In The Hot Seat – Deveekaa Nijhawan

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We catch up with Deveeka Nijhawan, Complex PR and Marketing Communications Manager at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre and Le Meridien Fairway, who tells Team TMN what she thinks about the PR and marketing industry…

Name: Deveekaa Nijhawan

Age: 27

From: India

Current job title: Complex PR and Marketing Communications Manager at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre and Le Meridien Fairway

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

November 2009

Where did you work prior?

I previously worked with Dun and Bradstreet as Business Development Consultant, which gave me a good platform to understand the market, cultures and norms. Prior to that, I interned at Standard Chartered Bank and once worked part-time as a bouncer…that was definitely interesting and fun.

What were your first impressions of the PR and marketing industry in the Middle East?

I happen to join the industry by chance and it didn’t take long for me to realise how much I loved it and wanted to continue pursuing it. The industry seems to be very glamorous and fun from the outside and don’t get me wrong it is – and that’s why I love it so much, but it is a lot of hard work as it’s a 24/7 job and basically your social life is non-existent. However, I have managed to make it work for me, as my friends are all in the industry so work doesn’t seem like work!

Has your opinion changed much?

The industry has evolved over time and with the current economic climate, we need to be more aggressive to attain a greater share of wallet. However, this makes it more interesting as I am always trying to find ways to be more creative, effective and efficient. I definitely work better under pressure and when I am told this is challenging to achieve, I am even more determined to deliver results and rise to the challenge.

Tell us about your current role…

I manage the PR and marketing strategy for the hotel, which includes promoting the hotel’s 579 rooms and suites, 24 conference and meeting facilities such as the Great Ballroom and 18 restaurants and bars. I also work very closely with local and international media publications, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) as well as influencers to ensure the hotel is provided with exposure in relevant strategic markets aligned with the brand’s image. My role also includes working closely with the revenue optimisation and F&B team to develop concepts and campaigns to increase loyalty and share of wallet as well as leveraging insights shared by my media friends on customer trends and opportunities. I also work very closely with leading banks, airlines, event management companies and media houses in the industry to foster and maintain partnerships that will ensure the hotel remains as the customers’ preferred event hosting, dining and hospitality partner.

What challenges do you face?

My main challenge is time as there truly isn’t enough hours in a day – between attending several strategic meetings, maintaining regular dialogues with the media, briefing agencies, attending events and so much more, my days are always very packed.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Meeting people from different walks of life and building lifelong relationships

How would you rather be contacted at work?

I love meeting people in person and I am available 24/7 by phone, though I do try to get some sleep in between.

Is traditional marketing still efficient in the UAE today?

In today’s environment, social media and online marketing are very efficient tools in generating immediate results, which can be effectively tracked. However one needs to leverage a mix of communication tools to achieve short-term and long-term strategies. Traditional marketing is still a very effective tool of generating brand awareness and long-term brand equity.

What role has digital media played in the hospitality industry in the UAE?

Digital marketing has become a cornerstone of a robust marketing strategy. In the hospitality industry, online reviews can make or break a brand’s reputation, as consumer-generated content is trusted to be more reliable than the traditional marketing tools. Social media, mobile and web marketing have provided us with access to a range of demographic and socio-economic segments, opening up new revenue streams. Google analytics and programmatic marketing tools can now provide us with extensive real time consumer insight and knowledge which helps in optimising our marketing efforts by being more relevant and personalised.

Describe yourself in five words…

Fun, lovable, passionate, problem-solver and efficient

What’s your most overused saying?

Darling and Sweetheart.

Five things you can’t live without?

Family, friends, food, phone and entertainment

What’s the most exciting thing that has happened to you in your career?

I would say one of the most exciting aspects of my career was winning the Hotelier Middle East Award for the Best PR and Marketing in 2016, where being chosen out of 500 nominees in the MENA region was definitely surreal and a dream come true. It was a great validation for all my hard work and passion.

During my tenure I have had the privilege of meeting celebrities like Lionel Richie, Tom Cruise, Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, as well as attended fun events, launches and pre-openings where I met very interesting people from all walks of life.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I would be a travel blogger, as I love exploring new places, meeting people from different cultures and sharing stories and my experiences.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print, social media)?

I am still old school in this aspect and love the feeling of going through a magazine cover-by-cover learning about the latest trends, news and gossip. So it’s print for me!

How do you see the PR and marketing industry changing in the UAE in the coming years?

The industry is at a very interesting juncture whereby digital technology in the UAE is becoming increasingly popular with penetration of smart phone technology increasing at a rapid speed and people becoming more open to share their lives on an open platform. The use of social media in the industry would help in getting access to more people in more efficient and meaningful ways, especially in the hospitality industry which is a very visual and experiential one. It’s definitely an opportunity, but at the same time with information sharing becoming viral it will also be challenging from a PR perspective to ensure protection of the brand image as one poor experience can have devastating long-term repercussions if not managed effectively and swiftly.

 

In The Hot Seat – Caitlyn Davey

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Team TMN catch up with Caitlyn Davey, Deputy Editor at Lovin Dubai, who talks about her new role and what she thinks of the media industry in the Middle East…

Name: Caitlyn Davey

Age: 28

From: Australia

Current job title: Deputy Editor, Lovin Dubai

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

I worked in Abu Dhabi from February 2013, then got a job with 7DAYS in September 2014 after which, I moved to Dubai in January 2015.

Where did you work prior?

I was working part-time in Brisbane media for a community radio station as well as freelance.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

I didn’t know a lot about the local media. I was familiar with a few publications, but came over to stay with my mum so she introduced me to a lot of it.

Has your opinion changed much?

I’ve learnt a lot about the country and the media landscape – it’s an interesting time to be in media in the UAE as it changes and shifts towards digital. I don’t think my opinion has changed, so much as I have learnt more.

Tell us about your current role…

I’m the Deputy Editor at Lovin Dubai, which means I’m responsible for the editorial content on the site. It’s a digital product so I spend my days hunting down stories, writing them up quickly and working with our commercial team. I also work on the social media, running competitions, engaging with our followers and finding new ways to present information.

What challenges do you face?

Time is our biggest battle, we’re a small team and are producing a huge amount of content so it’s always a race against the clock to get enough well-written coverage. As a new brand, we’re growing rapidly and working to expand on our brand awareness.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Helping community initiatives have a voice is really enjoyable. I love hearing from our readers too – whether that’s through social media or personally. Our site gets a lot of feedback and it’s always exciting to know people are reading and engaging with our content.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

Email, always email!

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?

I think there are some excellent publications here that produce quality content. I would like to see more quality digital products, but I think that’s happening now.

Is traditional media still relevant in the UAE today?

Absolutely, I have worked in traditional media prior to my current job and it’s a fundamental part of life here. Revenue still comes from print advertising to a large degree and while that is shifting, it’s still a part of the makeup of a lot of companies. Plus I think there’s something so luxurious about the aesthetics of a piece of paper in your hand – it’s the same with books.

Describe yourself in five words…

Passionate, hilarious, enthusiastic, creative and loud

What’s your most overused saying?

That’s amazing…

What’s the most exciting thing that has happen to you in your career?

It sounds corny, but getting the job at 7DAYS was one of the best things to ever happen to me, it opened so many doors. And because of that job – I inadvertently signed up for a boxing reality TV show for a story and ended up on the show, and in a boxing ring. Also, meeting Michael Buble was a highlight.

Five things you can’t live without?

Bottle of water, phone, laptop, my Converse shoes, a pen… and paper.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Something where I don’t have to sit down too long – I’m happiest outside, moving around and talking to people.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

TV and video will always have a special place in my heart. I love that it has both visual and audio components and when it’s lifestyle content, I get to inject a bit of my own personality into the mix. In saying that, writing is always an important part of the equation because whether it’s TV, digital, radio or anything, there’s still an element of writing to it.

How do you see the media industry changing in the UAE in the coming years?

More digital presence from the existing brands, and more apps. I think with sites like Lovin Dubai leading the way, we will get more fast-paced products aiming to share information more rapidly. I’d also expect to see more online video and TV channels establishing themselves in the UAE as news providers.

In The Hot Seat – Joe Lipscombe

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Joe Lipscombe, Content Director at Memac Ogilvy tells TMN about his current role and what he thinks about the media industry in the Middle East…

Name: Joe Lipscombe

Age: Too close to 30

From: England

Current job title: Content Director

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

2012

Where did you work prior?

I was predominantly a freelancer from 2010 to 2012, working across a myriad of publications and websites. My favourite, oddly enough, was Cosmos (The Science of Everything, not the gossip mag), which was based in Australia. I was a cosmology correspondent writing about all things planets, stardust and interstellar explosions – you know, standard stuff!

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

I’m not sure it’s fair to summarise the Middle East media industry in one broad statement – that would be like asking, “What are Americans like?” There are far too many nuances and unique differences between each market here, which is part of the reason it’s so exciting to work in a regional organisation. My first impressions of the UAE’s media industry, at least, were similar to what they are today. Like any market, there remains a very broad spectrum of talent, but given the size of the market, it’s perhaps a little more obvious here than in some other places. I think its biggest issue is the young and talented journalists of the GCC vastly outnumber the older, more experienced journalists, which means mentors and true experts are hard to come by. For every Frank Kane, Mustafa Alwari and Robert Chilton, who truly knows their way around a paper or magazine, you’ve got a swarm of really talented journalists without access to these types of people. That’s not to say we don’t have incredibly talented journalists, communicators, designers and editors in the GCC – we absolutely do, but it does mean we end up seeing them come and go in waves. Once they’ve learned all they can from this market, they try something new elsewhere.

In terms of the industry itself, the good is its resilience in the area of print. By the same token, the bad is it has struggled to really announce itself in the digital area.

Has your opinion changed much?

That’s probably my general opinion (I’m struggling to remember my real first impressions).

Tell us about your current role…

My role is super fun. My partner, mentor and good friend Sami Moutran, the Director of Memac Ogilvy (MO), came to me with a vision of building a content studio that lives inside MO PR. When the digital world sprang to life, and platforms that allowed everyone to become broadcasters became the norm, reaching people through public relations completely changed. The goal of PR has always remained the same, but the methods needed to achieve it have matured. With that in mind, we needed to evolve slightly and begin offering new services at a higher quality. So we began building the content team, which is my baby, essentially. We focused on hiring people with more specialised backgrounds in writing, creation and production. Then, we placed it into the workflow process alongside our client servicing team, Voilà!

What challenges do you face?

Nothing extraordinarily different to anyone else in the region. As an agency there are some common challenges, and then some not-so common challenges you can’t predict. The three day-to-day challenges I face are making the most of our resources, trying to provide the best value for our clients and maintaining the high standards set by Memac Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) across the region (and Ogilvy globally).

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

I could be quite predictable here and say when you see the impact your work has on people’s lives. Some of the stuff MO has done in the last two years has been truly transformational for people all around the world, from globally recognised campaigns such as UN Women’s Autocomplete Truth, to locally important ones such as RTA’s Back-Off Radio. But for me, I’m an ideas man, and to this day the most rewarding part of my job is sparring with my colleagues on new creative ideas. I especially enjoy being part of the creative process with people from other disciplines outside of PR, too. We’re a fully integrated agency, so we work closely with our activations and experiential partner, Geometry Global, as well as the digital marketing and advertising teams from Ogilvy One and O&M. So, you’re always working with talented people from different backgrounds, and with different skills, which means you’re always learning. The final rewarding part is travelling around the region and meeting clients and colleagues from other countries. Mark Jackson, Regional Head of Technology at MO and I recently ran a regional workshop on storytelling, which gave me the opportunity to meet people in other offices, and see what they’re up to. It’s incredibly beneficial (especially for someone without a communications or marketing background).

How would you rather be contacted at work?

Carrier pigeon would be cool or a puppy with a note.

What do you think of the quality of media publications in the region?

I’m a consumer first. So like any consumer, some things I love, some things I hate. I’m a huge fan of Edgar magazine, I think Robert Chilton, Editor-in-Chief of Edgar, has done an excellent job over there. Living in the labyrinth of glossy magazines in the UAE, you can really see the difference between the pretentious and the good. Edgar is an audience-first publication, which I like. Otherwise, though it’s biased to say, I still love picking up Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East purely because of its art. Steven Castelluccia, Art Director of Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East, is without a shadow of a doubt the best Art Director in the country today, which is why his covers appear everywhere from Cover Junkie to Adweek. He’s a genius!

What role has the rise of digital media played when it comes to content creation in the UAE’s media industry?

The digital space has influenced change in every aspect of content creation, from how you create it, where you put it, when you put it there and how you then analyse its performance. The biggest change the digital era has given us is that of consumer behaviour. We put it this way, the consumer used to be a dog. You could generally feed it what you wanted, when you wanted, and it would be very happy and loyal in return. Today, as consumers, we’re more like cats. Everyone thinks it can tame a cat, but in reality they don’t answer to anyone. Their loyalty can’t be easily bought, and they are as fussy as you can imagine. Therefore, we have to totally change the way we approach content creation. We have to use a number of methods to find out exactly what they want, how they want it and when they want it. Then we have to create something that’s as compelling as absolutely anything else available online. Because today, you’re not just competing with your industry rivals, you’re also competing with House of Cards, Game of Thrones, cats playing piano and anything else that lives in the same space as your content. That’s what digital has done, it’s created a level playing field for universal content wars. It’s actually awesome.

Have cultural differences in the UAE played a role in its media industry versus other regions?

Only in a good way. My Arabic Content Manager teaches me so much about the delicacies of the Arabic language, and my Regional Director, Saada Hammad, teaches me so much about building relationships in the Arab world. We have rising stars from Canada, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and pretty much anywhere else, so we are blessed with an ever-relevant point of view on the industry.

How has digital media changed the relationship between the PR and media industry?

Well, there’s a question that could open up a can of worms. Both professions are working their way around new ways of operating in the digital space, so the collaboration between the two is changing as a result. I think we’re getting there.

Describe yourself in five words…

I wouldn’t dare. Better to ask my boss.

What’s your most overused saying?

“Is it lunchtime?” probably. Tied with “I disagree”.

Five things you can’t live without?

Radiohead, a tennis racquet, cat videos, vino (can I say that?), trolling jargon-lovers on LinkedIn.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

With my instant likeability and good looks? An influencer, obviously.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

Documentaries. My dream has always been to make documentaries. So much so, our cat is named after Louis Theroux, Louis Theroux Lipscombe The Cat, to be exact!

How do you see the media and PR industry changing in the UAE in the coming years?

If I knew that, I’d be a millionaire.

In The Hot Seat – Hadley Newman

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Hadley Newman, Managing Director at Omobono Middle East talks to TMN about his current role and the digital marketing industry in the Middle East…

Name: Hadley Newman

Age: 37

From: London, UK

Current job title: Managing Director, Omobono Middle East

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

2006

Where did you work prior?

Prior to my current position, I previously worked with Publicis as Director from 2011 until 2013 and most recently with Cheil Worldwide as Regional Director from 2013 until 2016.

What were your first impressions of the digital marketing industry in the Middle East?

It struck me that digitisation was uneven across the region and that a handful of countries were noticeably taking the lead in social media and smartphone adoption. Like in many other markets, governments and businesses needed to move beyond traditional forms of business for the digital age. It was clear at that time, that the UAE would be one of those countries transforming the region into a leading digital economy.

Has your opinion changed much?

Not that much. The disparity between those countries in the region who have not yet fully embraced the digital opportunity and the leaders in the digital space, such as the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, remains. The rich ambition and potential of the UAE positions it well for the accelerating forces of global change and so, with Qatar and Bahrain, it remains in a prominent place in accelerating digitisation across the region.

Tell us about your current role…

My role is to lead and grow Omobono’s regional presence, helping clients with the development of their B2B digital communication strategies to drive engagement with their key audiences such as, customers, employees, partners and stakeholders. We work to establish long lasting true-partnerships with our clients and having established Omobono’s fifth international office in Dubai, the first office in the Middle East, our best-in-class team continues to deliver some of the best specialised creative and strategic work in the region for our clients.

What challenges do you face?

The days tend not to be long enough.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Bringing new ideas to life is the most rewarding part of what we do. The concept-to-delivery is made possible by the people that I have the pleasure to work with. Our aim is to only hire people that are better than us in their respective field and we seek to work with clients who understand the value of partnership.

How do you measure marketing success in the UAE’s digital community today?

It’s clear that Google analytics led the way for many years, but with today’s tools and algorithms we are now able to provide unparalleled customer insight like never before. We can now ask the right questions and access the right answers at the right times. The opportunities for businesses are endless and we are helping our clients realise this potential within their digital communications strategies.

Is traditional media still relevant for effective branding in the region today?

The media itself – yes, to varying degrees (by discipline) and for the time being. What is important is the understanding that we’re on an evolutionary journey and this region is well positioned to be leading the advance. Brands that do not fully embrace the latest technological developments and engage through new media are at risk. However, many of the processes from traditional media, research, analysis, translation in to the creative brief and the importance of message in the story we tell, are relevant and will remain so – even as the written word becomes increasingly dominated by video – and it should be noted that certain disciplines of traditional media carry a higher level of weight and credibility than many new media channels.

We’re at an exciting point in the journey from the Gutenberg press of the 15th century to today’s fourth industrial revolution. Today’s work on online audience sentiment analysis such as IBM’s Watson or cognitive technologies and natural language interfaces, including chatbots – as well as demands for mobile-first strategy, means that pressure for traditional media to remain relevant is growing.

Has social media taken over the marketing industry in the UAE?

Many of the global brands that we work with have social media as the principle target for their digital investment in the coming year. However, the split between social and other types of digital marketing is not great enough to state that it’s taking over. The UAE is now innately digital and increasingly social. The rapid adoption of social media in this market means that brands are now able to engage with people in more meaningful ways and the role of social media is paramount to achieving marketing goals for global business brands.

Describe yourself in five words…

Quirky, responsible, resilient, amiable, decisive…and rule-breaker

What’s your most overused saying?

“Yallah” which is particularly noticeable when I’m in Europe and catch myself saying it!

Five things you can’t live without?

The arts, books, eccentricity, my bike, pencils and satire – see my earlier answer.”

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I’d be working in the field of diplomacy.

How do you see the digital marketing industry changing in the Middle East in the coming years?

The future is exciting. Middle Eastern countries, most notably the UAE and Qatar, have ambitious and individual aspirations. Significant progress has been made to embrace the digital opportunity – with 78% of the population owning at least one smartphone and the penetration for UAE nationals rising to 85%. Compare this with the EU for example, where smartphone penetration is not expected to reach 68% until 2018 and that social media adoption in the UAE is over 70% (which is higher than the US). We will see continued ownership transfer of content and stories from brands to audiences as investment in the production of content and sharing stories is becoming less relevant for brands in the challenge of authenticity. Finally, interest in cognitive technologies and natural language interfaces will increase and will be one of the most interesting developments in my opinion.

In The Hot Seat – Paromita Dey

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Paromita Dey, Editor, Logistics News ME at BNC Publishing talks to TMN about her current role and what she thinks about the media industry in the Middle East…

 Name: Paromita Dey

Age: 30

From: India

Current job title: Editor, Logistics News ME, BNC Publishing

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

2014

Where did you work prior?

I worked on Construction Week at ITP Media Group as a Reporter and before that, I worked with an independent real estate magazine, Gulf Property, for a year. Prior to arriving in Dubai, I worked in Oman with daily newspaper, Muscat Daily as a Senior Business Reporter and prior to that, in India with an online news portal as a Reporter.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

Although we say that ‘first impression is the last impression’, it has not been the case with my first impression of the media industry in the Middle East. Coming from a journalism background in India where media is considered to be the fifth pillar of the economy, I was definitely in for a shock since the Middle East was still way behind in terms of exposure and content production.

Has your opinion changed much?

Yes, I would say the opinion is changing at a slow pace. Slowly and steadily, the industry is opening up to a lot of global exposure, which is pretty much needed to survive in these times.

Tell us about your current role…

My current role as the Editor of the Logistics News ME entails me to write about the thriving logistics, supply chain, shipping and transportation industry in the Middle East. It also includes taking full control of the content production, design of the magazine and timely delivery of the product.

What challenges do you face?

The main challenge that I face in my job is the adherence to deadlines. Even if one person fails to stick to the mentioned deadline, we have to burn the midnight oil to put the issue to bed on time.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

With music…

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is the moment when I receive the first copy of my magazine on the first day of every month. It represents my dedication and the hard work that I had put through in getting a fabulous product out for my readers.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

At work, I prefer for people to contact me through my official email. Receiving a phone call might be a bit difficult sometimes due to work commitments.

How has digital media impacted the role of the readers in the magazine industry in the UAE?

Print and digital media fill in the gaps where the other lacks. Print has its own brand recognition and high level of engagement, whereas digital media is more suitable for video storytelling and wide exposure. Readers enjoy both depending on the available circumstances.

Is traditional media still relevant in the UAE today?

Traditional media, generally referred to as print, is still quite relevant in the UAE because it is tangible, creates a huge amount of engagement, establishes the brand and creates a feeling of legitimacy for the advertisers.

Has the region’s diverse audience posed as a limitation or advantage in producing editorial content?

It has been a mixed bag. Not knowing the local language posed limitations, but one should know the ways to work around it to produce quality editorial content. And I have had to learn to do that.

Describe yourself in five words…

Hardworking, focused, charming, punctual and friendly

What’s your most overused saying?

I will get back to you…. (Although I do make it a point to get back to each one).

What’s the most exciting thing that has happen to you in your career?

Everyday has been new and exciting with different experiences. I can’t single out any particular episode.

Five things you can’t live without?

My appointments diary, my Samsung S7 Edge, my iPod, my Guess wristwatch and L’Oreal Slim Eyeliner.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

If it wasn’t for my current role, I would be a software engineer and in addition to that, I would be a choreographer.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

It must be print because nothing still beats picking up a copy of a magazine or newspaper and reading it along with a hot cup of coffee.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in the media industry in the UAE?

The media industry in the UAE is quite competitive. Three tips for a young and budding journalist in the country – be at the top of their game every time, build contacts and be original.

In The Hot Seat – Crystal Chesters

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Crystal Chesters, Group Editor for Hospitality titles at BNC Publishing tells TMN about her current role and what she thinks about the media industry in the Middle East…

Name: Crystal Chesters

Age: 30

From: Scotland

Current job title: Group Editor for Hospitality titles at BNC Publishing

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

November 2013

Where did you work prior?

Prior to arriving in Dubai I worked for VisitScotland looking after stakeholder communications and producing its publications for the tourism industry. I later moved to Dubai, where I worked as Editor of Hotelier Middle East at ITP Publishing before joining BNC Publishing.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

It’s very fast-paced with small teams looking after large workloads.

Has your opinion changed much?

Not really, but now I’m used to it!

Tell us about your current role…

I oversee BNC Publishing’s hospitality portfolio, which comprises of the events, publications and digital activity of Catering News Middle East and Hotel News Middle East. I am also still the Editor of Catering News Middle East, a role I’ve been doing since January, 2016.

What challenges do you face?

I’d say the biggest challenge of my role is juggling a wide range of responsibilities – from social media to events and awards and of course the monthly magazines. In addition, dealing with a huge volume of emails with interview pitches, events, meeting requests and press releases is time consuming and can be stressful. However, this is part of my role and it’s important to be organised to stay on top of it all.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Getting to try out the latest restaurant openings and travelling to different countries on press trips.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

By email – phone calls can be intrusive, particularly during deadline week. Whatsapp is even more intrusive, unless I know the contact already and that relationship has already been established.

What do you think of publications in the region?

I’d say overall the quality is lower than in more established markets like the United States and Europe. If you look at the teams on international titles here they are far smaller than the teams you’d find in London or New York and with the current economic climate, resources continue to be stretched and this, of course, has an impact on quality. That said, the Middle East is a very young and developing market when it comes to publishing and there are some great titles doing well in the region.

How has print media managed to stay relevant in today’s digital community?

I think it’s currently still relevant, particularly when it comes to B2B magazines. That said, publishing companies are being forced to diversify and move quickly into the digital age to keep up. I think challenging times lie ahead but there will always be a need for quality journalism.

What do you think of media ethics in the region?

I think it’s challenging. You’ve got to be careful when talking about anything culturally sensitive and the defamation laws are very different to what we’re used to in the UK. Working for trade magazines, it’s not a huge issue, but for those journalists working on newspapers I imagine it can be challenging.

What role has digital media played when it comes to reader engagement in the magazine industry?

It’s really important, you’ve got to push content on social media as a lot of your web traffic will come from this. All of our magazines have digital editions and every feature gets published online and in our newsletters, which go out to a large database.

Describe yourself in five words…

Adventurous, kind, open-minded, tenacious and forgetful.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen to you in your career?

Going on a press trip to New York. It was my first time there and I went to see the new Element brand from Starwood.

What’s your most overused saying?

At the end of the day…

Five things you can’t live without?

At the moment, my daily flat white from Costa, The Salad Jar, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge, Kerastase shampoo and Bojack Horseman.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I’d be a painter if someone would pay me to do that.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

Does Netflix count?

How do you see the media industry changing in the Middle East in the coming years?

I think it will get harder for the newspaper industry in particular and we could see more closures and redundancies across the region. I think both newspapers and magazines will continue to diversify into digital and video.

In The Hot Seat – Naomi Chadderton

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Team TMN catch up with Naomi Chadderton, Editorial Manager at Action Global Communications, who talks about transitioning from journalism to PR and what she thinks about the media industry in the Middle East… 

Name: Naomi Chadderton

Age: 30

From: United Kingdom

Current job title: Editorial Manager, Action Global Communications

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

I arrived in Dubai fresh out of university back in 2008, which seems like a lifetime ago now.

Where did you work prior?

I originally started my journalism career as an intern for Grazia Middle East, where I continued to work for three and a half years as Junior Fashion and Beauty Editor. I then moved over to The Dubai Mall Magazine before returning to the UK and working in London for a year. I was also Fashion and Beauty Editor for Ahlan! Magazine right before I joined Action.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

I was a young pup when I first started working in magazines, so of course I was dazzled by the glitz and glamour of it. It didn’t take long for me to figure out how much hard work, dedication and long hours it takes to forge a successful career out of it though – not that I’m complaining!

Has your opinion changed much?

The industry has definitely changed with the times and the declining economic climate, and it’s obvious that everyone is feeling the pinch. The foundations stay the same, but it’s becoming a tougher industry to be in.

Tell us about your current role…

I’ve only been in my current role for three weeks so I’m still learning! But the backbone of my job is to create content across our consumer and lifestyle portfolio to get the client’s messages out to the media clearly and concisely. One day this may be writing press releases, but mostly I will be going back to my creative roots and compiling longer features which can then be pitched to time-poor journalists in need of a story. Other days I’ll be helping pitch to new clients, creating social media plans and brainstorming ideas for events – no day is the same.

What challenges do you face?

While it’s not so much a challenge, it’s been interesting making the transition from journalism to PR and seeing how the other side works and thinks. I just need to make sure I’m now always thinking from the other side’s point of view. This gives me an advantage though, as I know exactly how journalists and influencers work and think and what they are looking for from an PR agency.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

Go for a walk, have a Diet Coke break and try again. If not, sleep on it. Writer’s block definitely kicks in for me later in the day, so I try to prioritise any longer jobs earlier on.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

As a Journalist I would have said email every time, but in my new role I’m open to all forms of communication.

How has content marketing shaped the relationship between journalists and PR professionals in the UAE?

With smaller teams and more focus on money, journalists are definitely under a lot more pressure these days to simply bang out copy in much smaller time frames. I’ve experienced this first hand, so in my new role, I think having quality copy that can be pitched directly to journalists is extremely influential in strengthening the relationship.

Describe yourself in five words…

Creative, loyal, sociable, active and Northern!

What’s your most overused saying?

Y’alright?

Five things you can’t live without?

My iPhone, credit card, friends, family and food.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Anything that would allow me to travel the world for the rest of my life would be fine by me.

In The Hot Seat – James Gaubert

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James Gaubert, CEO at Bruce Clay Middle East tells TMN about his current role and what he thinks about the marketing industry in the Middle East…

Name: James Gaubert

Age: 37 I think, I tend to lose count!

From: London, United Kingdom

Current job title: CEO, Bruce Clay Middle East.

When did you first arrive in Dubai? 2010

Where did you work prior?

Since living in Dubai I have primarily worked for digital agencies. I previously worked with LBi and most recently with MRM//McCANN. Now I’m heading up Bruce Clay Middle East.

What were your first impressions of the marketing industry in the Middle East?

To be honest, not great. When I first listened to radio advertisements, watched advertisements on television and saw some of the websites large companies have in place, I was shocked. It was like stepping back in time – thankfully that has changed.

Has your opinion changed much?

Yes, massively. The Middle East has turbo-charged its marketing efforts, particularly on a digital front. I think this is largely due to influence from overseas, particularly if I look at some of the talent we have here now, the adoption curve for things like mobile and social media in this part of the world is incredible. We as a region should truly embrace technology!

Tell us about your current role…

I currently head up a digital marketing agency, Bruce Clay, and I love it! We work with some amazing clients and employ a great bunch of people who genuinely care. I love the variety – within one week I can be helping out with automotive, retail, electronics, F&B, financial services, pharmaceutical and e-commerce clients – as well as managing and growing an agency – it’s definitely a full-time job!

What challenges do you face?

Finding good digital talent in this part of the world has always been a problem. Having said that, this is becoming easier. The other issues, I’m afraid to say are all driven from clients – payments coming in on time and cashflow is certainly one of the things that keeps me up at night.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

Telephone – we don’t use that enough anymore – I always think you can achieve far more over a quick call than over the back and forth of email and messenger.

Has social media taken over the marketing industry in the UAE?

Yes, we actually started life as a pure play SEO agency. As it stands today, we have more social media clients than anything else. It’s raw, it’s real and it’s the number one way to communicate with your consumers. Brands are embracing it in this region and it’s really exciting.

How has content become a marketing strategy in the UAE?

I think content has always been at the core of any marketing strategy. What excites me is that the way consumers are digesting content has changed. Thanks to channels like Snapchat, Facebook Live and Instagram stories, content has to be live, it has to be now – we as consumers no longer want to find out about something after it has happened, we want to be there and experience it now!

Has the UAE target audience redefined digital marketing strategies and success compared to other countries?

I’m not sure it’s got anything to do with the specific target audience here, it’s just a sign of the times – things are changing, not only in the UAE.

How would you describe yourself at work?

Awesome!

What inspires you?

Creativity, pushing the boundaries, being different and making people say wow!

Five things you can’t live without?

My mobile phone, my dog, dark chocolate, exercise, back catalogue of the TV series, Friends.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Backpacking around the world, without a care in the world.

If you could have one work wish granted, what would it be?

To have clients who don’t ask for a discount and who pay on time – the rest is a piece of cake!

What’s your most used social media platform?

This is a hard one! First thing in the morning, I look at Facebook for anything business or work related, then I’m all over LinkedIn and when I’m taking photos of my lunch, it’s Instagram!

In The Hot Seat – Conor Dormer

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Conor Dormer, Editor-in-Chief at ExpatBloke.com tells TMN about his current role and what he thinks about the media industry in the Middle East…

Name: Conor Dormer

Age: 31

From: Mountmellick, Ireland

Current job title: Editor-in-Chief, ExpatBloke.com

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

In September, 2015.

Where did you work prior?

I worked as a Prison Officer for eight years after studying Journalism and working in print media until 2008.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

I found it hard to break into an industry that is reliant on contacts. I was lucky.

Has your opinion changed much?

Not really, it’s a tough industry to be in, just look at what’s happening at 7days.

Tell us about your current role…

As Editor-in-Chief for ExpatBloke.com I’m in charge of content for the website. We cover everything a bloke would find interesting including sport, music and TV. We also do events so we are usually very busy. Our White Collar Fight Night last October was a huge success and we plan on running another bigger and better Fight Night this March along with an oil and gas event in February. Busy times!

What challenges do you face?

We are essentially a startup, even though we have been running for over a year, we have a small team and we need to make money to keep ourselves afloat. We really are the underdogs here in Dubai and I love that. We have a great team with Mike Barker, Kellie Hanley and Caroline Kelly all over performing consistently and Richard Upshall is a constant motivator behind the scenes. We have set ourselves targets of where we want to be and we will hit them. No problem!

What do you think about the sports media in the UAE?

It’s fine. There is scope for change and fresh ideas in how to reach a new audience. In the New Year ExpatBloke.com will be launching some new features and events to breath fresh life into this media.

How do you brainstorm for content?

Usually with the ExpatBloke team over coffee or having conversations with myself when I can’t sleep!

What ways are you using to get your target audience more engaged?

We are re-launching the site in 2017 and we have some new features planned that will increase our visibility in the expatriate community.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing the noticeable progress we make week to week.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

Email me.

What do you think about media ethics in the UAE?

The rules are there, you have to respect them.  If you don’t you have no one to blame but yourself.

How is social media changing the media industry in the UAE?

It’s helping and people are interacting more, not sure if that’s a good thing or not but it’s happening so we have to embrace it.

Has the increasing presence of expatriates in the UAE played any role in its media industry?

Obviously in a city as expat-orientated as Dubai, the news is more orientated to the west especially sport.

What do you think about the future of the media industry in the UAE?

It’s going digital obviously. The recent spate of newspaper and magazine closures here highlights that and it’s a shame because I’m one of these people that loves having a newspaper in his hands.

How would you describe yourself at work?

Happy go lucky as long as I’m not hungry!

Describe yourself in five words…

Friendly, trusting, grumpy (or so I’ve been told) reliable and motivated.

What’s your most overused saying?

I couldn’t possibly repeat it here.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Probably living in Ireland in the countryside aspiring to be getting paid to write for a living. I never doubt for a second that I made the right decision in moving to Dubai and I think it has changed my life forever.

What’s your favourite media platform?

Twitter, but I’m starting to see the light and understand how big Instagram is here.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in the media industry in the UAE?

Move out here, just take the plunge and you’ll more than likely have to work for free for a while so budget for that!

In The Hot Seat – Tom Paye

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Tom Paye, Editor at compareit4me.com, tells TMN about how he started his career in media and what he thinks about the industry in the Middle East…

Name: Tom Paye

Age: 28

From: United Kingdom

Current job title: Editor, compareit4me.com

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

About 21 years ago, when I was just a kid.

Where did you work prior?

I’ve only ever worked in Dubai since coming back from university in the UK. Before joining compareit4me.com, I was a freelance journalist and before that, I’d worked at some of the region’s major publishing houses, including ITP and CPI Media Group.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

 I think the first thing I noticed about publishing here was just how well small teams can put together high quality titles. My first job here was as an intern and soon after a Staff writer, at a small editorial agency and that company is still going pretty strong, at the time, I was fresh out of university with no real-life experience and I had these grand ideas about working in a big newsroom full of journalists getting big scoops on the latest stories.

But when I turned up, we were just four writers and a designer in a small office! That sort of brought me back down to earth and I came to realise it’s possible to put together pretty good magazines with just a few solid team members. It was a bit of disillusionment, but the heads of the company really put a lot of effort into training me to not only write great stories but also to project manage multiple magazines. It was nothing like I expected but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Has your opinion changed much?

Well, I continue to see great magazines produced by tiny teams, so not really. That being said, I’ve worked on weeklies and dailies since then and so I’ve been part of more traditional newsrooms too. I guess now I’m pretty much in awe of the breadth of print media in this region – there’s something to fill every niche and these titles are produced by teams ranging from just a few people in size to full-on publishing houses.

Tell us about your current role…

As Editor at compareit4me.com, it’s my job to pretty much handle all the written material that the company puts out. That includes creating relevant and high-quality press releases, guiding the executives on their written feature responses and looking after Your Money, the blog section of the website dedicated to personal finance. I also handle the company’s Twitter account, but that’s mostly because I’m on Twitter all day anyway.

What challenges do you face?

I think the biggest challenge is continuously coming up with relevant PR content that editors (and their readers) will find useful. Luckily, we enjoy really good relationships with the media here and our editor friends are always happy to provide us with a few pointers on the type of content they need from us.

I really subscribe to the view that, if you’re going to send something out to the press, it had better be worth reading. That means providing timely, relevant content that’s actually newsworthy not some small bit of company news that no one outside our office cares about. Keeping up that standard all the time is quite difficult. It can be so easy to just put out some inane announcement just to get something out there. I’m trying not to do that. And if any of my journalist friends are reading this and I don’t live up to the above, feel free to send me a snarky email!

How do you overcome writer’s block?

For me, the quickest remedy is to simply step away from my desk for 15 minutes, grab a coffee, have a look on Twitter and just mentally disconnect from the story. Nine times out of ten, I’ll come back to my desk with a fresh idea and that will help me get going again.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Where to start! I love the range of stories that I cover – from car reviews to in-depth analysis on the finance industry. I also love the office atmosphere – people are always playing pranks on one another, skateboarding around the office, playing ping pong or just coming up with ridiculous games.

I think the most important thing from a long term job satisfaction point of view, is that the service is genuinely useful for people in the Middle East. We’re actually saving people money on their financial products – honestly, I’m not just saying that because I work here. I had someone come up to me at GITEX this year and she told me about how our mortgage comparison portal had helped her find a home loan and that she wouldn’t have found such a good mortgage without the service. It’s immense when you hear people explain that the company you work for has helped them achieve big life goals.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

No preferences, really – shoot me an email or give me a call.

What do you think of the media ethics in the UAE?

I don’t think that media ethics are very different here to anywhere else in the world. The majority of journalists and publishing houses I’ve come into contact with here are simply looking to get to the heart of a story and to then relay something informative and entertaining to their readers. Of course, you hear stories of bloggers or whoever trying to exchange coverage for freebies, but they stick out like a sore thumb on both sides of the media industry.

On the other side of it, I think we’ve all been in situations where a certain brand may be trying to buy good coverage with their advertising dollars. And to be honest, who wouldn’t be tempted to just allow it, given the struggles in the print industry? But again, I think that, these days, this is pretty uncommon – even publishers that might have indulged in this practice before now want to bring the reader’s trust back. And so they’re doing things like selling native advertising where the content is marked as sponsored. In my experience, journalists and publishers have been working hard to reconcile the coverage-advertising struggle and we’re starting to see a reasonably ethical balance come out of that.

What do you think of publishing houses in the UAE?

I think they do an incredibly tough job with dwindling resources, but that they are really important for the local economy. No big international title is going to cover the UAE in the detail that residents and business people here want, so it’s down to the local publishing houses to offer proper reporting, comments and analysis on what’s happening here.

Unfortunately, as we all know, ad spend on print titles is on the decline, so that has put the traditional publishing business model in jeopardy. There have been a couple of high-profile closures this year and that’s never good to see. That being said, there are publishing houses looking for new revenue streams and new business models, and from what I can see, this is starting to pick up some of the slack. Hopefully we’ll see more out of the box thinking that allows publishing houses to continue distributing high-quality regional content.

If you can change something about the media in the UAE what would it be?

Adding to the above, I think smarter media selling is needed to ensure the survival of the local media industry. Brands want to go through local media to reach targeted, local audiences, but the traditional advertising format simply doesn’t provide enough of a return on investment. The thing is, media companies here have these fantastic assets in the titles they carry and these can be incredibly valuable to advertisers. Advertisers and media companies just need to work out, between them, how to maximise that value without compromising the integrity of the media.

How would you describe yourself at work?

I’m pretty chilled, I guess. I turn up, get my work done and try to be part of the team. I like to think I’m pretty helpful – if anyone needs something doing, I like to put myself forward if I can help.

Describe yourself in five words…

Charming, good looking, super-smart, rich and none of the above.

What’s your most overused saying?

 Awesome.

Five things you can’t live without?

My iPhone, my MacBook, my Fiat 500, my dogs and my wife (to whom I’d say these are in no particular order!).

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I’d probably still be a struggling freelancer, working from home, taking the dogs for long walks and occasionally getting work done in between PlayStation breaks. I wonder why I struggled?

What’s your favourite form of media?

I love, love, love magazines. My wife is a magazine designer, so between us, we have hundreds of titles stacked up around the house. We actually did a clear out a few months ago and still ended up keeping boxes of magazines. If we’re out and about, and we see a magazine, we’ll pick it up and analyse it – its design, the quality of its paper, the copy and the brands advertising in it. There’s something so nice about a properly done magazine.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in the media industry in the UAE?

 I’d say be prepared to work really, really hard. When many of us started out six or seven years ago, the whole media revenue decline thing wasn’t being felt that much. Sure, we’ve all worked really hard to get to where we are, but now things are even tougher and organisations are a lot leaner, meaning everyone has to work that much more. If you’re not put off by that, then, for god’s sake, enjoy it. If you love creating things, there are few more rewarding jobs to be found anywhere in the world.