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PRCA launches mentoring scheme

Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has collaborated with PRWeek to launch a new mentoring scheme in the UAE and UK. Aiming to inspire the next generation of PR and communication leaders, the Fast Track mentoring scheme will launch with an initial 21 mentors including Yiannis Vafeas, Managing Director at Golin MENA and Alex Malouf, Corporate Communications Manager for the Arabian Peninsula at Procter & Gamble.

“We are very proud to launch the latest stage in the Fast Track mentoring scheme, aimed at inspiring mentees to go even further with their careers,” says Francis Ingham, Director General, PRCA. “Mentoring is a fantastic way of passing on the expertise and knowledge held within the industry to a new generation of hopefuls.”

PRCA joins hands with media intelligence firm

The Middle-East edition of PRCA, PRCA MENA has collaborated media intelligence agency, LexisNexis. The12-month partnership aims to provide members of PRCA with the best practices and market insights as well as special offers on a range of media monitoring and analysis tools.

“LexisNexis is delighted to partner with PRCA MENA in the Middle East region,” says Jeremy Shayler, Business Development Director, LexisNexis Middle East. “This is an exciting new venture for both parties and demonstrates our joint commitment and support of the local Middle East market for public relations and communications professionals. Our relationship brings a fresh approach to the media monitoring and analysis space and will help drive world-class expertise and practice in the region. We look forward to sharing our global best practice and thought leadership with PRCA MENA and their PR agency and in-house communication professional members.”

Shortlist revealed for PRCA Awards

PRCA MENA has announced the shortlisted nominees for its inaugural awards ceremony that will take place on February 8, 2017 at the H Hotel, Dubai. The nominees include: Q Communications, Seven Media, TOH PR, Memac Ogilvy, Markettiers and Grayling as well as Hill+Knowlton Strategies, among other agencies of the region.

The awards will honour agencies and media professionals across 13 categories – B2C Campaign, sponsored by HAVOC Creative; B2B Campaign; Crisis Communications, sponsored by LexisNexis; Digital Campaign, sponsored by Markettiers; Influencer Relations; Integrated Campaign, sponsored by TINT; Media Relations; Regional Campaign of the Year and Rising Star, both sponsored by MCG Associates; Results on a Budget; PR Leader, sponsored by ICCO and Small Consultancy of the Year, sponsored by The Media Network as well as Large Consultancy of the Year.

“I am delighted to announce the shortlist for the awards,” says Leanne Foy, General Manager, PRCA MENA. “The work submitted demonstrated excellent work across the region. Congratulations to all shortlisted.”

PRCA MENA announces headline sponsor

The Dubai-branch of international talent consultancy, MCG Associates has partnered with Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) MENA as the headline sponsor for the inaugural PRCA MENA Awards. The awards ceremony will take place on February 8, 2017 at the H Hotel, Dubai.

“It is a great pleasure to welcome MCG Associates as the headline sponsor for our first PRCA MENA Awards,” says Francis Ingham, Director General, PRCA MENA. “Having an established, influential and trusted agency backing the awards demonstrates its confidence in PRCA MENA and our work.”

Justin McGuire, Chief Executive Officer, MCG Group adds, “I’m delighted that MCG Group will be the headline sponsor for the inaugural PRCA MENA Awards. We take pride in partnering with the best agencies in the region and look forward to a night of celebration.”

New training academy launches

The Middle East arm of Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA MENA) has partnered with Instinctif Partners to launch its own training academy. The CPD-accredited programme aims to educate and update Middle East media professionals on new skills, practices and developments in the industry through face-to-face training as well as webinars.

“I am thrilled that Instinctif Partners have put together a comprehensive training plan and are investing in their staff with both internal and external training, thus developing talented PR and communications professionals,” says Leanne Foy, General Manager, PRCA MENA. “It’s truly great to see the shift in traditional learning and using creative ways of continuous professional development.”

PRCA launches new award

Public Relations and Communications Association Middle East and North Africa (PRCA MENA) has introduced a new award category for the upcoming awards ceremony that will be held on February 8, 2017. The ‘Influencers Relations’ award aims to recognise and honour the efforts of PRs and marketers that develop successful campaigns with the help of targeted influencer relations.

“I am pleased to announce that the Influencer Relations award has been added to the inaugural PRCA MENA Awards,” says Leanne Foy, General Manager, PRCA MENA. “We are all aware that our work spans further than media relations and the demand for this category displays exactly that.”

PRCA MENA Awards 2017 now open for entries

Nominations for the PRCA MENA Awards 2017, hosted by Public Relations and Communications Association Middle East and North Africa (PRCA MENA), are now open for entries. The deadline for the entries is December 13, 2016, with the finalists to be announced on January 4, 2017. The awards aim to recognise teams and individuals for campaigns that have taken place between November 1, 2015 to November 2, 2016, that can demonstrate strategy, creativity and originality across 12 categories including Best Integrated Campaign, Rising Star of the Year and Best PR Campaign: Media Relations. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held on February 8, 2017 at the H Hotel. Nominations for the awards are currently open and can be made through prca.mena.global/how-to-enter/.

“I am delighted that the first PRCA MENA awards are open for entries, celebrating excellence in PR and communications across the region,” says Leanne Foy, General Manager, PRCA MENA. “We have a range of new categories to bring to the region and entries will be judged by our international judging panel.”

Shortlist for ICCO Global Awards 2016 announced

The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) has announced the shortlisted nominees for ICCO Global Awards 2016. Taking place on December 1, 2016 in London, the award nominees include Cohn & Wolfe for ‘Regional Network of the Year – EMEA’, Instinctif Partners for ‘Regional Independent Constultany of the Year – EMEA’ as well as House of Comms and Grayling for ‘World’s Best PR Campaign – Media Relations.’

“The ICCO Global Awards is an opportunity for the PR and communications industry to showcase the way in which the discipline can achieve real results through powerful outcomes,” says Charlene Corrin, General Manager, International Communications Consultancy Organisation. “An international jury reviews campaigns and teams from around the world, with a true focus on measurement and effectiveness. This year a number of campaigns were entered from the Middle East region, but the stand out work which has made the shortlist came from Grayling and House of Comms, both members of PRCA MENA.”

Q Communications and PRCA MENA launch Qcademy

Q Communications, in partnership with PRCA MENA, has launched Qcademy, a training academy that will provide each member of Q Communications‘ 18-strong team with access to PRCA MENA events alongside a rigorous, tailored programme of both internal and external training. PR and Communications professionals will be allocated a training budget as well as a bespoke guide and staff will be able to learn new skills, develop best practice and stay abreast of the latest developments in areas that they already operate in. The CPD-acredited programme includes both face-to-face training in the region as well as webinars and will be overseen from PRCA MENA’s office in Dubai.

“We are delighted to launch Qcademy, the first of its kind in-house training academy in the region,” says Katie Harvey MPRCA, Managing Partner, Q Communications. “In collaboration with PRCA MENA, the Qcademy initiative has been in the works for several months and we have designed a programme tailored for the UAE market and our team. At Q Communications, our team is the most important component of the agency; so developing a training academy is high priority for Elsa and myself.”

Leanne Foy MPRCA, General Manager, PRCA MENA, adds “I am thrilled that Q Communications have put together a comprehensive training plan and are investing in their staff with both internal and external training, developing talented PR and communications professionals.”

Shortlist for Young PR Lions MENA announced

PRCA MENA has released the shortlist for the Young PR Lions MENA competition to find the best young PR professionals in the Middle East and North Africa. Eight teams have been shortlisted to win the accolade this year and one of them will be heading to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to take part in the international competition on June 19, 2016. The shortlisted teams of two PR agency professionals aged 30 or under are from; Memac Ogilvy, MCS Action, Edelman, Grayling META, Golin MENA, H&K Strategies, Memac Ogilvy and Weber Shandwick.

On May 17, the shortlisted teams will be asked to deliver a five minute presentation explaining their PR campaign at Motivate, located in Media One, Dubai and the winning MENA team will be announced on May 19.