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Facebook appoints new Managing Director 

Facebook has appointed Ramez T. Shehadi to the role of Managing Director in the MENA region. With a wealth of experience in the digital business and technology industry, Ramez most recently worked with Booz Allen Hamilton where he held the role of Senior Partner and Managing Director. In his new role, Ramez will lead the commercial growth and impact of Facebook and its portfolio of apps, services and businesses across the region.

“Digital transformation is well underway across the region, driven by demand for secure, fast and personalised online experiences throughout social communities and public and private sectors,” says Ramez. “I am excited to join the Facebook team at such a time and look forward to helping shape and drive the strategy in MENA, ensuring that the market remains prioritised and a source of information globally.”

Smartly.io launches first Middle East office

Finnish-based Facebook marketing platform, Smartly.io, has launched its first Middle East office in Dubai. The marketing platform provides Facebook and Instagram advertising optimisation tools for leading advertisers in the region. The new office will help brands create and optimise campaigns with first-to-market solutions and features. Tegan Kerr, who previously worked with Effective Measure, takes on the role of Head of MENA along with the new MENA Customers Lead, Valtteri Virtanen, who previously worked in Finland with Dingle. Both will work together to oversee the operations of Smartly.io across the region.

“The explosion of e-commerce and locally-built startups in the Middle East has driven ever-increasing investment in Facebook as a channel, which reaches over 42 million people in the GCC alone,” says Tegan Kerr, Head of MENA, Smartly.io. “Our clients are looking for a partner, not just a tool, that gives them the ultimate competitive edge. They’re looking for significant performance improvements and automation across what can often be large-scale and complex campaigns.”

Facebook launches safety resources for journalists

As part of the Facebook Journalism Project, the social media platform has launched ‘Facebook Safety for Journalists’ along with a dedicated safety page under the ‘Facebook for Journalists’ website.

Created in partnership with the European Journalism Centre, the Committee to Protect Journalists, ConnectSafely, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and the James W. Foley Legacy, ‘Facebook Safety for Journalists’ aims to help journalists protect their accounts on the platform. The safety page under the website, facebook.com/journalists, provides information relating to online safety, such as how to turn on two-factor authentication, manage privacy settings, moderate comments, block harassment and more.

Speakers announced for inaugural Let’s Talk event

Fekra Communications reveals speakers for the upcoming event, ‘Let’s Talk: Crisis Communications.’ Under the patronage of Sheikh Juma bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, the event is set to take place from March 8-9, 2017 at The Address Hotel Dubai Mall.

The panel of speakers will include:

  • Samer Costantini, Advisor at UAE Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Authority
  • Mazen Nahawi, Chief Executive Officer at CARMA
  • Saada Hammad, Regional PR Director at Ogilvy PR
  • Hassan Fattah, Partner at Brunswick Group
  • Moustafa Hamwi, Author and Speaker
  • Fakher Daghestani, Communications Regional Director at Boeing
  • Ahmed Naguib, Founder and CEO at El Masna3
  • Hicham El Amrani, Managing Director at ACG Communication & Training Consulting
  • Alexander McNabb, Digital Media & Communications Consultant
  • Maya Hojeij, Senior Bulletin Editor & Presenter at Dubai Media Incorporated
  • Rasha Kashkoush, Head of Communications MENA at Facebook
  • Saad Al Rubaiaan, Government Communication Advisor
  • Leila Hatoum, Senior Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Newsweek ME
  • Angus MacCormick, Vice President of Emerging Markets at vArmour
  • Mamoon Sbeih, Managing Director – Arab Region at APCO Worldwide
  • Fadl El Tarzi, Chief Executive Officer at Socialeyez
  • Brandy Scott, Presenter at Dubai Eye
  • Jonathan Shillington, Managing Director at Grayling Middle East
  • Khaled Abdulla, Head of Corporate Communication at Barclays MENA
  • Mohamed Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer at Mawarid Finance
  • Khaled Hassan, Digital Marketing Director at IBM
  • Fadi Salem, Research Fellow at Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government.

FIVE MINUTE FOCUS – LET’S TALK!

With the launch of the new industry event series, ‘Let’s Talk!’, TMN sits down with Mohammed El-Batta, Managing Director, Fekra Communications to find out more about what the industry can expect from the upcoming events…

Tell us a bit about Fekra Communications and your new event series.

Fekra Communications is a marketing communications consultancy offering communications and creative services to clients across the Middle East.

We’re launching a series of industry related events across the region under the title ‘Let’s Talk!’ that aims to bring together top communications and media experts, senior officials and policy makers to shed light on the hottest topics in the industry.

‘Let’s Talk!’ is designed to present today’s professionals with an expert perspective and learning opportunities on the latest trends. From preeminent thinkers whose work has defined the industry, to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business. It will provide a platform for the industry’s leading minds to share insights and best practices on how to protect an organisation’s reputation.

What inspired you to launch this new event series in the Middle East?

The Middle East is a highly diversified region where culture, media practices and expectations vary to a large degree. While the region hosts a growing number of talented professionals and experts with invaluable experience, unfortunately, this type of experience often goes undocumented. For that reason, we were inspired to launch this new franchise out of the need to connect the dots and fill in the gaps.

We believe that the best knowledge in any field is the knowledge accumulated first hand. One can read so many books, but we tend to learn better in an interactive environment. Learning also happens when one shares experiences and listens to different perspectives, via conversation.

We do not claim that our events focus on educating the media industry. Rather, we feel that there is a wealth of experience untapped and we’re stepping in to highlight it for everyone’s benefit. We learn from each other.

What will be the topic of discussion of the first series of events?

There will be an industry-specific topic for each event. The first series of events will focus on crisis communications. With the continuing evolution of communication platforms, news and word of mouth spread faster and even wilder than it used to a decade ago.

Today we live in a world where both government and corporate reputations are more fragile and where crises seem to be occurring more frequently. One of the biggest challenges for communication professionals is the early recognition of crises and how to successfully manage it using effective communication techniques.

‘Let’s Talk: Crisis Communications’ will bring together top communications and media experts, senior officials and policy makers to shed light on the right steps to take in a crisis and how to turn them into opportunities for exposure, marketing and enhancing corporate image. The conference will also be held in Cairo, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia this year.

Can you give us details about your target market and audience?

Our target market is the UAE, the GCC region as well as Egypt and Levant. The targeted audience are communication professionals, whether in the government or corporate world. The event should bring together PR agencies, government officials, journalists, social media strategists and bloggers which makes an interesting mix for fruitful and invaluable discussions.

When and where will the first event of the series take place?

The first event will take place from March 8 – 9 in Dubai, The Address Hotel Dubai Mall. Registration is now open online through our website. We have two registration options: Day one conference only and two days conference + workshop training.

Please tell us about the speakers and presenters that will participate in ‘Let’s Talk!’?

We have a wide array of expert speakers from the corporate world, government, PR & digital agencies and consultants in addition to media.

Our list of speakers currently includes names from Boeing International, Facebook, Brunswick Group, Ogilvy PR, Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Authority, Grayling, Dubai TV, Newsweek ME, Dubai Eye, APCO Worldwide, Carma, Social Eyez, vArmour, DarkMatter, ACG Communication & Training Consulting, El Masna3, in addition to renowned government advisors and digital consultants.

We are constantly updating this list and still in the process of adding more speakers!

Can industry professionals of the region participate as speakers or presenters at the event?

Yes, of course, we welcome professionals from the region to come on board as speakers or presenters. You can email us and and tell us a bit about yourself and what you would like to speak about. Someone from the organising team will get in touch with you as soon as we receive the expression of interest.

Did you face any challenges while launching the event across four countries?

Not really, thanks to Fekra’s extensive network and partners, launching the event across the four countries has not been difficult. We look forward to seeing the events come to life one after another this year and the years to follow.

What is the reaction you expect by hosting these events?

We expect valuable sharing of knowledge, experience and best practices, intensive networking to take place, probably leading to the emerging of new business partnerships or cooperation between the attendees and most importantly, enhancing the experience of communications professionals and making an impact on the collective performance of the industry.

What does the future hold for ‘Let’s Talk!’?

Depending on the right market, topic and demand, we may consider other markets in the future.

Lovin Dubai expands social media reach

Augustus, a newly launched media agency and the holding company of online guide, Lovin Dubai, has merged all its social media channels with 7DAYS UAE. Following the closure of the weekly newspaper in December 2016, Augustus has purchased the social media handles for 7DAYS UAE, which has accumulated a massive social media following across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook over the years.

“Social media plays a crucial role in how media is consumed today,” says Richard Fitzgerald, Editor, Lovin Dubai. “We are delighted to take on the profiles of 7DAYS UAE both regarding assuming a broad audience that now has a gap in their daily newsfeed and accepting the responsibilities that go along with it. It is an honour and a privilege to be able to continue the legacy of 7DAYS in a small way.”

Mark Rix, CEO, 7DAYS UAE adds, “Over the last few years, we have built a large and highly engaged audience across our social media platforms due to the high quality and unique nature of our content. We believe that Lovin Dubai will continue to inform and entertain our readers in the same spirit.”

New advertising industry association launches

New advertising industry association, Advertising Business Group (ABG) has launched to promote ethical and responsible advertising in the Middle East. Established as a self-regulatory body which includes Omnicom Media Group, Google, Choueiri Group and Facebook, ABG will also work with bodies in the region, such as the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and the International Advertising Association to encourage self-regulation among advertisers, agencies and publishers as well as provide consumers with the ability to challenge false or harmful advertising.

“Ethical advertising builds consumer trust in companies and brands, improving sales and strengthening the market share, while helping maintain a level playing field that is important for fair competition,” says Sanjiv Kakkar, Executive Vice-President, Unilever MENA, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus and Chairperson, ABG. “Irresponsible marketing on the other hand damages consumer confidence and provides little or no sustained return on advertising investment. Responsible advertising benefits everyone – consumers, society and advertisers. This belief in responsible advertising and its benefits for consumers and the society has spurred the GCCs advertisers, agencies and media to establish the ABG.”

E-learning courses for journalists launches

Facebook has launched a single destination for journalists to learn about the products, tools and services that will help increase their brand’s social media presence on Facebook and Instagram. The free e-learning courses will be available through Blueprint, their global training program and will focus on the three core pillars of the news cycle – discovering content, creating stories and building an audience. With plans to accommodate more languages, including Arabic in 2017, the online training program will serve as a learning platform for editors and journalists around the world.

Facebook launches Workplace

Facebook has announced the launch of its new business-connecting tool Workplace, to help organisations and employees collaborate across the MENA region. Workplace will serve as a communications platform that will include familiar Facebook features such as; news feed, groups and messages, as well as dashboards with analytics and integrations, which is a new Workplace-only feature.

“Facebook has spent its first 12 years connecting people in their personal lives. With Workplace, we are now able to help users improve productivity through collaboration on a platform that they are already familiar with,” says Jonathan Labin, Head, Facebook MENA. “We now want to help companies in the MENA region build connections between co-workers and transform how teams work together. Organisations are stronger and more productive when everyone comes together.”

Vipen Sethi, CEO, Landmark Group adds “For a large and diverse company like ours, Workplace is an ideal solution for our employees to connect and collaborate faster and more efficiently across teams and regions. Landmark employees also have the option of using the Workplace App in Arabic, which is especially great for Arabic-speaking team members.”

Hotwire and Vanson Bourne partner for new study

Global PR and communications agency Hotwire has partnered with independent market research specialist Vanson Bourne for a study that reveals what influences decision makers in the Arab world. The study showed that Facebook is one of the most used social media channels in the region but also found that nearly 30% of marketers do not plan to use the social media platform in their own B2B marketing. The research also reinforces the importance of traditional media sources, as well as social media, in purchasing decisions. Active (Digital. Marketing. Communications), Hotwire’s partner in the Middle East, will be responsible for distributing the research across the region.

“For us here in the Middle East this report is very relevant as it make us think about how social media is changing marketing and, if we are to be effective consultants, how we then advise our clients,” says Louay Al-Samarrai, Joint Managing Director, Active (Digital. Marketing. Communications).