Shortlist revealed for PRCA Mena Young Lions PR Competition 2025
Dubai, UAE – 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-Wright
On 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 Atteline
Conrad 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.
-Ends-
About PRCA Mena
PRCA Mena is the regional arm of the largest public relations and communications association (PRCA) in the world. It was established in 2016 with the aim of raising standards in PR and communications. Representing more than 35,000 PR professionals in 82 countries worldwide, the PR authority is a global advocate for excellence in public relations. The PRCA's teams across Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific work with industry professionals around the world to co-ordinate operations across six continents.
For more information visit: https://prca.mena.global/
Press Contact:
PRCA Mena
Falah Faisal Jafrani
Email: falah.jafrani@prca.mena.global
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
4 hours ago
- Zawya
Yango Tech to let businesses boost their products in AI chatbots with genAI platform
Dubai, UAE – Yango Tech, the unified ecosystem delivering tailored advanced B2B technology solutions to local businesses within Yango Group, has announced the upcoming launch of its GenAI Platform —a first-of-its-kind system in the MENA region designed to help retailers and brands gain top visibility and engage with customers across AI chatbots such as Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. The GenAI Platform will allow retailers to list and promote their products directly within AI-powered chat interfaces, turning everyday conversations into high-intent shopping experiences. For example, when customers search for queries like 'Best sneakers under $200' or 'Where to buy new hairstyler', retailers using the GenAI Platform can appear as the top result, providing real-time pricing and availability. Initial rollouts of the GenAI Platform are set to begin with select retailers in the MENA region by the end of 2025. One of the key benefits for retailers is improved discoverability. Rather than depending exclusively on web or app traffic, businesses can now be featured prominently within AI chat results, aligning their offerings with high-intent product searches and increasing the likelihood of conversion. For example, a regional e-grocery retailer using Yango Tech's GenAI Platform can ensure their freshest produce is highlighted first when a customer queries meal planning options on Perplexity. Max Avtukhov, Chief Executive of Yango Tech Retail, said: "With AI-driven neuro platforms becoming a dominant new channel for everyday search, Yango Tech's GenAI Platform marks a bold step forward. Today's consumers are turning to AI chat tools for everything from travel advice to tailored product suggestions, ushering in a new era of seamless personalized shopping experiences. It's a massive shift—from desktop to mobile browser search, and now to intelligent conversational platforms. We understand what it takes to win in this space first. This shift is an entirely new commerce environment, and with our GenAI Platform, we will give retailers the infrastructure they need to not only show up but to win in this space first.' At the core of the platform is Yango Tech's MCP Router, a system that acts as a central translator and traffic manager. It collects product-related queries from different AI platforms, routes them to the merchant's content systems (known as MCPs), and delivers ranked results back to the user in real-time. The result is a new channel for conversational commerce, where customer engagement meets immediate transaction potential. The launch of the platform comes at a time of massive regional momentum. AI is projected to contribute up to $150 billion to GCC economies and the conversational AI market is projected to exhibit a growth rate of 23.6% by 2033 in the region, while MENA's retail sector is expected to grow to $1.4 trillion by 2032. The GenAI Platform also ensures multi-interface support, allowing brands to scale effortlessly across millions of daily interactions while maintaining low response times and consistent messaging. This scalability is essential as 40% of the time, 80% of users rely on AI when searching online. Following the MENA rollout, Yango Tech plans to expand the GenAI Platform to Latin America and other markets throughout 2026, supporting global retailers in capturing attention and revenue across the AI frontier. About Yango Tech Yango Tech, a part of the global tech company Yango Group, is a unified ecosystem delivering advanced B2B technology solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of modern businesses. The company offers an integrated suite of tools, spanning warehousing, mobility, retail, and beyond, designed to help businesses streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive sustainable growth. The ecosystem includes AI technology solutions for retailers Yango Tech Retail, last mile delivery Yango Tech Autonomy, AI-powered automation solution for warehouses Yango Tech Robotics, advertising solutions Retail Media, last-mile delivery management solution RouteQ, cloud platform Yango Tech Cloud, corporate browser for organizations Yango Tech Browser, and database YangoDB. By leveraging cutting-edge AI-powered innovations, Yango Tech empowers companies to stay competitive and thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Web Release
6 hours ago
- Web Release
TCL and Arsenal Announce Global Partnership Expansion in Multi-Year Deal
TCL, a leading global consumer electronics brand and the No.2 TV brand worldwide, proudly announces the elevation of its partnership with Arsenal Football Club to a global level, becoming Arsenal's Official Global Consumer Electronics Partner. This milestone marks a new era in the relationship between two iconic brands driven by shared values of innovation, excellence, and progress. Building on a successful regional partnership in the UK, Middle East, and Africa since 2023, TCL and Arsenal are now taking their collaboration global, connecting with fans and consumers in more markets through shared values of innovation, performance, and progress. Sunny Yang, General Manager – TCL Middle East & Africa, stated: 'We are proud to elevate our partnership with Arsenal to a global level, marking a significant milestone for TCL. This expanded alliance reflects our shared ambition to lead through excellence, innovation, and passion. As a brand committed to shaping the future of smart living, we aim to deliver immersive experiences that unite the power of technology with the spirit of sport. Together, we are building a legacy that will inspire greatness around the world.' Delivering High-Impact Moments on and off the Pitch: Since the beginning of the partnership in 2023, TCL and Arsenal have collaborated on a series of high-profile activations that brought fans closer to both the club and the brand: · The 'Go Big with TCL' digital campaign, featuring Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Mo Elneny, introduced TCL's XL TV collection to global audiences. See here. · 'Inspire Greatness', a regional hero film starring Mikel Merino, Declan Rice, and Ben White, showcased TCL and Arsenal's shared commitment to empowering communities through sport and innovation. See here. · Exclusive meet-and-greet experiences in Dubai gave fans and TCL customers direct access to Arsenal players during the club's warm weather training camp. See here. · Arsenal legend Robert Pires visited TCL's booth at IFA Berlin 2023, one of the world's most influential consumer tech shows. · And in Turkey, Invincibles defender Martin Keown headlined TCL's regional product launch, engaging with media, partners, and staff in celebration of the partnership. Looking Ahead: Deeper Storytelling and Expanded Fan Engagement Following the success of the 'Inspire Greatness' activation, supporters can expect a new wave of storytelling through the extended global partnership featuring Arsenal men's first team player and newly appointed TCL ambassador, Bukayo Saka. The expanded partnership also includes Arsenal's UEFA Women's Champions League-winning women's team, reinforcing TCL's commitment to equality and innovation across all areas of the game. In addition, TCL products will be integrated into Arsenal's flagship matchday show 'Live from N5', further engaging the club's global fanbase and bringing smart technology closer to the heart of the matchday experience. This global announcement is a testament to TCL's fast-growing presence across MEA and beyond, as the brand continues to innovate in consumer electronics while strengthening emotional connections with sports fans worldwide. TCL will continue to work with Arsenal to craft powerful stories, create unique fan interactions, and deliver unforgettable experiences across touchpoints on the field, on screen, and at home. For more information, please visit:
Gulf Business
7 hours ago
- Gulf Business
Massive AI Surge: UAE's GenAI growth hits 344%, leading the region
Image credit: Getty Images The UAE has recorded a 344 per cent year-over-year increase in Generative AI (GenAI) enrollments, significantly outpacing the MENA regional average of 128 per cent and the global average of 195 per cent. The findings are based on the Global Skills Report 2025 from Coursera, a leading online learning platform with over 170 million users worldwide. Read- The report highlights the UAE's growing emphasis on future-ready talent, with 87 per cent of employers in the country prioritising technology literacy, AI, and big data skills. The country continues to lead the region in digital upskilling, with 13 per cent of the labor force actively engaging in online learning. Workforce transformation driven by AI Professional certificate enrollments rose by 41 per cent, including a 14 per cent increase in cybersecurity courses—demonstrating rising demand for job-relevant, tech-focused credentials. The report analyses skill trends and learner behavior across more than 100 countries. The sharp increase in GenAI enrollments reflects the UAE's broader strategy to cultivate a knowledge-based economy powered by Emirati talent, aligning with the national 'We the UAE 2031' vision. UAE ranks first in Arab world on AI Maturity Index A new feature in this year's study is the AI Maturity Index, which evaluates national readiness for AI by combining learner engagement data with indicators from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the OECD. The UAE ranks first in the Arab world and 32nd globally out of 109 countries. This ranking is supported by national initiatives such as the planned 5GW AI Campus and the integration of AI into public school curricula. These efforts align with the UAE's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031, which aims to make AI a key contributor to over 20 per cent of the non-oil GDP by that year. 'The UAE is rapidly scaling AI learning and infrastructure to drive workforce transformation and regional innovation. Its strong performance on the AI Maturity Index, combined with high rankings in overall skills proficiency, demonstrates the country's growing ability to close skill gaps, nurture future talent, and lead in AI readiness,' Kais Zribi, General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Coursera, said. Key challenges: Gender gap and skills shortage remain Despite the UAE's progress, challenges persist. The country ranks 38th globally in overall skills proficiency across business, technology, and data science, though it leads the Arab world. Notably, the UAE shows high proficiency in business skills (85 per cent), moderate strength in data science (59 per cent), and room for improvement in technology (52 per cent). Among the 10.8 million learners in the MENA region, 1.3 million are based in the UAE, with a median age of 36. Mobile learning continues to grow, with 41 per cent of users accessing content via mobile devices. However, 72 per cent of UAE employers still cite skills gaps as a major barrier—above the global average. Increasing women's participation in emerging tech fields remains critical. Women currently make up 32 per cent of online learners in the UAE, with just 24 per cent enrolled in STEM courses and 21 per cent in GenAI, highlighting a significant opportunity for more inclusive growth.
