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Compareit4me.com takes on new brand identity

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Middle East comparison site, compareit4me.com has rebranded as yallacompare.com to reflect its new identity and expansion plan in the region. The site’s rebrand aims to align itself with the Middle Eastern market with a brand name that pays homage to the region and become the go-to resource for regional consumers looking to save money on everything from insurance to telecoms package. The rebrand will also be followed by an expansion into Saudi Arabia and the opening of a permanent office in Riyadh as well as the launch of its online insurance comparison services to consumers in Egypt.

“When we first started the company, we had no idea that it would become the business that it is today,” says Jon Richards, CEO, yallacompare.com.  “Our success outside of the UAE is what’s informed our decision to create a brand that better represents our English and Arabic-speaking customers. Today, we compare everything from personal loans to flight tickets, we’re the largest insurance aggregator in the Middle East by a considerable margin and we’re active in nine markets across the region.”

Five Minute Focus – ArabNet Digital Summit

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With the ArabNet Digital Summit coming up, Team TMN sits down with Rana Yaacoub, Media and Partner Manager at ArabNet, to find out what to expect from the upcoming event…

Tell us about ArabNet Digital Summit…

The ArabNet Digital Summit is the region’s most influential conference for digital business and innovation and will be hosting it’s fifth edition to bring together 80 top speakers, 50 exhibitors, over 1200 attendees, and more than 50 key talks and sessions. The summit will involve discussions on the latest in the fields of media, marketing, e-commerce, financial technology, internet of things, big data, investing in technology, and digital business transformation across four separate forums, AdTech, Smart Economy, Digital Commerce, and Innovation and Investment. The event will also feature 18 of MENA’s most promising startups competing at the ArabNet Startup Championship, as well as leading investors from across the world discussing the state of the industry.

When did the summit launch in the region?

The first ArabNet Digital Summit to took place in Dubai in 2013, while ArabNet conferences launched across the region with Beirut in 2010, Riyadh in 2012 and Kuwait in 2016.

When and where will this year’s event take place?

The ArabNet Digital Summit will take place on May 16-17 at the Madinat Jumeirah Conference and Events Center, Dubai.

How will this ArabNet Digital Summit 2017 be different as compared to the previous years’? Please tell us about the four forums…

This year’s summit will include four forums that will cover different tracks within the economy, digital, media and advertising as well as innovation and investment fields. The forums will be categorised into;

  • Smart Economy Forum: This full track explores the smart economy covering smart cities, smart governments, the future of cars and transportation, and the digital enterprise as well as the blockchain and machine learning technologies driving this transformation.
  • Digital Commerce Forum: This forum explores the emerging trends and opportunities in e-commerce, e-retail and payments in the MENA region. It also dives into the digital transformations taking place in the banking sector, and the fintech innovations that are changing the financial services industry.
  • AdTech Forum: This forum features two full tracks covering the latest trends in digital media and advertising, including the AdTech Showcase, which is a convergence of new advertising and media technologies from around the world to improve the impact and efficiency of campaigns, and help publishers maximise revenues.
  • Innovation and Investment Forum: This forum features a full track for investors, with high-level discussions that includes, limited partners (LPs), private equity investors and family offices — to help the corporate community understand how they can invest in or collaborate with startups to stay ahead of disruption.

Also included will be the ArabNet Startup Championship, with pitches from 18 of the most promising startups from across the MENA region, handpicked through local pitching rounds and winners given the opportunity to go global.

What was the idea behind introducing four forums under one summit?

The regional market is changing. Audiences today prefer content and networking opportunities that are more specialised, which is why this year, we have shifted and spread the summit across four separate and specialised forums, which are the AdTech, Smart Economy, Digital Commerce, and Innovation and Investment.

What is the concept behind the AdTech Forum?

The concept of the AdTech Forum is based on analytics, content distribution, programmatic, native, bots and automation, which are all technologies that are reshaping how publishers, agencies and brands do business. The focus of the forum will be on topics such as measurement and attribution, content strategies in a world of distraction, ephemeral content; strategies and best practices, technologies changing the consumer journey and showcase of AdTech technologies.

What will be the key topics of discussion at the AdTech forum?

The main topics of discussions at the event will be, New technologies in online advertising, Influencer marketing: Popularity vs impact, Online brand strategies, Consumer experiences: Marketing and commerce

Who will be speaking/participating at the same?

The top regional and international speakers that will be participating in this year’s event will include:

  • John Stoneman, General Manager at Triplelift, Europe.
  • Lauren Maillian, Entrepreneur, Global Marketer, Startup Advisor, Speaker, TV Personality and Author.
  • Sarah Cunningham, Marketing Manager and Head of Demand Generation at AdRoll.
  • Sebastian Schindler, Global Insights Lead at InSKin Media.
  • Scott Lamb, Vice President of International at BuzzFeed.
  • Tim Wolfs, Chief Digital Officer at Altavia Group.
  • Liely Bullock, Enterprise Partnerships Manager – EMEA at Statiq.

The full list of speakers can be found on ArabNet’s official website.

Can industry professionals of the region participate as speakers at the event? What is the procedure to apply?

ArabNet has a track record of bringing together globally renowned speakers to discuss cutting-edge topics in web and mobile, through interactive panel formats, talks, and workshops. We are always on the search for innovative experts who can share their work and research. For speakers interested in showcasing a case study or research, whether on social media, at the Digital Summit or any future event, they may apply on the website.

Is the forum open for anyone to attend? What is the registration process?

ArabNet Digital Summit is an exclusive event, with two registration categories. The investors and corporates participation fee varies according to the registration time.

Young professionals, students and entrepreneurs can request an invitation and attend for free. The reason we chose to launch such an initiative this year is to support new entrepreneurs and young professionals who are in the process of establishing their business, but have no means to afford a ticket.

Rotana welcomes Senior Marketing Officer

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The Dubai offices of Rotana Media Group has appointed Diane Nassereldine to the role of Senior Marketing Officer. Headquartered in Saudi Arabia, the entertainment group comprises of Rotana Studios, Rotana Magazine, Rotana TV and Rotana Records as well as seven music stations under Rotana Radio. Previously Senior Digital Business Developer at Mediaquest Corp., Diane will now be responsible for the development of marketing strategies as well as boost Rotana Artists through relevant media exposure.

“Rotana is the leader in Arabic music content and I will make sure that everyone knows it,” says Diane.

iProspect launches in KSA

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Digital performance agency, iProspect has launched a new operation in Saudi Arabia. Part of Dentsu Aegis Network, the new agency headquarters will be located in Jeddah with support from the Dentsu Aegis team in Riyadh as well as the iProspect Hub office in Dubai. Headed by Digital Performance Director, Ruark Williams, the agency aims to introduce a wide range of digital marketing services to the Saudi market.

“As the second largest Middle Eastern market, Saudi Arabia presents a huge opportunity,” says Ruark Williams, Digital Performance Director, iProspect. “Digital spends have increased by more than 200% from 2015 to 2016 with continued exponential growth predicted moving into 2017 and beyond. The momentum highlighted the need for an on-ground presence of digital specialists who are able to proactively educate the market and ensure our clients are getting real ROI across all digital platforms.”

OMD Arabia undergoes internal restructure

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In response to the significant increase in billings in 2014, OMD Arabia has undergone a management restructuring and named new General Managers for its offices in Riyadh and Jeddah.

Toni El Rahi, previously General Manager of OMD Riyadh, has taken the role of Business Development Director for OMD Arabia’s parent company, Omnicom Media Group Saudi Arabia, reporting to CEO Choucrallah Abou Samra. In this role, he will capitalise on his vast network of connections and his talent for identifying and securing the best client relationships across the group. Toni will also hold the general management responsibilities of PHD Riyadh.

Faisal Shams, most recently a Business Unit Director at OMD UAE, has been promoted to General Manager for OMD Arabia, additionally managing its Riyadh office. Having gained significant experience climbing through the ranks of planning with the agency, Faisal will be responsible for building the business, strengthening the brand and deepening client relationship across the Kingdom and Riyadh.

Finally, Hani Dajani has been appointed as General Manager of OMD Jeddah, reporting to Faisal Shams. Most recently holding the position of Head of Planning, his primary objective in his new role is to maintain the network’s leading position in the Jeddah market and drive its digital and innovation agendas forward.

“At a time of rapid expansion, these new appointments strengthen our position to embrace the challenges and assignments that await us,” says Choucrallah Abou Samra, CEO, Omnicom Media Group Saudi Arabia. “With his experience, Toni is ideally placed to steer growth for the whole group. Faisal has managed some of our most demanding clients in the past, demonstrating unique leadership skills, and Hani has always led from the front with clients and prospects. I have full confidence in their ability to navigate our growth and pioneer the way forward for our clients, partners and the industry.”