MEPRA has announced the appointment of its first regional chairs, a structural shift for the Middle East’s leading professional body for public relations and communications as it marks 25 years since its founding. The move formalises regional representation across key markets and reflects the organisation’s widening footprint at a time of rapid change in the communications industry.
The appointments are intended to deepen engagement with members across the Middle East by giving practitioners in different markets a direct voice in shaping professional standards, training priorities and policy positions. MEPRA, which began as a small network of communications professionals, has grown into a body representing agencies, in-house teams and independent consultants across multiple countries, with a mandate that spans professional development, ethics and industry advocacy.
Marking its silver jubilee, the association said the creation of regional chairs responds to both scale and complexity. Communications work in the Gulf, the Levant and neighbouring markets has expanded alongside economic diversification, government reform agendas and the rise of digital platforms. A single centralised leadership model, the organisation acknowledged, no longer reflected the operational realities or varied regulatory environments of the region.
Under the new structure, regional chairs will act as senior representatives for their respective markets, liaising with MEPRA’s board and executive team while leading local initiatives. Their remit includes supporting member engagement, contributing to research and thought leadership, and helping tailor professional development programmes to market-specific needs. The chairs are also expected to play a role in strengthening collaboration between agencies and in-house teams, an area that has gained prominence as communications functions become more integrated with business strategy.
The association’s leadership has framed the move as a natural evolution rather than a departure from its core mission. Over 25 years, MEPRA has focused on professionalising public relations and communications in the Middle East, advocating ethical practice and promoting skills development. The introduction of regional chairs is designed to reinforce those objectives by ensuring that local perspectives inform regional policy and standards.
Industry observers note that the timing is significant. Communications professionals across the Middle East are navigating pressures ranging from rapid digital transformation and the use of data analytics to heightened scrutiny around transparency, sustainability claims and corporate governance. The expansion of artificial intelligence tools in content creation and monitoring has also raised new ethical and operational questions, increasing demand for guidance and shared best practice.
Against that backdrop, MEPRA’s move signals an intention to be more responsive and locally attuned. Regional chairs are expected to feed market intelligence into the association’s programmes, helping it address issues such as evolving media ecosystems, localisation of global campaigns and the differing maturity levels of public relations markets across the region.
Membership growth has been a steady feature of MEPRA’s development, with professionals joining from agency networks, multinational corporations, government entities and start-ups. The association’s training courses, awards and industry forums have become fixtures on the regional communications calendar. By decentralising elements of leadership, MEPRA aims to sustain that momentum while maintaining consistent standards across borders.
The appointments also align with broader trends in professional bodies, which are increasingly adopting hub-and-spoke models to balance regional coherence with local relevance. For MEPRA, the challenge will be to ensure that regional autonomy complements, rather than fragments, its overarching strategy. Clear lines of accountability and coordination between chairs and the central board will be essential.
While individual appointments have been positioned as a collective milestone rather than personal accolades, the association has emphasised that the chairs bring extensive experience from across agency and corporate roles. Their selection follows internal consultation and is intended to reflect the diversity of the region’s communications landscape.
The appointments are intended to deepen engagement with members across the Middle East by giving practitioners in different markets a direct voice in shaping professional standards, training priorities and policy positions. MEPRA, which began as a small network of communications professionals, has grown into a body representing agencies, in-house teams and independent consultants across multiple countries, with a mandate that spans professional development, ethics and industry advocacy.
Marking its silver jubilee, the association said the creation of regional chairs responds to both scale and complexity. Communications work in the Gulf, the Levant and neighbouring markets has expanded alongside economic diversification, government reform agendas and the rise of digital platforms. A single centralised leadership model, the organisation acknowledged, no longer reflected the operational realities or varied regulatory environments of the region.
Under the new structure, regional chairs will act as senior representatives for their respective markets, liaising with MEPRA’s board and executive team while leading local initiatives. Their remit includes supporting member engagement, contributing to research and thought leadership, and helping tailor professional development programmes to market-specific needs. The chairs are also expected to play a role in strengthening collaboration between agencies and in-house teams, an area that has gained prominence as communications functions become more integrated with business strategy.
The association’s leadership has framed the move as a natural evolution rather than a departure from its core mission. Over 25 years, MEPRA has focused on professionalising public relations and communications in the Middle East, advocating ethical practice and promoting skills development. The introduction of regional chairs is designed to reinforce those objectives by ensuring that local perspectives inform regional policy and standards.
Industry observers note that the timing is significant. Communications professionals across the Middle East are navigating pressures ranging from rapid digital transformation and the use of data analytics to heightened scrutiny around transparency, sustainability claims and corporate governance. The expansion of artificial intelligence tools in content creation and monitoring has also raised new ethical and operational questions, increasing demand for guidance and shared best practice.
Against that backdrop, MEPRA’s move signals an intention to be more responsive and locally attuned. Regional chairs are expected to feed market intelligence into the association’s programmes, helping it address issues such as evolving media ecosystems, localisation of global campaigns and the differing maturity levels of public relations markets across the region.
Membership growth has been a steady feature of MEPRA’s development, with professionals joining from agency networks, multinational corporations, government entities and start-ups. The association’s training courses, awards and industry forums have become fixtures on the regional communications calendar. By decentralising elements of leadership, MEPRA aims to sustain that momentum while maintaining consistent standards across borders.
The appointments also align with broader trends in professional bodies, which are increasingly adopting hub-and-spoke models to balance regional coherence with local relevance. For MEPRA, the challenge will be to ensure that regional autonomy complements, rather than fragments, its overarching strategy. Clear lines of accountability and coordination between chairs and the central board will be essential.
While individual appointments have been positioned as a collective milestone rather than personal accolades, the association has emphasised that the chairs bring extensive experience from across agency and corporate roles. Their selection follows internal consultation and is intended to reflect the diversity of the region’s communications landscape.
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