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The Indian Trumpet magazine appoints Copy Editor

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The Indian Trumpet magazine has appointed Mona El Samna as its new Copy Editor. Mona will be responsible for editing and proofreading all articles submitted by contributors, freelancers and staff members. Before joining The Indian Trumpet, she worked with Clarity Editing and Communications in writing, editing and translation – a role which Mona will continue to do alongside that of Copy Editor for The Indian Trumpet.

“I am looking forward to being a part of this insightful and engaging magazine,” says Mona. “Its stories will give me a chance to learn about the Indian culture from an insider’s perspective. The vibe behind the magazine, of celebration and contribution to the community, is also great.”

Viva welcomes new Fashion and Beauty Editor

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Alexandra Venison will join Viva magazine as Fashion and Beauty Editor, following her previous role as Junior Fashion Editor at Emirates Woman.

Alexandra graduated from London College of Fashion with a first-class Honours degree in broadcast journalism. In her new role, she will be utilising her previous experience gained over the past few years at Motivate Publishing as she oversees all fashion and beauty pages for Viva.

Region’s talent honoured at MENA digital awards

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The region’s top digital advertising talent has been honoured at the second ever MENA Digital Awards ceremony, the only awards programme in the region dedicated to celebrating marketing in the digital industry. The event concluded the two-day Digital Media Forum (DMF) 2015, which attracted 500 industry stakeholders from across the MENA region and beyond to discuss the latest developments taking place across the digital landscape.

Big winners were Leo Burnett MENA, who won the Grand Prix Award as well as a number of awards across several categories including two golds in Digital Cause Marketing, a gold in Best Digital PR, a gold in Best Use of Social Media, a silver in Best Performance Campaign, a bronze in Best Use of Video and a bronze in Best Use of Mobile. Omnicom picked up the Network of the Year award, and OMD picked up the Agency of the Year.

Other notable winners included Initiative MENA, who garnered two silver awards for their work for KFC, under Best Application Mobile/Tablet and Best Use of Mobile, as well as two bronze awards under Best Integrated Media Campaign and Best Use of Video. Socialize Agency received two gold awards, BBDO collected one gold, three silvers and a bronze and Proximity picked up a gold, two silvers and a bronze. Other awards under different categories went to UM MENA, Ogilvy, Buzzman, OMD MENA, PHD and Sama Dubai.

“The MENA Digital Awards is the only marketing industry awards programme in the region that focuses solely on the digital sector,” says Najla Semaan Mazboudie, Managing Director of Spot On Media Services and Events, owner and founder of DMF and the MENA Digital awards. “It was established last year to honour success and excellence in the sector, thereby helping to promote the best in digital marketing planning, creativity, innovation, and effectiveness.”

Motivate welcomes new Senior Sales Manager

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Motivate Publishing has appointed Rami Jamal-Eddine as Senior Sales Manager. Rami will be responsible for the advertising sales of Business Traveller Middle East.

Rami has worked for nine years in sales, most recently as Relationship Manager for NPIMedia in Abu Dhabi, where he was account manager for five-star hotels and luxury brands. Before moving to the UAE, Rami worked as an Account Manager/Sales Rep at CCH Australia.

Khalil Tabbara joins Alaraby Aljadeed

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Khalil Tabbara has been appointed Director of Sales & Marketing at Alaraby Aljadeed Newspaper for UK, Europe, MENA and the USA, to organise and develop the regional advertising department.

Previously Regional Advertising Director for Dar Al Sada Press, Khalil has extensive experience in the Middle East, having spent many years living and working across media publications in Saudi Arabia.

Edelman appoints Associate Director

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Zaib Shadani has been appointed Associate Director in the Consumer division at Edelman. She will oversee the Arts & Culture and Luxury wings of the consumer practice.

With over nine years of PR experience, mostly in the Middle East, Zaib is an experienced strategist. Having spent five years with The Portsmouth Group as Lead Advisor and PR Counsel for a wealth of arts & culture clients, Zaib has also provided tactical oversight and media outreach for luxury, lifestyle and fashion related clients. She is a Cum Laude graduate from the University of Toronto and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Wollongong in Dubai.

“I feel privileged to be joining the Arts division of the world’s largest agency at a time when there is so much interest in the cultural movements happening across the Middle East,” says Zaib. “Edelman has a reputation for global excellence and innovative campaigns, and I look forward to being a part of their growing team.

OMD UAE partners with Pi Slice

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OMD UAE announces its partnering with Pi Slice, the web-based social platform channeling funding for Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs). This comes as part of the media agency’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and its continuous contribution to developing the region’s economies and improving the lives of its people. OMD UAE and Pi Slice have launched a ‘lending page’ to promote micro-lending opportunities to its stakeholders and the wider community. Individuals can view a list of micro-financed projects and provide support to the initiative of their choice.

Through this collaboration, OMD UAE and Pi Slice bring a unique proposition to the UAE, linking individuals who wish to invest with Pi Slice’s MFI partners in the region, which, in turn use the funds to provide micro-credit to their customers. Micro-lending allows individuals to build a sustainable future for micro-entrepreneurs, as well as a supportive ecosystem for development at the macro level.

“We’re delighted to have found common ground with Pi Slice,” says Nadine Samara, Managing Director of OMD UAE & Lower Gulf. “We share the vision of a brighter future for entrepreneurship, to help alleviate poverty, stimulate development and improve the lives of many. Supporting ambition is hugely rewarding for both individuals and organisations, so we hope many around us will join us in this endeavour.”

Twitter to open offices in Dubai

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Twitter will open its offices in Dubai in the next few months. Shailesh Rao, Twitter’s Vice-President for Asia Pacific, Latin America and Emerging Markets announced the news during a session discussing the future of Twitter at the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit. As the platform’s first office in the MENA region, it will aim to better serve local users, partners and advertisers. MENA is one of Twitters fastest growing markets worldwide, and this announcement serves as a part of the company’s increased investment and commitment to the region.

“MENA is a key strategic market for us and our new Dubai office will serve as the focal point to help our development across the region,” says Shailesh. “Dubai is a regional hub for many brands and advertising agencies and we are excited to build a team on the ground here who can work with partners directly, helping them get the most out of Twitter.”

Weber Shandwick is a great place to work

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Weber Shandwick has been honoured by the Great Place to Work Institute UAE, by being ranked number seven among 15 shortlisted organisations for this year’s ‘Top Companies to Work for in the UAE’.

The Institute, part of a global research, training and consultancy firm, recognises the best workplaces in over 50 countries worldwide by evaluating each participating company through a Trust Index survey and Culture Audit. These evaluations address management credibility, employee engagement, job satisfaction, as well as pay and benefits programs, hiring, communication and development.

“We are delighted to have been selected as one of the Top 15 best companies to work for in the UAE for the second consecutive year,” says Andreas Keller, Managing Director, Dubai, Weber Shandwick MENA. “It’s always a great achievement when you can balance the management of a fast growing business while still providing your employees with a positive working environment. The management can set the blueprint for success, but it’s really down to the employees who create the environment and make the agency what it is today.”