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Arab News appoints Faisal J. Abbas

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Former Editor of Al Arabiya News Channel‘s English language service, www.alarabiya.new/English, Faisal J. Abbas will be the new Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Arabia’s English language daily newspaper Arab News. Part of Riyadh-based Saudi Research and Marketing (SRMG), the Middle East’s largest integrated publishing company, Arab News was established in the region in 1975 and has been home to a number of influential English-speaking Editors as well as Journalists and Faisal will be working to take the publication global. Having joined the Al Arabiya News Channel in 2012, Faisal worked to relaunch and expand news coverage of the channel’s English language digital platform. Associate Editor Ammar Aziz will now handle interim management of the service.

“Faisal is among the most prominent Saudi journalists on the international scene,” says HH Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohamad bin Farhan Al-Saud, Chairman, SRMG. “He brings an impressive track-record of successful media brands re-launching as well as expanding newsroom operations. This appointment falls in line with SRMG’s future vision of taking our titles to new heights by empowering young Saudi media leaders capable of meeting the aspirations of the new generation who are today’s biggest media consumers.”

BPA Worldwide announces concurrent release of data

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Global assurance provider BPA has announced the concurrent release of audience metrics for 36 consumer magazines, 16 business publications and five newspapers in the Middle East, for the six-month period that ended on June 30, 2016. The top-line figures in the Trend Report About Circulation (TRAC) cover media with operations in five Middle East countries; Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Included in the report are the headline average qualified circulations and other channels, including web traffic ‘average unique browser’, social media and apps downloads for the most recent June 2016-ending BPA brand reports.

“The concurrent release of audience data for consumer and newspapers based in the region helps level the playing field in the marketplace,” says Rana Hariz, Director, BPA Middle East. “Media buyers and advertisers can turn to this single report and make an accurate evaluation of audience metrics between brands before they buy.”

Publicis consolidates regional LeoComm offices

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Publicis Communications has consolidated its six-office LeoComm PR network in the Middle East under the brand of MSLGroup, its strategic communications and engagement firm. Leocomm offices in the UAE, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will now become MSLGROUP in the Middle East, while remaining part of the Publicis Communications MEA portfolio of agencies, which also includes; Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Flip Media, Arc and Saatchi & Saatchi. MSLGROUP’s Communications and Network Consulting (CNC) Network also has offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, servicing mostly corporate and public affairs clients, which will remain a separate unit inside of MSLGROUP.
“We are thrilled to grow our network in the Middle East,” says Guillaume Herbette, CEO MSLGROUP. “LeoComm PR brings to the table specialised communications expertise, vast knowledge of the Middle East and an in-depth understanding of regional market trends. Together, we look forward to providing our global and regional clients with a full scope of integrated public relations services.”
Raja Trad, CEO, Publicis Communications Middle East and Africa, adds “In recent years, LeoComm PR has built a strong legacy of growth, one rooted in a powerful ‘think global, act local’ communications strategy. Today the agency’s new identity will help further crystallise this approach and cement its mission to deliver fully-integrated, all-encompassing public relations services.”

Forever Sports Middle East launches

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Forever Sports Middle East has launched in Dubai. The regional edition of the dedicated monthly sports and lifestyle publication, originally from Haymarket publishing in the UK, will be published in Dubai by White Fox Publishing. Aimed at the region’s male, 18–40 year old audience, the title will cover all things sports as well as subjects ranging from technology through to fashion and grooming.

The title will be available in both English and Arabic and will have an initial print run of 20,000 copies across the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Forever Sports Middle East will be available in sports retail outlets and superstores, as well as sports bars and clubs, for AED15.

“We offer our readers a variety of content that no other magazine delivers, from mainstream sports such as football, athletics, cricket, tennis and boxing, to increasingly popular American sports such as American football and basketball,” says Noel Ebdon, Editor in Chief, Forever Sports Middle East. “Interviews with all of the biggest personalities are crucial in our editorial mix – with personality being the operative word here – we’re not interested in media-trained bores. The first few editions of Forever Sports in the UK in 2016 included shoots with Ronaldo, Amir Kahn, Joe Hart and Anthony Joshua, but we’re also interested in ordinary people, so we’ll be talking to local sports people of all nationalities who are pushing the boundaries in their field.”

C&B partner with Y&D Communications

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Cicero & Bernay Public Relations (C&B) has partnered with Saudi-based public relations and social media agency Y&D Communications, as part of a GCC expansion plan. The collaboration will see C&B enhance its suite of capabilities in order to develop in the communications industry across the MENA region. Both agencies will combine their capabilities and expertise in strategic planning, public relations and technical proficiency, as well as benefit from mutual insights and tactical abilities.

“This partnership agreement is part of our long-term strategy of building a communications network spanning across the region,” says Ahmad Itani, COO, Cicero & Bernay Public Relations. “Public relations is becoming an increasingly important and valuable asset for organisations across all four corners of our region. We are pleased to be part of the current wave of growth and we are confident that our affliation with Y&D will provide even more expertise and geographical reach for our clients.”

Younus Inayat, COO, Y&D Coommunications, adds “We are confident that our alliance with C&B will prove to be a highly valuable and complementary collaboration for both companies. Our agency has a long-established reputation and significant presence within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s modern communications landscape and this new cooperation with C&B will ensure we are extremely well placed to take advantage of the sterling growth that the public relations industry is seeing across the region.”

BPA Worldwide to release concurrent data

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Global assurance provider BPA Worldwide will release concurrent audience metrics for 41 consumer titles and six newspaper brands in the Middle East, for the six-month period that ended December 31, 2015. The top-line figures in the Trend Report About Circulation (TRAC) cover media with operations in four Middle Eastern countries: Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Included in the report are the headline average qualified circulations and other channels, including web traffic ‘average unique browser’, social media and apps downloads for the most recent December 2015-ending BPA brand reports.

“The concurrent release of audience data for consumer and newspapers based in the region helps level the playing field in the marketplace,” says Rana Hariz, Director, Middle East Operation, BPA Worldwide. “Media buyers and advertisers can turn to this single report and make an accurate evaluation of audience metrics between brands before they buy.”

BNC Publishing launches new awards

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Hotel News ME, part of BNC Publishing, is set to host its inaugural Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2016, on April 19 at The St. Regis Dubai in order to celebrate the best of the industry’s talent, properties and concepts. The awards are designed to capture the outstanding elements of properties, campaigns and people across a number of categories including Leading New Hotel, Best Spa and Best Room Refurb. Judges will be announced on hotelnewsme.com later this month.

“The Leaders in Hospitality Awards 2016 will celebrate and bring together professionals at all levels,” says Melanie Mingas, Group Editor, Business Portfolio, BNC Publishing. “The categories have been meticulously constructed to represent all sectors and levels of the industry, as opposed to the traditional people-only awards. We have categories that will distinguish exceptional concepts, properties and personalities across the industry.”