Arabian Business announces Power 100 2014

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For the tenth consecutive year, Arabian Business has compiled the names of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Arabs. Unlike previous years, the 2014 list has been broken down into nine categories – Leaders; Pioneers; Legends; Heroes; Geniuses; Creatives; Entertainers; Thinkers and Generation Next.

With a shortlist of over 1200 candidates, some of the names include Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum in the Legends category; Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation & Development as one of the top Arab Leaders; Elie Khouri, CEO of Omnicom Media Group (MENA) in the Pioneers category; Maryam Matar, Founder of the UAE Genetic Diseases Association is named as one of the leading Arab women in the Geniuses category; Mo Farah, the Olympic winning athlete is assigned to the Heroes category; Elie Saab, the Syrian fashion designer for the Creatives category; Somayya Jabarti, in the Thinkers category, is the first female Editor-in-Chief of English newspaper Saudi Gazette; Fairouz, the renowned Lebanese singer takes proud place in the Entertainers category; and in Generation Next, Lina Ben Mhenni the Tunisian Blogger and Activist.

Transform Awards extends entry deadline

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Due to the extensive response from agencies, the inaugural Transform Awards MENA, which is to be held at the JW Mariott Marquis Hotel Dubai on June 2, 2014, has extended the deadline for entries to April 3, 2014. This announcement comes at the same time as the international lineup of guest speakers for the Transform Conference is revealed.
The lineup of key speakers include Steve Ridgway, former CEO of Virgin Atlantic, who will discuss his experience with a company that became one of the world’s best-loved brands, Wael Allahou, from petrochemical company EQUATE, who will give a talk on employee engagement and change management, and Bruno Maag and Ahmed Kandil, who will go head-to-head offering insights on calligraphy vs. typography, how fonts can bring brands to life and how typographical issues spell trouble for companies that ignore cultural differences.
“The response we have had to the Transform Awards MENA and the interest from agencies who want to be a part of it has been phenomenal,” says Andrew Thomas, Founder of Transform and Managing Director, Cravenhill Publishing. “We’re absolutely delighted with the enthusiasm and the energy, which makes it very easy for us to say ‘yes’ to an extended deadline of April 3rd. It speaks volumes about the depth of branding and positioning in this part of the world when you realise that the interest has been across the entire region, rather than just focused on the GCC, which is exactly what we were hoping for.”
Liz Foggitt, Publishing and Events Manager, Cravenhill Publishing adds, “The Transform Conferences have always been hugely successful, thanks to the guest speakers and the delegates whose experiences contribute just as much to the sessions. At this year’s MENA event, we have some great industry gurus as well as some slightly off the wall workshops, which will make people think twice about what they may already take for granted. As well as the deep industry insights, its also going to be a real eye opener and a lot of fun.”

APO opens office in Dubai

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African Press Organization (APO), the sole press release wire in Africa, opens its first office in Dubai today, in response to the growing demand for AMO media relations services dedicated to Africa in the Middle East. The Dubai office, located in Dubai Airport Freezone, becomes APO’s fifth regional office after Dakar (Senegal), Lausanne (Switzerland), Mumbai (India) and Victoria (Seychelles).

“Over the last 12 months we have experienced an increasing level of interest from clients operating from the Middle East, and we are looking forward to strengthening existing relationships with clients, while building new partnerships,” says Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, CEO and Founder, APO. “APO meets all communication requirements concerning Africa. The offer includes any activities related to PR, ranging from press release distribution and monitoring, to online press conferences, interactive webcasts and op-ed placements, and expert advice on African PR practices can also be provided.”

Giles Deacon to host 2014 Grazia Style Awards

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It has been announced that British fashion designer Giles Deacon will host the 8th annual Grazia Style Awards, which will take place on Tuesday March 25, 2014, at the MusicHall, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. The awards will be judged by a panel of industry experts, including Emily Johnston, Founder of style blog Fashion Foie Gras, Elaine Lloyd Jones, Editor, Grazia Luxury, up-and-coming British designer Ashley Williams, and Ahlan! Hot 100 trendsetter, Bong Guerrero. Voting for the Grazia Style Awards 2014 remains open to the public until March 23, 2014.

“We are thrilled to have Giles Deacon play host to our event,” says Claire Carruthers, Fashion and Beauty Editor, Grazia Middle East. “We look forward to welcoming everyone here in Dubai, as we honour the region’s vibrant fashion community and the exceptional individuals and brands whose talent, passion and valuable contributions over the past year have helped propel our industry forward. It’s going to be a truly memorable evening.”

APP signs Revolution and The Rake magazine deal

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Arab Publishing Partners (APP) today announced a new license agreement with Revolution International Ltd. From September 2014, APP will publish the Middle East editions of leading international watch lifestyle magazine, Revolution, and men’s luxury style title, The Rake.

Revolution International Ltd was founded by Wei Koh and Dr Bruce Lee in Singapore in 2005, and has successfully launched 16 international editions of Revolution magazine making it the leading and most respected watch magazine in the world. Revolution Middle East will be published quarterly and will remain true to its brand promise of ‘celebrating the machine with a heartbeat’. The magazine will continue to deliver quality content and insights relevant to the watch connoisseurs and collectors from the GCC region.

Building on its success Revolution International Ltd then launched The Rake in 2008 bringing to life Editorial Director and Founder Wei Koh’s vision of creating a magazine that is ‘the modern voice of classical elegance’ inspired by male icons like Cary Grant and Michael Caine.  This unique men’s style and artisanal luxury publication quickly gained a global following amongst both discerning readers and premium advertisers. The Rake Middle East will be a bi-monthly title catering to the elite sector of the Gulf’s male population that are seeking the essential details and ground-rules for style. Along with fashion, the magazine will also cover other areas of elegant living including art and fine dining.

“The Middle East is a major market for us to be involved with, as recent studies have shown that the Middle East consumers have the highest per capita spend on luxury goods, while Swiss watch imports to the UAE alone has risen by over 35 per cent in the last three years,” says Dr. Bruce Lee, CEO, Revolution International Ltd. “Given the importance of the region within our international growth strategy for our titles, we knew we had to find a partner to successfully cater to the expectations of the Middle East audience. We feel we have found the right partner in APP Group and are looking forward to working closely with their team.”

Ali Akawi, Managing Director of APP & ITP Consumer, said: “We are excited to see the APP Group further expand its portfolio with two more premium magazines. Both titles appeal to a unique reader profile and we are delighted to have the opportunity to bring to Wei Koh and Dr. Bruce Lee’s vision in this region. We look forward to delivering the same quality journalism that audiences expect from the international editions of Revolution and The Rake.’

Both magazines will be published in English and circulated across the GCC with a bespoke circulation plan to target affluent, influential consumers who appreciate the latest in luxury goods.

Emirates Man well received in market

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Emirates Man magazine, the new bi-monthly men’s glossy from Motivate Publishing, has announced great feedback from the market since the title hit news stands on March 1, 2014.

“We’re thrilled with the initial response we’ve had to the launch of Emirates Man,” says Mark Evans, Group Editor. “The aim was always to create something different, something unlike anything else in the market, a magazine that really spoke to – and for – the men of the Emirates, and I think we’ve achieved that. It’s been great fun to put together – the team put a lot of hard work and effort, and I think it shows. We’re all very proud of the end result.”

MRM Dubai commissioned by Chanel for CRM

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MRM Dubai, part of Middle East Communications Network (MCN), has launched a bespoke Customer Relationship Centre to support Chanel’s network of stores in the region. The custom-made CRM solution was commissioned by Chanel to close the information gap in the luxury retailer’s understanding of its customers in the Gulf.

“CRM, data-driven analytics, insights and reporting are core strengths of MRM, and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to develop an A to Z, unique proposition for Chanel,” says James Gaubert, General Manager, MRM Dubai.”The Customer Relationship Centre will provide real world data and insight that will optimise the luxury brand’s business operations across the region. We look forward to partnering with Chanel in the future.”

Rajeev Budhiraja, CEO of MRM Dubai adds, “Producing such innovative answers to our clients’ commercial questions is what MRM is built on. We are constantly seeking to evolve our offering, and in line with our positioning as a global customer experience agency, services like this ensure we are assisting our clients to better engage with their wider audience.”

Women’s Health Middle East available now

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The first issue of Women’s Health Middle East is now available on newstands with an eye-catching image of Hollywood beauty Jessica Alba adorning the front cover. The new ITP Consumer-run publication, has a print run of 16,000 copies and is currently available in English language.

Headed up by Yi-Hwa Hanna and assisted by Deputed Editor, Ashley Lane, the publication focuses on health, nutrition and fitness, while also covering fashion, beauty, advice, travel, food and lifestyle. The launch will be celebrated this Tuesday night with a lavish party to welcome the first issue.