Features Editor, Peter Iantorno

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Name: Peter Iantorno
Age: 24
From: Sheffield, UK
Current Job: Features Editor, EDGAR

When did you first arrive in the UAE?
I first moved over to the region in July 2012, and before that I was based in Manchester in the UK.

Where did you work prior?
I was with a motorcycle magazine called Motorcycle Racer in Manchester. I would do pretty much everything for them, including writing and editing articles, social media and even laying out pages! I then moved over to the UAE to work for Gulf News Magazines as a Sub-Editor, before coming to work for EDGAR.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
The Middle East seemed an exciting place to be, with lots of opportunities for growth both in personal terms and for companies; now it’s more exciting than ever! 

Tell us about your role at EDGAR…
Along with the Online Editor and Editor-in-Chief, I’m responsible for planning and creating interesting and engaging content for EDGARdaily.com. 

What challenges do you face?
With such an ambitious project, it was always going to be a challenge to keep pace in terms of content creation, but I feel that the website is looking great and provides a brilliant range of stories that we update every day without fail. 

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing one of my stories getting a lot of shares or comments. It shows that people are engaging with me, whether they agree or disagree with what I’m saying!

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
There are some excellent publications around at the moment – obviously EDGAR is my favourite! There are always improvements that could be made to any publication, but I think that taking into account the time constraints that journalists here face, most people are doing a pretty good job.

How do you find PRs in the region?
I normally find them very friendly and usually pretty efficient.

What’s your pet PR peeve?
Honestly, I’ve not got one.

What advice can you offer PRs seeking coverage in your magazine?
Have a look at Edgardaily.com and see if any of your clients would fit in to the site. We’re interested in a whole range of subjects, but the common themes are quality and luxury. If you have the right story for us, we’d be delighted to feature it.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
I really don’t mind either way. 

Describe yourself in five words…
Friendly, driven, fun, a realist and sport-mad.

What’s your most overused saying?
“No worries.”

Five things you can’t live without?
My wife, football (a close second), indie music, Italian food and sunshine. 

If you weren’t a journalist, what would you be?
A football manager.

 

 

 

Account Director, Kaniz Abbas

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Name:  Kaniz Abbas
Age: 32
From: London, UK
Current job title: Account Director, Edelman

When did you arrive in the UAE?
Not that long ago, I first arrived in the UAE on September 11, 2014, and prior to that I was living and working in London. 

Where did you work prior?
Before joining Edelman, I was Account Director, managing the Unilever Haircare portfolio at Beauty Seen PR. Previous to that I was at MS&L working across Proctor & Gamble premium beauty brands.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
I was surprised by how diverse it was and the wide variety of specialist titles available. It’s also more fast-paced than I expected.

Have these impressions changed much?
As it’s only been a few months, there’s still much to learn. However, I do find that journalists here are very approachable and responsive which is great.

Tell us about your new role as Account Director…
As Account Director for the Consumer Division, I oversee our luxury, hospitality and FMCG accounts – this includes The Jumeirah Group, Waldorf Astoria, Al Manara International Jewellery and Ocean Spray. My main role is providing strategic direction, budgeting, team management and client servicing. I also work closely with the Consumer Associate Director on new business, seeking out new opportunities to further grow our department.

What challenges do you face?
As I’m new to the region, the biggest challenge is gaining an understanding of the Middle East media landscape – I’m learning something new every day.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Providing the direction and support my team needs to ensure they develop and deliver great results for our clients; I always aim to exceed expectations.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen so far?
The most exciting thing to happen so far was whilst working with SkyDive Dubai on a charity project; where I met a member of the Royal Family and watched them do their 1000th jump.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
There are some stunning luxury and lifestyle magazines for both men and woman in the region. It’s also great to see publishers recognising the great opportunity there is here and I was very excited by the launch of Stylist Arabia! 

What sets you apart from other PR professionals?
I think it’s the genuine passion I have for my job. If you love what you do, you will always strive to deliver the best results.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
Mobile – I’m often away from my desk so clients, press and colleagues can always get hold of me that way.

What’s your most overused saying?
How can we leverage this…?

Five things you can’t live without?
My heels – which give me confidence in any outfit; my note pad – I’m a list fanatic; a skinny flat white coffee in the morning; a pair of headphones, because listening to music helps me concentrate and my laptop.

If you weren’t a PR, what would you be?
Most likely a TV news presenter.

Senior Manager, Corporate Communications MEA, Dan Corfield

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Name: Dan Corfield
Age: 31
From: London, UK
Current job title: Senior Manager, Corporate Communications, Middle East & Africa for Hilton Worldwide

When did you arrive in the UAE?
I first came to the UAE in August 2014 and it’s my first time in the Middle East region.  Prior to that I was based in the UK.

Where did you work prior?
I’ve been with Hilton Worldwide since 2009. Most recently I was a part of Hilton Worldwide’s European Communications team in London as Senior Manager, Brand Public Relations.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
Busy and interesting – a hotbed of action. I work mostly with media that have an interest in the travel industry and believe our sector has exciting and creative content to offer – everyone loves to travel, as well as hear about it!

Have these impressions changed much?
For me, it’s too early to tell – I’m rapidly discovering an intriguing side to Dubai – food, culture and art. It’s different to home, but I feel energy amongst the media here. I think we all have a crucial role in telling what is a fascinating story and showcasing the ‘secret sauce’ of what makes Dubai a special place to live, work and travel.

Tell us about your new role…
I work as part of a small, yet dynamic team, based at our MEA regional office in Internet City. We oversee communications across a region that consists of almost 150 hotels open or under development.

In my new role, my focus is on the corporate side, working with our senior leaders at a regional and global level – mostly in terms of our multi-brand growth story, profiling our company as an employer of choice, internal communications, as well our corporate responsibility programme ‘Travel With Purpose’ – which deployed signature activities in the Middle East as part of Hilton Worldwide’s Global Week of Service 2014.

Whether it’s our own team members, bloggers or journalists – there is huge appetite to hear about what we do as a company and I love helping my colleagues both at regional and hotel levels to tell that story.

What challenges do you face?
We operate across a diverse region, in multiple time zones and with a variety of stakeholders. Our approach is to act as an internal agency to our ‘clients’ in the business – which keeps us on our toes, given the 24/7 nature of hotels and the extraordinary passion for hospitality within Hilton Worldwide.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I love hotels – everything about them from the back of house, to the busy lobby and especially the people who work across the many departments. I think this passion creates an incredibly rewarding environment to work in – I enjoy taking something, helping to make it bigger and better and then having the chance to tell everyone about it!

I also love researching Hilton’s almost 100-year history for the work we do. There has been so many Hilton firsts for the travel industry – it’s fascinating to understand Hilton’s international expansion of the 1950s and 60s, when Conrad Hilton was opening hotels in new cities across Europe and Africa. Having worked on the PR for many new hotel openings, from luxury to mid-market, it feels great to be able to play a part in this grand 100-year story.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen so far?
I went along to a pop-up restaurant run by Ghaf Kitchen at The Mojo Gallery – the event blew my socks off with the theatre of the kitchen and a beautifully crafted menu, all set against the backdrop of a contemporary gallery in a gritty industrial zone. It felt like an event you’d find in a trendy space in East London.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
Outstanding. It’s great to see regional spin-offs of some titles I’m familiar with in the UK and Europe. I also love to keep an eye on media at home – UK and European politics especially.

What sets you apart from other Corporate Communication Managers?
I’m fortunate to work in a sector that I love, that is also interesting to most people. I think getting under-the-skin of an industry is important and my background in hospitality helps me speak to the right people to quickly grasp the task-at-hand.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
Either – I’m good on Skype and Whatsapp too. LinkedIn for professional networking.

What’s your most overused saying?
Since I arrived in Dubai, I frequently find myself saying: “I think it’s near to…”

Five things you can’t live without?
New experiences – especially travel, Whatsapp – a great way to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues across time zones, friends and family (count as one), protein shakes and aviation.

If you weren’t in Corporate Communications, what would you be?
An explorer.

 

Chief Operating Officer, Eymard Saldanha

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Name: Eymard Saldanha
Age: 45
From: Mumbai, India
Current job title: Chief Operating Officer, Percept Gulf MENA

When did you arrive in the UAE?
I first came to the UAE in 1997, having previously spent my career working in marketing and advertising in India.

Where did you work prior?
Prior to joining Percept Gulf MENA, I was with Ogilvy & Mather MENA where I was Regional Director EEMEA – BAT and Head of Advertising MENA. 

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
It felt quite small and contained. The opportunities for principal business are never limited to a country but a geographical cluster, so just getting it right in one country’s market was never good enough. If you’ve not expanded regionally you will never reach critical mass. I felt that about media as well.

Have these impressions changed much?
Individual markets have evolved significantly, and there are many more opportunities for certain industries to prosper with a single country specification. But in general, my view that principals need to have a geographical spread remains unchanged. Media should follow their brands’ expansion.

Tell us about your new role at Percept Gulf…
I have come on board as COO of the NEW Percept. We have been reasonably advertising focused in the past and my ambition is to embed the PerceptOne ideology into our genetic code. PerceptOne is our interpretation of how a flat, multi-disciplined organisation delivers superior business results to our resident brands; through a combination of understanding the product, as well as consumer and business challenges, and culminating in a consumer or customer facing business solution. The new multi-discipline Percept Gulf offering now includes advertising, media, public relations, social and digital, and event marketing, which I oversee. I also want to engage the PerceptOne ideology with new, ambitious and like-minded business groups.

What challenges do you face?
I see the MENA region as a huge opportunity and do not see any challenges in embedding our ideology. I will always push myself hard to hire bigger and better people so that giants surround me. Getting the right team is always a challenge, but we in Dubai are better off than most with our location offer – and I believe PerceptOne will be a natural magnet.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I have only been a part of the Percept group for the last few months, but I already have a love for our enthusiasm and commitment. We are a very entrepreneurial agency and believe that ideas can develop anywhere – inside or out of the agency. Helping my teams disseminate rich thinking is the more rewarding part of my job. In addition, I love teaching and mentoring our talent, as well as directly engaging with clients on business problems.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen so far?
I am yet to meet a single client (and I have met a lot in the last few months) who doesn’t believe in the PerceptOne ideology. That signifies opportunity to deliver the best to our brands and is hugely exciting to me.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
‘You have come a long way baby’ is a radio mnemonic that comes to mind. The media publications were static and boring for a long time and have truly come into their own over the last few years. The trajectory is just right. 

What sets you apart from other communications professionals?
I believe that every solid marketing communications professional should keep their brands and consumers as their primary focus, and not get distracted by obsessive strategising, irrelevant creative and an inflated ego. I have managed to balance all three over the years, and I think I’m a better, more professional person for it. It allows me to drive my teams to:

  1. Disrupt the status quo
  2. Think beyond the traditional norm
  3. Develop rich and campaign-able ideas
  4. Display infectious energy
  5. Think and live the media neutral PerceptOne.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
I am happy with both.

What’s your most overused saying?
Currently it is ‘PerceptOne and Brand Evangelist’, but historically it has been ‘We sell or else!’ and ‘The consumer isn’t a moron she is your wife’ (both from David Ogilvy – RIP).

Five things you can’t live without?
My wife, daughter, my IT fix (my gadgets), Wifi and my sense of humour.

If you weren’t in media and communications, what would you be doing?
A top end car and bike shop owner, who would terrorise owners for not loving their vehicles the way they should be!

Managing Director MEA, Lucy Miller

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Name: Lucy Miller
Age: 41
From: London, UK
Current job title: Managing Director MEA, Event Marketing Solutions (EMS)

When did you arrive in the UAE?
I first arrived here in November 2007, which as you can imagine wasn’t the best timing!

Where did you work prior?
I started my career in experiential marketing and then moved into integrated. After working with gyro in London and New York, I set up the local branch office here in Dubai in partnership with my sister Fiona and was Managing Director for six years.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?  
I lived in Oman in the early 90s and vividly remember driving to Dubai and seeing the billboards as we entered the UAE, it felt so vibrant and exciting, a place full of potential. When I came back to the Middle East to live in Dubai in 2007, I was very impressed by the breadth and the friendliness of the industry but I was a little underwhelmed by the creativity in some of the campaigns in the market around that time.

Have these impressions changed much?
Yes! The industry has developed at such a pace. I’ve seen some incredible ideas come out of our region, both in the media and at the shows and it gives me a real sense of pride to be part of it.  

Tell us about your new role as Managing Director MEA…
I am the Managing Director of EMS EMEA, which means I’m responsible for the Middle East and Africa arm of the business. EMS is all about creating live experiences that engage powerfully and move minds – nothing creates a brand presence like one of our roadshow truck experiences. My role is to work with agencies and clients and listen, understand and interpret their requirements in order to customise an exhibition trailer that fits their campaign needs exactly, be it hospitality, retail, training, product demonstrations or internal communications.

What challenges do you face?
I think the biggest challenge I’ve faced working in marketing in the Middle East is understanding the audience. When you live in a region with a population this diverse it is always a challenge to develop campaigns that resonate with people from so many countries and backgrounds. It’s a challenge I absolutely love, as learning about different cultures fascinates me, keeps life interesting and is one of the reasons I moved to Dubai.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
I love the creative aspect of my job. I get a real sense of satisfaction when I help to create a customer experience with a compelling idea at the heart of it.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen so far?
I’m meeting with lots of agencies and potential clients at the moment and it’s exciting when people see the experiences we’ve created around the world and start to consider the potential for their brand.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
From a professional perspective I think the regional business and media industry publications are very strong. However from a personal perspective there aren’t many regional titles that appeal to me, as a working mother, and I prefer international publications when it comes to news and magazines.

What sets you apart from other marketing professionals?
I made the switch from experiential to integrated early on in my career, and having moved back to experiential I’m able to use a different approach to cracking a brief which results in a stronger campaign overall. Like many marketers I have a creative heart and a strategic brain and it’s great when I get them working in harmony. I travelled a lot when growing up and have lived on five continents. I spent a lot of time throughout my childhood meeting people from different cultures and I like to think this has made me good at relating to others. It’s a useful skill when I’m focusing on understanding an audience in order to develop a campaign that resonates.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
At the moment mainly Skype, lots of my team are in the UK and it’s lovely to see their faces as I get to know them all.

What’s your most overused saying?
‘What do we want them to feel, think, know and do?’

Five things you can’t live without?
My family, friends, my dragonfly earrings, a notebook and a cup of tea.

If you weren’t in marketing and events, what would you be doing?
Someone who makes things – I love painting, sewing and crafts and have always got a few creative projects on the go.

Head of Marketing, Patrick Fourniol

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Name: Patrick Fourniol
Age: 43
From: France & Germany
Current job title: Head of Marketing, Al-Futtaim Motors – Toyota

When did you arrive in the UAE?
I landed in Dubai a few months ago to take up my new role and my family joined me a few weeks later.

Where did you work prior?
I joined Al-Futtaim Motors from Renault Germany, where I was Marketing Director for Renault since 2011. Prior to that, I had served Renault’s head quarters as VP Marketing Communications Worldwide. Earlier, I led the communications activities of Volkswagen in France. I am no stranger to Toyota either, as I was fortunate enough to serve the brand for four years at Toyota Marketing Europe (TMME) as Regional Senior Manager Toyota Sales Operations.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East and how have they changed?
Western audiences seem to have little knowledge of the Middle Eastern media scene, so awareness is low and perceptions are misleading – mine included. When I arrived in the UAE, it was refreshing to see that the width, breadth and level of sophistication of the local media scene is on par with those in more mature western markets. I have also come to realise that print media, especially daily newspapers, are very resilient despite the challenges presented by the advent of digital, and continue to maintain their circulation and subscription volumes. However, I believe that it’s only a matter of time before print media in this region starts reinventing itself to appeal to the information consumption habits of the new generations who have grown largely accustomed to social media and online platforms.

Tell us about your new role at Al-Futtaim Motors…
My focus is on marketing management across all activities: new car sales, aftersales, pre-owned, SME and retail. This involves brand management, communications, events, advertising and last but not least, digital.

Toyota is a brand and company I know quite well and love working for, and is certainly a leading brand in the automotive world. Al-Futtaim Motors has a clear and ambitious vision and I hope to be able to contribute to its success by introducing some fresh and strategic thinking in the way we devise, plan and implement our marketing activities. Contributing to the company’s further success is a very exciting and rewarding prospect for a passionate marketer like me.

What challenges do you face?
When you work for a brand and company that you love and respect, there is little in your professional environment that could be deemed as ‘challenging’. I prefer words like ‘stimulating’, ‘exciting’, or ‘inspiring’ whenever I am presented with something out of the daily routine – my comfort-zone so to speak. Rising up to these situations and working hard and strategically to overcome the odds is the key to unlocking the full potential of individuals, teams and agencies.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Delighting customers, impacting the company’s bottom-line and helping people live up to their maximum potential. When I have done my best to deliver on any given project and when I see the same work ethic and results-driven approach in every member of my team, I know I have done a job for which I can be proud. Collegiality, trust, integrity and mutual respect between associates is also a rewarding aspect of my work at Al-Futtaim Motors.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen so far?
I have already been fortunate enough to participate in the creation and development of a number of marketing campaigns that have had a very positive impact on the business. I wouldn’t want to use any specific examples because every campaign, every project and every initiative which I undertake is of equal importance to me, and I am a great believer in the power of consistency – make sure to have a look at the upcoming campaigns.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
As a non-Arabic speaker, I can only judge the quality of the UAE’s English media which I find to be very good – I can only imagine the challenge of grasping the interests of such a blend of nationalities. The motoring press is in a particular good shape, with expert journalists who are outspoken and passionate about cars and know the auto industry inside out.

What sets you apart from other marketers?
My career has allowed me to combine my interest for cars, design and advanced technology with my passion for brand management. I have a proven track record in contributing to building significant business and brand equity for some of the world’s leading automotive companies. I am multilingual and used to working and living in multicultural environments, and I excel both in strategic thinking and attention to details. 

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
Nothing matches face-to-face communication.

What’s your most overused saying?
Think and act G.O.S.P.A!

Set your Goal and Objective before you develop any Strategy, Plan and Action

Five things you can’t live without?
My family, my team, fun, ambition and French cheese.

If you weren’t a marketer, what would you be?
An architect – I admire their ability to blend art, design and functionality for places where people live and get inspired.

 

Editor, Georgina Enzer

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Name: Georgina Enzer
Age: 33
From: UK and Zimbabwe
Current Job Title: Editor, FinanceME

 When did you first arrive in the UAE?
I moved here in 2008.

Where did you work prior?
Previously I was Editor of Oil & Gas magazine here in Dubai, and prior to this I worked for GEO English, an English-language TV channel in Karachi, Pakistan.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
Having grown up and worked primarily in media for developing countries in Africa, the media industry here seemed far more organised and advanced in terms of quality of magazines and quality of coverage.

How has your opinion changed?
While the Middle East region is streaks ahead of countries like Zimbabwe and Pakistan in terms of quality of coverage, I believe there should be a stronger emphasis on hiring journalists with a degree in media, and companies should also be willing to train journalists in areas such as media law, particularly pertaining to UAE laws.

Tell us about your role…
I am the Editor for FinanceME, a business finance publication published by CPI Finance. I am in charge of all editorial content and am basically in charge of ensuring I produce a good quality magazine.

What challenges do you face?
Finance is a new sector for me, having recently transferred from an oil & gas title, so it is going to be a very fast learning curve to get up to speed on what I need to know.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing the printed magazine and finding no mistakes in the copy! It’s also great to be able to learn something completely new every day.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
In the magazine sector I think there are a lot of great titles, but I think the newspapers here let the side down.

How do you find PRs in the region?
Over the years I have met a handful of really great PRs who you can pick up the phone to at 9am with an emergency page to fill, and they will get something back to you the same day.

What’s your pet PR peeve?
Sending me a press release, calling five minutes later to ask if I have read it and why I haven’t responded, followed by another call a few hours later to ask if I’ve read the release and why it hasn’t been published. If I am not busy I will reply to you, if it is appropriate it will be published. At least give me a day or two!

 What advice can you offer PRs seeking coverage your magazine?
Do your research before you contact me, so you know what our target audience is and whether your client will work in the publication.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
Landline.

Describe yourself in five words…
Innovative, driven, passionate, excitable, adventurer.

What’s your most overused saying?
No worries.

Five things you can’t live without?
My son, my parents and my cat – I can live without everything else!

If you weren’t a journalist, what would you be?
A private safari guide in Africa.

 

 

 

Email marketing strategies – where we’re going wrong

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With emailing now a vital tool used in most marketing strategies, Josh Tetteh Lartey, Digital Director at Ruleof3 offers an expert opinion on how these strategies can be improved…

We are guilty of thinking that good email campaigns are easy to execute… like most things in life, if you want to get great results it involves a bit of effort

 Love them or hate them, emails are now a vital part of many businesses marketing strategy. I bet you have read more Groupon offers, brunch deals or airline ticket offers than you have print adverts before your skinny latte this morning?

Done correctly, they can yield fantastic results, filling rooms, selling tickets and in this region – even selling building projects.

The important part of the above statement is, as you’ve guessed, ‘done correctly’. In this part of the world, we are guilty of thinking that good email campaigns are easy to execute, as many companies boast of huge databases. Like most things in life, if you want to get great results it involves a bit of effort – pushing the send button is the easy part. So, ready for a few home truths?

  • Emails are not supposed to look like print adverts – they don’t work that way.
  • Attaching a jpeg to a big list does not tick your digital marketing KPI
  • Not tracking your emails is the definition of madness
  • Expecting people to get all of the information from the mailer is futile

Today emails are read on all sorts of gadgets. This is why it’s important that they are built correctly, and why testing is an essential part of that process – trust me, the effort put in here will increase your clicks through and ultimately your success.

Here are three basic rules to help create a successful e-marketing campaign:

1. Keep it short and link to your content
Make your subject line snappy and to the point. While it seems obvious that the best approach would be to have the subject jump off the screen and “GRAB THE READER’S ATTENTION!”, unfortunately this is not the case at all. Most people get so much junk mail in their inbox, anything that even hints of spam gets thrown away immediately.

What do work are subject lines that are pretty straightforward. They’re not very ‘salesy’ or ‘pushy’ at all and are short and simple.

However, where more ‘creative’ subject lines do perform well is where the database is one people have signed up too, as a certain level of expectation can be relied on and personality of a brand shown.

Secondly, an email newsletter shouldn’t be thought of in the traditional offline manner anymore. Your digital newsletter should have small snippets of a story or information with a clear click through that links to content held on a website, preferably you own. If the reader is genuinely interested in the content they will click through to read more about it.

2. Have focus 
Sending out regular communications to your readers is great, if you keep things focused. Avoid regurgitating the same news or offers and confusing messages relating to other subjects.

Always be relevant to your reader. Know why they have signed up and keep the information you are sending them on topic for their preference. Target, segment your lists and monitor analytic reports to improve the content you are delivering. You need to keep your list healthy and full of captivated readers.

3. Don’t send JPGs or PDF attachments
Your email should look good, but one giant graphic is not cool. If done by a competent designer, marketing emails can look impressive and impactful. They are visually consistent, easy to forward and above all cheaper and easier to produce, because they don’t require very much, if any, HTML coding skills. The negative of this approach is often overlooked. Sending large images increases bandwidth, speed and readability. You should always cater to the lowest common denominator and as a default single image emails are commonly deemed by mail gateways and ISPs as spam. In a default setup, email clients hide images.

With a properly coded HTML email, the reader is able to read the content of the email without relying on the supporting images to make an informed decision on whether to continue reading your email.

Finally, spamming and not being able to unsubscribe from emails just damages your companies online equity, and although emails may be thought of as the poor brother or sister to print, radio, TV, etc., underestimate them at your peril as you could be doing more harm than good.

Emails as a marketing strategy are great – they are just not as easy to get right as you think.

 

Josh Tetteh Lartey is Digital Director at Ruleof3. Contact him at josh@ruleof3.ae 

Head of Marketing and Communications, Paul Mampilli

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Name: Paul Mampilli
Age: 45
From: India
Current job title: Head of Marketing and Communications, Noor Bank

When did you arrive in the UAE?
I left Singapore for Dubai in January 2009.

Where did you work prior to joining Noor Bank?
I was previously General Manager (MEA) at Resultrix – A Publicis Company, and prior to that was Head of Marketing, PR & Communications (MEA) for Mastercard Worldwide. I’ve also worked with Zenith, Visa, BBDO and TBWA.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
When I first moved here, I compared the region to South East Asia (SEA) and the rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC), and because of this I felt this region had a lot of catching up to do.

Have these impressions changed much?
The industry has transformed a lot in the last two years. I experience a lot of sophistication coming into the industry and this is primarily being driven by the digital space. A lot of talent has moved into this market and that has also resulted in local talent being up-scaled.

Tell us about your new position as Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications…
Noor Bank has rebranded itself and is on an exciting path to grow itself. The senior management and employees within the organisation are very switched on and this makes it an immensely satisfying place to work. Given we are a fairly young bank, there is a lot of appetite to try out new things which you would not find in larger organisations. I am looking forward to bring several digital practices to the fore as part of our efforts.

What challenges do you face?
Ensuring that the philosophy of the brand “Noor gets it done” is consistently delivered through every single consumer activity and touch point of Noor Bank.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Every time I am able to impact a change in the way we plan and implement our philosophy across the bank in the way it reaches its consumers.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen so far?
The planning and engagement of digital marketing practices.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
I think they are fairly good compared to Asia, but need more than the regular sales push.  As the Middle East is a highly connected region, more efforts to bring in sophistication on the digital front would do well.

What sets you apart from other marketing professionals?
I took the decision to dive into the digital agency space two years ago to learn about what makes it tick. Now back on the client’s side, it would be fair to say that I would probably be one of the few professionals who bring with them an in-depth knowledge of digital marketing, advertising, media and marketing practices.

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
Both.

What’s your most overused saying?
Plan and persevere to succeed.

Five things you can’t live without?
Aside from my family, my iPhone 5s, iPad Air, Mac Book Pro, Nexus 5 and Garmin Fenix 2 devices.

If you weren’t in marketing and communications, what would you be?
A running coach. I coach around 40 kids and adults as a hobby and it’s my way of giving back to society. Running is a passion.

Guides Writer, Martin Fullard

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Name: Martin Fullard
Age: 29
From: Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom
 Job Title: Guides Writer, Gulf News Online

 When did you first arrive in the UAE?
I moved here in February 2008.

 Where did you work prior?
At a kart circuit originally, followed by freelancing for several motoring magazines and websites including Auto Middle East, Motoraty and Auto Trader.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
Far less restrictive than I imagined.

How has your opinion changed?
They haven’t.

Tell us about your role…
My job is to research and provide copy for the guides section of Gulf News Online; from reviews and tips, to events and step-by-step guides.

What challenges do you face?
Ensuring that my work appeals to the vast multicultural demographic of the UAE, not just one niche market. 

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Being a part of an internationally renowned news organisation, and knowing that I can help people learn about the UAE.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?
Everything has sprung up so quickly in the UAE that it’s easy to forget how far it has come in a short space of time. Quality improves as the country grows.

How do you find PRs in the region?
Generally useful, although some have a tendency to send irrelevant material.

What’s your pet PR peeve?
See above. If I’m writing for a car magazine then the chances are my readers aren’t going to be interested in make-up!

Work calls via landline, mobile or both?
Both is fine.

Describe yourself in five words…
Incandescent yet un-assuming. Unpretentious yet egotistical. And tall.

What’s your most overused saying?
“Keep it simple” and “Urgh, AFC Wimbledon lost again on Saturday”.

Five things you can’t live without?
AFC Wimbledon, driving license, car, friends and my wife!

If you weren’t a journalist, what would you be?
I would like to revert to my teenage years when I was trying to become a racing driver… but that does the opposite of paying a salary; a Weatherman, then.