The Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA), the largest PR association in Europe, has launched its professional membership association for the Mena region in Dubai, UAE.

PRCA Mena will represent PR consultancies, in-house communications teams, and individuals in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Egypt.

The association will be co-chaired by Mena PR industry leaders Loretta Ahmed, CEO Middle East, Grayling, and Mohamed Al Ayed, CEO, TRACCS.

Founding members include leading Mena consultancies Golin Mena, Memac Ogilvy, Fleishman Europe, Q Communications, MCS Action - the UAE branch and Middle East hub of the Action Global Communications network, Sept PR, Active (Digital. Marketing. Communications) and Instinctif.

The association will enable members to share best practices, engage in world class training, network with like-minded professionals, and help to raise standards in the industry. Working alongside ICCO (International Communications Consultancy Organisation), PRCA Mena will provide an international framework within which its members can develop global networks and links to London.

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to co-chair this great new resource for the PR industry in Mena,” said Ahmed. “As a Fellow of the PRCA I am fully aware of its successes in the UK, and believe that this move will help the industry here to grow, to improve its professionalism, and to increase its profitability.”

Al Ayed said: “PRCA and TRACCS discovered similar synergies, ambitions and a vision for the growth and development of the PR industry in Mena in 2013 and have been working together closely since then.”

“I am honoured to be named co-chair of this association, which I am certain, will inspire a new era of communications in the region. The industry will benefit immensely from what PRCA has to offer and as one of the founding members, TRACCS is committed to making this possible by leveraging our local knowhow and extensive network across the region. There is plenty for us to learn and plenty to impart to our global PR counterparts, and PRCA Mena will aim to facilitate this exchange of knowledge and expertise,” he added.

Francis Ingham, PRCA director general & ICCO chief executive said: “I’m very proud to be announcing the latest PRCA leap forward –this time into the Middle East and North Africa under the leadership of Loretta Ahmed and Mohamed Al Ayed.

“By creating a new, vibrant association across the entire region, we will bring PR professionals even closer together, and raise standards even higher. The link with the PRCA in the UK, and its management of ICCO in 32 countries, will make the region fantastically well connected with the global PR community.”

The launch event will take place on March 8 in Dubai and PRCA Partner YouGov will be in attendance, presenting key insights into the communications landscape of the Mena region.  – TradeArabia News Service