The HbbTV Association has unveiled the programme and speaker line-up for the 13th HbbTV Symposium and Awards, set to take place on 12-13 November 2025 in Istanbul.
Co-hosted with Turkish addressable TV solutions provider TVekstra, the annual event will bring together broadcasters, manufacturers, and technology leaders from across the connected TV industry.
This year’s conference will place a strong emphasis on addressable advertising, monetisation strategies and new business opportunities for broadcasters and platform operators. It will also explore how hybrid TV standards are expanding into emerging markets such as the MENA, Arab and Asian regions, where HbbTV-based services are gaining traction across broadcast and streaming ecosystems.
The conference will open on 12 November with keynote presentations from HbbTV Association Chair Vincent Grivet, TVekstra CEO Merve Eraslanoğlu, and HbbTV Vice-Chair Jon Piesing, offering updates on the evolution of connected TV and the latest developments in the HbbTV specifications.
The session Taking HbbTV into New Markets will feature a global market overview by Ophélie Boucaud (Dataxis) and an analysis of TV operating systems by Damien de Foucault (ADKEMIX). A roundtable discussion moderated by Jörn Krieger (Broadband TV News) will include Mousa Fakher (Eutelsat) and Philipp Rotermund (wedotv).
The popular Quickfire Updates will showcase the latest technical and service innovations, with speakers from Fraunhofer FOKUS, ZDF, 3Cat-CCMA, and the Service List Registry.
Afternoon sessions will focus on the transition to broadband-only distribution under the theme HbbTV in an IP-centric Future. Presentations from Matthew Huntington (Huntington Digital Consultants) and Jeff Hunter (YouView TV) will be followed by a roundtable featuring Alex Russell (Everyone TV), Bram Tullemans (EBU), Frank Heineberg (RTL Deutschland), and Stefano Braghieri (Mediaset), moderated by Ranjeet Kaur (DTG).
The day will conclude with Making Money with HbbTV, where industry experts including Atila Madakbas (Admongrel), Cem Eroğlu (Adform), Nicole Agudo Berbel (Seven.One Entertainment Group), Duygu Badem (Vestel), Erdem Tolon (Kantar Media Turkey) and Tuna Gürel (TVekstra) will discuss monetisation through connected TV and addressable advertising.
The evening will feature the HbbTV Awards 2025 ceremony, honouring outstanding achievements in HbbTV applications, services, and innovations.
On 13 November, the Symposium will continue with an “unconference” format, allowing participants to propose and lead their own discussion sessions. The collaborative format – introduced successfully in 2023 – will give attendees the opportunity to explore key topics in greater depth, with sessions developed dynamically during the event.
Both conference days will be moderated by Eoghan O’Sullivan, ensuring an engaging and interactive experience throughout.
The 2025 Symposium will take place at the Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul (pictured), offering panoramic views of the city and first-class conference facilities.
More details on the event, speakers, sponsors, media partners and the HbbTV Awards – along with registration information – are available at www.hbbtv.org/13th-hbbtv-symposium-and-awards-2025.