Twitter removes 140–character limit from DM’s

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Twitter has removed the limitation of 140 characters from it’s Direct Messaging (DM) service. While Twitter is largely a public experience, Direct Messages allow for private conversations and this is the latest in a number of changes to the service over the last few months such as updating messaging rules and adding a Direct Message button to profile pages on Android and iPhone.

The update to the Direct Messaging service will have no effect on the public side of Twitter, which will continue to limit tweets to 140 characters. The new version of Direct Messaging will be rolled out across Android and iOS apps today, as well as on twitter.com, TweetDeck and Twitter for Mac, and this will continue worldwide over the coming weeks.

Noura Al Kaabi joins LinkedIn’s Global Influencers

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Noura Al Kaabi, CEO of twofour54, is the first woman from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to be selected for LinkedIn’s Global Influencer Programme, a platform for leaders in their respective geographies and industries to share their insights and discuss topics of interest on the social network aimed at professionals.

Approximately 500 personalities hold the LinkedIn Influencer badge globally, including: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President Barack Obama, Bill Gates and Arianna Huffington.

Susan Parker joins Eaton

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Power management company Eaton has appointed Susan Parker to the position of Marketing Communications Director, Middle East, Electrical Sector – EMEA. Susan previously worked as Group Director of the Technology Practice for Weber Shandwick in Dubai, and she brings 10 years of experience in journalism and public relations to her new role.

As Marketing Communications Director, Middle East, Electrical Sector – EMEA, Susan will be located in Eaton’s facility in Jebel Ali, where she will be responsible for leading the development of the marketing communications strategy for the electrical sector’s Middle Eastern operations. She will also work with the Middle East leadership team and EMEA Central Marketing Communications team to strategically plan, facilitate and manage marketing communications programs that support the business’ objectives.

“Susan joining our team shows our intention to build on the developments we have made in all areas of our business in recent years,” says Frank Ackland, General Manager – Middle East, Eaton. “Her knowledge of the media sector in the region and experience in our core markets will enable her to hit the ground running.”

Susan adds, “I’m obviously thrilled to be taking up this role for Eaton at what is such an exciting time for the company. Eaton is going through a huge change in the way that it approaches marketing and the opportunity to join what will become a sector-leading team is incredibly exciting.”

Ducab welcomes Ani Bazdekian

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Ani Bazdekian has joined Dubai-based energy and utilities company Ducab as Senior Communications Officer. She most recently worked at TRACCS as Senior Media Executive, where she handled media requests for English publications and helped to organise press conferences, round tables and one-on-one interviews.

As Senior Communications Officer, Ani will be responsible for ensuring that internal and external communication is in line with the Ducab brand vision. She will also work with media to maximise the brand’s exposure, and tap into social media channels to engage with its audience.

“Joining Ducab has been nothing but rewarding; it is a challenging yet fascinating industry,” says Ani. “I look forward to new encounters and an exhilarating journey ahead of me. I am very pleased to be part of the Ducab family and I look forward to helping make a difference with this wonderful team.”

Femina Middle East welcomes Shweta Bhatia

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Shweta Batia has joined Femina Middle East magazine as Fashion & Beauty Editor. A graduate from the London School of Journalism, Shweta has previously worked as a freelance journalist for various global fashion publications. In her new role, she will be supporting the Editorial team in producing the monthly title by covering the latest in fashion and beauty trends.
 
“I’m delighted to be coming on board as the face of Femina ME’s fashion and beauty pages,” says Shweta. “The magazine has great potential and we look forward to achieving great heights with the product.”
 

IPA launches Foundation Certificate in MENA region

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The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is launching its IPA Foundation Certificate across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region this week. The launch is being supported by a press campaign from Dubai’s Impact BBDO.

The IPA’s Foundation Certificate is an internationally recognised qualification that arms delegates with less than two years experience the knowledge to perform their roles. The content has been tailored specifically for the MENA region and involves approximately 30 hours of online learning, it will culminate with a formal exam taking place on November 12 in Dubai.

“As Dubai and the wider MENA advertising industry continue to grow as one of the leading global advertising hubs, there is an increasing need to attract and retain the best talent and ensure that they are armed with the skills to deliver stronger client relationships, better work and more profitable business,” says Michael Burns, Head of Export, IPA. “Through our research in the UK we have proof that investing in IPA qualifications helps agencies grow faster, have greater levels of income growth, have higher staff and client retention rates, and see more substantial revenue increases than their counterparts.”

CPI Financial promotes Georgina Enzer

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Georgina Enzer has been promoted to the role of Managing Editor at CPI Financial. Georgina has been with CPI Financial since June 2014, when she joined as Editor of FinanceME, a magazine focusing on the SME finance sector in the Middle East.

As Managing Editor, Georgina will be directly responsible for all editorial content produced by CPI Financial, she will manage and assist the online and print magazine Editors, as well as the design team. Georgina will also be in charge of the day-to-day running of magazines, contract publishing and online content production.

“I am extremely honoured to take up this position at CPI Financial and can’t wait to get started,” says Georgina. “It is a great company to work with and I am proud to be working with such a fantastic team.”

Google to be managed by Alphabet

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Google has formed a new parent company, Alphabet, which will be operated by Co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The newly developed business model will see Alphabet managing a number of companies including Google, Life Sciences and Calico, while Google will now be headed up by new CEO Sundar Pichai – formerly the company’s Vice President of Product Management.

Alphabet’s structure will also include X Lab, a venture incubating new efforts such as Wing and a drone delivery service, and Alphabet Inc. will replace Google Inc. as the publicly-traded entity, meaning that all shares in Google will automatically convert into the same number of shares in Alphabet.