Pakistan to Host First Country OOH Forum in Association with The World Out of Home Organization (WOO)

The #IRL Conference, Karachi, 5 November 2026 – Pakistan’s first dedicated Out-of-Home conference and WOO’s first Pakistan Country Forum

Pakistan will host its first Country Forum in association with the World Out of Home Organization when The #IRL Conference opens in Karachi on 5 November 2026. At the same time WOO has appointed Ahsan Sheikh as its first WOO Ambassador for Pakistan.

#IRL · Be Unskippable, In Real Life

The Forum will be held as the #IRL Conference at PC Marquee, Karachi, presented by the Pakistan Advertisers Society (PAS) in association with WOO. Staged under the theme ‘Be un-skippable, In Real Life’, it is the first conference in Pakistan devoted to Out-of-Home advertising and is expected to draw more than 250 delegates from the country’s leading brands, agencies, media owners and government bodies.

International speakers from London and the Netherlands will join senior Pakistani marketers and media owners for a full day’s programme examining digital Out-of-Home, measurement and programmatic trading, and the creative and commercial impact of the medium.

A fast-growing market in the fastest-growing region

The announcement comes as the global OOH sector records sustained growth. WOO’s 2026 Global Out of Home Expenditure Report put worldwide OOH spend at USD 54.2 billion in 2025, forecast to rise to USD 56.4 billion in 2026, with digital formats accounting for close to half of all revenues for the first time. Asia-Pacific now represents some 55 per cent of global OOH expenditure, placing Pakistan within the fastest-expanding region for the medium.

A first Ambassador for Pakistan

The Forum also marks the formal announcement of Ahsan Sheikh as WOO Ambassador for Pakistan — the first such appointment for the country. Ahsan brings over twenty years’ experience in the media industry and is Chief Executive Officer of Kinetic Pakistan, the country’s largest and only internationally affiliated Out-of-Home agency. He has led much of the modernisation of the medium in Pakistan, pioneering Digital OOH, co-launching the country’s first programmatic DOOH ecosystem, and introducing the integrated, data-led OOH agency model to the market.

WOO Ambassadors act as the bridge between their home markets and the global OOH community that WOO represents across more than 140 countries. The role is a voluntary one, held by senior practitioners in their markets. Ambassadors connect local media owners, agencies and advertisers to WOO’s regional forums, research programmes, industry awards and annual Global Congress; contribute market data, case studies and content to WOO’s international platforms; and support the growth of WOO membership in their territories.

In practice, the appointment gives Pakistan a standing seat in the conversations that set global standards for measurement, sustainability, self-regulation and creative best practice in Out-of-Home.

WOO Ambassador for Pakistan

Ahsan Sheikh

Chief Executive Officer, Kinetic Pakistan

Ahsan Sheikh is WOO Ambassador for Pakistan and Chief Executive Officer of Kinetic Pakistan, the country’s largest and only internationally affiliated Out-of-Home agency. With over twenty years’ experience in the media industry, he has been at the forefront of transforming how Out-of-Home advertising is planned, bought and delivered in Pakistan — pioneering Digital OOH, co-launching Pakistan’s first programmatic DOOH ecosystem, and introducing the integrated, data-based OOH agency model to the market.

He writes and speaks widely on the convergence of technology, data and smart city development, and on the role of Out-of-Home within wider media strategy. He holds degrees from LUMS and The College of Wooster (USA), is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and is Immediate Past President of the LUMS SDSB Alumni Association.

International speakers

The international speaker line-up announced to date includes Tom Goddard, President of WOO (London); Dino Burbridge, WOO’s Creative in Residence (London); Dennis Kuperus, Business Leader, Media & Digital Innovation (Netherlands); and Radjen van Wilsem, Chief Executive of CS Digital Media and MyAdbooker (Netherlands). Further speakers, including senior Pakistani marketers and media owners, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Conference programme

The day’s programme is built around three pillars, closing with a gala dinner for speakers, sponsors and invited guests.

About the Pakistan Advertisers Society

The Pakistan Advertisers Society is the national body representing Pakistan’s advertisers and brand community, and is presenting partner of The #IRL Conference.

Follow and share the conference on social media using #IRL.