VisitBritain, the national tourism agency for Great Britain, has announced the appointment of Mirna Tamimi as its new Communications Manager for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.In her new role, Mirna will lead efforts to promote Britain’s diverse visitor offerings across the GCC region. Her responsibilities include collaborating with media to highlight the latest tourism products, experiences, and attractions. This involves organizing hosted media visits and promoting Britain as a must-visit destination through its regional gateways.The appointment comes as VisitBritain forecasts record-breaking visitor numbers and spending from the GCC in 2024. An estimated 1.3 million visits are expected, marking a 21% increase from 2023. Visitors from the region are projected to spend £3.1 billion in the UK this year, a significant 26% rise compared to the previous year.Mirna brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously worked at Gambit Communications as a Senior Account Manager. There, she managed high-profile clients across hospitality, entertainment, and automotive sectors, including Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Ski Dubai, Snow Abu Dhabi, and BMW Group. With over six years of experience in agency and in-house roles and a track record of award-winning campaigns, Mirna is well-positioned to strengthen Britain’s appeal to GCC travelers.Her appointment reflects VisitBritain’s commitment to fostering strong connections with the GCC market, encouraging more visitors to explore the best of Britain’s rich culture, heritage, and attractions.

Jack Taylor, an independent, US-founded public relations and communications agency, is proud to announce its expansion into the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, marking a significant milestone in the agency's international expansion strategy.Founded in 2010, Jack Taylor has evolved into a global leader with some of the most cutting-edge clients in wellness, health, and fitness. Partnering with brands that solve human problems and empower consumers to live their best lives, the agency’s portfolio includes notable brands like WHOOP, AG1, Athletic Brewing, Eight Sleep  Hyperice, HYROX, and Plunge. With the GCC health tracker market projected to grow by 5.22% from 2024 to 2028, reaching a market volume of US$705.10 million in 2028,[1]Jack Taylor’s  expansion into the GCC underscores both the continued growth of the wellness sector and the agency’s dedication to amplifying brand stories through local and global perspectives.Leading the new GCC office will be Aaron Illathu, the company’s newly appointed Managing Director. Aaron brings a wealth of experience, as an ex-Google professional from California and is now making significant contributions in the GCC, having grown major brands such as Uber and Careem. He will continue to build the WHOOP presence as Jack Taylor’s inaugural partner in the region, highlighting their commitment to advancing health and wellness through cutting-edge technology.Jon Bier, Founder and CEO, said, “Expanding into the GCC region is a natural progression for Jack Taylor following our recent success establishing a presence and serving clients in Australia. We believe the Middle East is becoming a global powerhouse for all things health, wellness, and fitness, aligning with both our passion and areas of expertise. With a relatively young population and a growing middle class that is tech-savvy and health-conscious, we look forward to resonating with existing and target consumer demographics, while augmenting Jack Taylor’s footprint and building a reputation for unrivaled client service and success internationally.”Aaron added: “I am thrilled to bring Jack Taylor’s unique approach of innovative storytelling to the region. Leadership across the GCC is promoting technology and wellness as part of their national agendas such as Dubai’s National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031[2] and Saudi Vision 2030[3]. The region is investing in infrastructure and education to support these sectors, and implementing policies to attract foreign investment and talent. With these initiatives bringing in the top players to the region, they will require unique expertise for these sectors and this is what Jack Taylor brings to the table. It is an exciting new chapter for the agency and I’m grateful to be a part of the journey.”Jack Taylor has been at the forefront of the wellness conversation, partnering with some of the most innovative and iconic brands over the past 15 years. The agency collaborates with pioneers across diverse industries, including agriculture, apparel, fintech, health tech, human performance and longevity, lifestyle and nutrition, space exploration, sports and fitness, and sustainability. Jack Taylor provides comprehensive support across PR, communications, and marketing, including earned editorial, thought leadership, awards, events, affiliate strategy, brand partnerships, and measurement and analytics.Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, Jack Taylor serves partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and now the GCC, working with pioneering clients looking to carve out a space in cultural discussions and empowering people to live their best lives.

In the realm of public relations and marketing in the Middle East, TishTash Communications is making waves with its latest endeavor, Ten by TishTash. This new venture marks a strategic move for the company, as it steps into the realm of corporate communications.Ten by TishTash is designed to cater specifically to the intricacies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, covering Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Offering a range of services including digital media, content creation, and crisis management, Ten by TishTash aims to be a reliable partner in reputation building and protection across various sectors such as lifestyle, beauty, wellness, interiors, law, and real estate.In this interview, Polly Williams, the Managing Director of TishTash, sheds light on the rationale behind this initiative in an interview with AdgullyME, discussing its strategic implications for the future of corporate communications in the region.Excerpts: What prompted TishTash Communications to launch TEN by TishTash, and how does it address the evolving needs of corporate clients in the GCC region?As an agency we have consistently worked with many corporate and global clients over the last 12 years. In 2024 we have seen a real shift in the needs of these clients and the balance of the media and stakeholder match. We saw an opportunity to design a purpose-built division that responds to these changes. TEN by TishTash aims to respond to the seismic shift in the PR landscape, created by digital innovation and consumer transparency. Digital touchpoints are inescapably at the forefront, alongside the change in consumer appetite and needs. TEN by TishTash works to amplify businesses and brands looking to connect with impact - be it with stakeholders, employees, clients and consumers in a way that fits this brave and diverse new world. Could you elaborate on the integrated storytelling and authenticity that TEN by TishTash aims to offer? How does it align with modern PR objectives?Corporate comms still carry a stigma of some very old-fashioned troupes. Think men in suits, grey haired C-suite leaders etc. But the truth is the world has evolved and agencies need to evolve with it. Most businesses are not led this way. We have noticed a growing need for the ‘non-traditionally’ corporate businesses, to have a wider, integrated understanding of up to date, joined up thinking on the capabilities around their stakeholder, employee and consumer messaging and we believe corporate, ‘joined up’ storytelling for these businesses can have the impact required - cross platform and cross stakeholder, with the authenticity an audience now demands.With the emergence of digital touchpoints and changing consumer preferences, how does TEN by TishTash plan to navigate and leverage these shifts in the media and stakeholder landscape?Everything we do at TishTash is about creating impact for our client. TEN by TishTash will be no different in its objective and we will compound our success by sharing a fresh thinking approach to integrated marketing and PR that utilises the agency's unparalleled understanding of the regional landscape. The digital first approach from TEN by TishTash takes a keen focus on output that is relevant, modern and creative. This will include strategic thought leadership, profiling, events, whitepapers, trade shows and credible sustainability initiatives, working together, versus in silo, and in the language that the audience of a business, brand or leadership team want to read, listen to and understand. What specific strategies or approaches does TEN by TishTash employ to ensure impactful corporate communications for its clients, especially in areas such as thought leadership, profiling, and B2B coverage?The key starting point is a deep dive into current brand sentiment against business objectives or brand promises. Taking from this, a strategy that combines the identified audience appetite, aligned with the business goals is key. Identifying where stakeholders are now and the topics that are relevant to new audiences are crucial. The lines drawn between what is B2C and what is B2B are blurring and the work we do aims to better bring those two sides together in an authentic way. For example, one of our corporate clients recently unveiled new maternity leave policies for their workforce. This was covered in both B2C and B2B publications (digitally and in print). Historically, you would not consider that such news would have that depth and breadth of coverage, but with the right strategic thinking and storytelling, bridging corporate and social interest, we are able to broaden reach and find new relevant audiences.  How does the leadership team, including yourself, envision the role of corporate communications evolving beyond 2024, and how does TEN by TishTash aim to stay ahead of these changes?The role of corporate communications is no different to the role of consumer communications, and that’s exactly why TEN was created. It’s about people. What they read, listen to and what they are influenced by, when and where. The importance of digital-first, the need for sophisticated storytelling and the increasing role of AI are all essential areas for consideration. The success of TishTash has always been in our agility to respond to the quick changing landscape, and this strategy will continue as we focus on new integrated storytelling and authenticity that match modern PR objectives.