If you thought Abu Dhabi would calm down after the high-octane Formula 1 weekend after-race gigs, think again. The capital is shifting gears straight into another major moment with the debut BRIDGE Media Summit 2025, taking place at ADNEC from December 8 to 10. And headlining the three-day creative gathering is none other than Idris Elba, the Hollywood heavyweight who’s equally at home on screen, behind the camera, on the DJ decks (as DJ Big Driis), and at the centre of global conversations about culture, creativity, and change.

Fresh off his post-race DJ set for F1, Idris will step onto the BRIDGE stage to talk about something he knows inside out: The power of creativity. From “The Wire” to “Luther” to “Mandela,” his work has shaped how audiences see identity, ambition, empathy and grit. 

But Idris isn’t someone who fits neatly into a single box. Beyond his work on screen, he’s a UN Goodwill Ambassador and a leading voice for youth empowerment, tirelessly working to open doors for new talent and elevate stories that deserve more attention. It’s a mission that aligns perfectly with the spirit of BRIDGE Summit, which aims to spotlight diverse voices, spark new collaborations and rethink how global storytelling connects us all.

Being billed as the world’s first and largest debut event for the media, content and entertainment sectors, the BRIDGE Summit 2025 is set to make a major impact when it opens in Abu Dhabi. Held in partnership with global heavyweights such as Meta, X, LinkedIn, Sony, Canva, Time, and Forbes, the three-day summit promises a packed programme of panels, roundtables and masterclasses led by industry leaders.

Organisers are expecting a huge turnout, with more than 60,000 attendees, 400 speakers, and 300 exhibitors confirmed for the inaugural edition. The agenda spans everything from high-profile keynotes and deep-dive discussions to curated showcases and serious deal-making sessions, positioning BRIDGE as a new international hub for creative exchange and collaboration.

Besides Idris, the BRIDGE Summit will feature a heavyweight lineup of global voices, including Princess Lamia bint Majid Al Saud of Alwaleed Philanthropies, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, YouTuber Michelle Khare, Google MENA’s Anthony Nakache, Forbes’ Moira Forbes, Binance CEO Richard Teng, IBM’s Sarah Meron, United Airlines’ Maggie Schmerin, LinkedIn’s Katie Carroll, and Tubefilter founder Drew Baldwin, among others,  forming one of the most diverse and influential speaker rosters the region has seen.

For Abu Dhabi, it’s another bold milestone in its journey to become the region’s most exciting creative and screen industry hub. For everyone attending, it’s a chance to be in the room where the next decade of storytelling is being shaped, and to hear Idris Elba break down what reinvention, creativity and culture mean in an industry changing faster than ever.

To register for the event, visit: www.bridgesummit.com/en/registration