The Brief by MEPRA: Recent Episodes
Middle East PR Association (MEPRA)
Tune into The Brief podcast series to keep up to date with the latest news in Middle East PR and hear from the industry's biggest names as they address key issues, challenges and trends for communications professionals in the region. The monthly show is hosted by the Middle East PR Association (MEPRA).
Weber Shandwick MENAT has recently released its inaugural InfluAnswer Arabia Report. The report aims to amplify the perspectives of content creators across the Middle East and North Africa, and share insights for brands to build stronger and more powerful partnerships. Above all, it hopes to contribute to a deeper knowledge of the evolving influencer ecosystem in the region.
In light of this release, we’re excited to be hosting this episode of 'The Brief' by MEPRA with Weber Shandwick MENAT to discuss the evolving marketing landscape from a brand, agency, and influencer perspective.
Host
Ola Zaidan, Manager, Influencer Relations, Weber Shandwick MENAT
Guests
Ronald Balit, Communications Director, GM, Cadillac
Rama Murad, Content Creator & Influencer
Ghaleb Zeidan, Regional Managing Director, Weber Shandwick MENAT
Produced by LPME Studios
The Cannes Festival of Creativity in June, provides a perfect backdrop to explore the celebration of creativity in the Middle East. With several representatives from the region attending, this episode dives into how regional creativity stands up against global campaigns. This episode also offers insights into the MENA region's unique perspective on creativity.
Featuring:
Joe Lipscombe, Partner, The Romans
Judy Bakieh, Senior Integrated Communications Manager, Gambit Communications
Razan Karim, Senior Communications Director, HAVAS Red ME
Hfu Reisenhofer, Senior Communications Manager, GEMS Education
Produced by LPME Studios. www.lp.me
As May is Mental Health Awareness Month, we explore the crucial topic of mental health with PR professionals in MENA. We discuss strategies for managing stress in the fast-paced world of public relations, the importance of mental health awareness, and the support systems available within the industry.
Featuring:
Kate Midttun - MEPRA Chairperson, Founder & CEO, Acorn Strategy
Scott Armstrong - Founder, Mentl
Tania Kteily - MEPRA Youth Board Vice President, Account Director, Weber Shandwick MENAT
Kevin Teixeira - Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Warehouse Gym
Produced by LPME Studios. www.lp.me
In this episode of The Brief, MEPRA Executive Board Member & SVP Communications of Mubadala, Neda Shelton, speaks to Brian Lott, Chief Communications Officer at Mubadala, Chair of the Arthur W.Page Society, and former MEPRA Chair, to discuss the ESG and Stakeholder Capitalism, and the role ofCommunications Leaders - focusing on the recent CCO Guide released by Page.
In this episode of The Brief, MEPRA Executive Board Member & CEO of Acorn Strategy, Kate Midttun, speaks to Parry Headrick, the Founder of Crackle PR; Elise Misse, Global Communications Measurement Manager and Double‐Gold AMEC Award Winner for Global Communications Measurement and Evaluation, and last but not least Annabel Amann, Global Head of Client Experience at Acorn Strategy, to discuss the importance of measurement in PR and how it is an integral part within the communications industry.
This episode will delve into Mubadala’s recent campaign, “Investing in innovation: The future is here”. The exciting film explores how Mubadala is building future economies for a sustainable tomorrow, and includes interviews with leading UAE figures who have contributed significantly to the development of the UAE by leveraging advanced technology and innovative thinking. We will hear how the campaign came to life and the communications strategy developed to support the launch of the film.
This episode of the brief is hosted by MEPRA Youth Board VP, Hanisha Lalwani who will interview bestselling author, creative writing lecturer and communications professional Jessica Jarlvi to discuss the power of storytelling, not only in creative writing but also as a tool to engage and connect with your audience as a brand. They also discuss the MEPRA Youth Board Creative Writing Competition, which is now accepting entries. Visit mepra.org/creativewritingcomp for more.
This episode of the brief will feature an interview with Jack Pearce, MEPRA Founder, former Chair and Founder of Matrix Public Relations. Taryam and Jack will take a look back to where it all began with MEPRA and how far we have come as we celebrate 20 years of supporting communications professionals in the Middle East.
This episode of the brief features an interview with Khaled Tash, Vice President Corporate Communications at Saudi Arabian Airlines ‐ SAUDIA to discuss the thriving communications industry in Saudi Arabia, opportunities for further growth and challenges to overcome.
The podcast episode is hosted by Taryam Al Subaihi, MEPRA Chair and Director of Corporate Communications, EWEC.
This episode of the brief features three MEPRA Board Members who lead small and medium consultancies. They will be addressing the biggest concerns and opportunities faced by SMEs in our industry, following results from a recent survey which revealed top challenges faced, plus discussing how MEPRA and the industry can come together to help grow the sector and our profession as a whole.
Hosting the episode is Hilmarie Hutchison, MEPRA Strategy Board Member and CEO at Matrix PR with guests Ananda Shakespeare, MEPRA Strategy Board Member & CEO & Founder at Shakespeare Communications and Kate Midttun, MEPRA Executive Board Member and Founder & Managing Director at Acorn Strategy.
The 22nd episode of the brief will feature a discussion with MEPRA Treasurer and CEO of CARMA and SOCIALEYEZ, Mazen Nahawi on Clubhouse, the new social networking app making waves all across the world.
This episode is hosted by Taryam Al Subaihi, the current MEPRA Chair and Head of Corporate Communications.
In the 21st episode of The Brief, the first episode for 2021 will feature a discussion between the past and present MEPRA Chair. They will be looking back at the year that was 2020 and focusing on what’s in store for MEPRA Members and the industry in 2021. The podcast episode is hosted by both Jonty Summers, Former MEPRA Chair & MD Hanover Middle East Co and Taryam Al Subaihi, Current MEPRA Chair & Head of Corporate Communications, EWEC
In this episode of The Brief, we examine how the procurement of communications services became what it is today and how to achieve the best outcomes for both sides of the fence.
The podcast episode is hosted by Kate Midttun, MEPRA Executive Board Member and Acorn Strategy Managing Director and will feature interviews with Sam Achampong, General Manager, Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) MENA and Michael Farmer, author of Madison Avenue Manslaughter, a best‐seller which discusses how agencies are caught between fee‐cutting clients and profit‐hungry owners.
In this episode of The Brief, we examine the results from the 12th Annual ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey, which provides insights into the hopes, aspirations and attitudes of Arab youth.
The podcast episode is hosted by MEPRA Executive Board Member and CEO of CARMA & SOCIALEYEZ, Mazen Nahawi and features interviews with Sunil John, BCW Middle East President and Founder of ASDA’A BCW and Dom Bartkus, Director at PSB Middle East, on how the survey results can provide public and private sector organisations with data and analysis to make informed decisions and policies.
In this episode of The Brief, we examine the 2020 US Presidential Election Campaign and what it can teach us as communication professionals. The podcast episode is hosted by MEPRA Executive Board Member and APCO Worldwide MENA President, Mamoon Sbeih and features interviews with Brandon Neal, Senior Director at APCO Worldwide, Washington DC and former Democratic Campaign Strategist, Rich Galen ‐ Political Commentator & Former Republican Campaign Strategist.
This episode of The Brief features interviews with Zayed University’s Professor of Practice at College of Communication and Media Sciences, Inka Stever and students Shamma Waleed Abdulla Ali Alhammadi and Noor Rashid Hamed Al Ruzaiqi, who discuss the challenges faced by media and communications students in the wake of COVID-19. This episode is hosted by MEPRA Youth Board Vice President and Senior Marketing Manager MEA, PageGroup, Hanisha Lalwani.
This episode of the brieffeatures interviews with ADNOC’s Dr. Coni Judge and Four Communications Group Founder & and Group Managing Director, Ray Eglington, and hosted by MEPRA Chair & Managing Director, Jonty Summers, who discuss how they prepared for a return to office and helped their teams’ transition into the new normal following COVID-19 lockdown measures.
This episode of the brief features SVP & Head of Communications at Siemens Energy China, Fred Duan, and APCO Worldwide Shanghai Managing Director Jeff Astle both addressing how they prepared for and transitioned into the new normal as businesses opened their doors following COVID-19.
This episode of The Brief features an interview with health and wellness expert and 'She is Arab' speaker Dr Hanan Selim, who discusses the importance of prioritizing mental wellbeing during COVID‐19.
This episode of The Brief features members of the newly launched MEPRA Youth Board discussing the impact of the global pandemic on their teams, clients and stakeholders. We also touch upon the measures taken by agency and in-house teams to deal with remote working, its pros/cons and recovery plans for clients.
Join host Sabrina De Palma, Executive Director of MEPRA as she speaks to Majid Al Futtaim, Hanover Middle East and Edelman Middle East to discuss how comms professionals are managing the hurdles and are putting their best foot forward during the corona virus outbreak.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Camilla D’Abo talks to Margery Kraus, Founder and Executive Chairman from APCO Worldwide about the lessons of motherhood, leadership and her journey so far.
MEPRA Chair, Jonty Summers speaks to CEO and Editor in Chief at the Holmes Report, Arun Sudhaman about everything from PRovoke to agency models and the global PR landscape
MEPRA Chair, Jonty Summers speaks to Arab News’ Editor in Chief Faisal Abbas on everything from how the media outlet become THE English voice for Arabs to uncovering his ‘Bad PR’ folder which included PR pros to avoid.
In the seventh episode of the brief, Jonty Summers shares a call with - London based - Richard Bagnall, Co-Managing Partner at CARMA International and Chairman of AMEC; Richard is also the 2019 MEPRA Awards Adjudicator. Amongst other key topics, Richard shares his views on what makes an award-winning entry, important things to remember and key measurement principles.
The sixth episode of the brief will feature an interview with Howard Kosky CEO of the markettiers network who will discuss the latest trends in broadcast PR.
The fifth episode of the brief is hosted by Brazen’s Jennifer Love, who is the named winner of ‘Outstanding Young Communicator of the Year’ at the 2018 MEPRA Awards. Jennifer chats to Rebecca Hall, PR Director of Atlantis, The Palm, discussing the contrast of working in-house versus in a PR agency; they cover opportunities and challenges from both perspectives, how an in-house PR can leverage from a PR agency and effective ways of working to get the most out of each one.
The fourth episode of the brief features an interview with Danny Rogers, Editor-in-Chief, PRWeek UK who will share the latest news and trends from the UK, discuss the recent PRWeek Power Book Middle East launch and what’s to come for the PRWeek Middle East chapter.
Join Souad AlSerkal, MEPRA Board Member and Vice Presidents of Strategic Communications at Tabreed as she talks to some of the key speakers from the MEPRA Leadership Majlis held at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. During the episode the guests will discuss variety of topics including how you can remain relevant at a time of change in the PR industry, the changing face of modern media and how brands are embracing the Year of Tolerance.
The world of media has changed, today we’re reliant on social media and apps to receive news updates. But savvy media operators have adapted and spotted a gap in the market, while others have recognised the need for real and raw content to build a news niche to create an empire. Join Jonty Summers as he speaks to Mina Al Oraibi Editor in Chief of the National and Jason Levy Managing Director Middle East and Africa of Vice Media to learn more…
MEPRA Chair, Jonty Summers speaks to H+K Strategies MD Lisa Welsh and Tabreed VP Souad Alserkal to discuss their challenges & opportunities as women leaders in PR. Award winning academic Dr Payyazhi Jayashree also weighs in as an expert in gender parity to explore how we can achieve a gender-balanced boardroom.