Winners revealed: Campaign Global Agency of the Year Awards
More than 200 guests from around the world attended the Campaign Global Agency of the Year Awards yesterday at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel in London.
A record number of entries – 117 companies from 27 countries – was received for this year's Campaign Global Agency of the Year Awards.
The Middle East celebrates with a haul of six big wins across five categories in Gold, Silver and Bronze.
Leaders at Publicis Groupe Middle East & Turkey won two leadership category awards. The Gold award for Head of Agency went to the network's CEO Bassel Kakish.
Tahaab Rais took home Strategic Planning Leader of The Year 2024 as the Gold winner in the category.
Along with these wins, TBWA celebrates three, with TBWA\RAAD clinching Gold for Best Place to Work: Individual Shop & Network, along with Romy Abdelnour winning Gold for Corporate Communications/Marketing Person of The Year 2024.
The agency also won Bronze in the Best Network: Middle East & Africa category, while Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East took the lead in this category with a Silver win.
Here is a full breakdown of the Middle East winners:
Head of Agency of the Year 2024: Bassel Kakish, Publicis Groupe ME&T
Best Place to Work: Individual Shop/Network of the Year 2024: TBWA\RAAD (UAE)
Strategic Planning Leader of The Year 2024: Tahaab Rais, Publicis Groupe ME&T
Corporate Communications/Marketing Person of The Year 2024: Romy Abdelnour, TBWA\RAAD
Network of the Year (Middle East and Africa) 2024 – Silver: Saatchi & Saatchi Middle East
Network of the Year (Middle East and Africa) 2024 – Bronze: TBWA
Click here for the full list of winners.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
18 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Europe's lithium quest hampered by China and lack of cash
Alvaro Villalobos, Agence France-Presse Europe's ambition to be a world player in decarbonised transportation arguably depends on sourcing lithium abroad, especially in South America. Even the bloc's broader energy security and climate goals could depend on securing a steady supply of the key mineral, used in batteries and other clean energy supply chains. But Europe has run into a trio of obstacles: lack of money, double-edged regulations and competition from China, analysts said. China has a major head start. It currently produces more than three-quarters of batteries sold worldwide, refines 70 per cent of raw lithium and is the world's third-largest extractor behind Australia and Chile, according to 2024 data from the United States Geological Survey. To gain a foothold, Europe has developed a regulatory framework that emphasises environmental preservation, quality job creation and cooperation with local communities. It has also signed bilateral agreements with about 15 countries, including Chile and Argentina, the world's fifth-largest lithium producer. But too often it fails to deliver when it comes to investment, say experts. "I see a lot of memoranda of understanding, but there is a lack of action," Julia Poliscanova, director of electric vehicles at the Transport and Environment (T&E) think tank, told AFP. "More than once, on the day that we signed another MoU, the Chinese were buying an entire mine in the same country." The investment gap is huge: China spent $6 billion on lithium projects abroad from 2020 to 2023, while Europe barely coughed up a billion dollars over the same period, according to data compiled by T&E. At the same time, the bottleneck in supply has tightened: last year saw a 30 per cent increase in global demand for lithium, according to a recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). "To secure the supply of raw materials, China is actively investing in mines abroad through state-owned companies with political support from the government," the IEA noted. China's Belt and Road Initiative funnelled $21.4 billion into mining beyond its shores in 2024, according to the report. Europe, meanwhile, is "lagging behind in investment levels in these areas", said Sebastian Galarza, founder of the Centre for Sustainable Mobility in Santiago, Chile. "The lack of a clear path for developing Europe's battery and mining industries means that gap will be filled by other actors." In Africa, for example, Chinese demand has propelled Zimbabwe to become the fourth-largest lithium producer in the world. "The Chinese let their money do the talking," said Theo Acheampong, an analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations. By 2035, all new cars and vans sold in the European Union must produce zero carbon emissions, and EU leaders and industry would like as much as possible of that market share to be sourced locally. Last year, just over 20 percent of new vehicles sold in the bloc were electric. "Currently, only four percent of Chile's lithium goes to Europe," noted Stefan Debruyne, director of external affairs at Chilean private mining company SQM. "The EU has every opportunity to increase its share of the battery industry." Shifting supply chains But Europe's plans to build dozens of battery factories have been hampered by fluctuating consumer demand and competition from Japan (Panasonic), South Korea (LG Energy Solution, Samsung) and, above all, China (CATL, BYD). The key to locking down long-term lithium supply is closer ties in the so-called "lithium triangle" formed by Chile, Argentina and Bolivia, which account for nearly half of the world's reserves, analysts say. To encourage cooperation with these countries, European actors have proposed development pathways that would help establish electric battery production in Latin America. Draft EU regulations would allow Latin America to "reconcile local development with the export of these raw materials, and not fall into a purely extractive cycle", said Juan Vazquez, deputy head for Latin America and the Caribbean at the OECD Development Centre. But it is still unclear whether helping exporting countries develop complete supply chains makes economic sense, or will ultimately tilt in Europe's favour. "What interest do you have as a company in setting up in Chile to produce cathodes, batteries or more sophisticated materials if you don't have a local or regional market to supply?" said Galarza. "Why not just take the lithium, refine it and do everything in China and send the battery back to us?" Pointing to the automotive tradition in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina, Galarza suggested an answer. "We must push quickly towards the electrification of transport in the region so we can share in the benefits of the energy transition," he argued. But the road ahead looks long. Electric vehicles were only two percent of new car sales in Mexico and Chile last year, six percent in Brazil and seven percent in Colombia, according to the IEA. The small nation of Costa Rica stood out as the only nation in the region where EVs hit double digits, at 15 percent of new car sales.
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Al Etihad
UAE cements its position as global destination for attracting FDI with total inflows of Dh167.6 billion in 2024
19 June 2025 20:35 DUBAI (WAM) The UAE ranked 10th globally as a leading destination for inbound foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2024, achieving an unprecedented Dh 167.6 billion ($45.6 billion in FDI inflows, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report UAE Foreign Direct Investment Report 2025, issued by the Ministry of Investment, highlights the country's exceptional performance and unmatched success in attracting capital across strategic sectors, reinforcing its status as a premier global investment destination despite an unstable global Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, declared that under the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the UAE's tenth global ranking in FDI inflows for 2024 confirms its status as a land of boundless opportunities and the premier destination for innovative businesses and bold Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: 'In an international vote of confidence in the UAE's economy, the latest report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) revealed that the UAE attracted Dh 167 billion ($45 billion) in foreign direct investment over the past year, marking a 48% growth compared to the previous year.'His Highness added: 'The UAE accounted for 37% of all foreign direct investment inflows into the region. Out of every $100 invested in the region, $37 comes to the UAE. The country also ranked second globally, after the United States, in the number of newly announced foreign direct investment projects. Our next goal is to attract Dh 1.3 trillion in foreign direct investment over the next six years, God willing.'His Highness continued: 'Our foundation is strong, our future is promising, and our focus on our goals is crystal clear. Our message is simple: development is the key to stability, and the economy is the most important policy.'Despite a global slowdown in greenfield FDI project growth to 0.8%, the UAE achieved a remarkable 2.8% growth, solidifying its position as a key destination for investment flows. Total capital for announced greenfield FDI projects in 2024 reached Dh53.3 billion ($ 14.5 billion).The UAE ranked second globally, after the United States, in attracting greenfield FDI projects, with 1,369 new projects announced in Ministry of Investment leads these efforts by enabling investment in key sectors, providing a flexible and competitive environment for global capital, and acting as a trusted partner for international investors. The ministry continues close collaboration with federal and local government entities, investment promotion agencies, private sector companies, and international partners to develop innovative policies, enhance the UAE's investment value proposition, and unlock new avenues for long-term economic FDI inflows rose from Dh31.6 billion ($8.6 billion) in 2015 to Dh167.6 billion ($45.6 billion) in 2024, with cumulative FDI stock reaching $270.6 billion, reflecting a 10.5% compound annual growth rate from 2015 to Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment, stated: 'Recording this unprecedented level of FDI inflows to the UAE is an achievement that reflects the strategic choices made by our wise leadership and its long-term vision to establish the UAE as a leading global investment destination. The Ministry of Investment is committed to developing a comprehensive regulatory and legislative framework aligned with our national priorities, meeting investors' needs, and providing a competitive business environment that attracts global capital.'He added: 'The UAE's investment ecosystem has become a global model, thanks to its stability, transparency, trade openness, and ease of doing business. Through the National Investment Strategy 2031, we continue to set ambitious goals to cement the UAE's position as a leading global FDI destination. We provide a clear pathway to drive sustainable growth, double investment opportunities, diversify priority sectors, and open new horizons for global companies seeking innovation and expansion in future markets.'The strong performance of key economic sectors boosted the upward trajectory of announced greenfield FDI projects in the UAE. Software and IT services led announced FDI greenfield project values (11.5%), followed by business services (9.7%), renewable energy (9.3%), coal, oil, and gas (9%), and real estate (7.8%).The energy sector attracted Dh4.8 billion $1.3 billion in greenfield FDI, advancing the UAE's national goal to triple renewable energy production capacity by UAE's supportive investment policies and robust strategic partnerships have solidified its position as a primary destination for foreign capital in the region, capturing approximately 37% of the region's FDI inflows in UAE continues to attract top global talent, driven by policies supporting its investment strategy, including full foreign ownership in mainland companies, a competitive 9% corporate tax rate, streamlined licensing procedures, and enhanced legal policies have fostered a favourable investment climate, while strong legal frameworks, such as the Dubai International Arbitration Centre, have bolstered investor confidence and safeguarded their UAE ranks fifth globally in attracting highly skilled talent (per the 2024 Global Talent Competitiveness Index by INSEAD) and third in attracting AI talent (per Stanford University's 2024 AI Index), reinforcing its status as a leading hub for professionals, entrepreneurs, and partnerships are another key driver of investment attraction, with 21 Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements and 120 bilateral investment treaties supporting the investment momentum is underpinned by the UAE's significant investments in digital transformation, exemplified by the $ 1.5 billion joint venture between Microsoft and Abu Dhabi-based G42 to advance AI capabilities and set new standards for National Investment Strategy 2031 aims to double annual FDI inflows by 2031, targeting Dh 2.2 trillion cumulative FDI by 2031, as per the National Investment Strategy (NIS). The strategy focuses on priority sectors such as advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, financial services, and IT, emphasising sustainability and innovation. Initiatives under this strategy aim to cement the UAE's global leadership in economic diversification and technological advancement.
Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Filipino Times
The Filipino Times unveils country-level dates for 2025 Watchlist Awards
The Filipino Times has officially set the country-level dates for its 2025 Watchlist Awards, casting a spotlight on the most distinguished Filipino engineers, architects, and healthcare professionals working across the Middle East. For the first time, the acclaimed awards program will honor outstanding Filipino professionals in each country before they advance to the regional competition, bringing recognition closer to Filipino communities in the region. Saudi Arabia will kick off the series, hosting the awarding for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on June 20 for engineers and architects, followed by healthcare professionals on June 21. Next in line, Qatar will gather winners from Qatar and Kuwait on August 8 for engineers and architects, and on August 9 for healthcare professionals. The UAE will wrap up the country-level ceremonies, recognizing top talents from the UAE and Oman on November 21 for engineers and architects, and November 22 for healthcare professionals. Country winners will contend for the regional titles next year, with the Middle East's top engineers and architects announced on March 29, 2026, and top healthcare professionals on March 30, 2026 — marking another milestone in celebrating Filipino excellence worldwide. This step responds to strong community support and follows global standards, ensuring that more Filipino professionals in the Middle East are recognized for their contributions.
