Dubai-based PR agency Edelman DABO lays off staff

The agency said about 20 employees had been made redundant

by Austyn Allison

February 6, 2017

Dubai-based public relations agency Edelman DABO has confirmed that it has laid off staff because of the “changing communications landscape.”

The agency said about 20 employees had been made redundant.

“In response to the changing communications landscape, we are proactively transforming our business to drive increased efficiencies and effectiveness for our clients,” CEO Tod Donhauser said in a statement to Campaign Middle East magazine.

“This process includes refining the roles and specialities within our team. We will continue to add specialists, invest in training and build capabilities that reflect the new realities of communicating in the UAE and the GCC.

“For example, we are currently in the process of appointing an art director to complement our existing creative team and a performance director in digital who will have a strong focus on analytics, as well as a senior member of the UK Government communications team to serve as Middle East director of government relations to lead our communications strategy in that sector.

“We continue to expand our offer beyond public relations counsel, offering robust experiential, paid media, social and digital media and creative services to a wide range of top-tier clients in the private and public sectors and remain better placed than ever to provide the solutions to their business challenges.”

In April 2015, US-based Edelman acquired Dubai-based independent DABO & Co for an undisclosed sum. The resulting Edelman DABO employed 150 people between Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

In February last year, its UAE operations were split into two units as part of a restructure across the Middle East and Africa.

Companies across the UAE have been reducing staff to cope with tougher economic conditions.

A recent poll by online recruitment firm GulfTalent found that 15 per cent of firms in the UAE expect headcount reductions in 2017.

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