OMD UAE partners with Pi Slice

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OMD UAE announces its partnering with Pi Slice, the web-based social platform channeling funding for Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs). This comes as part of the media agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and its continuous contribution to developing the region’s economies and improving the lives of its people. OMD UAE and Pi Slice have launched a ‘lending page’ to promote micro-lending opportunities to its stakeholders and the wider community. Individuals can view a list of micro-financed projects and provide support to the initiative of their choice.

Through this collaboration, OMD UAE and Pi Slice bring a unique proposition to the UAE, linking individuals who wish to invest with Pi Slice’s MFI partners in the region, which, in turn use the funds to provide micro-credit to their customers. Micro-lending allows individuals to build a sustainable future for micro-entrepreneurs, as well as a supportive ecosystem for development at the macro level.

“We’re delighted to have found common ground with Pi Slice,” says Nadine Samara, Managing Director of OMD UAE & Lower Gulf. “We share the vision of a brighter future for entrepreneurship, to help alleviate poverty, stimulate development and improve the lives of many. Supporting ambition is hugely rewarding for both individuals and organisations, so we hope many around us will join us in this endeavour.”

Trends partners with INSEAD to celebrate Top CEO

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To be held in Dubai on March 30, 2015 the forthcoming Top CEO event, organised by Trends magazine and INSEAD, celebrates the very best in GCC business leadership. The award honours leaders from publicly listed companies, evaluating these companies on the basis of their performance in 2014, when the combined market capitalisation for stock exchanges in the GCC grew to AED3.78 trillion ($1.029 trillion).

Top CEO was established in 2011 to acknowledge industry heads at the helm of growth in the Gulf equities market, which is increasing at a rate of 22% year on year. The program celebrates the business acumen of senior GCC business figures and highlights those individuals who have excelled as leaders for their respective listed organisations. The Top CEO award categories are: The 100 Best Performing Companies and CEOs, The 10 Most Transparent Companies, The Five Best Banks, The Five Best Telecom Companies and The Five Best Consumer Goods Companies.

“Top CEO is a major awards ceremony held to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the region’s leading CEOs,” says Julien Hawari, Co-CEO at Mediaquest, organisers of Top CEO and publishers of Trends. “Along with independent auditors, Trends and INSEAD will ensure the transparency of the process. In addition, Hawkamah – the corporate governance institute – helps us verify that corporate governance criteria have been adhered to. The awards’ stringent and open evaluation procedures make them the foremost leadership awards program in the region and a benchmark for business heads and their companies.”

New board members announced for MEPRA

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The Middle East PR Association (MEPRA) has appointed its new board and leaders following the Annual General Meeting at Middlesex University, Knowledge Village, Dubai.

Brian Lott, Executive Director of Communications at Mubadala, is the organisation’s new Chair. Brian was previously Vice Chair under Nicola Gregson, who held the position since January 2014. Alex Malouf, who is Corporate Communications Manager in the Arabian Peninsula for Procter & Gamble, will become the organisation’s new Vice Chair. Board Secretary Thomas Ashby, from the strategic consulting agency Consulum, and Treasurer Mazen Nahawi, President of News Group International, will remain in their current roles.

“It’s never been a more exciting time to be a member of the Public Relations industry,” says Brian. “Communications is moving at the most rapid pace in recent memory. That is energising agencies, corporations, governments and public relations practitioners to be at the top of their game as the industry goes through massive change. MEPRA’s members are working hard to navigate this change, by hearing from outside experts as well as learning from each other.”

The new Board is structured around a number of initiatives for 2015, meant to advance the public relations agenda of its members.

7-Day Brief Powered by YouTube winners announced

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The winners of The Seven Day Brief Powered by YouTube have been announced today as Shafiq Alam and Moe Sarhi. Brought to the region by Dubai Lynx, the creative competition aimed to engage the MENA region in helping to shed light on a social cause by partnering with UN organisation UN WOMEN to focus on the issue of abuse against women in the Middle East. With entries open to those living in Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, the UAE and Yemen, the competition sought to help raise funds for UN WOMEN who aim to establish 24-hour hotlines for survivors of domestic violence.

The winning team, whose targeted advertising video won the judges vote for its ‘strong, impactful message and creative filling of the brief’,  will now be granted a trip to Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2015, as well as the Dubai Lynx International Festival of Creativity.

Al Arabiya News marks International Women’s Day

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Al Arabiya News is marking this year’s International Women’s Day, which falls on the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration on gender equality, with special coverage profiling the world’s leading women and their contribution to society. The coverage is set to highlight the Middle East’s most pressing issues on the status of women in the region.

Gender-related violence, education and women in the workforce are among the topics being addressed, as well as a look back at prominent women in Arab history and profiles on leading women in the fields of politics, philanthropy, media, technology, business and architecture.

“Since this International Women’s Day marks the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, we felt that resembles an ideal opportunity to look back and reflect on the challenges and achievements of women in our part of the world over the past two decades,” says Faisal J. Abbas, Editor-in-Chief, Al Arabiya News. “Sadly, many Arab women continue to face deprivation of many of their basic rights, as well as discrimination and violence; however, this means that women who actually succeed and manage to achieve an outstanding status deserve an even bigger round of applause from all of us, given that they are making it despite these challenges. These are the women we hope to shed the light on, as we see them as a beacon of hope for generations to come.”

Al Arabiya News’ coverage is being inaugurated today on the eve of International Women’s Day, with an exclusive opinion piece by former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and a special report on gender-related violence in the Middle East. Among the profiled Arab success stories being profiled throughout the week are Palestinian Legislator Hanan Ashrawy; Lebanese writer and activist Joumana Hadad; Egyptian Minister for Social Solidarity Ghada Fathi Ismail Wali; CEO of Abu Dhabi’s twofour54 Nora al-Kaabi and Facebook’s UAE-based Head of Brand Amira Rashad.

Keynote speakers for DMF 2015 announced

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This year’s Digital Media Forum is to feature a number of luminaries and senior thought leaders in the digital industry who will be offering their expert opinions on the exciting new developments in the sector. Held under the banner ‘Digital Technology: Bringing the Future Closer,” DMF 2015, which takes place on March 24 and 25 will assess the influence of the evolving digital landscape on businesses, brands and consumers, examining the challenges presented by the fast-moving landscape.

Keynote speakers at DMF 2015 include Naseem Javed, President, ABC Nambank; Igor Beuker, professional speaker, author, technology and trends and Faris Abouhamad, President of Resonance Middle East, Chairman and World President of the International Advertising Association.

“There is no better time for professionals in our field to come together and learn from each other,” says Faris Abouhamad. “Digital media has already revolutionised the advertising and marketing industry, and growth of innovation and technology continues to push the boundaries. Conferences such as the Digital Media Forum help us all to grow professionally and I’m looking forward to speaking at the event. I hope that I will be able to give a sense of how innovation, content and context can lead to phenomenal brand value.”

Igo Beuker adds, “I am very excited to speak at the fourth edition of Digital Media Forum Dubai, since it’s the most inspiring and ambitious media event in the Middle East. In my keynote address ‘The Future of Retail & eCommerce,’ I will show how brands can use disruptive technology and data-driven marketing to shake up the marketplace.”

Topics under the DMF banner this year include ‘Rise of the User Architect,’ ‘Social Commerce VS eCommerce,’ ‘Rise of the Content Officer,’ ‘Harnessing the power of big data analytic in building business and brands’ and ‘The future of search and social media algorithms in the changing landscape of communications.’

MEPRA announces date for Annual General Meeting

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The Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) has announced that it will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on February 25, 2015 at Middlesex University in Knowledge Village, Dubai.

The agenda of the meeting will include all of the business transactions pertaining to the administrative functioning of MEPRA. The talking points will cover the key achievements of the industry body for the year of 2014, following with the strategy for the year of 2015. The board will also discuss the financial structure regarding the future activities for the year ahead.

The Chair of the MEPRA Board and Managing Director of Ketchum RAAD Middle East, Nicola Gregson, along with Brian Lott, Vice-Chair of MEPRA and Executive Director of Group Communication at Mubadala will go over prior activities and provide an overview of the upcoming events. Honorary Treasurer of MEPRA, Mazen Nahawi and President of News Group International, will be presenting the audited financial report and budget for the year 2015.

“We strongly encourage those involved in the PR industry throughout the region to attend this year’s meeting,” says Nicola Gregson, Chair of the MEPRA Board. “As an industry body we are committed to setting standards of excellence in the communication industry and providing platforms for members to come forth and present their views on past activities and contribute to the planning and action of future events as well.”

For more information please visit www.mepra.org.

Media mourn the loss of Lucy Monro

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Great sadness continues to fill the hearts of many as news spreads of journalist Lucy Monro’s tragic death. The animal lover and sports enthusiast was fatally injured after colliding with motorbikes during a coast-to-coast charity cycling challenge with Team SWR this past weekend. As Swiss Media Group’s Editor-in-Chief, Lucy founded equestrian magazine, Equestrio, 11 years ago alongside business partner and close friend, Michael Lahyani.

“Her passion, kindness and relentless pursuit of excellence have left an indelible mark on our team, our products and our DNA,” read a joint statement issued by Michael Lahyani, Publisher and Founder, and Gerard Belicha, Publisher and CEO, both of Swiss Media Group. “She will be sorely missed on so many levels, first and foremost as a dear friend, and also as an outstanding Editor-in-Chief and inspirational leader. Lucy truly was an extraordinary woman; as a close friend rightly put it, “She was one of life’s special people””.

“We miss her so much and always will,” added Gerard Belicha.

New social media components added to IGCF 2015

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The upcoming edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) is to include two new components – the Social Media Corner and the Social Media Award. Organised under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, IGCF 2015 will run from February 22-23, at the Expo Centre, Sharjah.

Located at the forum’s foyer area, the Social Media Corner will encourage the forum’s participants and social media users to directly express their views, share comments and ask questions; this will be done via tweets, Instagram images or video messages, which can be recorded using a booth designed specifically for the purpose.

Sponsored by Microsoft, each session at IGCF 2015 will announce two winners of the Social Media Award for the best Instagram photo and the best tweet. The top three tweeters using the forum’s official hashtag #IGCF15 will receive an award at the conclusion of the forum, bringing the total number of selected winners across to the two-day event to 15.

“In an increasingly tech-savvy world, any forum on government communication can only be relevant if it involves the active participation of its main stakeholders, the public,” says Jawaher Al Naqbi, Manager, International Government Communication Forum. “Aiming to step up the focus on social communication and strengthen relations between individuals and institutions, the Social Media Corner and Award will efficiently leverage dialogue and the exchange of creative ideas to ensure a more effective forum.”

Time Out Dubai announces awards dates

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Time Out Dubai has announced the dates for its 2015 Restaurant Awards and Music & Nightlife Awards. Both events will take place in March at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, with the Restaurant Awards scheduled for March 18 and the Music & Nightlife Awards scheduled for March 24.

Celebrating the past 12 months of hard work across Dubai’s restaurant and nightlife industries, the 2015 edition of the Restaurant Awards will see the event celebrate its tenth anniversary; to mark the occasion, Time Out Dubai has added a Restaurant of the Decade category to celebrate the longevity and influence of the show.

The venue for the Music & Lifestyle Awards After-Party will be revealed following the announcement of the shortlist, with the shortlists for both awards revealed in the next two weeks. The Time Out Dubai Restaurant Awards shortlist will be announced on February 15 and the Time Out Dubai Music & NightLife Awards shortlist revealed on February 22. The shortlist announcement will be made via www.timeoutdubai.com.