MMA launches Egypt and Middle East Local Council

The Egypt and Middle East Local Council will allow companies to benefit from the MMA's global leadership and knowledge, helping them to raise standards in the region. The launch will enable companies involved in the mobile marketing ecosystem to profit from access to important information and education on the mobile channel. The MMA Egypt and Middle East will encourage brands and marketers to adopt the mobile channel as a key part of the marketing mix and to engage with their target audience in an interactive and compelling way.

Mobile marketing in the ME on the move

"I am delighted to have been appointed as co-chair for the MMA Egypt & Middle East," said new co-chair Karim Khalifa of Digital Republic. "Mobile marketing in this region has evolved considerably and moved on from traditional SMS campaigns. With all the changes taking place in the market, it is the perfect time for marketers in Egypt and the Middle East to gain an understanding of the MMA guidelines and best practices. I look forward to working closely with all industry stakeholders throughout Egypt and the Middle East in promoting, educating and guiding the industry towards the same success it enjoys in so many other regions."

"This has been a year of great change in Egypt and the Middle East and we hope that the launch of this new local council will enable the industry to work together to drive mobile marketing in the region forward, allowing brands to establish a key one on one relationship with their customers," said Paul Berney, chief marketing officer and managing director for EMEA. "The Egypt and Middle East local council will use the tools and techniques employed by the MMA on a global basis to facilitate greater collaboration ease the path to market for marketers."

Launch comes at a crucial time

"Mobile users in Egypt have exceeded 70 million people, while users in the Middle East are now in the range of 500 million subscribers. With this in mind, the MMA's launch comes at a critical time, considering the market's need for qualified experts to direct the industry and show how mobile is an indispensable part of the marketing mix," added Berney.

More than 100 senior marketers, advertisers, online professionals, media agencies, IT providers and decision makers in Egypt and the Middle East are attending the launch ceremony at which speakers from Mobinil, Etisalat, Vodafone, Alcatel-Lucent, Yahoo, Google and Connect AD will be sharing thought leadership and case studies on how brands can successfully use mobile to connect, engage and sell to consumers.