When you look at leaders shaping the domain industry in the Middle East, Munir Badr stands out as both a builder and a connector. As the founder of AEserver.com, one of the region’s leading domain registrars and hosting providers, Munir has spent years helping businesses and individuals establish their digital presence. His deep understanding of the market and passion for domains eventually led him to launch Domain Days Dubai, a premier event that brings together investors, registries, startups, and digital professionals from across the globe.
Domain Days has quickly grown into more than just a conference — it’s become a meeting ground where ideas are exchanged, partnerships are formed, and the future of domain investing is debated. With his dual role as an entrepreneur running AEserver and as the visionary behind Domain Days, Munir offers a unique perspective on how domains, branding, and digital identity are evolving, not just in Dubai but worldwide.
Mike: Munir, what gap in the domain industry did you see that made you want to start Domain Days Dubai?
Munir:For years, I watched global conferences take place in the US and Europe and yet the Middle East/GCC, one of the fastest-growing digital economies in the world, had no real gathering point for domain investors, infrastructure providers, or policymakers. Deals were happening quietly, opportunities were scattered, and there was no bridge between regional businesses and the international domain ecosystem.
I didn’t want to just attend another conference – I wanted to create the missing one. Domain Days was born to bring everyone into one room and say, “This region is open for business. Let’s build together.”
Mike: Why Dubai, and how does the city itself influence the character of the conference?
Munir: Dubai is more than a location — it’s an attitude. Fast, ambitious, open to the world with direct flights to over 130 global destinations on the world’s best aircraft fleet. It attracts entrepreneurs, builders, and visionaries from every continent. So naturally, a unique conference built around digital identity, innovation, and investment belongs here.
People often tell me that Domain Days has a unique energy – business in the day, skyline mega yacht tours at night, and deals happening at both = true definition of mixing business with pleasure. That’s very Dubai. Serious work, wrapped in unforgettable experiences.
Mike: How has your experience building AEserver.com influenced the creation and growth of Domain Days?
Munir: Running AEserver gave me a front-row seat to what people truly struggle with – not just registering domains, but navigating regulations, scaling infrastructure, protecting brands, and understanding valuations. And I realized most conferences focus on these topics in isolation. But in the Middle East/GCC/Africa, domains sit at the intersection of law, telecom, cloud, branding, and culture.
So Domain Days was shaped with that broader lens. I didn’t want just a domain show – I wanted a place where a registry exec, a startup founder, a hosting provider, and a government policymaker could all sit at the same table and find common ground. This is the true definition and identity of the UAE – a place of cultural convergence and co-existence.
Mike: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when organizing the first Domain Days?
Munir: The biggest hurdle wasn’t logistics – it was conviction. When you launch something that hasn’t existed before in your region, people naturally ask, “Will anyone actually come?” Convincing partners, sponsors, and even friends in the industry to believe in an untested concept was tough. Moreover, I had ZERO knowledge of organizing events and I totally underestimated the time and effort it would take to build this show.
But I knew that if I could bring just the right mix of people to Dubai even in small numbers – the magic would happen. And it did. By the end of Day 1, people were already treating it like an annual tradition. That’s when I knew we were onto something real.
Mike: How has the event grown since its inception, both in size and in industry recognition?
Munir: In 2023, we were the new kid on the block. In 2024, we became “the event people were telling others they had to attend.” And now, for 2025, the dynamic has shifted – instead of me chasing sponsors and speakers, they’re reaching out asking for space before we’ve even announced the lineup. We sold most of our lucrative and best sponsorships in Q1 2025. The event is very profitable and growing YoY from its inception. The truth is in 2023, I took out $30k from the main business and never thought about ROI.. to my surprise this is now another healthy business added to my portfolio as an entrepreneur.
We’ve grown not just in numbers, but in reputation. What started as a regional meetup is now seen as the strategic connector between the Middle East and the global domain and digital infrastructure community. Today, we are another IMPORTANT event related to the domain name and hosting industry on the global event’s map, its no longer just about our region.
Mike: Who typically attends — is it mostly investors, or do you see a broader mix of participants?
Munir: It’s truly a mosaic. Yes, we have domain investors and brokers – but right next to them you’ll find registry operators, cloud providers, legal experts, brand protection firms, and even fintech and AI founders exploring digital identity angles and all of them from more than 70 countries and representing more than 120 different companies.
One of my favorite things is watching someone walk in expecting a “domain conference” and walk out having met a government regulator, a Web3 platform founder, and an ISP executive in one coffee break. That cross-industry mix is what makes Domain Days special.
Mike: Running AEserver.com, you have a front-row seat to how businesses in the region adopt domains — what trends have you noticed?
Munir: There’s been a big mindset shift. A few years ago, domains here were treated as basic infrastructure – just a checkbox when launching a business. Now they’re being seen as strategic assets.
Startups are actively upgrading their names. Corporates are defensively registering. Government-led digital projects are securing local-language domains. And what really surprised me – young founders are asking about resale value when choosing names, just like the local trend in Dubai chasing fancy number plates. That tells me domain awareness is maturing fast.
Mike: How has the perception of domain investing evolved in Dubai and the Middle East in recent years?
Munir: Previously, domain investing was seen almost as a side hustle. Today, it’s becoming a respected alternative asset class. People here love real estate, gold, fancy mobile & car plates – domains are slowly entering that same vocabulary of “store of value.”
That’s a long-term psychological shift that I believe will drive serious growth in the aftermarket here.
Mike: Do you think cultural factors in the region influence how domains are bought, sold, and valued?
Munir: Absolutely. In this region, identity and status play a big role in digital branding. Short, premium, or culturally meaningful names carry extra weight here.
Arabic words, when transliterated or translated properly into domain form, often hold emotional & cultural value and that changes how they’re priced and negotiated. It’s not always about traffic potential or CPC value – sometimes prestige & appearing “local” is the metric.
Mike: What opportunities do you see for international investors in the Middle East domain market?
Munir: Two big ones: .ae and Arabic-language keywords. The .ae extension is one of the highest-trust digital identifiers in the region right now with close to 350,000 registrations and it’s still massively undervalued globally. Meanwhile, Arabic word domains – even in English letters – are just starting to gain recognition as strong brand assets.
Beyond that, there’s also opportunity in serving the ecosystem – offering brokerage, legal, tooling, and infrastructure services specifically localized for Arabic and Gulf audiences. The door is open – but the key is cultural fluency, not just speculation.
Mike: How do you balance topics like traditional domains with emerging areas such as Web3 and NFTs?
Munir: To me, it’s not “traditional vs. Web3.” It’s identity infrastructure evolving. Whether someone owns example.com or example.eth, they’re asking similar questions – How do I prove ownership? How do I protect it? How do I monetize or build on it?
At Domain Days, we don’t force a divide. We bring both camps to the same table and ask, Where are the bridges? Where can standards overlap? The best panels we’ve had were Web2 veterans debating Web3 innovators. There’s tension, but there’s also learning. In fact we have a fantastic panel session on Day 1 where we put 2 of the largest web3 providers (and competitors) on the same table and ask them honest questions – this is one of the most awaited sessions for this year!
Mike: What advice would you give to someone new in the industry attending Domain Days for the first time?
Munir: Come with two things: curiosity and business cards. Don’t be shy – introduce yourself to anyone. At Domain Days, nobody acts “too big” to talk. Some of the most successful people in this industry are the most approachable – but you have to say “salam alaikum” = hello in Emirati dialect.
And don’t just attend sessions – attend conversations. The talks inspire, but the hallways close deals.
Mike: How do you go about selecting speakers and curating the agenda each year?
Munir: I don’t just look for “big names” — I look for people who have real opinions and data insights related to this region, the rest comes from our sponsors. I’d rather have one person who challenges the room than five people who repeat safe lines. In 2025, Leonid Todorov, who served as the GM of APTLD for more than a decade has joined us as the director of program – he is a pro when it comes to curating meaningful content without all the B.S.
Mike: Are there any unique partnerships or collaborations that have come out of Domain Days?
Munir: Many – more than I expected. I’ve seen marketplaces strike distribution partnerships, sponsors signing up vendors on the spot – like a registry provider getting a local cctld deal announced, M&A talks, etc. I personally know of deals that happened at the show and can bring them up!
One story I love — in our first year, a sponsor said that they chased a global hosting aggregator to sign up to their software. One was from Europe, the other was based in Dubai. They ended up signing up for a million dollar deal. They told me, “Without Domain Days, we would have never met.” Or in 2024, a new domain name registry player had a meeting of a lifetime on the VIP after party yacht and managed to get listed on one of the world’s largest domain name registrars to offer their domain name zone to millions of registrants. That’s the true impact!
Mike: Finally, what drives you personally to keep building both AEserver and Domain Days, and to keep investing your time in this industry?
Munir: Because the internet is still being built, and I believe names are its foundation. Domains are not just technical assets — they are digital identity, opportunity, and ownership.
I’ve spent years helping people register names with AEserver – but with Domain Days, I get to help them connect, grow, and dream bigger. And that’s what keeps me going. This industry has given me so much – building these platforms is my way of giving back. Moreover, I get all the great connections, access to knowledge and best offers on the market 🙂
1 comment
Munir has built one of the best events in the domain name industry!