Omnicom Media Group award key achievers

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With business results that exceeded expectations across many of its operations in 2013, Omnicom Media Group MENA presented two leadership awards to standout staff members. The OMG MENA Leadership Award went to Chadi Farhat, while the Best OMG Office Leader Award was given to Rania Hafez of OMD Egypt.

Previously the general manager of OMD Lebanon, Chadi Farhat quickly made his mark in his first year as the new Regional Executive Director of Investments at Omnicom Media Group MENA. He strengthened and reorganised the investment teams within the group to deliver the strongest results for our clients. Farhat also introduced new processes and working models to increase the effectiveness of the function. By reinforcing the collaboration with all offices, business units and divisions, he enhanced the group’s holistic and integrated approach to clients’ investments.

Rania Hafez, General Manager of OMD’s Cairo office was also recognised for her efforts, despite the market facing significant socio-political unrest. She delivered double-digit growth in billings and grew revenues substantially. Far from being conservative in her approach, Hafez also solidified OMD’s position as Egypt’s only fully integrated media agency after expanding its digital capabilities to include creative and development. What’s more, the office’s awards performance led OMD to being named Communicate’s Media Agency of the Year.

“The energy that our teams put in the pursuit of excellence in every fact of our operations, even in the face of uncertainty, is truly remarkable,” says Elie Khouri, CEO, Omnicom Media Group MENA. “What Chadi and Rania have done is to raise the bar further still and our recognition of their achievements is not only deserved, it also acts as a benchmark and an inspiration for the rest of us.”

Nisreen Sarryeh joins The Qode

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Nisreen Sarryeh has joined The Qode as PR Manager. Nisreen has lived in several countries across the region and brings with her over seven years of PR experience, across many industries and markets. From planes to trains and luxury hotel resorts to luxury goods, Nisreen has worked with brands ranging from Fortune 500 companies to local businesses looking to grow their brand image. Prior to joining The Qode, Nisreen managed clients such as Boeing, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, British Airways and Dubai Properties Group.

“The team at The Qode is really great and it’s very inspiring to be surrounded by a group of such passionate people,” says Nisreen. “The portfolio of clients is really exciting and I’m looking forward to working with them!”

OMD appoints director of ideation and innovation

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OMD has recruited Haytham Zoghby as its Director of Innovation. He will be tasked with leading and revitalising Ignition, the media agency’s innovation arm. Haytham started his career at Leo Burnett in Jeddah, working mainly on the P&G portfolio, Al Marai and Savola and moved to Dubai in 2007 to take the creative lead on DPG, Dubai TV, DEPE, Bel and ADIB, among others. Operating at the intersection of technology, media, consumer and creativity, Zoghby will leverage his expertise to elevate OMD’s Ignition offering across the region.

“OMD has long thrived on innovation and creativity so this appointment is a natural progression for us,” says Nadim Samara, Managing Director, OMD UAE & Lower Gulf. “In our first decade, we led with the launch of OMD Digital in 2006, Ignition in 2007 and Annalect in 2010, to name but a few. Bringing in the first senior creative talent in a media investment and consulting firm will allow us to further sharpen our thinking and execution, allowing our clients to enjoy an even higher multiplier effect on their media investments.”

Haytham Zoghby adds, “This move is a very exciting opportunity for me to make a real difference to OMD’s clients. This new environment, with its various disciplines, offers a wealth of data and research, as well as content creation, digital communications and social media capabilities.”

Top nosh

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Having finally settled into our swanky new office in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, it was the perfect excuse for Team TMN to explore the area for some hidden culinary gems. But where to start? Having caught wind of a certain restaurant right on our doorstep offering the latest Friday brunch, the temptation was too hard to resist.

What – Nosh brunch

Where – Mövenpick Hotel, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai

When – Friday afternoons, 12.30pm – 3.30pm

The promise – “Essential, delicious and welcoming, culinary expertise doesn’t get any better than nosh”

Did it deliver? Nestled in the centre of JLT, we found Nosh on the lobby level of the stylish and minimalistic Mövenpick Hotel. Dressed down and in search of a leisurely lunch after a busy week, we were warmly welcomed on arrival and led to our table.

The light and airy restaurant was alive with families relaxing on the terrace and friends catching up after the festive season getaways. Tables were spaciously spaced with a selection of high and low seating options to suit all tastes, plus the artfully decorated private dining room offered an extra level of privacy for guests seeking something more intimate.

Set up in traditional buffet brunch style, the sprawling food selection assured us even the fussiest of eaters would not go home hungry. Although it was tempting to dive straight in for the highly appealing roast beef dinner – complete with all the trimmings – we refrained, and started on a more simple note, by sampling the salad bar and bread assortment.

Next up, we opted for a truly international plate of Italian pastas, Indian curries, a healthy portion of poppadoms and a little sushi on the side. Adventurous eaters or just plain bonkers? The jury was out, but we were thoroughly satisfied. If only we had left room for the roast dinner.

A brunch wouldn’t be complete without a dessert station, and although the selection was limited, the chocolate fountain with its multiple streams of flowing white and milk chocolate more than made up for that.

Those looking for something a little more lively can head downstairs to UKB once eaten and enjoy inclusive beverages at the bar until 3.30pm.

The verdict: A pleasant change from Dubai’s rowdy Friday affairs, Nosh offers a mid-priced brunch in a sophisticated setting that can be enjoyed with friends and family. While service was a little slow at times, we’re sure this new brunch on the block will pick up pace – and popularity – in no time.

 

Would you like Team TMN to review your event, latest launch or product? E-mail roadtested@the-media-network.com with full details and we’ll be in touch to offer our verdict.

 

Ahlan! Hot 100 to celebrate 10th anniversary

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It has been announced that the annual coffee table book Ahlan! Hot 100 will be published on March 6, 2014, with 100,000 copies distributed across the UAE with Ahlan! and Ahlan! Arabia, and as a stand-alone publication in all leading bookstores throughout the month. Ahlan! Hot 100 celebrates the most talked-about people in the UAE and features entrepreneurs, style icons and personalities who are shaping the landscape of the Emirates.

The Ahlan! Hot 100 has its own dedicated microsite at www.ahlanlive.com and will have its own App and digital edition available for download.

This year sees ITP’s proudest product celebrating its 10-year anniversary, which will be marked with a lavish party on Wednesday 5th March, for an exclusive VVIP guest list. The event will be held at Warldorf Astoria, Palm Jumeirah.

Mark Frith offers his views on the UAE media landscape

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Team TMN caught up with former Heat magazine editor, author and media industry expert, Mark Frith, to hear his thoughts on the magazine landscape in the United Arab Emirates

What have you been working on during your time in Dubai?
I came over here to do some consulting for ITP’s celebrity weekly publications. Since giving up magazine editing as a full time role, I have been working with companies on reinventing and revamping existing titles. I look at great brands and work on making them super brands. The great thing about a super brand is that it leads the market and dictates the market. Super brands are strong and powerful and are very difficult to compete with.

What is your impression of the magazine industry in the UAE?
Out here there is a lot more positivity about magazines than there is in the UK. Back home it is more about trying to stem the decline and push things back up. It’s tough everywhere but it feels like a different environment here, which is why it’s so refreshing. One of the reasons I’m so excited about this market is because it still feels like early days. It’ll be very interesting to see how it develops.

You worked in the highly competitive celebrity magazine industry in the UK. Are you competitive and do you see competition as a good thing?
I don’t see myself as a very competitive person by nature, but my goodness, working at Heat brought that out in me. Competition is a good thing. It drives us to want to be better and I’m bringing that over here because it’s quite a small industry. I’ve been talking to some magazines who have no rivals at all, but it’s still very important to have that competitive spirit. That’s the kind of thing I’m doing. I’m trying to get that sense of competing and winning; outperforming what you’ve achieved before and building on that.

With so much competition in the market, how can magazines stay ahead?
You first need to identify what makes a good seller; how to see your editorial compared to others in the market and how to win those battles. At Heat, we had a fantastic rivalry with Now! magazine, which drove both titles to be better.  Those are the skills that I’m working on with the editors at ITP.

What do you think of the talent pool in the UAE?
The UAE is a place for ambitious people; a place for confident people. People who might find that they are underappreciated elsewhere can find a way to further their career and stand out over here. What I have noticed in the competitive London publishing industry is that a lot of journalists have good ideas, but aren’t able to progress as quickly as they would like. Over the last 10 or 12 years, Dubai has attracted some of those people and they have flourished.

What are your thoughts on the Ad-driven commercial set up of magazines in the UAE, compared to the copy sales driven UK market?
What we’re finding in the UK is that although magazine sales are down, advertisements are still quite buoyant. This is why the free market model for magazines interests me. The UK has picked up on this over the past few years and there are very good quality free publications. You’ve got Time Out, which is now free on a Tuesday, Stylist on a Wednesday, Shortlist on a Thursday and Sport on a Friday – all of which are doing well. I think that it is a more obvious market to have an Ad-funded model, like there is here in the UAE.

What should magazine editors do when a rival title lands in the market?
You certainly don’t lose your head. In reality, yours is stronger than a new rival. The panicky thing that people do when a new title comes along is that they worry; they lose direction. You need to have the confidence to know what you’re doing is right. Stay close to your readers and be true to yourself and to them.

What is the best piece of advice you can offer editors?
My main philosophy is to make the most of what you have. Know what you stand for as a magazine, deliver it and make sure you deliver it better than the competition.

So what’s next for you? Will you be a regular visitor to the Emirates?
Well it’s the first time I have visited the UAE and I can definitely see myself spending more time here, although as I have a young family, moving countries is not a consideration right now. I will continue consulting and I enjoy working with Speakers Corner in London who book me to host events, chair panel discussions and present award shows. I love that side of things and would welcome the opportunity to do the same in Dubai also.

For booking enquiries, contact Nick Gold at Speakers Corner, London on +44 (0)207 7607 7070.