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InsideOut welcomes new Editor

Interiors and design title, InsideOut, part of GN Media, has appointed Mairead Walsh to the role of Editor. Previously Travel Editor for the Contract Publishing Division at GN Media, Mairead took on the role of Associate Editor for InsideOut six months ago, before being promoted to Editor. In her new role, she will oversee all editorial content for the title as well as lead and grow the InsideOut brand.

“For the past 12 years, InsideOut magazine has been one of GN Media’s leading print tites,” says Katie Heskett, Publisher, GN Media. “With exciting developments in digital and events – including this year’s InsideOut Reader Awards and Home of the Year campaign, we are thrilled to have Mairead leading the future of the brand into new arenas and audiences.”

Mairead adds, “Design and interiors is a burgeoning industry in the UAE and this is a very exciting time to lead the magazine. I hope to bring more engaging, innovative and dynamic design content to our audience through a range of platforms and showcase industry talent and experts to inspire interior enthusiasts.”

 

Friday welcomes new Editor

GN Media’s flagship weekly, Friday magazine has appointed Natalie Long to the role of Editor. Previously the Editor of tabloid!, Natalie has 10 years of experience in celebrity news, fashion, food, travel, arts and culture. In her new role, she will be overseeing the magazine’s content for print and digital platforms.

“As we celebrate 20 years of Friday magazine in 2017, we are thrilled that Natalie will be leading the team during such an exciting time for the brand,” says Katie Heskett, Publisher, Gulf News Magazines. “After having incredible success with tabloid!, Natalie’s talent and experience in delivering great content across all audience platforms is one that we look forward to bringing to the UAE’s most widely-read magazine.”

Natalie Long, Editor, Friday magazine adds, “I’m excited to join Friday magazine at this important moment in its history. I’m passionate about lifestyle content, and in ten years at tabloid!, I’ve learned that there is a wealth of wonderful stories to be explored right here in the UAE. I can’t wait to start working with the incredible team and bring even more engaging lifestyle content to readers, in the magazine and across digital platforms.”

GN Publishing launches Baby&Child

GN Publishing has today launched Baby&Child magazine, a new title dedicated to all parenting topics ranging from pregnancy to pre-school in the UAE. From the team behind AquariusBaby&Child is available quarterly from leading retailers for AED 20, with exclusive distribution through Marhababy, Baby Souk, DB Babies and Mumzworld. The brand also has an active Mummy Morning events calendar, daily social media and will shortly launch www.babyandchild.ae.

“Since we launched the Aquarius Baby supplement in May 2014, our mums have been asking us for a magazine and website as they desperately want access to locally relevant parenting advice as well as real life stories and support from mums in the UAE,” says Louisa Wilkins, Group Editor, Baby&Child. “They loved how our Baby supplement was open, honest and supportive of new parents in the UAE  and they wanted more of it… so here we are delivering their wishes!”

Katie Heskett, Associate Publisher, GN Publishing Women’s Lifestyle Group, adds “For the past two years, we have been talking to our Baby&Child audience, either through the pages of Aquarius Baby or at our monthly Mummy Mornings. We know what our readers want as we are engaging with them every month thanks to our active and engaged community of mums. With 80,000 babies born in the UAE every year, there is a lot of support needed for new parents and we’re excited that Baby&Child will be able to be part of their journey as a family.”

CitizenK appoints Editor-in-Chief

GN Publishing has welcomed Esther Quek to the role of Editor-in-Chief for new, luxury fashion titles CitizenK Arabia and CitizenK Homme. With over ten years of media experience across the UAE, Asia and Australia, Esther will be leaving her role as Group Fashion Director at APP Gulf – where she has worked on The RakeRevolutionConde Nast TravellerStylist Arabia and the Hello! Group – to join GN Publishing. In her new role, she will be overseeing both print publications which are due to be launched later this month.

“It is my utmost honour to work with the visionary founder, Kappauf, together with his Paris team to launch CitizenK Arabia,” says Esther. “This exciting international brand will take our region’s talents to greater heights as together we create the most cutting-edge fashion and lifestyle publication in the Middle East.”

Kappauf, Founder, Editorial Director and Creative Director, CitizenK, adds “Esther’s reputation for cutting edge fashion and her role in the region’s style evolution, is one that we are happy to see on the future pages of CitizenK Arabia.”

Aquarius launches bespoke covers

Aquarius magazine has launched individually-named bespoke March 2016 issue covers for each of the magazine’s 1,500 subscribers. Each cover is a variation on the retail edition cover, but features the reader’s name as part of the main headline and reduced coverlines. Each personalised cover will be delivered directly to the subscriber’s door as part of the brand’s strategy for consolidating and growing its subscriber database and focusing on brand-to-hand activities. The magazine will also begin to include personalised advertising pages, with Home Centre personalising their artwork in the March issue. 

“Aquarius is in a unique position thanks to being a part of GN Printing and GN Distribution – which has allowed us to introduce this exclusive gift to our readers,” says Katie Heskett, Publisher of the Women’s Lifestyle Group, GN Publishing. “Creating personalised covers has been a team effort with all parts of GN Media working together for the benefit of our audience as well as our clients.”

Louisa Wilkins, Editor, Aquarius, adds “We always want to give back to our readers and an exclusive subscriber cover is just one way we’re doing that. From the magazine team to the delivery boys getting it to their door, everyone has been excited to be part of the process.”

GN Publishing to launch high-end fashion title

GN Publishing has signed an agreement with Le Grand Kapital to launch CitizenK Arabia and CitizenK Homme Arabia in the Middle East. CitizenK International is a leading luxury lifestyle and fashion magazine in France with a circulation in excess of 100,000 copies per issue. The magazine was launched in 1992 and is owned and edited by its Founder, Parisian fashion industry icon Kappauf. CitizenK Arabia will be published in a mixture of English and Arabic – with small dedicated sections in simplified Chinese, Russian and Farsi – four times a year from March 2016, and will cover the world of luxury fashion and lifestyle from a local and international perspective. CitizenK Homme Arabia will contain a unique mix of luxury fashion and lifestyle content targeted at a male audience.

Both magazines will be distributed together, with a total print run of 20,000 copies. They will be priced at AED40 in the UAE, with CitizenK Arabia and CitizenK Homme Arabia being distributed in retail across the GCC, to VIP homes and at selected boutique retail outlets, hotels and luxury venues in the UAE.

“I am delighted that we are launching CitizenK Arabia, an exciting new force in the GCC’s luxury lifestyle media space,” says James Hewes, Publishing Director, GN Publishing. “The opportunity to bring France’s premier luxury lifestyle magazine to this market is not to be missed and I look forward to working with Kappauf to deliver CitizenK Arabia to the region’s luxury consumers.”

Kappauf adds “CitizenK Arabia is the next step in our international expansion and is a project particularly close to my heart due to my Syrian origin.”

InsideOut Awards 2015 winners announced

InsideOut magazine revealed the winners of its first reader awards at a gala dinner on Sunday, June 7, 2015, at the Sofitel The Palm, Dubai. After three months of voting and with over 15, 000 individual votes casted, InsideOut revealed the UAE’s favourite brands, as voted for by readers.

Winners on the night included The White Company, Maison D’Art, ID Design and Marina Home Interiors. The Editor’s Choice Award was presented to Jotun.

“After 12 years in the market, last summer saw a major new direction for InsideOut magazine, and since then the title has gone from strength to strength,” says Sharon Parsons, Editor, InsideOut. “These developments have allowed us to forge strong relationships with our readership and as part of that commitment we launched The InsideOut Awards to recognise just how passionate our readers are about their homes. The response has been amazing and the voting has surpassed all our expectations.”

For further information, contact Katie Heskett at kheskett@gulfnews.com / +971 (0)4 406 7361

 

InsideOut Magazine launches redesign

Gulf News Magazine’s flagship home and interiors title, InsideOut has undergone a complete redesign and resize as part of its wider brand strategy. After two months of development, the final look is on sale in all major retail outlets, led by Art Editor Sue Mae Easton and Acting Editor Sharon Parsons.

“Even the loveliest homes need redecorating every now and then, and we’ve taken that approach with InsideOut,” says Sharon. “A smart new logo, chic new size and fonts have been just the start! With comprehensive sections, greater depth of content and clearer signposting of the key editorial pillars – homes, decorating, shopping, design, gardens and property – we’re confident our discerning readership will find the modernised InsideOut more enjoyable, inspirational and useful than ever.”

Katie Heskett, Associate Publisher of Gulf News Magazines adds, “InsideOut has always been a huge success in the homes and interiors market and our plan is to expand on this with a comprehensive digital platform and a series of brand extensions – including events and standalone publishing projects. The starting point was to ensure our core brand was where we wanted it to be – and this new look is the perfect foundation for all our growth.”

Aquarius Magazine launches redesign

Aquarius Magazine has undergone a full redesign and rebrand unveiled for this month’s June issue. In circulation since 2002, this is the first restructure of the women’s lifestyle magazine, and includes a new look, new logo and new attitude.

“While the title has always been very close to our hearts and a vital part of our portfolio, we wanted to offer readers a new and fresh look to compliment our new editorial attitude,” says Katie Heskett, Associate Publisher, Gulf News Magazines. “We have changed our focus to address all elements of a woman’s life – from careers and parenting to fashion and beauty, food and home. With so much more content on offer and various platforms that we are able to deliver it on – including our website, app, social media and monthly events – we wanted to have a fresher look that fitted a new era for the title.”

Louisa Wilkins, Editor of Aquarius Magazine adds, “Aquarius is such a well-loved and respected magazine with our readers. Our commitment to them remains our top priority, and this redesign and editorial direction will offer them even more great content and opportunities to engage with us. It’s amazing to see how the magazine has developed this year – we’ve done a lot of work and research with our readers to get this final results and the feedback from them has already been fantastic.”

Gulf News Publishing Director James Hewes further adds, “The magazine is one of the most important titles at Gulf News Magazines, and to see this exciting new direction is just one part of our ongoing development plans for our women’s lifestyle group.”

Katie Heskett joins Gulf News Magazines

Previously Publisher at ITP Consumer Publishing for the Ahlan! Group of magazines and websites, Katie Heskett has joined Gulf News Magazines as Associate Publisher for the Women’s Lifestyle and Homes & Interiors brands.

Currently focusing on Aquarius and InsideOut magazines and websites, Katie is also working on new launches in 2014.

“After eight great years at ITP, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to take on a really exciting new challenge with a great team at Gulf News Magazines. The plans we have for Aquarius and Inside Out both in print and online – as well as the developments taking place overall at Gulf News Magazines – are inspirational and I’m looking forward to being a part of a market-leading publishing organisation.”

James Hewes, Publishing Director for Gulf News Magazines, said: “I am delighted to welcome Katie to the Gulf News Magazines team. I’m incredibly excited by her appointment and I know that she’ll be using her wealth of publishing expertise to take Aquarius and InsideOut to the next level. Katie’s appointment is just the first of a number of exciting developments planned for the next few months as we start a new phase in the development of Gulf News Magazines.”