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Client Name: MENALACMENA Leisure And Attractions Industry To Experience Highly-Anticipated Boost During Ramadan And Eid
When asked to describe the industry’s future as an emotion, “optimistic” is the sweeping response across the regional Leisure and Attractions industry
09 May 2021, Dubai – The business of leisure in the MENA region is gaining steam during Ramadan. Staying resilient during the pandemic, MENA Leisure and Attractions businesses are all set to welcome a larger number of visitors during Ramadan and the subsequent Eid holidays.
The Leisure and Attractions industry is not only one of the greatest contributors to national GDPs in the region, it also brings immense joy to families looking to spend more quality time together during Ramadan and Eid. Making the Holy Month a truly memorable time for families, the region’s theme parks, family entertainment centres, water parks, and other attractions continue to bring stunning world-class experiences to visitors.
Rosa Tahmaseb, Secretary-General at MENALAC shares, “The MENA region is highly enthusiastic about leisure. This paired with Ramadan and Eid, a period during which people have more time to spend on themselves and their loved ones will result in a much-needed revenue uptick for our sector”.
So what makes the region such a coveted destination for Leisure and Attractions? Here’s an insight into what sets the MENA apart.
Digital and contactless technologies are expected to “transform” the industry. There’s a lot in store for visitors with state-of-the-art technology on the horizon, backed by a $350-billion-dollar-investment and exceptional talent.
Rosa Tahmaseb, Secretary General at MENALAC comments, “We’re thrilled to see technology being adopted more regularly at multiple attractions across the MENA region. The uptake of technology means that our ever-evolving industry can clearly see the benefits of better technology, both from a business management tool view as well as the increased hygiene and security measures that come as standard with various ticketing and cashless cards systems”. She continues, “It is fantastic to see how each attraction adopts the new technologies available to them from amusement parks in Dubai with their contactless technology to Cultural sites in Saudi Arabia”.
Sustainability also plays a key role in the industry’s future with eco-friendly features forming a cornerstone of up and coming projects in the region.
Renowned for its passion for leisure and entertainment, the MENA region remains committed to bringing its residents and international visitors world-class experiences. As waves of cultural change make their way through the region, the industry has an exciting future waiting for it.
The UAE and GCC’s commendable vaccination programme has had a positive impact on the Leisure and Attractions sector. With the rise in the number of inoculations, Leisure and Attractions businesses are swiftly getting the green signal to resume operations. The regional sentiment towards the vaccination is also a positive one with 77% of MENA travellers keen to receive it as soon as it is available to them, according to Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa.
Silvio Liedtke, CEO of Landmark Leisure & Vice President of MENALAC says, “We remain resilient and have our eyes set firmly on the future. We are confident of the sector’s ongoing and future growth. Our industry greatly enhances regional culture and contributes to national GDPs, and we look forward to taking them to greater heights. We also continue to be grateful for the government initiatives that are helping us resume action and take a leap into the future”.
Working with MENA Leisure and Attractions industry stakeholders, the Middle East and North Africa Leisure & Attractions Council (MENALAC) is at the cutting-edge of industry insights, news, and budding projects.
For more information about MENALAC, please visit www.menalac.org/en.
Established in 2014, the Middle East and North Africa Leisure and Attractions Council (MENALAC) is a not-for-profit platform representing the Leisure, Entertainment and Attractions industry in the Middle East and North Africa.
With over 470 operations and 200 brands from 22 countries in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region including Pakistan and Afghanistan, MENALAC offers great benefit to the industry as a platform for stakeholders to interact and stay informed. It has been set up under the aegis of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and the Dubai Association Centre in 2016 when leading companies within the region’s entertainment industry, including Theme Parks, Visitor Attractions, Water Parks and Family Entertainment Centres companies joined forces to form a council to support the growth and development of the industry.
The Council was established as a platform to promote safe operations, regional development, professional growth and commercial success of the amusement industry and to be an indispensable resource for the Council’s members and an international authority for the attraction industry.
Website: www.menalac.org/en
Twitter: @Menalac
LinkedIn: @Menalac
For more information, please contact: SOCIATE PR
Tazeen Jafri, PR Manager and Storyscaper
Email: [email protected] / Mobile: +971 50 225 5295
Malek Shlone, Arabic PR Executive & Social Media Maestro
Email: [email protected] / Mobile: +971 50 657 4708
Rosa is the founder of SOCIATE, where she also leads the PR department.
Moving to Dubai in 2013 with the vision of making it in the big city, she was determined to not let bumps in the road set her off track. Putting her international PR and marketing experience into motion, she launched SOCIATE. Starting off with two people at a coffee shop, the agency has evolved into a eight-person team with its own HQ in JLT.
With a passion for female empowerment and public relations in the Middle East, Rosa is determined to lead by example. She hosts intimate workshops at the office and gives insightful talks about pressing industry topics.
With a BA in Fashion Management and Marketing, Rosa has worked within a broad spectrum of industries. Prior to launching SOCIATE - she worked in modeling, promotions, product management, marketing, and public relations. Brands she has previously worked with include Mulberry, River Island, Grazia, Tribeca, W Dubai - The Palm, Restaurant Secrets, and Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities.
In her limited spare time, Rosa juggles fitness pursuits with raising her infant daughter – Ayda Grace. Amidst the diaper changing sessions and power smoothies, Rosa squeezes in intimate dinners with her husband. She is on a constant pursuit to seize the day, both personally and professionally. Always up for a productive chat over coffee, no conversation is too small for Rosa!
Sabrina is passionate about all things digital. With over a decade’s experience in the music and entertainment industry, Sabrina brings her specialist skills in mobile and digital marketing to SOCIATE.
Having worked both agency and client side, Sabrina understands the demands of planning, executing and delivering success for brands. Her career has seen her working for Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Telstar Records. Sabrina has enjoyed great success in rolling out strategic marketing partnerships with brands across the automotive and mobile industries.
Passionate about homegrown startups, Sabrina actively works with and supports budding brands in Dubai. Making personal and professional connections that survive the test of time is a priority.
Marketing maven and digital enthusiast, there’s little Sabrina loves more than devouring a book or a juicy Netflix series in her downtime. She is also an active supporter of the A21 campaign, an NGO that tirelessly strives to fight human trafficking, exploitation, and slave labor. Jamie Oliver’s healthy eating campaign is also a cause she keeps close to her heart and dinner table.
Tazeen brings international PR experience to SOCIATE's table. Having worked in San Francisco, Dallas, and now Dubai - her portfolio boasts notable brands.
Working on diverse accounts - she has worked with technology and fashion brands to shopping malls and interior design firms. Basking in the spotlight, her most notable clients have been Stradivarius, Arabian Center, Medecins Sans Frontieres aka Doctors Without Borders, women’secret, Bounce, Selva, and Smartworld.
At SOCIATE, she liberally flexes her knowledge and skills.
Starting off as a PR Executive and Storyscaper, her efforts were recognized with a promotion to Senior PR Executive within 1.5 years of joining the company. In this time, she has successfully executed multiple PR projects from start to finish and lead or managed various PR accounts.
Her ultimate goal is to achieve a summit in her career, and to change the perception of women with a Muslim-Pakistani background.
What keeps Tazeen going every day are her team’s positive vibes and the obligatory caffeine hit, of course. When she’s not typing away at her computer, she decompresses with kickboxing and swimming.
Born in the UK and raised in the US, the UAE is the latest pin in Reena’s map.
After completing her Bachelors in Marketing in England, an exciting new opportunity saw Reena hit the skies and land in Abu Dhabi.
Reena spent her first three years in the UAE working with Glamour Hair Salons, one of the capital city’s leading hair and beauty salons.
Looking to try agency life on for size, Reena joined SOCIATE. Working with the company’s Marketing Director, Sabrina Moutarde, and her dynamic team of marketeers, Reena co-handles SOCIATE’s social media and marketing accounts.
With a goal to put a creative and compelling spin on client concepts, Reena plays a critical role with client marketing and social media campaigns.
When she isn’t being a general marketing badass at the office, Reena kicks back in the kitchen. She’s also an avid social bunny with a blazing passion for all things social media.
Joining #teamSOCIATE in 2017, Nichole’s role has evolved from Account Executive to her current title of Communications Strategist & Copywriter.
Working across the agency’s Marketing and PR teams, Nichole also spearheads SOCIATE’s burgeoning Copywriting department.
Writing has always been what makes Nichole tick, so a career of turning ideas into words was always a given. A typical day at Nichole’s desk involves drafting press releases, crafting compelling pitches, writing website and social media copy, penning marketing emailers and monthly newsletters, and contributing to SOCIATE’s internal and external communications.
Nichole has written extensively about food, healthcare, fashion, education, hospitality, and lifestyle in her career. Her communications portfolio boasts brands including Medcare, SoBe and Wet Deck at W Dubai - The Palm, Taikun, The Loft at Dubai Opera, La Serre, Matto, and Tribeca.
When Nichole isn’t at work, she’s museum-hopping in London, exploring the UK on weekend road trips, and plotting her next travel adventure.
Hailing from Lebanon, Malek relocated to Dubai in 2021.
With his sights set on expanding his portfolio and diversifying his professional experience, Malek moved to Dubai to pursue an internship at SOCIATE. His passion, commendable work ethic, and enthusiastic approach to teamwork were promptly noticed; propelling him from a PR and Marketing intern to a full-time Arabic PR Executive & Social Media Maestro.
Graduating with a BA in PR from the Lebanese International University, Malek’s passion for creating positive change extended well beyond the classroom. In his spare time, he would serve the Blue Mission Organization and has also had an eight-year run with the Lebanese Scout Association.
Malek’s persevering nature and dedication to targets see him working in various areas across SOCIATE’s PR and Marketing departments. He hopes to enrich the local communications landscape with his ever-expanding PR and social media knowledge.
When Malek isn’t at the office or mingling at a networking event, he’s upgrading himself with a nightstand piled high with books.
Email: [email protected]
Nurturing her childhood passion for storytelling into a career, Emjay is SOCIATE’s Social Media Executive and Shutterbug.
Enlisting at her university's digital media publication, she fused her talent for writing and photography by adopting social media marketing as her craft.
With a BA in Communication Arts from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines - she brings deep knowledge about social media marketing and photography to #teamSOCIATE.
With international experience as an events and portrait photographer, her portfolio is also peppered with roles ranging from video editor to junior social media manager. Emjay has worked with the likes of TomasinoWeb, Manila Concert Scene, and Wunderman Manila.
With a passion for female-driven initiatives and representation, Emjay is delighted to work alongside the majority-female team at SOCIATE.
When she isn’t compiling content calendars or strategizing with the social media team, she’s working on her novel and pursuing photography.
Bringing fresh design skills and visual wizardry to the table, Rene is SOCIATE’s in-house graphic designer. With a Bachelor of Science in Information and Communication Technology, design has always been Rene’s passion.
Prior to joining #teamSOCIATE, Rene diversified his skill set with jobs as a computer technician, production executive, and sales representative.
Relocating to the UAE in pursuit of more exciting opportunities, Rene juggled multiple roles at Dinodrops before making his way to SOCIATE.
With an appetite for knowledge and rock-solid tenacity, Rene’s mother - an entrepreneur with multiple businesses, is his source of inspiration.
Rene's long-term goals are to lead SOCIATE's Yellow Ducks (design) team and eventually launch his own personalized tee-shirt printing shop.
Helping #teamSOCIATE with its ever-growing laundry list of tasks, Lovely Castillejo is our Office Angel and Multitasker Extraordinaire.
Juggling the office’s organizational responsibilities, her Bachelor of Science in Office Administration has given her a profound understanding of the craft.
Calling Dubai home for five years, she strutted her skills as an administrative assistant at a local bank and was the secretary of a municipal mayor prior to joining SOCIATE. Her career highlights include working with the Philippine Bank of Communications, Stowe Legal Services and Ontario Legal Translation.
Outside the office walls, Lovely unwinds by indulging in life’s simple pleasures. An ideal weekend for her is a homemade meal bubbling away on the stovetop while she catches up on her favorite shows on Netflix.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +971 52 300 1644
Hailing from Pakistan, SOCIATE is Sabahat's foray into the UAE’s public relations and communications industry.
With an educational background in business administration and a specialisation in operations management, she has worked with leading international giants like Coca Cola, Mango, Aldo, Pepsi, and Splash.
Working closely with the creative director, Bilal Mukhtar, in Pakistan - Sabahat will be adding to the growing wealth of international expertise at SOCIATE.
With the long-term goal of evolving into a PR strategist, Sabahat hopes to sharpen her skillset and eventually direct PR campaigns.
Passionate about interpersonal skills and social media, she is committed to ensuring all the parties she works with (from clients and their in-house teams to the media and their audience) are benefited.
When Sabahat isn’t forging relationships with the UAE’s digital media and blogger community, she enjoys blogging about lifestyle.
Starting her career interning with start ups in Georgia, USA, Sameeta has always been fascinated by the way brands and marketing work.
With a BBA in Marketing from Sukkur IBA, Pakistan and an MS in Marketing from Georgia State University in the US - Sameeta returned to Pakistan where she worked with Symmetry Digital (one of Karachi's leading agencies).
When she was working with brands like Nestle, Unilever, TCS, UBL Bank at Symmetry Digital, Sameeta lectured on Business Communications at Iqra University. She then moved to the UAE, growing her portfolio with the likes of Cabello Lounge, Socialicious, and Al Rostamani Communications.
She aspires towards making a dent in the local communications landscape with emotive campaigns, drawing inspiration from timeless storytellers like Walt Disney, Steve Jobs, and Dr. V.K. (a former professor of hers).
When she isn't working with SOCIATE's marketing team or exploring the world of marketing analytics, she’s chasing her next adrenaline rush.
A member of SOCIATE UK’s growing team, Tanya’s portfolio is packed with notable titles from Business Insight (a magazine partnered with the DMCC where she was Content Director) to Smart Business. Not drawing the line there, she has also worked with global moguls like Zurich, Lloyds, Shams, Creative City, Arsenal Soccer School Dubai, and Shamida Ethiopia.
Experienced in events across the Middle East, she has been Conference Manager for the GFIA - welcoming 216 speakers over two days in seven auditoriums, with the likes of Bill Gates as a speaker, and Conference Director for conventions across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, partnering with governments and corporations.
Tanya currently co-handles SOCIATE UK’s PR accounts - Bite Me Burger Co and Get Plucked, with outlets in London, Southampton, Marlborough, Dubai, and countless new locations around the world.
When she isn’t wading through emails or networking, Tanya presses pause with her family or cosied up with a good book.
Email: [email protected]
A rarity in the design industry, Carla is considered a retail and environmental branding specialist with particular experience in designing shopping centres, department stores, beauty and fashion brands, food retail and cinemas. Her instinctive yet highly strategic design expertise is the major force behind the work she has produced in North America, Latin America, the UK, Asia and presently the Middle East.
Carla’s strength is providing key brand strategy assessments that translate into results driven design solutions that draw on a multidisciplinary approach. Having worked over a decade for one of North America’s top branding agencies, Carla’s experience in the field is truly one that spans the globe and shows impressive variety in terms of project scale and type.Her career has seen her design work executed for major international brands and Fortune 500 companies.
When she isn’t wading through emails or networking, Tanya presses pause with her family or cosied up with a good book.
Carla was awarded design:RETAIL’s 2017 Top 40 Under 40 Retail Designers Worldwide as well as being listed in CID’s Top 50 design influencers for the 5th year in a row. In recent years, a number of Brand Creative’s projects have been awarded with top honours and shortlistings from Commercial Interior Design, MEIDA, IIDA, IADA, WIN Awards, Chain Store Age and A’ Design Awards.
Email: [email protected]
In a nutshell: Barry’s portfolio boasts leading IT giants like Microsoft and EMC. As a digital marketing consultant, he provides digital marketing strategy and consultancy services to companies to help them generate business through digital marketing strategy creation. Passionate about the next generation’s relationship with technology, he’s the driving force behind Beat The Cyberbully – a platform providing awareness, education and training to promote safe and responsible online communication.
Email: [email protected]
In a nutshell: With business in her blood, Rosa is a second-generation entrepreneur. Having launched her own communications agency at the age of 28, she has made significant contributions to the local SME and communications scene.
In a nutshell: With more than a decade’s experience in the marketing industry, Sabrina brings her specialist skills to the region. Passionate about brand authenticity and visibility – she masterfully helps brands communicate their message across the right marketing channels with excellent results. Her client portfolio boasts brands like Jordan F1, Sony Music, Universal Music and Citroen automobiles.
In a nutshell: With more than a decade’s experience in the marketing industry, Sabrina brings her specialist skills to the region. Passionate about brand authenticity and visibility – she masterfully helps brands communicate their message across the right marketing channels with excellent results. Her client portfolio boasts brands like Jordan F1, Sony Music, Universal Music and Citroen automobiles.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +971 55 123 4567
Calling Dubai home for 16 years, Renelyn “Glitzy” Robles had a tumultuous start to her life in Dubai. Despite facing inequality and racism, her career has taken her from being a beauty consultant to working at a well-known UAE developer and semi-government company. After years of dedicated work and polishing her skillset, Glitzy decided it was time to put a crack in Dubai’s glass ceiling.
With a mission to empower women from all over the world in the UAE through modelling presentation, she founded and launched Niche Modelling Agency alongside Ingrid Aureada. Debuted in 2017, the Filipino-run agency is rapidly building a sparkling portfolio featuring renowned brands like Dior, Alexander Wang, Beaume et Merci, Furne One Amato , Micheal Cinco, Emarati local designers and more.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +971 55 942 3333
Tracey Devine-Smith // Creative Global Director at Glamour Hair Salons
A paragon in the hairdressing industry, Tracey Devine-Smith is the proud winner of several international awards and a British Hairdressing Awards Hall of Fame member. Her shelf of achievements boasts three Scottish Hairdresser of the Year awards with a fourth salon title in the same category, British Men’s hairdresser of the Year award, and a British Fellowship Hairdresser of the Year.
Tracey is also the global ambassador for Affinage Salon, a hair brand manufacturer, where she is responsible for developing the brand’s seasonal photographic collections and trends forecasts. Tracey also helps develop new products and is in high demand all over the world for her education shows and seminars. Additionally, she mentors the younger team at Affinage regularly.
When she isn’t globetrotting for Affinage, Tracey splits her time between working as a guest artist at the award-winning London salon, Zoology, and as the Global Creative Director for Glamour Hair Salon group in the UAE. Tracey is in big demand at its Abu Dhabi flagship salon and flies in every month to attend to her elite list of clients. She also runs internal educational and team development.
Tracey is a member of the Fellowship for British Hairdressing and can often be seen flying the Scottish flag at hairdressing conferences around the world.
Scottish-born Tracey now resides in Cyprus with her husband and three children. She was born and raised in Elgin, Moray where she trained at Clancy’s hair salon in the 1980s. Tracey loves supporting Scottish women in business and owned her salon for over 20 years in Aberdeen. During this time, she racked up multiple major awards before she sold the business to concentrate on global session work.
Once named Woman Of The Year at the Scottish Business Awards, Tracey is a force to be reckoned with but keeps her feet firmly on the ground. Family and roots have always been important, and she is extremely proud of her Elgin heritage.
Website: www.traceydevinesmith.com
Phone: +971 56 932 5471
Thanj Kugananthan // HR Consultant & Founder Visible HR
Thanj is the Founder of Visible HR. After successfully consulting within HR in the UAE for five years and with over 15 years of experience within the HR field Thanj realised there was a real need for Visible HR – an online portal providing small HR consultancies visibility to large Companies.
Website: www.visiblehr.com
Phone: +971 50 105 2284
Mazen Aloul is the founder of WebQuest SEO, a Dubai-based digital agency specializing in search engine optimization for English & Arabic websites. He has built a significant portfolio working with notable industry players throughout the UAE and greater Middle East and has provided his SEO consulting services to the benefit of some of the largest websites in the region.
Mazen earned his undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Western Michigan University. After graduation, Mazen settled in the UAE and worked as a technical instructor, adding networking and programming to his skillset. During this time, Mazen obtained numerous technical certifications and coached the UAE Youth Programming team for seven years.
Following his years as a technical instructor, Mazen transitioned into a business development role at ManafSoft, a fintech firm. He remained in this role for eight years. In 2013, he joined the Baraka Ventures team and developed a passion for communications and consulting. This role launched Mazen into the world of SEO in 2014 and two years later WebQuest was born.
A proponent of lifelong learning, Mazen is constantly looking for opportunities to develop his skillset. Most recently, he earned his certificate in Advanced Google Analytics. He’s committed to strengthening ties within the SME community and has been a member of Business Network International (BNI) since 2015. Additionally, he is an active member with Young Arab Leaders and acts as a mentor for new startups. He takes pride in helping businesses maximize their web presence and strives to remain the authority on Arabic SEO in the region and worldwide.
Website: www.webquestseo.com
Warrior of the martial arts industry, Sebastian Bates is an award-winning international professional athlete.
He is the founder of The Warrior Academy, a global martial arts organization which was voted as the top 5 in the UK. His vision is to build a socially conscious global organization, to inspire a generation to make a global impact and put the development of character as a higher value than achieving good grades. While also working with cognitive scientists to link bullying with cognitive development in an inter-continental, culturally diverse experiment.
Over the 25 years of expertise in extreme sports with over 500 skydives and base jumps around the world, Sebastian had near fatal parachuting accident which inspired him to write a book in the area of character development. In 2018, he became a best selling author for his book, "The Warrior Method". Currently, he is hosting a podcast, “The Warrior Academy”, and is writing his second book "Not A Victim", a practical, emergency survival guide to help parents mentor their children through bullying.
Founder of WebQuest SEO, Mazen Aloul specializes in search engine optimization. With a Google Analytics Individual Qualification, Mazen also holds a Bachelor of Arts in computer science from Western Michigan University. He launched his career in the UAE as a technical instructor.
During his time in this role, he added networking and programming to his skill set. He also obtained 14 technical certifications. Having previously worked at Baraka Ventures and heading the regional office of ManafSoft, Mazen's passion for entrepreneurism lead him to launch his own company.
Building a significant portfolio along the course of his career, Mazen has worked with notable industry players in the UAE and greater Middle East. He has offered his SEO consulting services to Dubizzle, Al Tibbi, and has coached the UAE Youth Programming team from 2003 to 2009.
A proponent of lifelong learning, Mazen is constantly acquiring new skills. He strives to be the authority on Arabic SEO in the region and worldwide.
Website: www.webquestseo.com
Monica Malhotra is the founder and CEO of The Gaggler. Her diverse 25-year career has seen her work in the US, the UK, and the UAE so far. Monica is a passionate entrepreneur always looking for ways to create something with a positive impact. This passion has led her to start-up businesses in education and more recently in online publishing. A typical day for Monica involves everything from strategic planning and content curation to helping pack The Gaggler’s themed goody boxes before they’re delivered to customers.
The Gaggler is an online platform that publishes regionally relevant content, featuring diverse points of view, that inform and enrich women’s thoughts and create insightful topics specific to women be it product reviews, expert advice or life hacks. Monica loves discovering up-and-coming experts in style, beauty and wellbeing to create rich content, how-to tutorials and unique experiences that raise the profiles of these talented experts. When working with brands, be it small, medium or large, Monica relishes the opportunity to thoughtfully create cost-effective content that informs audiences of her clients’ brand story, products or services via authentic storytelling.
Website: www.thegaggler.com
Claire Donnelly is an MCIPD qualified Human Resource professional, with 30+ years’ practical experience working within various industries, and 10 + years’ experience of HR practices across the Middle East.
As an HR generalist, Claire has held several senior and board-level HR positions. She is experienced in working at both strategic and tactical levels.
In 2013, Claire achieved her dream of moving into a Business Consultancy role, working on specific HR related projects for corporates and helping small businesses grow and expand as they scale.
Claire is an Innermetrix Consultant and uses this psychometric tool to help companies source talented team members.
He joined the company in 2016, and brings a wealth of experience in assisting SME and MNC companies in establishing and protecting their business operations in the UAE. Having worked with a range of foreign businesses in the Middle East and Africa over the past 10 years, Greg understands the importance of providing clients with accurate and timely information to support their business goals.
Greg is a dedicated and committed professional who consistently goes above and beyond for his clients. Throughout his career, Greg’s innate business acumen, combined with his unmatched experience, makes him well equipped to deal with the varied situations that arise in corporate structuring requirements. Greg is honest and hardworking, ensuring his clients are satisfied with their results, consequently saving his esteemed client’s time and money.
Nazar Musa joined PRO Partner group in late 2020, having relocated from Sydney where he ran a PE funded Digital Media company. Born in Sudan and brought up in the UK, Nazar's experience spans the globe having lived and worked in Spain, Denmark, USA, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia and most recently Australia. With an entrepreneurial background and global scale up experience, Nazar works with the team to expand the business both in geography and product offering. Using his background of company formation and structuring across multiple markets coupled with his unrivalled integrity and experience, Nazar is perfectly placed to add great benefit to existing and new PRO Partner clients across the region.
Phone: 056 689 7293
As Deputy CEO of PRO Partner Group, Jess Ashford is responsible for the day-to-day management of the company and maintains a watchful eye over all aspects of the business.
Renowned for her passion, leadership and steadfast commitment to consistently producing a high level of achievement, Jess oversees business development and corporate structuring initiatives throughout the region, and manages the overall operations of the company.
Jess' commitment to client interests, along with her analytical approach, has qualified her as an advisor to many clients who seek guidance in their business set up needs. With a strong background in finance and administration within the Middle East, Jess’ experience includes some of the largest multinational companies in the world, including AXA and Shell.
Jess' efficient organisational skills and strong communication abilities made her the perfect individual to implement and manage PRO Partner Group’s ISO Certification. Her key skills lie within gap analysis, process mapping, implementing quality management principles and creation of quality policies which help drive the efficiency and profitability of the company.
Mike has been successful through his coaching and mentoring efforts in developing individuals to their full potential. His energetic style, passion for people development and effectiveness coupled with an in depth understanding of business at both a strategic and operational level creates a unique blend.
His passion for supporting SME CEOs in their personal and business growth led him to launch a unique, exclusive and powerful peer to peer executive board platform in the UAE. This enables them to apply a structured focus on their business with liked-minded peers and to be held accountable for delivering on agreed actions.
Email: [email protected]
With over 20 years of experience, Shalini continues to be actively involved with the company, ensuring it raises its own - and industry - standards.
Underpinning Shalini’s success is an intuitive talent for translating client briefs and plans into eco-conscious designs. Shalini, and Fiona Environs, have taken a host of notable projects from the drawing board to reality.
Making new connections everywhere she goes, Shalini is passionate about travel, often globetrotting for work. She most recently visited Ethiopia on business, immersing herself in the local culture. A natural networker, Shalini is a social butterfly, seeing clients become close friends over the decades.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +971 55 220 3426
Passionate about art and writing since she was a child, Saakshi found that the public relations industry fused her love for communications and socialising.
While pursuing her BA in Media, PR, and Advertising at Middlesex University Dubai - she further explored the local media scene with several internships, workshops, conferences, and competitions. Her internships gave her backstage access to world-renowned brands and industry giants like ADNOC, Burberry, Roberto Cavalli, the Jumeirah Group, and Tiffany.
With a voracious appetite for the communications industry - Saakshi’s opinion piece on mass communication in the UAE was notably featured in Gulf News, she co-developed a PR campaign that won second place in a competition hosted by the Ramada Ajman, and participated in a Student Integrated PR campaign at the Dubai Lynx - Festival of Creativity 2019.
Having noticed that the local media scene is saturated with content targeted at only a handful of ethnicities, she hopes to create content with wider appeal. When Saakshi isn’t working on reports or coordinating with bloggers and influencers at SOCIATE, she’s sketching, writing tiny tales, or watching Netflix.
Sohail’s stamina for screen time and social media scrolling marathons, backed by his excellent performance in marketing studies, is what inspired him to do what he does.
Starting his career with an internship at a PR firm followed by an internship at a digital agency, his full-time career began working with clients from the financial industry. His portfolio then expanded to include shopping malls and mobile apps, after which he moved from Mumbai, India to Dubai to work with major healthcare, hospitality, and luxury brands.
At SOCIATE, Sohail oversees the content strategies for its social media clients. With the evolution of brands and their social media content, analyzing grid aesthetics has become part of his role. Currently, his main focus is to secure good numbers by working on the advertising and technical side of client social media management.
Having worked with various companies that deal with world-renowned brands, Sohail hopes to help a new brand reach these lofty heights. An avid lifelong learner, he spends his free time pursuing new courses and earning certifications.
Hamid’s journey to the world of marketing started when he was a little boy. Inspired by sports adverts he watched in his childhood, two things were certain from the beginning: he needed more sports and advertising in his life.
Fast-forward to his adulthood, Hamid is now an avid runner and a Junior Marketing Executive at SOCIATE. With a Bachelor of commerce with a major in accounting, Hamid’s appetite for diversity and inspiration saw him work in retail, management, promotional sports, finance, business development, and HR. Creativity called next and Hamid answered, starting a Marketing internship at SOCIATE. He gradually progressed to a permanent role in the agency’s Marketing department.
Hamid works with the Marketing team on content ideation, marketing strategies, research, and Arabic social media community management. He also works alongside SOCIATE’s Content Strategist on videography.
When Hamid isn’t at work, he’s furthering his personal endurance levels with fitness pursuits or recharging his batteries with a power nap.
Joining #teamSOCIATE as a Marketing intern, Noor soon progressed to a permanent role at the agency as its Social Media Executive.
A Middlesex University graduate, her resume boasts her jack-of-all-trades nature with internships spanning over the education, finance, and F&B sectors. Caught in the midst of the crossfire, Noor found herself captivated by the billboard wars of fast food giants. Fast forward to a year later, she is now proudly #TeamBurgerKing and a part of the marketing industry herself.
A dedicated worker at SOCIATE, she lowers the drawbridge for her clients and their social media pages, transforming research-backed strategies into soaring engagement metrics.
Outside the office, you can find Noor squeezing in a quick episode on Netflix as she dusts a freshly baked cake with sugar.
Rosa Bullock is the Founder and PR Guru at SOCIATE. She’s passionate about the communications sector in the Middle East, launching SOCIATE at the age of 28. Rosa spearheads SOCIATE’s core verticals - Public Relations, Marketing, Events, and Design. When she isn’t at the office or at a client meeting, Rosa can be found with a microphone in hand at a public speaking event. With several years of solid international expertise under her belt, Rosa can comment on a range of topics from communications in the region to shedding light on her entrepreneurship journey and leadership skills.
With over 25 years of international experience across the Consulting and Financial Services industries within the Business, Risk and IT disciplines, Philippe Mathijs has direct experience of the challenges faced by today’s leaders and helping them overcome these obstacles. Philippe spent 10 years marrying business, coaching and mentoring before dedicating himself to helping others reach their full and outstanding potential. Philippe believes people can achieve their desires, aspirations and explore their potential in a way which will help them discover new ways of living, operating, behaving and being. He is truly passionate about seeing people grow and thrive.
Designing a magazine when he was in school. That’s what sparked Marcy’s passion for graphic design. Turning this ember into a flame, Marcy went on to forge a career in graphic design; servicing friends, politicians, and companies.
Marcy credits his innate creativity to his late mother, a cross-stitch enthusiast. Seeing her art on display gave Marcy a dream - he wanted to see his creative work in the spotlight too. Choosing technology as his tool of trade instead of a needle and fabric, his design skills have always been a subject of praise.
Marcy works in collaboration with our Graphic Designer and Visual Wizard, Rene, on a range of agency and client assignments. His designs are energetic, positive, and always on-brand. Marcy’s personal style is inspired by complex Japanese anime and the enchanting work of Studio Ghibli.
When Marcy isn’t at work, he’s pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, fueling his creative inspiration, or enjoying his musical hobbies.
The first member to join #teamSOCIATE in 2015, Rabab has worn various hats from PR Director to her latest role as Strategic Communications Director. With a penchant for storytelling and socialising, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication with a major in PR and journalism.
Born and raised in the UAE, Rabab kickstarted her career at one of the country’s largest and oldest publications - Khaleej Times. Part of the editorial team, press releases and press kits were a mainstay of her inbox. This further piqued her interest in public relations, seeing her join the PR world in 2010.
Working her way through some of Dubai’s leading PR agencies, Rabab has worked across various industries from F&B to education. Her portfolio boasts world-renowned brands like MTV, Versace, and Zuma among others.
In her current role as Strategic Communications Director, Rabab streamlines SOCIATE’s processes while also expanding its communications and network. She’s known and celebrated for her swift problem-solving abilities.
When Rabab isn’t at work, she’s exploring holistic healing as a certified practitioner in Reiki Level 2. She’s deeply interested in alternative medicine which plays a key role in her personal healing journey as well.
A self-confessed film buff, Gem’s creative streak grew from a deep love of movies and film production, eventually leading him to Murdoch University Dubai to study filmmaking and photography.
Though university has opened doors for Gem, he believes his real push into the world of content and media came from all his late-night cinema trips. Seeing the directorial prowess of screen legends like Tarantino and Scorsese in crystal-clear HD only made his flame burn brighter. He soon found himself craving a creative outlet.
Embarking on a journey inspired by the cinema greats, Gem decided to dip his toe into the waters of content creation. After working with a few popular F&B brands (think Cinnabon, Taqado Mexican Kitchen, and RAW Coffee) he found his kick. He knew he’d never feel limited with content creation. It would always give him a chance to produce with creativity; whether it’s in the form of videos and photos or social media content.
Gem’s journey has grown from the dimly lit rooms and popcorn stands of cinemas to where he is today; a Content Creator Executive at SOCIATE. And while he still loves a good film, he’s got other things on his mind now. With an unstoppable creatively-fuelled drive, Gem’s working his way to becoming the best content creator he can be, carving out a name for himself in the media world. Maybe one day we’ll see his name in lights!
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 050 853 0778
Bookworm and avid Nabokov reader, Carolyn McMurray developed a reputation throughout college for her dark and quirky stories (the kind that got calls back home). Her parents didn’t need to worry though - all that pent-up, creative energy would eventually be put to good use!
After landing writing gigs with clients in the B2B and SaaS space, Carolyn knew she had found her raison d’etre: writing. The craft gave her the chance to flex her creative muscles and work with words all day. It didn’t and still doesn’t, feel like the traditional definition of “work”. It’s always felt like love at first write.
Carolyn’s budding writing journey has seen her join SOCIATE as its Junior Copywriter. She looks forward to building a strong client base and portfolio, writing red-hot content that gets people liking, sharing, talking.
Armed with fierce ambition and dedication, she’s ready to take the writing world by storm. After all, this isn’t a five-year thing; Carolyn’s copywriting dream is a lifetime affair.
Her North Star is simple; become an absolute wordsmith. Gazing into the future, Carolyn hopes to set up her own copywriting business, and eventually publish a book.
When Carolyn isn’t busy writing and chasing after her dreams, she spends her time running, making lots of matcha, and obsessively fangirling over Nabokov.
Avid gamer and lover of puns, Raldwyn (Wynn) has always had a creative streak. His love of video games and radio jockeying led him to study mass communications at college, nurturing his love of media and content.
Though college helped nurture his creativity, it wasn’t the only thing that led him down the path to content creation. Wynn believes his real push into the world of content came from his passion for video games. Inspired by gaming greats like Hideo Kojima, Wynn was fascinated by how a game could tell a story, inviting players into a whole new world. Seeing the power of media and storytelling at play, Wynn began to sense that his why lay much closer to video games than he thought. He wouldn’t just watch media from the sidelines anymore; he would become the creator.
Fuelled by a desire to create, Wynn’s first foray into the world of content creation began at the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation. Coordinated by Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, the workshop gave him the chance to participate in a high budget film with other students. After putting his skills to the test, Wynn knew he had found his kick in content creation. Fun, creative, and full of possibility - he knew he’d never be boxed in. Content creation would always give him the freedom to experiment.
Wynn’s passion and dedication eventually paid off, landing him a position at SOCIATE as its Content Creator & Dragon Jockey. Specialising in video editing, photography, and sound editing, he’s finally become the creator he always looked up to. Determined to accelerate his career, Wynn is inching his way towards becoming a director and hopes to one day share his stories on the big screen.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0565815078
Passionate about television and media, Saumyata’s interest in the social media industry was sparked at a young age. Joining Instagram was one of the first things that lit that spark. But it didn’t stop at posting and engaging with content - Saumyata wanted to delve deeper into the platform’s mechanics. She wasn’t just excited about the idea of building an online presence; she wanted to know the ins and outs of algorithms, hashtags, and analytics.
Saumyata’s passion for all things Social Media led her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Media & Communications at the Manipal University, Dubai. Giving her new opportunities to explore and play around with media, Saumyata strutted her budding skills at the White Oryx International Short Film Festival. Inspired by Ellen Degeneres and YouTube mega-vlogger Lily Singh, Saumyata set out on a journey to find her dream job in the media industry.
Saumyata started her journey at SOCIATE as a Marketing intern. Her work ethic and creativity saw her join the team as a full-time Social Media Executive. Specialising in content ideation and curation, Saumyata’s days revolve around collating social media calendars, creating TikToks and reels, and tracking social media insights. Dedicated and full of beans, she aims to launch her own social media agency or run McDonalds’ social channels one day.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0563750498
Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media and a Diploma in Advertising & Public Relations, Paayal made her foray into the world of PR with a rock-solid foundation in communications.
Keen to forge her career path, Paayal wanted to do something exciting. Something that got people talking, something that left a lasting impression. The fact that she didn’t have any experience in PR didn’t phase her; she liked the challenge.
Eager to kick-start her career, Paayal got to work and dabbled in the PR industry. After working with a few brands like Popley & Sons and RSM International, she knew that she’d found her kick. PR would never be boring - it would always get her creative juices flowing.
Paayal soon climbed the ladder, landing a role at SOCIATE as Senior PR Executive & Events Extraordinaire. Her new day-to-day will involve working on PR activities, campaigns, client communications - and of course, events.
When Paayal isn’t busy drafting press releases or strategising her next campaign, she can be found exploring the city and keeping up to date with the latest movies.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0562077158
A true PR fanatic, Meghan’s passion for public relations was sparked during her time at Nottingham Trent University. While most students worked at Pret or partied, Meghan knew she wanted to do something a little more ambitious. Working at a lifestyle PR agency, she slowly started to learn the ins-and-outs of the industry - all while studying for a degree in marketing.
Graduating with first-class honours and a fierce PR passion, Meghan knew she wanted to take her career to the next level. Her dedication eventually landed her a PR role at Pretty Little Thing (PLT) - the UK’s top online clothing retailer. Giving her a chance to learn invaluable skills, build contacts, and network, her role at PLT was just the start of her burgeoning PR career. Alongside PLT, Meghan also developed her PR skills at Jenny Packham and Gung Ho.
Never one to shy away from adventure, Meghan packed up her bags in March 2022 for an exciting career at SOCIATE’s HQ in Dubai. Specialising in PR and influencer marketing, Meghan’s day-to-day will consist of drafting press releases, setting up client events, and getting her accounts into the limelight. In the future, she hopes to build up a network of regional clients and media contacts, bringing her creativity into every PR account that comes her way.
When she isn’t penning up press releases, Meghan can be found cooking up a storm in the kitchen (her secret ingredient - lots of spice!)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +971 58595 8196
Kerry has been writing for as long as she can remember. Being in front of her laptop and typing away is her happy place.
Following a brief career as an attorney, Kerry decided life was too short to spend it arguing. So, she left it all behind and joined a UAE-based copywriting agency as the Writing Director. There, she created press releases, blogs, annual reports, website content, social media copy, newsletters, marketing e-mailers, and much more. Now at SOCIATE, she is building the agency’s copywriting department to give clients exceptional written content.
Kerry has written extensively for a vast range of industries, from financial services and real estate developers to healthcare and hospitality. Her portfolio boasts several well-known brands, including Medcare, Bureau Veritas, Radisson Blu, HSBC, Marriott Bonvoy, Lulu Group International, Coffee Club, Bosch, Ajman University, and Dubai Asset Management (a Dubai Holding company).
When she’s not working, Kerry enjoys spending time with her family, reading murder mysteries, and bird watching.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +971 55 178 7473
Mike has been doing what he does since 1985. Specialising in leadership and business growth, he’s applied his skills to various sectors from hospitality to retail.
Following several senior management positions in Europe and the Middle East, Mike decided to turn his deep knowledge of strategy execution, people development, growth optimisation, and profitability into a business.
With a successful track record of moulding high-performing teams, Mike helps business leaders and executives achieve their goals - strategically.
Mike is a Certified LPW Business Growth Specialist and Certified Executive Leadership Coach for both individuals and teams. He works with a variety of world-class tools and methodologies to produce tailor-made solutions.
Mike runs his business along with his wife, Claire. They’re happiest in the great outdoors, sailing, travelling the world, and keeping active.
Email: [email protected]
When he was a child, Mark fell in love with comics, colours, and drawing. In fact, he knew all the colours of his crayons before he learned how to count! His dream was to create his own comics, but when he discovered designing, he knew that’s what he wanted to do. He enjoys coming up with creative ideas and designs and believes your only competition is your past self.
When Mark isn’t hard at work, he spends his time exploring music, the arts, and discovering ways to improve himself.
Grant has been helping brands thrive in the advertising industry since 2015. His creatively crafted logos and brand identities are both distinctive and strategic. His ambition and passion for everything creative drive him to create truly magical designs.
Outside of work, Grant loves photography, technology, and learning about the latest trends in design.
