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TPG acquires élan productions

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The TPG Group has acquired Dubai-based events company, élan productions, as part of its strategy to strengthen it’s corporate client offerings throughout the Gulf region. Combining the two businesses will provide clients with solutions for events such as award ceremonies, product launches or gala dinners. élan is an international events company with clients such as Emaar, Emirates, Coca-Cola and The Dubai Mall.

“We have enjoyed an excellent working relationship with élan over many years – in both the UK and Dubai,” says Eddie Rayner, Managing Director, TPG Group. “They are consummate professionals, possessing great vision and stunning attention to detail. The opportunity to bring élan into the TPG Group was too good to miss. I am delighted with this development.”

Dee Thomsen, Founder, élan, adds “There is an amazing synergy between our two companies, creating a dynamic to ensure we offer clients a unique and memorable event service in the region.”

Ananke and Elan to collaborate

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Online publications Ananke and Elan are to partner in order to coproduce content to provide more engaging and relevant features for their readerships. Ananke was established to celebrate visionary women and cover issues relating to female empowerment, women’s economic emancipation and gender mainsteaming, while Elan looks to highlight positive trends emerging across the Middle East and South Asian regions.

“We are absolutely thrilled to form this strategic alliance with Elan,” says Sabin Muzaffar, Executive Editor, Ananke. “Our collaboration is poised to go a long way. It also reinforces our resolve to create a dynamic platform for women seeking inspiration, education and empowerment through the dissemination of meaningful content.”

Hyacinth Macarenhas, Managing Editor, Elan, adds “We are pleased to collaborate with partners who share our goals to celebrate the best that the Middle East and South Asia have to offer and showcase the remarkable work and accomplishments of women in the region.”

Gulf Business gets a make over

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Regional business magazine Gulf Business has been given a new look and approach to content. Through a portfolio of interactive editorial tools, the title enables its readers to enhance their professional development and maximise profits for business. The changes made mean that the Gulf Business team will now be able to cherry pick content from across the region and beyond, with a focus on exclusive scoops and breaking news.

“This new model focuses on high-end in-house journalism and high-quality external commissioning, falling somewhere between The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed in terms of our innovative approach,” says Dean Carroll, Group Editor, Business Division, Motivate Publishing. “It means we are able to deliver expert content across a number of sectors and countries. Everything from banking, energy and property to transport, education, technology and much more.”

 

Effie MENA Awards announces 2015 jury panel

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The Effie MENA Awards 2015 is set to launch on November 18, 2015 at the Pavilion, Armani Hotel in Dubai. The seventh edition of the awards will be judged by a panel including a total of 13 international, as well as 90 regional judges, all at a senior corporate level from a variety of industry sectors such as publishing, luxury retail and banking. The panel will be judging entries to celebrate and reward creativity in marketing.

Members of the 2015 judging panel include Ian Armstrong, Advertising General Manager, Jaguar Land Rover – London;  Christopher Saldana, Director Marketing Services EEMEA, Mondelez Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa and Vikram Krishna, Head Group Marketing and Customer Experience, Emirates NBD. The final deadline for submission to this year’s awards is September 27, 2015 and previous winners in the scheme include Nissan Middle East, Henkel, PEPSICO and Red Bull.

“As organisers of the annual Effie MENA Awards, we are both honoured and delighted to have such distinguished figures participating as judges in this year’s programme,” says Alexandre Hawari, Co-CEO, Mediaquest Corp. “The quality of our panel means that the winners of this year’s Effie will have the kudos of knowing that their work has been deemed the best by prominent leaders in their respective fields.”

Omnia launches strategic PR division

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Branding and digital communications agency Omnia has created a new PR division, Omnia PR. Headed up by Hollie Thomson, former Group Director for Seven Media’s lifestyle division, the new agency will produce commercially creative campaigns aiming to bridge strategy, creativity and technology.  Omnia PR will offer English and Arabic PR as well as social media services with a tailored approach, customising client communications via multi-channel, content rich campaigns. The division’s team will work on clients across a variety of sectors on various platforms and will be detailed on the agency’s website, to be launched next month.

“Omnia is now a fully holistic and integrated communications agency with a 40-strong team of branding, digital, content and PR experts,” says Hollie Thomson. “I feel honoured to be a part of this rapidly growing agency as we add commercial value for our clients through insightful creativity. The agency is already well known in the region, and we look forward to the new PR division adding to the client portfolio.”

The Lipstick Make Up Institute launches

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The Lipstick Make Up Institute has been launched in Dubai as part of the YH Group, with the aim to provide Make Up Artists with a foundation for working in media. Courses offered focus on teaching effective make up application techniques as well as speed, precision and practicality in order to build enough experience and confidence to work within any media production company.

The Lipstick Make Up Institute is affiliated and supported by professional make up brand Kryolan, which has been supplying film, theatre and television industries for over 66 years. Students are supplied with enough product knowledge to work across a variety of mediums, such as Stage, TV, Fashion and Catwalk shows.

“After three years of running a photography studio where we incorporate make up into every shoot, I thought why not expand and open a media make up institute that offers our students the added benefit of being on a live set, giving them experience working with professional photographers,” says Yasmin Hussain, Managing Director, YH Group. “Students leave our school not only with qualifications to work in the media industry, but with the experience and confidence to work within any media production company or solely as freelancers.”

Eleanor Dickinson joins Motivate

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Motivate Publishing has welcomed Eleanor Dickinson to the role of Reporter, working across Gulf Business and Campaign Middle East. This is Eleanor’s first role in Dubai, she previously worked in the UK as a Trainee News Reporter for The Cambridge News, covering everything from crime to politics to punting wars and royal visits. As a reporter for Gulf Business, Eleanor will be writing news and features on major developments in the business and technology industries in the Middle East. For Campaign Middle East she will be covering news within the advertising, PR and media industries as well as writing more in-depth pieces on the subjects.

“I am thrilled to be exploring these new journalistic challenges with Motivate in Dubai,” says Eleanor. “I’m really looking forward to reporting on many of the great stories the UAE has to offer.”