Ruder Finn Atteline, the MENA arm of the global integrated communications consultancy Ruder Finn, has announced a significant expansion of its leadership team with four senior appointments. The move reinforces the agency’s refreshed brand identity and supports its ambitious growth strategy across the Middle East and North Africa.The strategic hires include an Executive Vice President and three Account Directors, each bringing deep expertise in integrated communications across key sectors such as corporate, automotive, travel & tourism, and sports & entertainment.Commenting on the expansion, Sophie Simpson, Managing Director of Ruder Finn Atteline – MENA, said: "Our evolution as Ruder Finn Atteline isn’t just about a new logo or name. It’s about becoming an agency that reflects the region’s changing needs — creatively fearless, strategically sharp, and deeply collaborative. These appointments are a clear signal of where we’re headed, as we continue to push boundaries and raise the bar for communications in MENA."New AppointmentsRadhika Mehta joins as Executive Vice President of Growth & Operations, bringing nearly 20 years of global communications experience. Known for her ability to drive business growth through integrated brand strategies and compelling storytelling, Radhika will lead the expansion of the agency’s MENA presence and strengthen its integrated communications capabilities.Srishti Soni steps in as Account Director for the Corporate Division, with nearly 15 years of experience spanning India and the MENA region. A seasoned consultant in reputation management and strategic advisory, Srishti has led award-winning campaigns in sectors such as real estate, healthcare, and tech, and will play a pivotal role in enhancing the agency’s corporate communications practice.Shannon Hynes and Yara Nimer have been named Associate Account Directors for Ruder Finn Atteline’s newly launched Sports & Entertainment Division.• Shannon Hynes brings nearly a decade of experience in the industry, including leading Netflix MENA’s publicity efforts. Her strength in creating culturally relevant narratives and executing high-profile campaigns will help shape the agency’s new division.• Yara Nimer, a MEPRA award-winner and one of Campaign’s “PR Faces to Watch,” offers a decade of experience in integrated communications. She has crafted purpose-driven campaigns for entertainment, tourism, and sport sectors, combining editorial instincts with performance-led strategies to drive brand resonance in the region.These leadership appointments mark a crucial phase in Ruder Finn Atteline’s transformation journey, aligning with its newly unveiled visual identity and signaling a new era of growth and innovation.With an expanded leadership team and bolstered sectoral expertise, the agency is well-positioned to accelerate its growth, deepen its regional footprint, and deliver future-ready communications in line with its global “What’s Next” promise.

PRCA MENA – the regional arm of the world’s largest professional PR association – has announced the winners of the PRCA MENA Young Lions PR Competition 2025: Raneem Saleeh and Youssef Yammine from Burson, for their powerful and purpose-driven campaign titled “Believe in your 2.5%.”The winning team clinched the top spot after a competitive final round held on 15 April, where six shortlisted teams presented their ideas to a distinguished jury comprising industry leaders from across the MENA region. Their campaign stood out for its strategic creativity, thoughtful storytelling, and strong alignment with this year’s humanitarian theme.The jury for the final round included:• Ahmad Itani, Chair of PRCA MENA Advisory Board and Founder & CEO, Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy• Laureline Schwarz, Head of Global Corporate Communication, PR, Public Relations, Al-Futtaim Automotive• Louise Jacobson, Managing Partner, Brazen MENA• Raefah Makki, Head of Individual Giving & Campaigns, UNHCR• Sophie Simpson, Managing Director & Founder, Ruder Finn AttelineThis year’s brief was developed in collaboration with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and challenged participants to craft a compelling campaign that raises awareness and drives advocacy for displaced communities across the region.As winners, Raneem and Youssef will go on to represent the MENA region at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France this June.Conrad Egbert, Head of PRCA MENA, commented:“It was a tough decision for the jury; each campaign was impactful, innovative, and deeply rooted in purpose. Congratulations to Raneem and Youssef from Burson for their exceptional work—we can’t wait to see them shine at Cannes.”Raefah Makki, Head of Individual Giving & Campaigns at UNHCR, added:“This year’s partnership with PRCA MENA was a significant step in leveraging the power of communication to amplify the voices of displaced people. ‘Believe in your 2.5%’ captured that vision beautifully, and we are excited to see how it resonates on a larger stage.”The 2025 competition saw participation from 46 young professionals representing 12 leading agencies across the region, including: Action Global Communications, BPG Group, Burson, Cosmopole Consultancy, Current Global MENAT, Gambit Communications, Houbara Communications, Memac Ogilvy, Saatchi & Saatchi Qatar, Seven Media, The Romans, Weber Shandwick MENAT.

After nearly 10 years in the region, Ruder Finn Atteline, formerly Atteline, strengthens its proposition as the MENA arm of Ruder Finn with local insight and global capabilities. With a fresh brand identity and newly designed logo combining Ruder Finn’s 75 years of global expertise alongside Atteline’s hallmark creativity and culture, the integrated communications agency is now gearing up to set a new pace for the decade ahead.Aligning with its global ‘What’s Next’ positioning – a commitment to always remaining one step ahead of industry trends and leading with a data-driven, digital-first, early-adopter mindset – Ruder Finn Atteline is now doubling down on enhancing client experiences and innovatively empowering employees.As part of this vision, Ruder Finn Atteline is preparing to launch its Content Hub, a first-of-its-kind platform for the region to prioritize authentic storytelling in an era increasingly dominated by AI-generated content. This move aligns with the ongoing expansion of its Digital Division, ensuring that both verticals work in tandem as integral components of the integrated communications ecosystem.The dual-headquartered agency in MENA is also bolstering its leadership team within its Consumer and Corporate Divisions, with three seniors having been made accordingly. These efforts are being made to support growth with unity, boost leadership abilities, and further broaden the agency’s capabilities to meet the evolving demands of the market.Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn, commented: "As the communications landscape shifts amidst AI advancement and ongoing innovation, staying ahead means embracing change with bold thinking and innovative solutions. This is exactly what the integration of Atteline and Ruder Finn achieves. We have united a powerful combination of global expertise and regional creativity, positioning us to deliver next-generation strategies tailored for MENA. With a strong foundation in digital, data, and AI-driven storytelling, Ruder Finn Atteline is poised to help clients navigate what’s next – not tomorrow, but today.”Sophie Simpson, Managing Director of Ruder Finn Atteline – MENA, commented: “Continually pioneering the future of communications for the past seventy-plus years, Ruder Finn has evolved into one of the world’s largest independent agencies today. As Ruder Finn Atteline, we maintain the core elements – creativity and culture – that have brought us success for almost a decade, whilst offering the global expertise and know-how of Ruder Finn. This evolution uniquely positions us as a center of thinking for growth to build an agency of the future; one where data-driven insights, creativity, and technology-driven strategies lead the way.”Leveraging Ruder Finn’s global tech capabilities, namely its Tech Lab, Ruder Finn Atteline is integrating advanced solutions to boost both internal operations and external offerings. In addition to introducing new divisions, and bolstering existing ones, the agency is also strengthening its Sonar and Crisis Communications offerings, recognized as among the agency’s most impactful services. Building on this strong foundation, the agency is expanding its expertise into the Sports & Entertainment and Automotive & Travel & Tourism sectors. With this strategic evolution, Ruder Finn Atteline is equipped to set new regional benchmarks in the years ahead while further establishing itself as a pioneer for integrated communications in MENA.

The Official Representative of the Cannes Young Lions PR Competition PRCA Mena has revealed the six teams that have made it onto the shortlist. Last week 23 teams, each consisting of two PR professionals from the region, aged 30 or under, had a pressing 24-hours to respond to a brief set by this year’s humanitarian partner, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.The brief challenged participants to develop a campaign that would raise awareness, increase downloads and drive donations for UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund Mobile App—an innovative platform designed to make Zakat giving more accessible, transparent, and impactful. The brief stated, “our challenge remains increasing awareness of our RZF app, downloads and number of users who donate through the app.”The final shortlist includes:• BPG Group – Rua Youssef & Rayana El Masri• Burson – Raneem Saleeh & Youssef Yammine• Cosmopole Consultancy – Nithin Narayanan & Meena Shahin• Gambit Communications – Tala Maas & Hana Sabri• Seven Media – Neimat ElKarib & Tala Abu Eid• The Romans – Cham Alatrach & Katie Bell-WrightOn 15 April 2025, the shortlisted six teams will present their ideas to the esteemed Mena jury with the winners announced on 16 April 2025. The winning team will go on to officially represent Mena in June at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity that will be held in the south of France.This year’s esteemed jury includes:• Ahmad Itani, Founder & CEO of Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy • Laureline Schwarz, Head of Global Corporate Communication, PR, Public Relations, AlFuttaim Automotive • Louise Jacobson, Managing Partner at Brazen MENA • Raefah Makki, Head of Individual Giving & Campaigns, UNHCR• Sophie Simpson, Managing Director & Founder of AttelineConrad Egbert, Head of PRCA Mena, said:“We’re absolutely blown away by the level of creativity and passion that each team has demonstrated in this year’s competition. A huge thank you to our esteemed jury for committing their precious time and effort to us and to the UNHCR for partnering with us on such a meaningful brief. Best of luck to the finalists—we look forward to your pitches.”PRCA Mena continues to champion the region’s rising talent, offering young professionals unparalleled opportunities to shine on the global stage.