CNN launches new forum

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CNN hosts its first Middle East Business Forum this week at the Four Seasons, Abu Dhabi. The theme for the forum was Beyond Oil in the Changing World with over 350 members in attendance and started out with keynote speeches by former President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso and Mubadala’s Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, H.E Khaldoon Al Mubarak. The forum served as a platform for discussions among key influencers in the Middle East in the field of business and will be aired on CNN International on December 9, 2016.
“This inaugural CNN Middle East Business Forum was a platform of informed and intelligent discussion amongst key influencers about the opportunities and challenges in the Middle East during a time of seismic change,” says Rani R. Raad, President, CNN International Commercial. “We are proud to have worked with our partners Mubadala and twofour54 to bring together news-makers, agenda-setters and business leaders for meaningful debates about what the future holds.”

Arab Woman Awards UAE 2016 pays special tribute

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The Arab Woman Awards UAE 2016 is set to take place on Saturday, December 10, 2016 in Sharjah in honour of the late Vice-chairperson of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, Ameera BinKaram. The private event will include an exclusive video of Ameera as a special tribute from the establishment itself. The awards will also focus on raising public awareness of the significant achievements by Arab women and to provide young women with inspirational role models.

“Like everyone we were shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Ameera BinKaram,” says Sue Holt, Executive Director, ITP Publishing. “Ameera was a previous Arab Woman Award winner, who then became the chair of our judges’ board. She was an amazing and passionate person, who celebrated the successes of women from across the region. It is with great pride that we are taking this year’s award ceremony to Sharjah as a sign of respect and to honour her significant contributions.”

Dubai Eye makes new appointment

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Dubai-based radio station, Dubai Eye, part of Arabian Radio Network (ARN) has appointed Robbie Greenfield to the role of Presenter and Senior Producer of radio sports show, Sports Tonight. With over 13 years of publishing experience, Robbie most recently worked as Editor of Golf Digest Middle East, part of Motivate Publishing. In his new role he will host the Sports Tonight show from 7pm – 9pm every weekday, delivering live coverage across all the region’s major sporting events.

“Having worked on Dubai Eye‘s sports output on a freelance basis for the past few years, the opportunity to take a full-time role came at the perfect time,” says Robbie Greenfield. “I’m really excited to hopefully play a part in growing the Sports Tonight brand and bringing sport in the region to life for the station’s listeners.”

MEPRA announces 2016 award winners

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Winners of the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) Awards 2016 were announced last night at the eighth annual awards event held at the JW Marriott Marquis. The ceremony recognised the most outstanding communicators for their best practices, which includes strategic approach, creative tactics and evaluation excellence. With over 240 entries, 17 notable winners were announced including Weber Shandwick MENA, winning Agency of the Year Award, Impact Porter Novelli, for the integrated Campaign of the Year and Atlantis the Palm, sweeping up the award for In-house Team of the Year. Other winners also emerging in multiple categories include Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Cicero & Bernay PR and Four Communications.

“We are thoroughly impressed by the superb level of creativity and innovation demonstrated in the entries that we have received for this year’s awards,” says said Brian Lott, Chairman, MEPRA and Executive Director of Communications, Mubadala. “It is with immense pleasure that we honour the crème de la crème of the regional communications industry tonight. We are confident that this can only raise the bar for everyone in the business as

Hussein M. Dajani wins marketing leadership award

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With over 15 years of marketing experience, Hussein M. Dajani, Chief Operating Officer, hug digital, has secured a position in the 50 Most Influential Digital Marketing Leaders at the awards ceremony that took place on November 24, 2016 in Mumbai. Hosted by the World Marketing Congress, the three-day award ceremony that commenced on November 23, 2016 includes awards for individuals and organisations across the fields of marketing, social media, public relations, broadcasting, publishing and advertising as well as corporate communications.

“I am ecstatic and humbled by this recognition,” says Hussein M. Dajani, Chief Operating Officer, hug digital. “I am delighted that all those years of hard work and passion that I spent challenging the status quo and pushing hug digital forward have led me to this honourable position. With every achievement, comes new challenges and this is just the beginning for me. I hope that I continue to exceed expectations and ensure that more people from our region get recognised for their hard work, passion, dedication and commitment to boost quantifiable digital marketing.”

New award at Dubai Lynx

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The Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity has announced the launch of a new award category, The Innovation Award. The new award celebrates technological creativity and aims to support and promote the development of innovation across the industry. Ben Jones, former Chief Technology Officer, AKQA, has been elected as the Jury President for the new addition to Dubai Lynx. Entries for all award categories are open from November 24, 2016 with an ‘early bird’ rate until January 24, 2017. The final deadline for all entries is February 7, 2017.

“I can’t wait to be part of Dubai Lynx. I have always believed that the western world lives in isolation to the reality of greatness that comes from MENA and further afield. For me, innovation is the perfect blend of simplicity, thoughtfulness, naive excitement, timing and the ‘retrospective obvious’,” says Ben Jones, Jury President, Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity 2017. “It’s often in the new ways we communicate to the fresh business models that are created and quite often this is where the excitement lies and often without huge spend. These pillars shone through many of the entries from different categories at last year’s awards and I’m excited to see what entries come through this year.”

Entries for Festival of Media now open

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Festival of Media MENA is now accepting entries for its 2017 awards ceremony. The third edition of the festival launches a series of new award categories including Best Use of Traditional Media, Best Use of an Influencer, Best Use of Real-time Marketing, Best Branded Content Creation, Best use of Gamification, Best Insight Award, Best Local Execution of a Brand, The Creative Use of Data Award and Best Not-For-Profit Campaign. Following the entry deadline on February 2, 2017, the shortlisted nominees will be announced on March 15, 2017.

In collaboration with C Squared and Mediaquest, the festival will take place on April 26, 2017. Festival of Media MENA invites media agency networks and innovative media owners as well as marketers of the region to attend a one-day industry-centric conference and an awards ceremony to celebrate their work and achievements. The conference provides a platform for the attendees to discuss media trends and technologies as well as network with industry professionals to promote their initiatives to prospective clients and agencies.

UAE newspaper announces closure

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UAE-based newspaper, 7DAYS has announced the closure of its newspaper and online news publication. The news brand will cease operations after 13 years of publishing in the UAE with its final print issue to be published on Thursday, December 22, 2016.

“Whilst it was our stated intention to re-focus and restructure the business for 2017 and beyond, it has since proved not possible to create an acceptable cost base that could deliver a viable and sustainable business,” says Mark Rix, CEO, 7DAYS. “It is therefore with great sadness that we announce the unique 7DAYS news brand will close and thus, cease to inform and entertain the UAE in its refreshing and inimitable way. I have only praise and admiration for the dedicated and talented team that have created such a popular media portfolio over the past 13 years and I wish each of them every future success and happiness.”

PRCA MENA Awards 2017 now open for entries

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Nominations for the PRCA MENA Awards 2017, hosted by Public Relations and Communications Association Middle East and North Africa (PRCA MENA), are now open for entries. The deadline for the entries is December 13, 2016, with the finalists to be announced on January 4, 2017. The awards aim to recognise teams and individuals for campaigns that have taken place between November 1, 2015 to November 2, 2016, that can demonstrate strategy, creativity and originality across 12 categories including Best Integrated Campaign, Rising Star of the Year and Best PR Campaign: Media Relations. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on February 8, 2017 at the H Hotel. Nominations for the awards are currently open and can be made through prca.mena.global/how-to-enter/.

“I am delighted that the first PRCA MENA awards are open for entries, celebrating excellence in PR and communications across the region,” says Leanne Foy, General Manager, PRCA MENA. “We have a range of new categories to bring to the region and entries will be judged by our international judging panel.”

Dubai Lynx announces press conference

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The 2017 Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity press conference will be held on December 5, 2016 at the CNN Building, Dubai Media City. The conference will focus on new initiatives for 2017, including the launch of an ‘Innovation Award’ and additions to the festival programme.

The press conference will be presented by Thea Skelton, Festival Director, Dubai Lynx, with panellists Terry Savage, Chairman, Lions Festivals; Ian Fairservice, Vice Chairman, Dubai Lynx; Khadija Al Bastaki, Director of Business Development, Dubai Media City; Hani Ghorayeb, President, IAA-UAE Chapter; Walid Yared, Chief Marketing Officer, Choueiri Group and Faisal Bin Haider, Chief Executive Officer – Printing and Distribution sector, Dubai Media Incorporated.