Strategies for turning Business Social

• Corporate Business Revamp: Go Social or Die

The following strategies for establishing a social business combine most frequently acknowledged changes taking place within forward-moving companies. Here are the top strategies for turning social:

1: Opt for Content Marketing instead of Traditional Marketing

Traditional marketing via print magazines and newspapers is slowly disappearing, because consumers are  tired of the one-way communication. People want multiple-ways interaction and the chance to develop a relationship with the brand. Therefore, content marketing becomes more appealing  as messages posted on blogs are easily shareable and interactive, while the print media is not. Online content is portable, traceable, findable and can be more effective in the long tail of context, while traditional media is not. Read more

From Dubai’s skyscraper to Everest

Conquering world’s highest mountain, Everest, purely is a self-discovering challenge for one Dubai-based expat, which can hopefully inspire others and help them gain confidence in their own abilities. In 2012, this man wants to set a new example. Read more

Woman of The Year Awards open for Nominations

The Emirates Woman’ magazine, Woman Of The Year Awards is one of the region’s most prestigious, glamorous and inspiring annual event. Now in its sixth year, Woman Of The Year Awards continues to honor and praise the achievements of women in the business, arts and culture, philanthropic and visionary fields in the UAE.

Nominated and voted for Emirates Woman magazine’s readers, previous winners include film-maker Nayla Al Khaja, leading UAE artist Maisa Al Qassimi and the 2010 winner Mariam Behnam. Read more

Najah Hussain: A self-starter and a team player

Najah Hussain is one of the region’s leading marketing and corporate communications professionals, with 24 years of experience working with some of the Middle East’s most valuable brands and the world’s most influential companies. An Emirati born and raised in the UAE and with undergraduate and graduate degrees from the United States, Najah operates fluently across local, regional and international social, cultural and business environments. She is fluent in English and Arabic.

With extensive experience launching new brands in the region and regional brands internationally, Najah has proven development, implementation and operational experience in the full range of marketing and corporate communications strategies and tools. Her work is distinguished by a focus on strategic and targeted communication that achieves its intended results through a clear understanding of communication objectives, target audiences and the tools necessary to achieve results.

One of her most significant roles was as a lead member of the marketing team at Emirates Airline during its first 13 years of operation. She was responsible for developing the airline’s event-marketing strategy and its distinctive multi-touch-point communication programs for the launch of 43 destinations on four continents, as well as other elements such as the in-flight magazine, Emirates-branded retail operations and international event sponsorships – including top global sporting events – that became an Emirates trademark and much-copied branding strategy.

Having worked in the UAE and the region for nearly a quarter of a century, Najah maintains an extensive network of high-level contacts in many areas of business, government and media. Her strong networking skills mean that she assists client companies move with clarity and confidence within a wide range of organizations, both within the region and internationally. Read more

Judges announced for 2011 Middle East Arab Woman of the Year Awards

For the third successive year, Le’Officiel Middle East, the region’s leading luxury fashion magazine for Arab women, is presenting the 2011 Arab Woman of the Year Awards to pay tribute to inspirational Arab women in Abu Dhabi.

The prestigious event celebrates the achievements of remarkable women who have excelled in the arts, business, fashion and charity fields and pays homage to their valued contributions to the community. The awards evening will be held at the glamorous Fairmont Bab Al Bahr on the evening of Wednesday 18th May. Read more

2011 Arab Woman of the Year Awards

For the third successive year, LâOfficiel, the region’s leading luxury fashion magazine for women, is presenting the 2011 Arab Woman of the Year Awards to pay tribute to inspirational Arab women in the United Arab Emirates.

The prestigious event celebrates the achievements of remarkable women who have excelled in the arts, business, fashion and charity fields, and once again pays homage to these aspiring personalities who, through their outstanding determination and self dedication, have significantly influenced society setting a pivotal example for younger generations throughout the UAE. Read more

Inspiring art and creativity in the UAE – Tashkeel identifies, nurtures and develops talent

Founded in January 2008 by Lateefa bint Maktoum, and nestled amongst the leafy streets of Nad Al-Sheba, Tashkeel is an inspirational haven of calm and tranquility for the UAE’s art community. An independent resource for artists and designers living and working in the UAE, Tashkeel is committed to inspiring art and design practice, cross-cultural dialogue and creative exchange.

The name Tashkeel derives from the Arabic “Fen Tashkeely” which means fine arts and variety, and conceived by Lateefa bint Maktoum’s mother, HH Sheikha Alia bint Khalifa Al Maktoum – a writer, poet, and wife of the late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, she also used to name her husband’s racehorses. To begin with, Lateefa and her mother looked through books of Arabic poetry for inspiration, but in the end the name Tashkeel came to them in a flash of inspiration. It was a perfect fit for the studios because it encapsulates, in a single word, the creativity that takes place in the studio as well as the art that is displayed in the gallery. Read more

Environment Agency Abu Dhabi leads Damascus meeting to present regional Arabian Oryx conservation strategy

• Representatives from a number of Arab governments are meeting in Damascus to ratify strategy for regional conservation programme
• The brainchild of the late Sheikh Zayed and supported by H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and H.H Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Arabian Oryx conservation programme is recognized as one of the most successful global conservation projects ever
• Declared extinct in the wild in 1972, EAD now oversees a thriving population of Arabian Oryx in Al Gharbia

Representatives of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) will meet fellow counterparts from around the region at a meeting in Damascus on the 10th June 2010)to present and agree a collective strategy aimed at re-establishing a population of wild Arabian Oryx in the region.

The Coordinating Committee for the Conservation of the Arabian Oryx (CCCAO), which is chaired by H.E Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of EAD, comprises of a number of member Arab governments, including Bahrain, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen, which have committed to unifying and intensifying efforts to conserve the Arabian Oryx, which once roamed freely across an area stretching from the south of Syria to the Omani and Yemeni borders with Saudi Arabia. Read more

First INSEAD Leadership Summit in the Middle East

Under the patronage of H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, INSEAD, one of the world’s leading business schools, held today its first Leadership Summit Middle East, attracting more than 300 delegates from around the world. Read more

First UAE National selected as Judge for Rolex Awards for Enterprise

Dr. Tayeb A. Kamali is the first UAE National to be selected as one of the ten leading international figures in science, the environment and exploration to judge the recently launched Rolex Awards for Enterprise: Young Laureates Programme.

For nearly two decades Dr Kamali (53) has spearheaded education, training and applied technology programmes in the United Arab Emirates and Middle East region, nurturing young UAE nationals and other students and encouraging them to “build on their dreams”. As the Vice Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) and Group Chief Executive of Centre of Excellence for Applied Research & Training (CERT), Dr Kamali was selected as a juror because of his commitment to providing young adults with the skills and ability to innovate and to compete in the global market.

The Rolex Awards have been instituted to honour men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 with inventive ideas to solve tomorrow’s challenges in science and health, applied technology, exploration, the environment and cultural preservation. Award winners will each receive a US$50,000 cash prize to enable them to pursue an original project. Each Young Laureate will also gain access to the Rolex Awards’ international network of scientists, educators and explorers who will help them to develop their leadership skills and professional expertise. Read more