UAE Arab Woman Awards nominations now open

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The Arab Woman Awards UAE is now accepting nominations for its 2016 awards, which will take place in late November, in Dubai. People can nominate themselves, friends or family members by completing the form on the Arab Woman Awards website, www.arabwomanawards.com/nominate. Nominees should be female, of Arab descent, have achieved something significant in their field over the past 12 months and be positive role models – each award will then have its own specific criteria, which can be obtained by emailing arabwomanawards@itp.com. Nominees will be included in a presentation to the Awards’ board of judges, lead by HE Ameera bin Karam, Chairperson on Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) and the closing date for nominations via the website is Friday, 30th September.

“There are three different ways people can be nominated – these are from our own research, from one of the members of the judging board or they can be nominated via our website by themselves or others,” says Sue Holt, Founder, Arab Woman Awards and Executive Director, ITP Consumer. “We introduced this latter method in 2013 and have seen a large number of our ultimate winners come via this route. At first women were quite reluctant to put themselves or others forward however in the past two years we’ve seen a steep increase. Personally, I think it is wonderful that we are reaching a stage where, as a woman, it is acceptable to say that you believe you deserve an award for all your hard work. It also heartens me that family members and friends are being so supportive.”

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.”

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.”

Discovery Network extends agreement with du

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Discovery Networks has selected du as its preferred partner for official playout and distribution services in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This extends the existing partnership between the network and the UAE-based mobile communications and technology provider and means that du will now offer its expertise to manage the transmission of Discovery Network’s latest channels, including; DKids HD, DLife HD and DMAX HD.

“We are incredibly pleased to extend our partnership with du as our preferred playout service provider for DKids, DLife and DMAX,” says Amanda Turnbull, VP and Country Manager, Discovery Networks, MENA. “du has been our trusted partner for several years, having broadcast Fatafeat since 2006. Thanks to their unparalleled expertise, we can now expand our regional presence even further, with a portfolio of truly localised channels, curated for and to be enjoyed by our MENA audiences.”

Hany Fahmy Aly, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Business, du, adds “We are excited to continue being a trusted partner of Discovery in their regional expansion plans. This demonstrates our position as a top provider of broadcast services in the region and we are committed to continue providing Discovery with world-class and award-winning facilities, manned by best-in-class talent from du.”

Ooredoo partners with MBC Group

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Ooredoo has signed a seven year partnership with the MBC Group, granting the communications company the exclusive rights in Qatar to selected High Definition channels. Signed by Waleed Mohamed Ebrahim Al Sayed, Chief Executive Officer, Ooredoo Qatar and Sam Barnett, CEO, MBC Group, the agreement will allow Ooredoo TV customers in Qatar to enjoy coverage of a range of MBC premium content. The company will now become the sole distributor for MBC HD in the country and the first stage of the new partnership will launch on September 1, 2016.
“This agreement will provide Ooredoo TV with exclusive HD coverage in Qatar of some of the most popular TV programmes across the MENA region,” says Waleed Mohamed Ebrahim Al Sayed, Chief Executive Officer, Ooredoo Qatar. “This is a milestone for our entertainment portfolio, as we continue to strive to provide the content our customers want, with the highest quality picture and widest choice of channels. But this is just the beginning and more exciting offerings will be revealed soon.”
Sam Barnett, CEO, MBC Group, adds “MBC is proud of its leading position in producing the MENA region’s best available content and in offering flagship shows enjoyed by millions of viewers and browsers across the Middle East. Today’s partnership brings together MBC’s content with Ooredoo’s platform in Qatar to provide an even better service for the target audience.”

Finalists for the DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize chosen

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Vogue Arabia and the Dubai Design and Fashion Council (DDFC) have selected 10 ready-to-wear and accessories finalists for the 2016 DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize. The prize, awarded to the Arab world’s most promising fashion talent, was launched in 2015 in partnership with e-commerce platform Farfetch and aims to invigorate regional talent by providing a yearly programme for emerging Middle Eastern designers to showcase their abilities. Over 100 different designers from 12 countries across the Arab world applied this year and, following a vote from the selection committee, five ready-to-wear and five accessories designers have been chosen as finalists. Viewers can follow the ten Fashion Prize finalists at www.fashionprize.com, or on social media using the hashtag #FashionPrize.

Winners of the DDFC/Vogue Fashion Prize will be announced this Autumn, with the winning ready-to-wear and accessories designers receiving a financial production grant as well as the opportunity to sell their collections to a global audience exclusively on www.farfetch.com and through a retail pick-up from Farfetch boutique partners; Browns, London; Curve, USA and Al Ostoura, Kuwait. Winners will also receive an advertising campaign promoting their retail launch, media/press coverage and mentorship.

“The Fashion Prize aligns with our vision to invest in ecosystem development and elevate the regional fashion scene,” says Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue Arabia. “There’s no shortage of emerging talent in the Arab world and with the power and scale of the Vogue brand as well as partners like Farfetch, the Fashion Prize will provide our region’s designers with a larger opportunity to compete on a global stage.”

Nez Gebreel, CEO, Dubai Design and Fashion Council, adds “Being backed by a prestigious brand such as Vogue gives our nominees a tremendous opportunity to showcase their talent and creativity on the global fashion scene, I am confident that the designers from this year’s edition of the Fashion Prize will contribute to strengthening the region’s authority internationally.”

Voting open for Mother, Baby & Child Awards

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Voting is now open for the fifth annual Mother, Baby & Child Awards, presented by Mother, Baby & Child magazine, part of CPI Media Group. There are 31 categories open for voting this year, with 340 nominees competing for awards including; New School of the Year, Nursery of the Year and Kids Entertainment Centre of the Year. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony due to be held on December 7, 2016 at Habtoor Grand, Dubai Marina.

To vote, head to www.motherbabychild.com/awards/.

Nominations open for Leaders in Food & Beverages Awards

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Catering News Middle East has opened nominations for the inaugural Leaders in Food & Beverages Awards. The awards will celebrate excellence and innovation in the region’s food and beverage industry across 18 categories, including nine for restaurants and nine for individuals. Winners will be announced at a ceremony which will take place on November 9, 2016 at the Westin Mina Seyahi, Dubai and will be sponsored by prominent suppliers on the market including; Horeca Trade, Ronai and Pulsar.
“The first annual Leaders in Food & Beverages Awards‎ is part of BNC Publishing’s ongoing commitment to highlighting exceptional industry players,” says Wissam Younane, CEO, BNC Publishing. “The Middle East’s culinary and catering community continues to surpass itself in terms of creativity, service excellence, and innovative conceptual development. We look forward to welcoming both established and upcoming food and beverages talent to the event.”

PGt Advertising and Grayling sign affiliation deal

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Iranian advertising and marketing solutions agency PGt Advertising has signed an affiliation agreement with Grayling to provide integrated communications, public affairs, design and market development services to businesses, non-profit organisations and government authorities in Iran. The agreement will see both agencies working together to provide a full range of communications services to current mutual clients, whilst extending PGt Advertising’s global network and allowing Grayling to offer their clients premium PR and communications services in Iran. PGt will also be granted access to Grayling’s global resources and specifically designed suite of proprietary tools, designed to help their clients build brand resilience on and offline.
“The signing of this affiliation agreement between PGt Advertising and Grayling is another step in the right direction for us and we are extraordinarily excited to be accepted into such a successful global communications network,” says Sam Cordier, Managing Director, PGt Advertising. “As Iran opens up its arms to the world, we are proud to be able to offer our clients a truly integrated international communications reach and quality of service.”
Jonathan Shillington, Managing Director, Middle East, Grayling, adds “We welcome PGt Advertising into the Grayling network as Iran is an increasingly important market for many of our internationally focussed clients. It is vital to have a partner that we can trust and PGt Advertising has a proven track record of delivering quality communications.”

Radio 1 and Radio 2 to return

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UAE-based radio stations Radio 1 and Radio 2 are set to return to the airwaves, after being closed by Gulf News Broadcasting on June 30, 2016. The stations will now be operated by Abu Dhabi Media Company – the licence holder for the stations – and will feature the same formats but with an updated look and feel.
“Abu Dhabi Media confirms that it will assume management of Radio 1 and Radio 2 at the end of July 2016,” says Abdul Rahman Awadh, Executive Director, Radio, Abu Dhabi Media. “The Radio stations were originally owned by Abu Dhabi Media and will continue to reflect Abu Dhabi Media’s ongoing commitment to providing diverse content that appeals to all aspects of society. Both radio stations will resume broadcast on the same frequencies, for which Abu Dhabi Media holds exclusive rights. We are currently investing in bringing new concepts and ideas to the content of Radio 1 and Radio 2.”