PRCo Dubai has been appointed by burger joint new york as its public relations agency in the GCC, with two new restaurants set to launch in the UAE in 2014.
“We are very excited to be part of the team bringing burger joint new york to the UAE,” says Jonathan Rivlin, Managing Director, PRCo Dubai. “Burger joint is going to revolutionise the burger concept in the UAE, whilst introducing New York’s best kept burger secret.”
Emirates REIT has hired Brunswick to handle communications for its IPO on Nasdaq Dubai. The project is being handled by Brunswick’s Rupert Young and Jeehan Balfaqaih and is the first initial public offering on Nasdaq Dubai since 2008. Emirates REIT was established in 2010 by Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC and France-based Eiffel Management to invest in real estate.
The offer will comprise an issue of new shares in Emirates REIT and will be made to a number of institutional and professional investors in certain jurisdictions. Emirates REIT intends to raise a minimum of AED500 million and will use the net proceeds of the project to fund future acquisition opportunities. The REIT generated a total comprehensive income of AED125.7 million last year, up from AED38.9 million in 2012, reflecting the substantial rise of rents in Dubai over the last two years.
Expose Communications has won the PR account for Biolite Aesthetic Clinic. Biolite specialises in utilising the newest technology, and the international staff include an in-house plastic surgeon to bring the best techniques from all philosophies.
“Biolite is an innovative and directional concept and a highly regarded clinic internationally,” says Dana Abdelhadi, Director, Expose Communications. “We look forward to taking the brand to the next level.”
Global energy industry specialists Fifth Ring Integrated Corporate Communications has expanded its international offering after winning new contracts worth almost £2.5 million within the last financial year. The business wins spread across the company’s Dubai, Aberdeen, Houston and Singapore offices, with its US team alone doubling its staff to support new clients. As well as adding expertise to its current offices, Fifth Ring is planning to establish itself in another of the world’s biggest energy hubs, in order to support its clients in their drive into new markets.
“The past year has seen significant growth for Fifth Ring, with the opening of our Singapore office and expansion of our capacity in Houston among the highlights,” says Ian Ord, Co-Founder, Fifth Ring. “These strategic investments underline our commitment to supporting our clients in all of the world’s major energy hubs and are another milestone in the company’s development. I believe our ability to adapt to the needs of a diverse and constantly-evolving market has been critical in allowing us to achieve this recent growth.”
Emirates Man magazine, the new bi-monthly men’s glossy from Motivate Publishing, has announced great feedback from the market since the title hit news stands on March 1, 2014.
“We’re thrilled with the initial response we’ve had to the launch of Emirates Man,” says Mark Evans, Group Editor. “The aim was always to create something different, something unlike anything else in the market, a magazine that really spoke to – and for – the men of the Emirates, and I think we’ve achieved that. It’s been great fun to put together – the team put a lot of hard work and effort, and I think it shows. We’re all very proud of the end result.”
MRM Dubai, part of Middle East Communications Network (MCN), has launched a bespoke Customer Relationship Centre to support Chanel’s network of stores in the region. The custom-made CRM solution was commissioned by Chanel to close the information gap in the luxury retailer’s understanding of its customers in the Gulf.
“CRM, data-driven analytics, insights and reporting are core strengths of MRM, and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to develop an A to Z, unique proposition for Chanel,” says James Gaubert, General Manager, MRM Dubai.”The Customer Relationship Centre will provide real world data and insight that will optimise the luxury brand’s business operations across the region. We look forward to partnering with Chanel in the future.”
Rajeev Budhiraja, CEO of MRM Dubai adds, “Producing such innovative answers to our clients’ commercial questions is what MRM is built on. We are constantly seeking to evolve our offering, and in line with our positioning as a global customer experience agency, services like this ensure we are assisting our clients to better engage with their wider audience.”
TOH PR has been appointed as the official PR agency for Ormé in the Middle East. Widely regarded as the jeweller of choice for exceptional, bespoke pieces amongst Italy’s upper class community, Ormé has built a legacy around handmade, personalised pieces inspired by the sea, sand and nature’s bountiful reserves.
“We are delighted to widen our work within the luxury jewellery sector and we were drawn to Ormé as a client because of its Italian heritage, family values and deep-rooted sense of quality and heritage,” says Sophie Toh, Founder of TOH PR. “The Ormé team is charm personified and we look forward to helping translate this ethos to the local market through media outreach and brand partnerships.”
Neil Churchill has joined men’s luxury lifestyle title, EDGAR Middle East as Online Editor. Previously reporter at Gulf Business, Neil will launch of the magazine’s online platform, edgardaily.com, which is currently under construction.
“I’m hugely excited to be joining the EDGAR team to help launch the website edgardaily.com,” says Neil. “Not only is the region’s luxury segment booming but the switch to digital media is finally catching on in the Middle East, and it’s fantastic to be a part of that.”
Neil will cover content including art & culture, business, motoring, aviation, horology, style, tech, yachts, hotels, travel, sport, bars and restaurants.
B4U Aflam, the Arabic-language Bollywood film channel, has announced UM Dubai as its new media buying agency for the MENA region. B4U’s decision to appoint UM Dubai was due to the agency’s scale and expertise in the media communications industry, as well as its global reputation and capability in providing strategic marketing and an array of proprietary tools in order to maximise target reach and brand presence.
B4U’s alliance with UM Dubai will not only help the network to grow in the MENA region, but will also help bring B4U Aflam closer to its target audience, the local Arabic population, through tactical planning and innovative thinking. With a new look and fresh packaging to launch in forthcoming weeks, the affiliation has come at an extremely exciting period for the channel.
“B4U are thrilled to be working with UM for our media buying. When selecting a media buying agency, we wanted to appoint a company that we knew we could trust to not only deliver but to also help us evolve, develop and grow in an ever-changing market,” says Ashok Shenoy, B4U Aflam’s Head of International Business. “We have confidence that with their extensive knowledge, expertise and networks UM will help us achieve our goals in the Middle East.”
Zubair S. Siddiqui, Managing Director of UM Dubai adds, “With perhaps one of the most extensive Bollywood libraries, B4U Aflam is uniquely positioned to satisfy the burgeoning needs for Asian content within the Arab diaspora and we are proud to have been given this opportunity to partner with them across the region.”
Nicola Gregson, Managing Director of Ketchum Raad – Middle East, has been elected as Chairman of MEPRA, the Middle East PR Association, following the AGM meeting last month. Having been a member of the board since 2009, Nicola was initially responsible for Measurement and Evaluation, and was promoted to Vice Chair two years ago.
“The PR industry in the MENA region continues to progress at an amazingly rapid rate – MEPRA’s role is to provide access to training, ensure governance and best practice, and be the voice for the profession so that we can continue to drive the region’s PR industry forwards,” says Nicola. “I am incredibly proud to be working with such strong Board members representing both international PR networks and regional agencies and global and national companies.”