Khalil Tabbara joins Alaraby Aljadeed

Khalil Tabbara has been appointed Director of Sales & Marketing at Alaraby Aljadeed Newspaper for UK, Europe, MENA and the USA, to organise and develop the regional advertising department.

Previously Regional Advertising Director for Dar Al Sada Press, Khalil has extensive experience in the Middle East, having spent many years living and working across media publications in Saudi Arabia.

Edelman appoints Associate Director

Zaib Shadani has been appointed Associate Director in the Consumer division at Edelman. She will oversee the Arts & Culture and Luxury wings of the consumer practice.

With over nine years of PR experience, mostly in the Middle East, Zaib is an experienced strategist. Having spent five years with The Portsmouth Group as Lead Advisor and PR Counsel for a wealth of arts & culture clients, Zaib has also provided tactical oversight and media outreach for luxury, lifestyle and fashion related clients. She is a Cum Laude graduate from the University of Toronto and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Wollongong in Dubai.

“I feel privileged to be joining the Arts division of the world’s largest agency at a time when there is so much interest in the cultural movements happening across the Middle East,” says Zaib. “Edelman has a reputation for global excellence and innovative campaigns, and I look forward to being a part of their growing team.

Motivate appoints Senior Editor

Andrew Nagy joins Motivate as Senior Editor, overseeing Emirates Airline inflight magazine Open Skies, Men’s lifestyle magazine Emirates Man and Dubai Airport and Duty Free title Dubai Voyager. Boasting over eight years experience in the region, Andrew has previously launched international brands Mens Fitness, Edgar, Esquire Weekend and most recently, Mens Health in the Middle East. In his new role, he will continue to cover travel and men’s lifestyle.

Kat Lebrasse wins Grazia blogger of the year

Dubai-based blogger Kat Lebrasse has won Grazia blogger of the year at the 2015 Grazia Style Awards. Kat has a background in retail fashion and has worked with publications such as Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, Emirates Woman and Grazia Middle East. Her blog – lebrasse.com – focusses on Kats personal style, as well as her style inspirations and various other interests which include health, beauty and travel.

“I feel so grateful and excited to be awarded blogger of the year,” says Kat. “I’m so proud of my blog and what I’ve achieved over the last 2 years and it’s the most amazing feeling to know that my hard work is also appreciated and acknowledged by the industry. I’m on top of the world right now and I can’t wait to see what the future brings!”

OMD UAE partners with Pi Slice

OMD UAE announces its partnering with Pi Slice, the web-based social platform channeling funding for Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs). This comes as part of the media agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and its continuous contribution to developing the region’s economies and improving the lives of its people. OMD UAE and Pi Slice have launched a ‘lending page’ to promote micro-lending opportunities to its stakeholders and the wider community. Individuals can view a list of micro-financed projects and provide support to the initiative of their choice.

Through this collaboration, OMD UAE and Pi Slice bring a unique proposition to the UAE, linking individuals who wish to invest with Pi Slice’s MFI partners in the region, which, in turn use the funds to provide micro-credit to their customers. Micro-lending allows individuals to build a sustainable future for micro-entrepreneurs, as well as a supportive ecosystem for development at the macro level.

“We’re delighted to have found common ground with Pi Slice,” says Nadine Samara, Managing Director of OMD UAE & Lower Gulf. “We share the vision of a brighter future for entrepreneurship, to help alleviate poverty, stimulate development and improve the lives of many. Supporting ambition is hugely rewarding for both individuals and organisations, so we hope many around us will join us in this endeavour.”

Abu Dhabi to re–launch TV Network

Abu Dhabi is relaunching its television network in a move to adopt a newer, more integrated strategy as a way of reflecting the UAE’s national identity. The Abu Dhabi TV Network will launch two new programmes, El Emarat and Abu Dhabi,  as well as re-launch its current programme content, so that they are in line with UAE’s Vision 2011 and Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.

The re-launch will see Abu Dhabi attempt to align its media offerings with the latest market trends. This will also reflect the development of the UAE, as well as promote a sense of national identity and culture. Abu Dhabi TV network has also hired 10 additional Emirati presenters, which will bring its total number of Emirati broadcasters and presenters up to 23.

Trends partners with INSEAD to celebrate Top CEO

To be held in Dubai on March 30, 2015 the forthcoming Top CEO event, organised by Trends magazine and INSEAD, celebrates the very best in GCC business leadership. The award honours leaders from publicly listed companies, evaluating these companies on the basis of their performance in 2014, when the combined market capitalisation for stock exchanges in the GCC grew to AED3.78 trillion ($1.029 trillion).

Top CEO was established in 2011 to acknowledge industry heads at the helm of growth in the Gulf equities market, which is increasing at a rate of 22% year on year. The program celebrates the business acumen of senior GCC business figures and highlights those individuals who have excelled as leaders for their respective listed organisations. The Top CEO award categories are: The 100 Best Performing Companies and CEOs, The 10 Most Transparent Companies, The Five Best Banks, The Five Best Telecom Companies and The Five Best Consumer Goods Companies.

“Top CEO is a major awards ceremony held to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the region’s leading CEOs,” says Julien Hawari, Co-CEO at Mediaquest, organisers of Top CEO and publishers of Trends. “Along with independent auditors, Trends and INSEAD will ensure the transparency of the process. In addition, Hawkamah – the corporate governance institute – helps us verify that corporate governance criteria have been adhered to. The awards’ stringent and open evaluation procedures make them the foremost leadership awards program in the region and a benchmark for business heads and their companies.”

Savoir Flair to welcome new Beauty Editor

Frankie Rozwadowska will join Savoir Flair from March 29, 2015 as Beauty Editor, following her previous role as Group Beauty Editor at Gulf News Magazines. Having lived in London prior to moving to Dubai, Frankie has previous experience writing in-depth beauty features as Beauty Editor for fashion-focused, luxury magazine 1883 as well as for online wellness magazine Hip & Healthy. At Gulf News Mazagines, Frankie worked across various titles including AquariusFriday and Alpha.