Publicis Media appoints new leadership in the Levant

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Publicis Media, part of Publicis Groupe, has made key leadership appointments for operations in the Levant market. Wilson Issa, who has been leading the Groupe in the region since 2007, has been named Executive Vice President of Publicis Media Levant. Joyce Hallak, who has 15 years of experience in media across a number of markets, will take on the role of General Manager, Starcom Levant and Head of Business Transformation, Publicis Media Levant. Paul Seif has now taken on the role of General Manager at Mediavest | Spark Levant, where he will lead the team on business wins and leverage the agency’s capabilities, scale, partnerships and talent.

“Our Groupe has always recognised the immense potential in our talent and their exceptional leadership capabilities and for that reason they have always been the true leaders of our transformation,” says Alex Saber, Chairman, Publicis Media Middle East. “These leaders will drive new levels of scale, business transformation and client value and I look forward to working closely with them along our exciting new journey.”

gourmet gets a new look

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The latest issue of gourmet magazine, part of ITP Publishing Group, has been given a new look that features more up-to-the-minute content from a new editorial team. The home-grown monthly publication was redesigned over the summer to celebrate its fifth birthday this month and will now be headed up by Editorial Director Mark Dinning, Editor Paul Clifford and Art Editor Elizabeth Stanley.

As well as a new design, a number of new regular features have been created including; a gadget section, barbecuing guide The Grill and Your Kitchen Nightmares, in which celebrity chef Greg Malouf answers readers’ questions about kitchen conundrums. The updated September 2016 edition of the magazine will also be the last issue helmed by former Editor-In-Chief, Jasmine Bandali.

Elie Saab guest edits Architectural Digest

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The September/October Fashion Issue of Architectural Digest Middle East, part of the APP Group, will be guest-edited by Lebanese couturier Elie Saab, in celebration of a growing connection between interior design, architecture and fashion. The fashion designer has opened the doors to his Paris and Beirut homes and atelier headquarters for photo shoots and was also closely involved in the making of the issue, which will be available from September 4, 2016.

“I have always had a passion for architecture and believe that if I had not orientated my career towards the proportions of the silhouette, it would have been towards the proportions of our environment,” says Elie. “For me, architecture and fashion draw upon a similar creative source or, at the very least, have many common objectives. I would like to thank Architectural Digest Middle East for inviting me to contribute to this edition and to share my passion with a publication that I have always resonated with in terms of style and substance. I am delighted to support it and its efforts to promote the many talented architects in the region who add beauty to our everyday lives.”

Senior Executives promoted at PHD

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PHD, a division of Omnicom Media Group MENA, has promoted both its UAE Managing Director and General Manager in Dubai. Elda Choucair, previously Managing Director at PHD UAE, will now take on the role of CEO, PHD MENA which will involve her replicating her performance across new, as well as existing, offices in the region and, on top of this adding to her UAE responsibilities.

Luca Allam, previously General Manager for PHD Dubai, will now take on the role of Managing Director, PHD UAE. In this role, he will utilise his eleven years of experience in media in order to oversee the agency’s offices in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“In Elda’s and Luca’s hands, PHD has gone from strength to strength,” says Elie Khouri, CEO, Omnicom Media Group, MENA. “The talent they’ve attracted and nurtured, the vision that has guided them and the energy they’ve deployed has made PHD the success story it is today. I have no doubt that they will find in their new role even more opportunities to stimulate further growth.”

 

In The Hot Seat – Grace Asmar

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We catch up with Grace Asmar, Director of Practices and Offerings at Cicero & Bernay Public Relations, who talks about the media industry in the Middle East and how she hopes it will evolve in the future…

Name: Grace Asmar

Age: Mark Twain once said “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”                

From: Lebanese French a.k.a. Canada        

Current Job Title: Director – Practices & Offerings, Cicero & Bernay Public Relations

When did you first arrive in Dubai?
I first landed in Dubai back in 1989. My family and career then took me on a journey through many cities across the Middle East and Canada for almost 10 years. I came back to Dubai last year.

Where did you work prior?
I started my career as a TV producer here in Dubai. I then joined a multinational public relations agency, where I worked in different markets which included; Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Jordan.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
Like all first timers, I looked at it as a growing industry in a young market. Even as a seasoned professional, I landed in this media industry with an understanding that the local media would be a completely new experience for me.

Has your opinion changed much?
Completely. There are several reasons behind this but first and foremost, the local media was a pleasant surprise. Publications are far richer and far more mature than I had thought. The ever-expanding industry working alongside the local media has provided the PR sector with the freedom to push creative boundaries and actually implement out of the box ideas. That being said, the industry is still advancing and it’s always going to be exciting to look back and evaluate the progress it’s made in less than a decade.

Tell us about your current role…
As my title says, I am the Director of the Agency’s Practices – internal, growth oriented and proprietary – and its Offerings – client communication, strategy counsel and day-to-day management.

What challenges do you face?
Like all specialists in their respective professions, PR practitioners want to know the “next big thing.” The industry is evolving so quickly, it’s now about hyper-personalised content, real-time crisis management, the role of traditional journalism and highly effective, measurable PR. The challenge is to keep up with the fundamental game changes that the PR profession is going through at this time more than ever.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I feel rewarded when I leave my office with the knowledge that someone, somewhere is leaving happy because of what my team and I have accomplished.

What do you think is the secret to successful leadership?
Emotional intelligence.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in media in the UAE?
Be ready to put in the hours, be ready to stand by your ethics and welcome to the most interesting profession!

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
I think that we have some of the most diversified media bouquets in the world. I really cannot think of another region where you enter a bookstore or switch on the television and find a choice of 50-60 languages, with content ranging from news to pet TV shows and everything in between.

In your opinion, what makes a PR campaign successful?
When FACTS do the talking.

How would you rather be contacted at work?
Anything but email, I have 182 unread emails even as I answer your questions!

Five things you can’t live without?
My kids, my husband, my everyday challenges, my coffee and my heels

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?
Probably running a bed and breakfast in a quiet town somewhere in the Mediterranean. Although I fear I would become the town’s media ambassador before I know it.

How do you see media changing in the UAE in the coming years?
I truly believe that the media will become stronger, with opinions more defined. I hope and await the day when one reporter from the UAE will win a Pulitzer prize and do us all proud.

If you could have one work wish granted, what would it be?
If I could somehow import the French language of diplomacy, the Canadian Indian summer colors and the Lebanese survival know-how to my office, I would never leave the workplace.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?
I think print will never die. Especially as they publish Netflix schedules now!
But seriously, jokes apart, what I love about the printed paper is the amount of diligence, preparation and crafting that it takes for anything to make print ‘news’. And that’s after someone or something has done enough to be deemed ‘newsworthy’.