensuring that the Academy’s programmes remain grounded in real world media practice and contemporary industry standards.
Saliba joined Sky News Arabia in October 2014 and has been one of its leading news and programme presenters, a role she will continue alongside her responsibilities at the Academy. Over the course of her career, she has covered major political developments and interviewed high profile guests, experience that directly informs the Academy’s practical media training approach.
Chantal Saliba commented: “IMI Media Academy has built a strong foundation grounded in quality, relevance, and real world impact. My focus is on strengthening our programmes by combining professional media practice with coaching based learning, ensuring participants gain confidence, clarity, and skills they can apply immediately.”
As Academy Operations Director, Khalid Al Hosani will oversee the Academy’s operational strategy and programme execution, ensuring scalable delivery, strong partner engagement, and a seamless client experience. A certified coach trainer, he brings a structured, performance driven approach to building sustainable training operations.
Prior to his appointment, Al Hosani served as Head of Business Support and Administration at IMI, where he was entrusted with leading several high impact projects, including the transition to the company’s new headquarters. He also oversaw critical operational and government related functions, including security, health and safety, logistics, and administrative services, supporting organisational resilience and operational excellence at scale.
Commenting on his appointment, Khalid Al Hosani said:“The Academy is entering an important phase of growth. My priority is to ensure strong operational foundations that support our trainers, partners, and clients, while enabling the Academy to scale with consistency and impact.”
The leadership appointments follow a period of significant growth for IMI Media Academy. In 2025 alone, the Academy delivered more than 800 hours of training, supported by a network of over 50 certified trainers. Through its partnership with the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, more than 200 university students graduated from a fully subsidised training programme, reinforcing the Academy’s commitment to developing future media talent.
IMI Media Academy offers a wide spectrum of courses spanning media skills, leadership development, soft skills, and dedicated executive coaching. Its most in demand programmes include Speaking with Influence, Media Handling, AI Skills, Content Creation, and Podcasting.
With its expanded leadership team, growing trainer network, and strong partner ecosystem, IMI Media Academy is entering its next phase focused on deeper impact, broader reach, and future ready training solutions for organisations and individuals.
About IMI:
IMI is a privately owned global media conglomerate headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with operations across 15 countries. Built to enrich lives and connect communities through compelling storytelling, IMI oversees a portfolio of leading media brands including The National, Sky News Arabia, Al Ain News, CNN Business Arabic, and a minority stake in Euronews.
IMI is committed to journalistic excellence and digital innovation. Its state of the art headquarters includes the IMI Media Academy, which is dedicated to developing the next generation of media professionals. The group continues to set industry standards in content creation, audience engagement, and AI use in production across multiple platforms.
IMI’s investment pillar, IMI Ventures, includes RedBird IMI, its joint venture with RedBird Capital Partners, focuses on global investments in media, entertainment, and sport. IMI is also a strategic investor in MARI, a global events and experiences company founded by Ari Emanuel, which develops large scale, IP driven live experiences around the world. MARI brings together world-class assets across sport, art and lifestyle, including the Abu Dhabi Open, Madrid Open, and Miami Open tennis tournaments, Barrett-Jackson Auction Company and the internationally renowned contemporary art organisation Frieze, as well as Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland and the Taste series, amongst many more.
About IMI Media Academy:
IMI Media Academy is a premier global leadership development platform and training facility, headquartered in Abu Dhabi and part of IMI. We design innovative, tailored training programmes that unlock leadership potential, empowering individuals at all levels to grow into confident, accomplished, and empathetic leaders.
Our approach is built around the individual, applying customisation and emotional intelligence in ways that set new industry benchmarks. By combining this with access to cutting-edge technologies, real-world training environments, and some of the world’s most accomplished and intuitive coaches, we equip participants with the skills they need to thrive in their industries.
With the full backing of IMI, we leverage the strength of the group’s leading media brands, offering participants an immersive experience within dynamic, fast-paced environments. This hands-on exposure sharpens their expertise and prepares them to excel in their careers.
