Our story
Founded in 2011, at the outset of Egypt’s worst period of economic uncertainty in more than 40 years, we triumphed over adversity. We started with two people and one client: a project for Coca-Cola. That was our launchpad, from where we grew almost exclusively through word-of-mouth and referrals, into a team of 27 of the best PR talents in the MENA region and a track record of 150+ companies over the past 10 years.
Our people
We’ve built a culture of collaboration, learning and compassion.
Flexibility and trust are key. Each & every team member is empowered to take ownership and responsibility. We hire people we believe in, professionals who have what it takes to get in the driver’s seat and win, every day, for their clients.
Mission
We provide value based and innovative PR services that are tailored to communicate and disperse the authentic stories of our clients in ways that capture the heart and minds of their stakeholders.
Global Affiliates
Regional Affiliates
Founders Bios
Mai Abaza
Chief Executive Officer
Mai is the co-founder & CEO of Publicist Inc. She has 17 years of PR consulting experience, working with clients across the MENA region in diverse industry sectors.
Mai’s expertise spans government, technology telecom, consumer, healthcare and many other industries, providing strategic communications consulting, media outreach strategies and consumer marketing.
Since 2011, Mai has grown the company from three to 20 people today, with a client portfolio that includes the likes of P&G, Netflix, Spotify, UBER, adidas, Reebok, Prometeon, and many other local, regional and international organisations.
From 2010 to 2011 Mai played the lead role in managing Egypt’s General Authority for Investment (GAFI) global communication campaign in ten countries around Europe, the Middle East and Asia Following the January 25th revolution, Mai continued to consult with GAFI on crisis management and investor communications strategies. As the lead consultant in Egypt for Emirates , Mai also received an immersive crisis training with the world’s leading airline.
Prior to Hill & Knowlton, Mai lived in Dubai, working with Spot On Public Relations>. During these years she worked with clients across many sectors with a core focus on ICT, working as a full-time consultant for Wataniya Telecom in Kuwait from 2003 till 2005, working with Jordan’s TRC and managing the official transformation from Jordan Telecom to Orange following privatization in 2005.
Allaa Ramadan
Chief Operations Officer
Allaa is passionate about driving positive change and impacting lives through communications. She is adept at changing perceptions and crafting tailored, impact-driven, long-term awareness campaigns around societal and communal causes that win hearts and minds.
Strategist and visionary, Allaa is the Co-founder and COO of Publicist Inc. She has more than 15 years of agency and corporate experience working in the fields of marketing, digital and integrated communications consulting in Egypt and the Middle East & Africa.
With the active support of the founding team, Allaa spearheaded the growth of Publicist Inc contributing to its top-of-mind positioning and recall in the market. She leads strategic conversations with Impact Porter & Novelli, Ketchum and the MMK Network for global communications networking and sharing of best in class communication practices.
Over the years, Allaa has worked with, served and/ or consulted Spotify, Adidas, Netflix, P&G, Sony Mobile, OLX, MEDEL, GIZ, Flat6Labs, Ikea, Misr Italia, Majid Al Futtaim, Ted Baker, RiseUp, Vested, ITWORX Education and many others. Allaa’s work spanned wide industries and disciplines including strategic communications consulting, digital execution and media and influencer outreach for technology, healthcare, fashion, retail & consumer good companies.
Prior to her agency experience at PI, Allaa worked as a Communications & Change Management Consultant for Zain Telecommunications. She was among the team of consultants that paved the way for one of the biggest M&A deals in the world of telecoms. She was assigned for a major turnaround project for Zain Nigeria & Tanzania that was the core of the M&A deal.
Allaa also co-founded the Wealth Management Department at the Commercial International Bank (CIB) back in 2008 where she strategized and planned for the communications of high-net worth targets inside and outside the bank.