Manal Shaikh


Manal has a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Economy from Exeter University, UK and a background in project management. As a senior account executive, she acts as liaison between clients and the media, coordinating interviews, overseeing the development and dispatch of original content, conducting key messaging workshops and handling events. Her clients include EPIC Green Solutions, Notions Group and Technogym Emirates. While completing her studies, Manal interned at McKinsey & Co. Management Consultants UAE in Research & Development, where she worked closely with consultants and other analysts on projects relating to the education, media, banking and, in particular, healthcare industries in the Middle East. She began her professional career in 2007 working as a project manager for a textile and corporate uniform manufacturer, where her role comprised of sales and business development activities, from initial sales pitches to ensuring the delivery of end products, as well as overseeing in-house marketing projects.

Manal takes care to execute every project with great attention to detail, in line with client objectives, and uses her flair for networking to great advantage in her current role.

Manal grew up in the UAE and speaks English and Urdu fluently.

The Best Kind of PR…

Public Relations 1 Response »
Oct 152012

In addition to standard business development activities, as a PR agency, it’s fairly normal practice to receive a steady stream of requests for proposals (RFPs). This got me thinking about where companies find agencies to contact with an RFP in the first place, so as we were driving to a meeting this afternoon, I put the question forward to our Managing Director.

Is it a standard Google search? Do they turn to a governing body, such as the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA)? Maybe they dig a little bit deeper and turn to trade publications that showcase the works of advertising and communications agencies across the region?

His response? “Word of mouth is the best PR!”
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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 10:58 AM Tagged with: , , , ,

PR vs. Journalism

Public Relations No Responses »
Sep 242012

“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations.”
― George Orwell

As PR consultants, we have something of an unavoidable love-hate relationship with the media, a bit like an old married couple. Through mutual support (realistically, every journalist has, in one way or another, benefited from the information provided to them by a PR, and we the majority of our jobs revolve around what they write about our clients) we’ve built a foundation for a long lasting bond.
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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 10:26 AM Tagged with: , , ,

Are you connecting to the right people?

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Aug 202012

Of all the social media platforms available to us today, LinkedIn is probably the one we focus on the least, in terms of using it as a ‘marketing tool’ – mainly due to its ‘B2B’ function.  However, from an individual perspective, more so than Facebook and Twitter, it’s probably the ideal way to promote yourself, whether it’s for networking purposes to build business contacts, finding a new job or simply establishing yourself as an thought leader within your industry.

But what’s the best approach when it comes to adding people? Do you accept every invite that comes your way, or should you be more selective, limiting your contacts to key existing and prospective clients, or industry peers?

David Johnson offers some pointers on how to best use the business networking site to your advantage on Social Media Today.

Are you LinkedIn?

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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 11:12 AM Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

London Olympic Games 2012 – “Now, THAT’S good PR!”

How to, Public Relations No Responses »
Aug 012012

9:00 P.M. GMT on Friday 27th July, 2012. The biggest event of the year kicked off, and with quite a bang at that. You’d be lying if you said that your life hadn’t been affected, in one way or another, by the London Olympic Games 2012 – I know mine certainly has.

I had clients participating in the event, friends flying out to watch a number of the competitions (Jealous? Me? Not at all!), and my Twitter and Facebook newsfeeds were ablaze with a flurry of status updates and posts about the Opening Ceremony.

And as I sat, watching a slightly trippy mishmash of Mr. Bean playing a keyboard, Her Majesty jumping out of a plane, jetpack-laden men hovering above the crowds and hundreds of Mary Poppins’ flying into the stadium, I thought to myself, “Now, THAT’S good PR!”
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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 11:02 AM Tagged with: , , ,

Transform Your Brand into a ‘Social Media Butterfly’ – by Acting Human

Do's and Don'ts, How to, Social Media No Responses »
Jul 182012

Anthropomorphism, or personification. The act of attributing human characteristics (or characteristics assumed to belong only to humans) to other animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organisations, governments, spirits or deities.

I think it’s safe to say that never before has the concept rung as true as when it comes to brands, particularly with the rise of social media.
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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 11:16 AM Tagged with: , , , , , ,

PR Pitches – Time to Get Creative

Media, Public Relations No Responses »
Jun 112012

Whether it’s pitching for new accounts or pitching for coverage about existing accounts, this is without a doubt one of the most prominent words in a PR consultant’s vocabulary.  It’s true what they say, first impressions are the cornerstone to any long-lasting relationship and when you’re courting a potential client or a journalist, it’s imperative that you approach them with a strong pitch to really make that first impression count.

Journalists are constantly being bombarded with press releases and feature articles on a daily basis; and while we, as PRs, think every story we pitch is highly relevant and an absolute winner, in the grand scheme of things, this isn’t necessarily the case.  However, sometimes we hit gold, and when we do, we need to roll up our sleeves and work at getting our story noticed. Continue reading »

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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 10:24 AM

PR Attire: Does Your Image Matter?

Public Relations No Responses »
May 232012

“I really think I’d be more productive if I could go to work in my PJs,” I mused to a friend a few days ago.

…and then I thought about what I’d said.  Would I really get more done in the office if I was dressed like I was about to go to bed? In an ideal world…yes – in reality however, probably not. I’d love to wake up and not have to worry about dressing appropriately for work, it would certainly cut down on the time I spend getting ready in the morning.
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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 12:13 PM

Twitter: The Ultimate Popularity Contest

How to, Public Relations, Social Media 1 Response »
May 022012

It’s been over three months since I proclaimed that I was going to try to be more ‘active’ on social media – namely Twitter – and while I’ve finally gotten round to filling in my bio (with a little bit of coaxing) and started tweeting more frequently, I’ve only really picked up about 20 more followers.

Now, I’ve never been particularly bothered about how many ‘friends’ I have on Facebook, so I shouldn’t really let this bother me, right? Well, Twitter’s all about having a voice and I’d like to think that although I’ve started off using the platform for recreational purposes until I get to grips with it, eventually, I’d like to be able to use it to influence people. So what am I doing wrong?
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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 11:25 AM Tagged with: , , , , , , ,

Facebook Timeline: If You Can’t Beat Them…

Public Relations, Social Media 1 Response »
Apr 162012

In my last post, I briefly touched upon the pros and cons of the new Facebook Timeline. While my sentiments may have initially leaned towards the negative, I figure that if this layout is indeed here to stay then we’re just going to have to find a way to co-exist that’s mutually beneficial to everyone.

Nancy Messieh’s article on The Next Web suggests tips on how businesses can effectively adapt their content for Facebook Timeline to meet business objectives. Based on case-studies of six major brands including Pizza Hut, Manchester United, Gap, Coldplay, American Express and Coca-Cola, Nancy provides an analysis of what works and what doesn’t.
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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 11:07 AM Tagged with: , , , , , ,

Facebook Timeline: Making the Switch

Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized 1 Response »
Apr 082012

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I’m a traditionalist. I simply don’t like change and particularly when it’s not out of choice. So as the time for all Facebook users to make the change from the traditional profile layout to the shiny new ‘Timeline’ looms on the horizon, it’s understandable that this isn’t something that I’m entirely in favour of.

A short excerpt from Roberto Baldwin’s article on Gadget Lab, describes the new format as:
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Posted by Manal Shaikh at 10:31 AM Tagged with: , , , ,
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