Samer Alloush joins OK! Middle East

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Samer Alloush has been appointed as Senior Sales Manager at OK! Middle East. Samer has previously worked as Senior Sales Manager at ITP Publishing Group for the last three and a half years, working across titles including Refining & Petrochemicals ME, Oil & Gas ME, Utilities ME as well as Oil & Gas Al Arabiya.

In his new role at OK! Middle East he will sell advertising space, set events plans, work to reach sponsorship targets and build long-term relationships with clients.

“I am excited to start on a new title and one that is completely different from my previous position,” says Samer. “I always believe that you should not be afraid of change and I look forward to this new opportunity.”

Mark Pickup joins Shortlist as Commercial Director

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Mark Pickup has been appointed Commercial Director of Shortlist Dubai and Shortlist Abu Dhabi across both print and digital, effective June 1, 2015. Previously Head of Sales for What’s On and Hype at Motivate Publishing, Mark brings years of experience including a three year stint as Group Head of the Ahlan! Division at ITP.

“I am very excited to be joining the Shortlist team,” says Mark. “I am very familiar with the Shortlist title and as I have worked in the hospitality sector of media for the past seven years, I strongly feel Dubai is ready for a fresh entertainment product that also has a strong fashion element. Shortlist will have a huge 65,000 weekly distribution and I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to launch it.”

Grow promotes Dylan Fitz-Gerald

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Grow Digital Services have promoted Dylan Fitz-Gerald to User Psychology Specialist. Formally an intern with the company, Dylan joined fresh from the University of Reading, where he graduated with a Bsc (Hons) in Psychology.

In his new role, Dylan will contribute his knowledge of user psychology to enhance the effectiveness of all websites and online marketing campaigns deployed by Grow. He will also contribute to the company’s workplace culture, as well as its rebranding.

“I have always been extremely interested in the role that psychology plays within the commercial and economic landscape, “ says Dylan. “My experience with Grow has truly given me the opportunity to exercise and refine these skills in a fast-paced environment. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the fascinating and every-evolving industry that is digital marketing.”

GroupM welcomes Filip Jabbour

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Global media investment management operation GroupM, part of WPP, has welcomed Filip Jabbour to the role of Middle East North Africa (MENA) CEO. Having most recently worked with Spark in the US as Executive Vice President, Filip brings 19 years of international experience in media advertising with him to his new role.

GroupM has just officially opened its offices in the UAE, with the primary goal of maximising the performance of WPP’s communications agencies, operating as both a parent company and collaborator to offer an intelligent application of insights to its clients. As MENA CEO to the company, Fillip will be responsible for leading all operations and driving growth in the region, as well as developing strategy and accelerating the growth of the groups regional media agencies: Mindshare, MED, MediaCom, and BPG Maxus.

“The opportunity to join the world’s leading media investment management group to lead development in the exciting and fast-growing MENA market is thrilling,” says Filip. “GroupM agencies operating in MENA are distinguished by their winning track records, and I am keen to accelerate their pace by harnessing the absolute best digital, technology, data and content solutions available.”

Ogilvy promotes Daniel Mercado

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Ogilvy Public Relations has promoted Daniel Mercado to the role of Associate Account Director. Having worked for Ogilvy for over four years, most recently as Senior Account Manager, Daniel brings over eight years of PR and Marketing experience working with multinational private, government and nonprofit entities to his new role.

As Associate Account Director, he will drive corporate, technology and consumer PR campaigns across the MENA region.

MO4 Network welcomes Nicole Greeff

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Nicole Greeff has joined MO4 Network as Junior Account Manager. Having previously worked with Insignia Worldwide, Nicole will call upon her experience working across a range of accounts, as well as managing and understanding clients’ branding, design and communication needs and objectives, to assist in her new role.

Nicole will be looking after both PR and Social Media accounts at MO4 Network for a number of clients, on planning and development, account management and executory tasks.

Motivate Publishing welcomes Dean Carroll

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Motivate Publishing has appointed Dean Carroll as Group Editor of the Business division of titles. Dean has worked as a senior journalist across print and digital media for 15 years, before spending 12 months working in marketing and communications for the technology firm Centralway, in Switzerland. His editor’s blog for PublicServiceEurope.com was recognised by the Reporting Europe Prize, and he has had academic work published in a number of noted journals. In his new role, Dean will oversee titles including Gulf Business, The Week, Campaign Middle East and Business Traveller Middle East.

“The decision on whether to join such a talented team at Motivate was not one I had to procrastinate over,” says Dean. “With such a diverse range of leading, multi-platform titles, the company remains ready to push the boundaries of what is possible in publishing – even after all these decades of success. Long may it continue.”

Starcom MediaVest Group welcomes Marcus Brown

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Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) has appointed Marcus Brown as Global Growth Officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Marcus brings with him over 20-years of experience in galvanising clients, colleagues, prospects and the communication industry, to SMG.He was most recently a founding contributor to a new UK-based consultancy and has also been made a Tech London Advocate – a member of an advocacy group that supports tech start-ups.

In his new role, Marcus will be responsible for building SMG’s growth across the EMEA region and driving performance to deliver a combination of precision, content and technology to clients. He will be based in London, reporting to Iain Jacob, President of EMEA, Starcom MediaVest Group.

“I’m thrilled that Marcus is joining our team,” says Iain. “He joins us with an extremely impressive track-record of client wins and, given his extensive experience, will play an instrumental role in the next phase of our transformation, helping to build on our continued success.”

Marcus adds “It’s clear that within the communications industry, much of the innovation is coming from the media sector. Starcom MediaVest group has an admirable reputation for fueling transformation with some of the world’s most iconic brands.”

Motivate Publishing appoints new Associate Editor

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Lyndsey Steven has been promoted to Associate Editor of the Emirates Woman Group, part of Motivate Publishing. Having joined the company a year ago, Lyndsey most recently held the position of Deputy Editor at Emirates Woman and will now utilise her 16 years of experience in the publishing and broadcasting sector in her new expanded role. Lyndsey has previously contributed to a spectrum of publications in the UAE including La Femme, The Rake, Indulge and The National, and will now be writing, editing and overseeing content for Emirates Woman, Emirates Woman Bride, Emirates Woman Mini and Harvey Nichols – Dubai magazines.

“My year at Motivate has flown by and I am looking forward to many more,” says Lyndsey. “I’ve always been a huge fan of Emirates Woman and it’s been wonderful working with such an accomplished and dedicated team.”

Boguslavsky & Co welcomes Andrea Wignall

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Niche digital strategy agency Boguslavsky & Co has appointed Andrea Wignall as Social Media Manager. With previous experience working with premium brands in both South Africa and the UAE, Andrea will bring her unique combination of creativity and strategic thinking to her new role.

“I am really excited to have been awarded the opportunity to work with such an outstanding team,” says Andrea. “Boguslavsky & Co produces creative work of such a high standard, and I am ready to start this incredible journey together.”