After two years at Grazia Middle East, Fashion & Beauty Editor Rebecca Kelsey today steps down from her position as she prepares to return to the UK on November 30th.
“I have decided after two wonderful years on Grazia Middle East, and three in the Middle East, that it is time to return home to London to be with my husband,” says Rebecca. “It is with a heavy heart I leave Dubai, and I want to stress how much I have thoroughly enjoyed working with everyone.”
FP7 won a historic double at the Effies 2013, sweeping Network of the Year and the FP7 Dubai office winning Agency of the Year.
Tarek Miknas, CEO of FP7 MENA was ecstatic at the huge metal tally and the crowning achievements. In an emotional mail to all FP7 staff he wrote, “I thank everyone in this network for contributing to our transformation. I travel from market to market, and I see how hard we are all working to turn our agency into the one we’ve always wanted. You are all stars and I am seriously proud to be among you everyday. Please do take your new title of The Most Effective Agency very seriously as we intend to hold onto this position beyond 2014!”
Sasan Saeidi, who spearheads the FP7 UAE operation added: “Effies is the future of our industry and all our clients are demanding more accountability and responsibility for our communication ideas, every day. Effies, is creativity with purpose. An award that celebrates the creation of ideas that create impact and results. This is what we should all be doing every day. Nothing is more important.”
Following a multi-agency pitch, Crayons Communications has been appointed as the Digital Media Agency for Wipro Unza’s brand, Enchanteur. The campaign has been activated by establishing the brand’s social media platforms, and the agency will continue to oversee all digital activity from digital media planning and buying to development.
“We are very excited to have Wipro Unza as part of our client portfolio. The brand Enchanteur, for which we will be formulating a digital strategy, has a strong retail presence and a significant market share overall,” says Arshad Zaheer, Chief Executive Officer, Crayons Communications. “It also has a strong offline communication strategy. However, we plan to reinforce the brand by using digital as a new medium for the brand in this region, to enable them to better engage with consumers.”
COPIA has signed renowned nightclub brand White as a new retainer PR client. White Dubai (sister club to White Beirut) will be launching later this month at Meydan Hotel and will be the first rooftop nightclub in the UAE with entertainment, live shows and elaborate visuals and lighting effects.
“We are very excited to be working with the Addmind group on the launch of White Dubai,” says Scarlett Woodhouse, Associate Director at COPIA. “Following the success of The White Room pop up over the last few months, we expect this new location to be a huge success.”
A new Russian language magazine is due to hit the newsstands this December called “Iskusstvo Zhit”, a direct translation of The Art of Living. The monthly luxury lifestyle magazine is intended for modern Russian-speaking residents of the UAE as well as Russian tourists. The title is published by the newly formed New Life Media Group, will be available in two sizes – regular and travel size – and will have a circulation of 15,000 issues per month.
“We are really excited that after a lot of hard work, Iskusstvo Zhit/The Art of Living is ready for launch,” says Dmitry Dolzhanskiy, Co-Founder of Iskusstvo Zhit/The Art of Living and New Life Media Group. “Our target is to promote the culture of the UAE for the minds of our readers and follow the social life of the UAE. The magazine’s appealing design and universal consumer topics position The Art of Living as a top quality publication for today’s consumer.”
Editor-in-Chief of the magazine and Co-Founder of New Life Media Group is Denis A.K who has worked for a number of publications in Russia such as Fashion Collection, Iskusstvo Potreblenia and Sobaka. The title will primarily target women and will cover fashion, beauty, celebrity interviews, bars, restaurants, gadgets, lifestyle and travel.
Motivate Publishing has today increased its online presence with the launch of WhatsOn.ae. The platform, which bills itself as the go-to guide for expert opinion, insider info, news, reviews, entertainment, competitions and more, will complement the print magazine, while offering its own unique content.
“We’re really proud of what we have created, especially with the launch campaign which celebrates 35 years of Dubai (http://whatson.ae/dubai/knowledge/3081/35-years-of-whats-on-dubai/),” says Matthew Fortune, WhatsOn.ae’s Web Editor. “As the longest-running entertainment magazine in the region, we’re in a unique position at having watched this incredible city grow into the exciting hub it is today. We hope this is shown in the engaging content we have delivered on WhatsOn.ae. Long may our – and the city’s – expansion continue.”
Today, GMR formally announced the finalists in the Effie Mena Awards 2013. The final winners, drawn from every corner of the region, will be announced during the awards ceremony on November 20 in Dubai. There are 17 award categories and the shortlist is decided by a mix of votes and judged decisions. This year’s judging panel is made up of leading figures across the marketing industry.
The number of entries for the sell-out event has doubled from last year and builds on the 47 per cent increase registered in 2012. Wider geographical participation is also at its highest with the Netherlands, the UK and Singapore submitting entries for the first time. The UAE, however, leads, submitting 60 per cent of all entries followed by Saudi Arabia – which increased its participation from last year – Egypt and Lebanon. Qatar, Iraq, Tunisia and Oman also increased their participation.
“These awards, in their various incarnations from the original GEMAS in 2003 through to The Effie Mena Awards, are celebrating their tenth anniversary, so we’re delighted that it has also turned into a record-breaking occasion,” says Alexandre Hawari, co-CEO of organisers, Mediaquest Events and publisher of GMR. “We’re delighted not only to attract more such a large number of entries, but that they come from all across the Mena region and beyond. This is a testament to the credibility and prestige of the awards.”
The winners can go onto be cited in the Effie Effectiveness Index, which ranks the most effective agencies and advertisers points based on finalist and winner data from 40 worldwide Effie Award competitions.
The awards presentation ceremony takes place at Music Hall, Zabeel Saray Dubai, on November 20. Choueiri Group sponsors the after party. To view the complete Effie Mena Awards 2013 shortlist, visit www.effiemena.com.
New You magazine has appointed a new Digital Editor, Handan Darici, who will be responsible for the entire digital environment of New You magazine. Handan will oversee the running and design of the New You website, including administration and full content editing. She will also be responsible for managing the social media marketing to ensure cohesive brand integrity and the successful integration of all media platforms – including the online boutique that recently launched.
“As a Digital Editor and Social Media Strategist I design, manage and deliver e-commerce strategy for the optimum success of our online boutique. There is nothing like working in a field that has a genuine focus and is growing exponentially,” says Handan.
Forbes Middle East is to hold a grand celebration party tomorrow evening to recognise the significant impact made by the MENA region’s leading executives, which is revealed in its “Global Meets Local” study of the talent leading the MENA operations of some of the most renowned global corporations. The study includes the top 100 CEOs, directors and executive management driving the regional success of global corporations with established bases in the Middle East and North Africa.
“This study honours the region’s impressive talent pool heading up the MENA operations of global corporate powerhouses,” says Forbes Middle East’s Editor-in-Chief, Khuloud Al Omian. “These individuals and the companies that they are driving into the future are playing a vital role, not only in ensuring the success of their corporations, but that of their national and regional economies too.”
With the prestigious FORBES Global 2000 — a ranking of the biggest, most powerful, and most valuable publicly listed companies in the world — as a basis for research, the findings of Forbes Middle East’s innovative study highlight the significance of the MENA region and its top executives on the global corporate stage. The study culminates in a ranking of the top 100 MENA-based business leaders and executives at the helm of their companies. Complementing the ranking is a stellar lineup of 20 well-established professionals who, although yet to complete 12 months in their roles, boast impressive track records in their respective industries.
The Arabian Business Achievement Awards organised by ITP’s Arabian Business magazine awarded media personality Joelle Mardinian “Businesswoman of the Year” for her continuous success and achievements in the Middle East. The ceremony was held at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai in the presence of Mr. Tony Blair, Former UK Prime Minister, who appeared as the guest of honour and keynote speaker.
“This award is an important milestone in my life and reinforces my passion for the beauty industry,” says Joelle Mardinian, a renowned TV personality. “I will keep on pursuing my dreams, work hard to overcome challenges, and hopefully celebrate further success with my family, friends, and fans” she added.
Joelle Mardinian is the owner of the “Maison de Joelle” chain of beauty salons present across the region including UAE, KSA and Qatar. Joelle recently opened her first cosmetic clinic “Clinica Joelle” and launched her professional skin and hair care products.