M&C Saatchi PR welcomes new Account Manager

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Global communications agency, M&C Saatchi PR has appointed Melinda Mesiano to the role of Account Manager. With a wealth of experience working across corporate and consumer segments, Melinda has handled clients such as Emaar, Hilton Hotels, OSN and Jumeirah Golf Estates, where she specialised in content creation and media relations. In her new role, Melinda will oversee a range of client accounts with an emphasis on driving and facilitating new businesses.

“The team has recently hit its one-year milestone in the UAE, so it’s a really exciting time to join,” says Melinda. “I can’t wait to see where we can take M&C Saatchi PR in the UAE.”
Amy Brill, M&C Saatchi PR, Head of PR, UAE, continues, “Melinda is the perfect addition to the team – strategic, creative and fearless – we are delighted to have her on board.”

TishTash makes new appointment 

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Dubai-based marketing and PR agency, TishTash has appointed Jean Therese to the role of Social Media Manager. With a wealth of experience working across digital and content creation agencies, Jean most recently worked with AZUR BLUE as Marketing Specialist. In her new role, she will handle day to day social media and work across a selection of clients.

“I am beyond thrilled and excited to join an organisation that is beaming with creativity and good vibes regardless of how crazy this industry can be,” says Jean. “I am looking forward to creating more exciting and innovative content for clients to help make amazing things happen at TishTash!”

Natasha Hatherall-Shawe, TishTash, Founder and Managing Director, continues, “The demand for digital services and creative content continues to boom and our digital team is growing at a face pace in line with this, doubling in size in the past 6 months. We loved Jean’s style and passion for creativity and communicating in a fun and outside the box kind of way and we feel she’s the perfect addition to the TishTash Team.“

UM MENAT appoints new Head of Client Partnerships 

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UM MENAT has appointed Tom Hardstaff to the role of Head of Client Partnerships, UM MENAT. With a wealth of experience in communications, Tom most recently worked with UM MENAT as Head of Strategy where he was the key driver of UM’s “Better Science, Better Art, Better Outcome” philosophy and planning approach as well as being responsible for clients such as Reckitt Benckiser, Coca-Cola, L’Oréal and Ooredoo. In his new role, Tom will increase his focus on evolving partnerships, lead on operational and strategic initiatives, develop business plans and continue to lead on strategy.

“Tom’s aptitude and experience have been invaluable to the agency’s success,” says Joe Nicolas, Regional Managing Director, UM MENAT. “As we embark on an exciting journey of transformation, his innovative thinking and pragmatic approach will be instrumental to drive our vision to lead change in the new normal.”

UM MENA promotes Rasha Rteil 

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UM MENA has promoted Rasha Rteil to the role of Head of Product, MENAT. With a wealth of experience in digital media, Rasha most recently worked with UM MENA as Regional Innovation Director. In her new role, Rasha will lead on the agency’s ambitious agenda to continuously transform its product and partnerships while also steering the agency’s product solutions by providing input on the industry developments.

“Rasha’s regional leadership on innovation and her contribution to many parts of our business has been instrumental to our success,” says Joe Nicolas, Regional MD, UM MENAT. “We now look forward to seeing this being successfully extended in her new role where she will work closely with all function leads to further strengthen our position as market leader in this region.”

Create Media Group welcomes new Head of Social Media 

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Digital communications agency, Create Media Group has appointed Mohamed El Daly to the role of Head of Social Media. With a wealth of experience, Mohamed has worked with brands such as L’Oreal, Dubai Tourism, Microsoft, Google and Coca-Cola where he devised social strategies, oversaw content creation and developed digital campaigns. In his new role, he will be responsible for the social media department of the agency and focus on the development of fresh and innovative solutions.

“I’m thrilled to be joining such a vibrant team full of talent and energy,” says Mohamed. “I look forward to working closely with Create Media’s teams to ensure that we keep innovating, creating, and delivering the best class of social media services.”

Tom Otton, Managing Director, Create Media Group continues, “We’re very happy to welcome Mohamed to the team, his experience is unparalleled & he’s going to add a real strategic focus to all that we do as we grow the business.”

What’s On Dubai welcomes Layla Haidrani 

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What’s On Dubai, Part of Motivate Publishing Group, has appointed Layla Haidrani to the role of Features Editor. As the winner of the PPA New Business Journalist Of The Year in 2017, Layla has worked with publications such as Refinery29, Time Out London, Grazia and Cosmopolitan Middle East and most recently worked with the Mayfair Times in the UK where she held the role of Lifestyle Writer. In her new role, she will be working on a variety of features including events, culture, art and travel, as well as contribute to What’s On Abu Dhabi and WhatsOn.ae.

“I’m thrilled to be joining team What’s On, and I can’t wait to get stuck into Dubai life,” says Layla. “I’m excited to join a talented team and seeing what’s new and exciting in the city.”

Bruce Clay Middle East makes new appointments 

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Dubai-based digital marketing agency, Bruce Clay Middle East (BCME) has made structural changes to its team as a part of its expansion plans. Afsha Walele has been appointed to the role of Senior Account Manager – SEO. With over seven years of experience, Afsha most recently worked in India where she handled various clients around the APAC region including J&J. In her new role, she will manage the team on a day-to-day basis and handle the agency’s clients across multiple verticals. Joining the team from Egypt, Khalid Semary has been appointed to SEO Executive. In his new role, he will support the SEO Managers, provide support for the Arabic team and run SEO campaigns. With a wealth of experience in client servicing, BCME will also see the appointment of Rifa Thanvi to the role of SEO Executive. In her new role, she will balance client needs and the technical knowledge to make it happen. Sana Ashraf, a recent graduate, joins BCME as Bilingual Copywriter. In her new role, she will aid the team in delivering client content requirements.

“In a very short time, we have managed to capture a sizeable market share, acquiring some very prestigious and respected names,” says Neal Patel, Managing Director, BCME. “We believe in providing industry-leading knowledge to our clients, and this means that our team needs to be top notch. Partners, old and new, have seen that our level of knowledge in relation to SEO and digital on the whole, is second to none, hence we have seen a sharp increase in pitch wins during 2018. We expect this trend to continue and for the SEO team to double in size by the end of the year.”

Acorn Strategy makes new appointment 

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Marketing and communications consultancy, Acorn Strategy has appointed Marina Milic to the role of Account Manager. With a wealth of experience in marketing and PR, Marina previously worked at a senior level in the hospitality industry for 12 years, where she was integral to numerous award-winning restaurant launch openings.

“I am ecstatic to join the incredible team at Acorn Strategy and look forward to providing a thoughtful and innovative approach to helping our clients achieve their marketing and PR goals,” says Marina.

House of Comms makes new appointment 

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Integrated communications agency, House of Comms has appointed Mark Shahroozi to the role of Account Executive. With a Masters Degree in Business Management and Marketing, Mark is passionate about social media marketing and joined House of Comms as an intern. In his new role, he will work across a variety of brands such as Under Armour, MMI Group, Nutrabolt and Fujifilm Middle East.

Given I am a recent graduate, House of Comms has already given me tremendous exposure to some of the UAE’s biggest brands,” says Mark. “The team has been so welcoming since I joined and I have already learned so much. I really look forward to growing my skills and progressing here.”

Jamie Wilks, Managing Partner, House of Comms continues, “Mark started at House of Comms as an intern and within just a week we knew he was a great fit for the team. Mark has proven that he has what it takes to make it happen on his accounts. He has an innate ability to come up with creative social ideas and has been instrumental in supporting both clients and his teams.”

Acorn Strategy makes new appointment 

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Marketing and communications consultancy, Acorn Strategy has appointed Archana Sivaramakrishnan to the role of Account Manager. With a Masters degree in International Marketing, Archana most recently worked in Bahrain across both clients and agencies. In her new role, she will join the TwoFour54 team, implementing PR and marketing strategy and media relations.

“I’m really excited to join the Acorn team at TwoFour54,” says Archana. “I’m keen to work with some of our high-profile hospitality, leisure and healthcare clients to implement best-in-class strategies and support their business goals with effective PR and marketing solutions.”