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BR Comms wins at SME Stars of Business Awards

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Dubai-based PR, marketing and design consultancy, BR Communications, has been named the ‘Best New Business in 2014’ during the SME Stars of Business Awards held at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The annual event, organised by CPI Media Group, recognises the most outstanding SMEs in the GCC region through 22 categories. Currently in the UAE, the number of SMEs is estimated to be around 327,000, with total revenue of USD234 billion.

“We are truly honoured to be recognised for this category,” says Bahaa Fatairy, Managing Director, BR Communications. “Since launching our business in December 2013, we have been striving to make a mark in the region’s highly competitive communications and media industry. The award definitely serves as motivation for us to continue doing our best in delivering value-added service to our clients. SMEs are undoubtedly the backbone of any nation’s economy, and platforms such as the SME Stars of Business Awards are ideal in celebrating the achievements of these businesses.”

DABO & CO Founders win at Gulf Capital SME Awards

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Lucy and Camilla d’Abo, Founders of integrated communications agency DABO & CO have been named joint Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2014 Gulf Capital SME Awards, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the UAE small and medium business community. In addition to the entrepreneurial sisters’ success, DABO & CO were Highly Commended in the DHL People & Culture of the Year award – an acknowledgement of the company’s ongoing focus on talent and nod to the positive work environment it has created.

“As we celebrate DABO & CO’s 10th anniversary this year, we are extremely proud of what we have built and of the amazing people that have contributed to the success of the company,” says Camilla d’Abo, Managing Partner, DABO & CO. “We hope that our win will inspire other small and medium business entrepreneurs to follow their passions and to explore the array of opportunities that are available within the UAE.”

Lucy d’Abo, Managing Partner of DABO & CO adds, “It is an honour for us to have won the Entrepreneur of the Year award, alongside all of the other inspirational individuals that take pride in building successful businesses.”

Now in its third year, the Gulf Capital SME Awards recognises the success of companies committed to growth and innovation in business across the UAE. A total of 11 award category winners were lauded this year, with accolades including Gulf Capital Business of the Year, Emirati Business of the Year and RSA Startup Business of the Year.

Weber Shandwick named MEPRA’s Agency of the Year

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Weber Shandwick MENA has been named Agency of the Year by the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) at the MEPRA Awards ceremony, which was held in Dubai last night. Weber Shandwick MENA also took home separate awards for ‘Best Corporate Reputation and Image’ for its work for DGCX (Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange) and ‘Best Business to Business Communications’ for its work with Standard and Poor’s. Honourees for each category are selected by an independent industry panel based on information gathered during the regional awards process.

“Winning MEPRA Agency of the Year is both a great achievement and a recognition of our commitment to creative excellence in a competitive marketplace with increasingly high best practice benchmarks,” says Ziad Hasbani, CEO, Weber Shandwick MENA. “I am delighted for my talented colleagues across the region who strive to achieve outstanding results for our clients day-in, day-out. However, we will not be resting on any laurels. We are driving forward a transformation of our business, which will ensure that we continue to stay ahead of the regional communication trends and place centre-stage the recognition that creativity and digital offerings are now key. We are confident that this award win will be the first of many.”

Anya Kotova wins Young Communicator of the Year

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Anya Kotova, Senior Account Director at Ketchum and based in Doha, has been awarded Young Communicator of the Year at the PR Week Awards 2014. Open to PR professionals in consultancies and in-house teams under the age of 30, the Young Communicator of the Year award honours outstanding achievement in handling PR campaigns, showing creativity, relevance to brief and results. The judges of the category also look for evidence of the nominees’ ability and willingness to extend their range of PR skills. Originally from Belarus, Anya joined Ketchum in 2007 and has previously worked with Ketchum New York and on clients which have included the Russian Federation, Gazprom, Troika Dialog, VTB Capital and FedEx.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be recognised by your peers for having your dream job,” says Anya. “The win is definitely a global team effort and I could not have done it without the support of a team that comes from the US, Canada, UK and the UAE.”

Jason MacKenzie, Managing Director of Liquid and one of the judges at PR Week Awards says, “Anya is a champion of the school of thought that PR is a force for good in society – and makes the case compellignly. She’s razor-sharp, talented and highly personable.”

 

Weber Shandwick named Global Agency of the Year

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Weber Shandwick has been named 2014 Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report. Honourees of the title are selected by the publication’s Editors, based on information gathered during the Agency Report Card and regional awards processes. In addition to being named 2014 Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report regionally in both North America and Asia Pacific, Weber Shandwick’s global outperformance of the market and its innovative digital capabilities including Mediaco – Weber Shandwick’s content publishing and distribution offering – has been highlighted, as well as the strong growth of its Middle East and North African operations.

“This award is a testament to Weber Shandwick’s collaborative culture and innovative work across our global network,” says Andy Polansky, CEO, Weber Shandwick. “We appreciate the strong support of our teams and client partners around the world.”

Ziad Hasbani, CEO of Weber Shandwick MENA adds, “We have been investing heavily in our MENA operation and it’s gratifying that the fruits of our efforts are now being recognised by global industry experts. We are proud of the longevity of our heritage in the region, but it’s the future that matters. Just as Weber Shandwick globally is evolving, we too are undergoing a transformation, which will ensure that we continue to stay ahead of the regional communication trends and place centre-stage the recognition that creativity and digital offerings are now key.”

Women’s Health ME announces Next Fitness Star

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Women’s Health Middle East, in association with the National Health Insurance Company – Daman and their ActiveLife initiative, has announced the winner of the region’s first campaign for the Next Fitness Star. In a search for the UAE’s ultimate fitness personality, the title has been awarded to Heba Abel Gawad, who was selected by readers from among five finalists during a two-month online voting campaign and workout series. Heba, 32, from Egypt and Spain, is a former two-time Olympic athlete, NeuroPilates instructor and fitness educator who specialises in targeting the brain and nervous system to get the most out of the body. Heba is starring in her own fitness DVD, which will be given away with the next issue of Women’s Health Middle East – out on October 1, 2014.

“We are so thrilled to announce Heba as Women’s Health Middle East’s Next Fitness Star!” says Yi-Hwa Hanna, Editor-in-Chief, Women’s Health Middle East. “All of the finalists were amazing candidates and it was an exciting and tough competition, but we can’t wait to share Heba’s incredible workout with the region. She’s an inspiration.”

Heba, the Next Fitness Star winner adds, “This competition has been an amazing opportunity for me to be a part of, and I feel very grateful and supported by everyone who voted for me. It’s a great honour to be part of the movement in the Middle East to promote a healthy lifestyle, and it’s been really great meeting the four other finalists who are all stars.”

Lowe MENA helps Unilever attain World Record

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MCN agency Lowe MENA has helped its client Unilever obtain an official Guinness World Record for its Ramadan campaign – with the largest collection of clothes for donation, consisting of 146,411 items for the Comfort and OMO brands.

The Lowe-Unilever team worked on the project from concept to completion, and were on stage during the event to recognise the achievement. Key team members included Sujay Nanavati, Anoop George and Sarah Nassar.

Starcom MediaVest Group ranked top MENA agency

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Paris-based research agency RECMA (Research Company Evaluating the Media Agency Industry) has announced Starcom MediaVest Group the number one ranked agency in the MENA region in its 2013 Global Billings Rankings Report. In 2013, Starcom MediaVest Group increased its billings by 18 percent, with an industry share of 17.5 percent.

RECMA’s report evaluates the overall activity – including buying billings and specialised services – of all global media agencies across 62 countries. This is the fourth consecutive year that Starcom MediaVest Group has attained this position.

In addition, RECMA has named Starcom MediaVest Group number one in the ‘Top 14 Countries’ ranking, which is a key chart in the overall report, accounting for 81 percent of the media agency industry. Starcom MediaVest Group also retained its position in the overall regional evaluations – including its top rank in North America – and was named the number two agency in Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

ADNEC Group wins at AEO Excellence Awards

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Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has won two awards at the annual Association of Event Organisers (AEO) Excellence Awards ceremony. The industry awards, held on July 4 at Grosvenor House, London, recognised ADNEC Group’s Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre as ‘Most Sustainable Exhibition and Conference Venue’, and ExCeL London as ‘Best Venue of the Year’.

“ADNEC continues to play a key role in supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision to become a leading global business tourism destination,” says His Excellency Al Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Managing Director, ADNEC. “The company’s flagship venues in two key capital cities, London and Abu Dhabi, are at the vanguard of a new age of exhibition facilities. These awards are recognition of that fact, and of the hard work, visionary leadership and solid expertise both have to offer.”

Pieter Idenburg, Group CEO at ADNEC adds, “We are delighted with the recognition our venues continue to attract from our global event industry peers. The Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre has prioritised its sustainability strategy as a key pillar of its growth and development over the next ten years. ExCeL London has shown that even in such a competitive region for meetings and events, it is out-competing its peers both in the UK and across Europe – pushing the boundaries of the event experience. It is a credit to London and an investment we are extremely proud of.”