PRCA MENA ?Çô the regional arm of the world?ÇÖs largest professional PR association ?Çô 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 ?Ç£Believe in your 2.5%.?Ç¥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?ÇÖs humanitarian theme.The jury for the final round included:?Çó Ahmad Itani, Chair of PRCA MENA Advisory Board and Founder & CEO, Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy?Çó Laureline Schwarz, Head of Global Corporate Communication, PR, Public Relations, Al-Futtaim Automotive?Çó Louise Jacobson, Managing Partner, Brazen MENA?Çó Raefah Makki, Head of Individual Giving & Campaigns, UNHCR?Çó Sophie Simpson, Managing Director & Founder, Ruder Finn AttelineThis year?ÇÖs 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:?Ç£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?Çöwe can?ÇÖt wait to see them shine at Cannes.?Ç¥Raefah Makki, Head of Individual Giving & Campaigns at UNHCR, added:?Ç£This year?ÇÖs partnership with PRCA MENA was a significant step in leveraging the power of communication to amplify the voices of displaced people. ?ÇÿBelieve in your 2.5%?ÇÖ captured that vision beautifully, and we are excited to see how it resonates on a larger stage.?Ç¥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.

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?ÇÖs 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?ÇÖs Refugee Zakat Fund Mobile App?Çöan innovative platform designed to make Zakat giving more accessible, transparent, and impactful. The brief stated, ?Ç£our challenge remains increasing awareness of our RZF app, downloads and number of users who donate through the app.?Ç¥The final shortlist includes:?Çó BPG Group ?Çô Rua Youssef & Rayana El Masri?Çó Burson ?Çô Raneem Saleeh & Youssef Yammine?Çó Cosmopole Consultancy ?Çô Nithin Narayanan & Meena Shahin?Çó Gambit Communications ?Çô Tala Maas & Hana Sabri?Çó Seven Media ?Çô Neimat ElKarib & Tala Abu Eid?Çó The Romans ?Çô 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?ÇÖs esteemed jury includes:?Çó Ahmad Itani, Founder & CEO of Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy ?Çó Laureline Schwarz, Head of Global Corporate Communication, PR, Public Relations, AlFuttaim Automotive ?Çó Louise Jacobson, Managing Partner at Brazen MENA ?Çó Raefah Makki, Head of Individual Giving & Campaigns, UNHCR?Çó Sophie Simpson, Managing Director & Founder of AttelineConrad Egbert, Head of PRCA Mena, said:?Ç£We?ÇÖre absolutely blown away by the level of creativity and passion that each team has demonstrated in this year?ÇÖs 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?Çöwe look forward to your pitches.?Ç¥PRCA Mena continues to champion the region?ÇÖs rising talent, offering young professionals unparalleled opportunities to shine on the global stage.

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has announced the relaunch of its new Global Advisory Board, a strategic initiative designed to bolster the Association?ÇÖs international reach and reinforce its status as the world?ÇÖs largest professional body for PR professionals.The Global Advisory Board will focus on four key workstreams: Talent, Ethics, Innovation, and Future. Each workstream aims to address crucial aspects of the PR industry, driving forward best practices and ensuring the sector's continued growth and relevance on a global scale.Talent: This workstream is dedicated to addressing talent-related challenges within the industry. Key areas of focus include bridging the gap between education and the workplace, enhancing recruitment strategies, and improving training and salary benchmarking. The board will also address social impacts and refine the PRCA?ÇÖs approach to education.Ethics: Building on the achievements of the PRCA Ethics Council, this workstream will work to lift ethical standards in the global PR industry. Key activities will include developing ethical codes of conduct, creating forums for ethical debate, and sharing best practices. Collaboration with the PRCA Standards Committee and efforts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) will also be central to this workstream.Innovation: This workstream will explore a wide range of issues related to innovation in public relations practice. It will focus on the impact of emerging technologies, such as AI, on the industry, as well as thought leadership on technological and media trends shaping public relations.Future: This workstream will advocate for the PR industry?ÇÖs role in a rapidly changing world. It will address the global operations of PR agencies, the industry's response to geopolitical shifts, and strategies for enhancing the sector?ÇÖs visibility and influence.The PRCA?ÇÖs Global Advisory Board is composed by:Nitin Mantri, Regional Executive Managing Director, APAC I WE Comms & Group CEO, Avian WELee Nugent, Regional Director, APAC at Archetype (Vice Chair) (SEA)Mary Beth West, Consultant at Mary Beth West (USA)Ahmad Itani, Founder & CEO at Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy (MENA)Alex Aiken (UK)Barbara Phillips, Founder at Brownstone Communications (UK)Caroline Hsu, Chief Global Officer at The Hoffman AgencyPaul Cohen, Partner, CEO North America at Milk & Honey (USA)Patr?¡cia ?üvila, Regional Director at Agora (Brazil)Jim Donaldson, CEO and Founder at the Jim Donaldson Partnership (UK)Kwame Senou, Executive Director at THOP (Ivory Coast)Viroslava Novosylna, CEO & Founder at Slova Tech PR (Ukraine)Ipelegeng Thibedi, Chief Executive Officer, Africa at Weber Shandwick (South Africa)Omar Qirem, Chief Executive Officer, Middle East, and Deputy Chair of Corporate Affairs, EMEA at Edelman (MENA)PRCA Global Advisory Board Chair, Nitin Mantri, said,?Ç£The PRCA Global Advisory Board is uniquely positioned to shape the evolution of PR by navigating the complex interplay between business, society, and geopolitics. As Chair, I see this as a critical opportunity to bring diverse perspectives together, set new standards, and redefine communications. Our role is transformative, and I am excited about the potential of this board to elevate the value we bring to brands and communities alike.?Ç¥PRCA Global Advisory Board Vice Chair, Lee Nugent, said, ?Ç£I?ÇÖm honoured to have been appointed to the PRCA?ÇÖs Global Advisory Board and look forward to working with my fellow board members and the PRCA team, helping the organisation to continue to successfully serve our international membership base. I look forward to helping members drive professional best practice in communications, no matter where in the world they?ÇÖre located.?Ç¥

The Public Relations and Communications Association Middle East and North Africa (PRCA MENA) has announced the appointment of Imad Lahad, Managing Director at APCO Worldwide, as the new Vice Chair of its Board.Imad Lahad, who has been with APCO Worldwide since 2013, leads the Dubai office and heads the AI Comms Lab. He is known for his innovative approach to digital strategy and AI communications and has played a crucial role in developing APCO?ÇÖs global Digital Practice. Lahad is recognized for his ability to harness emerging technologies to enhance brand strategies and protect client reputations. He has been a dedicated member of the PRCA MENA board for two years and will additionally lead the AI in PR Committee for PRCA MENA.Commenting on his appointment, Imad Lahad said: ?Ç£I?ÇÖm thrilled to be joining the PRCA MENA Board, at such an exciting and challenging time for our industry. The rapid onset and adoption of artificial intelligence and adaptive technologies is changing the communications landscape at lightning speed. With the dawn of the Intelligence Revolution, and the proliferation of technologies at our fingertips enabling anyone to write, post and send anything to anyone in the world, the need for clear and responsible communication has never been more important. In this context, I?ÇÖm looking forward to collaborating with like-minded professionals on the Board to foster innovation and set new standards for the region?ÇÖs communications industry.?Ç¥James Hewes, CEO of PRCA, said: ?Ç£Imad?ÇÖs expertise and leadership in the communications field are well-recognized globally. His role as Vice Chair will significantly strengthen our efforts to advance PR and embrace technological advancements in the region.?Ç¥Ahmad Itani, Chairman of the PRCA MENA Board and CEO of Cicero & Bernay Communications Consultancy, added: ?Ç£Imad?ÇÖs innovative approach and vast experience in digital communications make him an invaluable addition to the board. His vision will help propel PRCA MENA to new heights.?Ç¥

The Public Relations and Communications Association Middle East & North Africa (PRCA MENA) has restructured its MENA Regional Board, a pivotal move aimed at fortifying strategic direction and industry representation in the MENA region.The MENA Regional Board serves as the guiding force behind PRCA MENA's initiatives, ensuring alignment with industry standards and fostering excellence in the field of public relations and communications. The restructured board brings together a diverse ensemble of esteemed industry leaders, poised to infuse their collective expertise and insights to propel the organisation to new heights. "We are delighted to unveil the restructuring of our MENA Regional Board, signifying our commitment to championing excellence and innovation in the public relations and communications landscape across the MENA region. The wealth of knowledge and experience brought forth by our board members will be instrumental in shaping the future trajectory of our organisation and advancing the profession as a whole,?Ç¥ remarked James Hewes, CEO of PRCA.The newly appointed members of the PRCA MENA Regional Board are:  Ahmad Itani, Founder & CEO, Cicero & Bernay Communication Consultancy. Chairman, PRCA MENA  Alexandre Beaulieu, Founder & CEO, TBWA DJAZ  Claire Micheletti, Founder & Joint Managing Director, Cosmopole Consultancy  Howard Kosky, CEO & Founder, Markettiers4DC  Ibrahim Al Mutawa, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Jummar PR  Imad Lahad, Managing Director, APCO Worldwide Dubai  John Rynehart, Managing Director, Seven Media  Joseph Nalloor, Discipline Lead - School of Communication, Murdoch University Dubai  Kamal Taibi, Founder & CEO, Strat?½usGroup  Khaled Alshehhi, Executive Director Marketing and Communications at UAE Government Media Office  Laureline Schwarz, Head of Global Corporate Communication, PR, Public Relations at Al-Futtaim Automotive  Louay Al Samarrai ?Çô Joint Managing Director, Co-Founder, Active (Digital. Marketing. Communications)  Natalie Amos, Managing Director - Lifestyle MENA at Four Agency  Natasha Hatherall-Shawe, Founder and CEO, TishTash Communications  Nick Sandham, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Alshaya Group  Petra B Spanko, Regional Director, Katch International  Samantha Bartel, CEO & Managing Partner, Instinctif Partners MENAThese professionals bring a rich tapestry of experiences and expertise to their roles, representing a diverse array of sectors and perspectives within the communications industry.