Virgin Radio welcomes Sheena Kay

/in , /by

Virgin Radio 104.4 has welcomed Sheena Kay to its presenter line-up. The Canadian radio personality formerly worked on The Sheena Show on Radio 1 UAE and will now present new show, Non Stop Hits with Sheena, every weekday between 10am and 1pm, which aims to bring her passion and knowledge of music, as well as celebrity news and gossip, to the station.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sheena to the Virgin Radio team and the ARN family,” says Mahmoud Al Rasheed, General Manager, Arabian Radio Network. “Sheena is a known presenter in the UAE with a passion for music and entertainment, Virgin Radio 104.4 is the perfect place for her.”

Steve Smith, COO, Arabian Radio Network, adds “Sheena will be a great addition to our team, as well as our award-winning line-up of presenters on Virgin Radio. She is a great broadcaster with a passion for music as well as a chatty and mischievous sense of humour, which I’m sure will be a hit with our listeners. She will be an excellent host for Virgin Radio’s mid-morning show and will be bringing a new generation of listeners with her.”

Dubai Chambers of Commerce and Industry welcomes Joumana Saad

/in , /by

Dubai Chambers of Commerce and Industry has appointed Joumana Saad to the role of Executive – Media and Corporate Communications. With over nine years of experience, Joumana most recently worked with news portal Argaam as Deputy Editor. In her new role, she will support the corporate communications and marketing teams by overseeing, as well as managing, editorial content, interviews, press statements and speeches related to the Chamber’s news, events and activities.

“I am very excited to be taking on such an interesting role with a reputable and influential organisation,” says Joumana. “I am confident that this new challenge will be an incredible learning experience, especially as Dubai gears up to host Expo 2020. After working as a media professional and financial journalist for nearly ten years, I am excited to be working at a place that is integral to Dubai’s thriving business community.”

BPA Worldwide announces concurrent release of data

/in , /by

Global assurance provider BPA has announced the concurrent release of audience metrics for 36 consumer magazines, 16 business publications and five newspapers in the Middle East, for the six-month period that ended on June 30, 2016. The top-line figures in the Trend Report About Circulation (TRAC) cover media with operations in five Middle East countries; Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Included in the report are the headline average qualified circulations and other channels, including web traffic ‘average unique browser’, social media and apps downloads for the most recent June 2016-ending BPA brand reports.

“The concurrent release of audience data for consumer and newspapers based in the region helps level the playing field in the marketplace,” says Rana Hariz, Director, BPA Middle East. “Media buyers and advertisers can turn to this single report and make an accurate evaluation of audience metrics between brands before they buy.”

Lucy Self joins Q Communications

/in , /by

Lifestyle and PR agency Q Communications has welcomed Lucy Self to the role of Senior Executive. With over ten years of experience in PR, journalism, marketing and copywriting, Lucy most recently worked with Anteater PR where she was responsible for a number of accounts including; giraffe and Dominic Ansel. In her new role, she will be working with Q Communications Abu Dhabi on all media operations, from engaging press campaigns to generating sharp social media content.

“I chose to join Q Communications because I’d heard they were one of the best in the business, with a reputation that reached as far as London when I was looking to relocate,” says Lucy. “Judging from my first couple of days, I’m joining a hard working and inspiring team. I can’t wait to get stuck in, hopefully bringing some of my experience of the London lifestyle scene to Dubai.”

Active partners with VIANEWS

/in , /by

Active (Digital. Marketing. Communications) Middle East is set to partner with Brazil based integrated communications agency, VIANEWS through Hotwire PR. Located in Sao Paulo, VIANEWS will bring together their network of agencies in Latin America with Hotwire’s existing international footprint of offices as well as exclusive co-branded partners and affiliates that will provide clients with communications expertise in major economic regions.

“This latest addition to our growing global presence means that we can now offer our existing and prospective clients access and integrated marketing support in a market that has drawn ever closer to this region and the UAE specifically, as well as providing a host of Brazilian and Latin American companies and organisations high standards of marketing services and support across the Middle East region,” says Sawsan Ghanem, Managing Director and Founding Partner, Active (Digital. Marketing. Communications).

Careem gets new look

/in , /by

Regionally based car booking app Careem has been given a new look to mark its four-year anniversary. The brand’s new identity will include a new company symbol featuring a green wink and the implementation of a revamped strategy across all verticals from product messaging and advertising, to community outreach and company culture. The new look will also give Careem an effective presence offline, with an image that aims to capture the beauty and simplicity of technology as well as the positive impact it is creating in the region.

“The rebrand represents more than just a brand overhaul,” says Mudassir Sheikha, Co-Founder, Careem. “This new branding changes the whole identity and manifestation of Careem. Our mission is to move our region towards better living and to achieve that, we had to create a regionally recognised brand symbol synonymous with what we stand for. Careem is bold, local and relevant to all and the new identity represents these attributes perfectly.”

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller wins at International Business Awards

/in , /by

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller has been awarded Public Relations Agency of the Year in the Middle East and Africa at the International Business Awards. The eighth Annual Arab Youth Survey 2016 also won PR Campaign of the Year and both awards are to be presented at the International Business Awards ceremony in Italy on October 21, 2016. The awards recognised the agency for its work in the Arab Youth Survey in the categories of; Reputation/Brand Management, Public Services and Global issues. ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller also received a ‘Grand Stevie’ award for the first time, for their record of 23 trophy wins and three medals at the International Business Awards.

“This is a tremendous result for us and it is wonderful to see our ground-breaking work on behalf of our clients recognised on the international stage,” says Sunil John, Founder and CEO, ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller. “This unprecedented win is a testament to the hard work and creative energy of our teams across all of our Practices.”

Charlotte Brown joins TOH PR

/in , /by

TOH PR has welcomed Charlotte Brown to the role of Head of Lifestyle. With over 25 years of experience in media, Charlotte has worked with international luxury brands including; Cartier, Diptyque Paris and Crème de la Mer as well as holding positions such as Executive Retail Editor for major titles that include; Harper’s Bazaar UK and Glamour UK.

In her new role, she will work closely alongside Director of Middle East Operations, Joanna Lane Simm and Daniel Cotter, Head of Corporate, who joined the TOH senior management team earlier this summer; together they will lead the ongoing development and direction of TOH PR.

“I am delighted to reveal my senior management team after months spent searching the international market for the talent that I feel has the capacity to take the agency to the next level,” says Sophie Toh, Managing Director, TOH PR. “I believe we have been successful in our search and am inspired to work on the next chapter in TOH’s growth.”