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Amy Piek is promoted at Bell Pottinger Middle East

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Bell Pottinger Middle East (BPME) has promoted Amy Piek to the role of Director. Having been with the agency for over three years, Amy was previously Associate Partner and assisted in building the firm’s Financial Communications & Investor Relations practice.

In her new role, she will work alongside fellow Director Tim Falconer (Dubai) and Archie Berens, Managing Director (Middle East) to facilitate in the separation of Bell Pottinger Middle East from the current owner Bell Pottinger Private Limited in the UK, which is to be put into administration.

“This is an extremely exciting opportunity for us.  As an independent and financially secure business with a strong and experienced team in charge of its own destiny, it will now be open to us to consider a whole range of options,” says Archie Berens, Managing Director, BPME, Middle East. “Our company has a long and proud tradition of working in the Middle East and it is now up to us to continue to build on that.  With my fellow directors Tim Falconer and Amy Piek, I cannot wait to get started on the next stage of the journey.  We are especially pleased to have been able to promote Amy, who has thoroughly deserved this and has a key role to play in our future.”

H+K Strategies welcomes Digital Director

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H+K Strategies Middle East and Africa has welcomed Gareth Talbot to the role of Digital Director. Gareth was previously Head of Digital at Bell Pottinger Middle East, where he worked alongside the existing PR offering to implement best practices and deliver improved results across a range of sectors and clients. As Digital Director, he will be responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of client accounts with an emphasis on retaining and expanding current client business, providing strategic counsel to senior client contacts. He will also aid senior management with staff selection and the development of junior staff, as well as assist line managers in new business efforts.

“I’m excited to be joining Ed and the team at H+K Strategies to support in growing their fantastic digital offering throughout the Middle East and Africa,” says Gareth. “H+K Strategies have an impressive range of clients in the region, and it’s their unique commitment to investing in digital and building digital awareness and skills among colleagues at every level of the organisation that thrills me the most.”

Ed Poultner, Regional Digital Director, H+K Strategies Middle East and Africa, adds “Gareth brings over a decade’s worth of great experience to the role, having led in a number of digital initiatives in both the UK and the GCC. Bringing him on board will immeasurably strengthen our offering as we move into a full digitally integrated model of communications across our MENA offices.”

Bell Pottinger welcomes new Partner

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Ehab Khairi has joined Bell Pottinger as a Partner in its Middle East business. Ehab joins the international PR agency from the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), where he was Senior Manager of Media and PR – VP, Corporate Communications for eight years. In his new role, Ehab will be based in Bell Pottinger’s office in Dubai, supporting clients across the wider MENA region, including in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Africa. He will also lead the agency’s team of 10 native Arabic speakers, based across its three offices in the Gulf.

“We are delighted that Ehab has joined our growing business in the Middle East,” says Tim Wilkinson, Chairman, Bell Pottinger Middle East. “He is a highly experienced and wise public relations practitioner, and he has a deep understanding of the Arabic language, local media landscape, as well as the regional business community. This senior hire illustrates our ongoing commitment to ensuring we offer a diverse range of senior PR consultants who can operate successfully in local and international environments.”

Ehab adds “Bell Pottinger already has a strong Arabic offer and my ambition is to keep developing it, in line with the needs of our diverse client base. I’m excited to be joining the team at an interesting time for companies and governments across the Middle East, and I look forward to using my experience to help make Bell Pottinger’s communications offering in the region an even more compelling one.”

Bell Pottinger Middle East welcomes Tim Falconer

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Bell Pottinger’s Middle East practice has hired experienced journalist and Editor Tim Falconer as Associate Partner. Tim joins the international PR agency from the Wall Street Journal office in Dubai, where he was serving as Deputy Bureau Chief, managing a team of 12 reporters throughout the MENA region.

A global financial and commodities journalist with over 16 years’ experience, Tim previously managed the European Equity Markets team in London for Dow Jones Newswires. Before this, he ran the Energy Markets team for the Wall Street Journal, which included covering and attending OPEC meetings and writing on major oil firms like BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Total.

In his new role, Tim will be based in Bell Pottinger’s office in Dubai Media City, supporting clients across the region including those serviced by the agency’s offices in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain; he will also focus on helping to build Bell Pottinger’s financial communications offering across the region.

“We are delighted that Tim has joined our growing business in the Middle East,” says Sam Turvey, Partner & General Manager, Bell Pottinger Middle East. “His time within the media has provided him with a deep understanding of capital markets, macroeconomics, the financial media, as well as the broader investment community. His experience will be particularly relevant to our clients and to our ongoing new business drive. In recent years, as regional capital markets have become more active, we are picking up increasing amounts of M&A, IPO, financial calendar and investor relations opportunities, and Tim’s awareness of how the international and regional financial media operate will be a huge asset to us.”

Tim adds, “Throughout my career as a journalist I always considered Bell Pottinger an industry heavyweight in the field of financial communications. I’m really excited to be joining the team at a time of rising capital market activity in the Middle East and look forward to using my experience in helping make Bell Pottinger’s communications offering in the region an even more compelling one.”