Insignia recognised for Gulf Capital SME Awards

/0 Comments/in /by

Insignia Worldwide has been recognised as a finalist in two categories of the Gulf Capital SME Awards 2015. The brand communications and design firms Founder, Gaurav Sinha has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Business Leader of the Year category, and the firm is a finalist in the MasterCard Small Business of the Year category. Finalists for the awards, organised by MEED, will deliver face to face presentations to a panel of judges before winners are announced as part of an awards ceremony taking place on October 28, 2015, at the Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina in Dubai.

“I do not compromise on quality and expect the highest standards reflected in all we do and this is a core value for us at Insignia,” says Gaurav. “Within this paradigm everyone is empowered and encouraged to innovate, experiment and take calculated risks. To be recognised by MEED for the Gulf Capital SME Awards is a testament to this model and to the hard work of each and every team member.”

Arab Woman Awards UAE judges confirmed

/0 Comments/in /by

The Arab Woman Awards UAE has finalised the panel of female judges for its 2015 edition. Aiming to raise public awareness of significant achievements by Arab women in the region, nominations for participants are open to the public until September 20, 2015, on the website www.ArabWomanAwards.com. To be eligible for an award, nominees should be female, of Arab descent, and must have contributed positively to the UAE either in economic, social or cultural areas. Started in Dubai, the awards now hold regular annual, invitation-only ceremonies in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Chairperson of the Sharjah Businesswoman Council and honorary Chairperson of the Arab Woman Awards UAE Judges Board, HE Ameera Bin Karam will resume her duties for the 2015 awards. Owner of the SME Advisory Group, Nadine Y. Malouf and CEO and Board Member of the Noor Dubai Foundation, Dr. Manal Taryam, will both also reprise their roles as judges. Other members of the 2015 judging panel will include:  Dr Mona Hammami, Manager, Office of Strategic Affairs in the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court; Huda Al Lawati, Partner, Abaai Group; Noor Sweid, Partner, Leap Ventures; Najat Meki, Emirati Artist and Gina Tadros, Editor, Hello! Arabia.

“We are very proud of the quality of the judging panel for the 2015 Awards,” says Sue Holt, Awards Founder and Executive Director, ITP Consumer. “The strength of the bench is a testament to the reach and influence of the Arab Woman Awards. This year, we were inspired by the number of influential, successful women that we could select as part of an exceptional panel of judges.”

Mary Katranzou to collaborate with Stylist Arabia

/0 Comments/in /by

Fashion designer Mary Katrantzou has teamed up with Stylist Arabia magazine to guest edit a September issue of the weekly title. Enlisting the help of many of her friends, including make-up artists, models and philanthropists, Mary will be in charge of the issue, giving readers an exclusive sneak peak at her upcoming Spring/Summer 2016 collection. She will also be providing readers with her pick of products on the Style List and discussing the role of strong women in the fashion industry today, Mary will be joined on the cover by her long-term muse and supermodel, Yasmin Le Bon. The issue is scheduled for release on September 15, 2015.

“I am thrilled to be the Guest Editor of this issue of Stylist,” says Mary. “It has been an amazing experience to put my spin on a medium that I have never worked in before, and to challenge myself. Stylist presents such an important voice for modern women, so I wanted my issue to embrace this and celebrate women who have inspired me throughout my career.”

Devinder Bains, Editor-in-Chief, Stylist Arabia, adds “Everyone in the office loves Mary’s creations, so to have her on board for this project has been amazing.”

Dentsu Aegis Kuwait partners with Views

/0 Comments/in /by

Dentsu Aegis Network in Kuwait has partnered with Views Communications. With offices based in Kuwait City, Views Communications will be responsible for the media planning and buying requirements of Carat and other Dentsu Aegis Network clients in the country. Views Communications is a full service agency that spans media planning and buying, creative, PR and activation, and was founded in 2010. The new partnership will see the team, lead by Karim Bitar, CEO of Views Communications, working on existing clients, Carat regional clients including GM, Total, BA and Pringles, as well as new prospects.

“This partnership is another important step in continuing our expansion in the Middle East and with Karim’s extensive experience and understanding of the media landscape in the market, we’re confident that we’ll see significant growth in Kuwait,” says Michael Nederlof, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network MENA.

Karim adds “This really is an exciting time for our team and it is a sign that a global player in the media space sees Kuwait as a market worthy of a significant presence and this kind of investment. We are looking forward to working with clients across the Middle East and beyond.”

Annalect MENA to partner with Ensighten

/0 Comments/in /by

Omnicom Media Group MENA’s data, technology and analytics division, Annalect MENA, has partnered with enterprise data and tag management company Ensighten, to bring first-party data insights to the region’s advertisers. The partnership aims to help advertisers improve the efficiency and ROI of their brand campaigns. The Ensighten open marketing platform enables brands to collect, own and act on data from everywhere – on-site, off-site, mobile and offline – so that digital marketers can provide personalised experiences in real time to consumers on any device or marketing channel.

“Ensighten’s open marketing platform is changing the way brands collect, own and act on data generated across the customer journey in real time,” says Elie Khouri, CEO, Omnicom Media Group. “We’re very excited at the new opportunities Ensighten’s technology will create for brands here.”

David Saxon, Vice President of Partner Sales and Business Development, Ensighten, adds “In a competitive environment smart and timely actions make all the difference and we’re proud to help Annalect deliver more relevant and personalised consumer experiences across the entire customer journey.”

Socialize welcomes new Account Manager

/0 Comments/in /by

Lucie Semmau has joined digital communications agency Socialize as an Account Manager. With over three years of experience in digital marketing, Lucie most recently worked as a Digital Account Manager at McCollins Media in Dubai. As an Account Manager, she will be handing the social media strategy for brands under Socialize’s portfolio.

“I truly believe that the pursuit of knowledge is never-ending,” says Lucie. “The day you stop seeking is the day you stop growing. An exchange of knowledge is always possible at Socialize, which will allow me to grow and be my best. I’m looking forward to starting this massive adventure.”

Updates to Twitter Publisher Network

/0 Comments/in /by

Twitter has made some major changes to the Twitter Publisher Network – now called Twitter Audience Platform – a feature aimed at helping advertisers connect with audiences beyond Twitter in thousands of mobile apps.

As well as its name change, the Twitter Audience Platform is now being expanded beyond mobile app installs and re-engagements by offering advertisers the ability to drive two additional objectives: Tweet engagements and video views. Both will now be available in beta to all managed clients globally. New creative formats, such as customisable call to action buttons, are also being launched to aid advertisers in engaging with their in-app audience.