Key promotions and hire at Edelman Smithfield Middle East

Jonty Summers (pictured) will start a new role at Burson as Head of Corporate Affairs in Dubai at the end of June. He joins from Hanover, where he spent ten years as Regional Managing Director, establishing and running Hanover's advisory business in the Middle East.

“We are thrilled to welcome a leader of Jonty’s calibre to our team,” said Fouad Bou Mansour, CEO, MENAT, Burson.

“In a region as dynamic and fast-paced as the Middle East, clients require senior counsellors who combine a deep, nuanced understanding of the region with a proven track record of delivering results. Jonty embodies this. He has over 20 years of experience providing strategic, C-suite-level counsel to top-tier organisations, helping them navigate challenges, growth, and transformation. His expertise will be a tremendous asset, and I am confident he will play a pivotal role in continuing to elevate our corporate offering and helping our clients win in this complex environment.”

Jonty's career includes senior leadership roles at Edelman, where he was Senior Vice President for corporate practice across the Middle East. Prior to this, Jonty was Managing Director at Bladonmore in London, before transferring to Abu Dhabi in 2009. He began his career as a journalist and then worked in publishing in London.

"Having spent my career helping organisations build and protect their reputations through periods of transformation, growth and change, I am excited to join Burson as it continues to grow and evolve its offering across the Middle East,” said Jonty.

“This is one of the world’s most dynamic and strategically important regions, and organisations here face both extraordinary opportunities and increasingly complex operating environments. Burson's sector expertise, global reach and local relevance position it exceptionally well to help clients navigate, lead and grow in this breathtakingly disruptive landscape." 

Alliyah Villeza has joined Lalamove Philippines as Public Relations Lead, where she will lead public relations and corporate communications initiatives, including campaign development, media relations, agency management, partnership engagement, reputation management and issues monitoring.

She brings both in-house and agency experience from her previous roles at Meralco PowerGen and RedTorch Communications. 

Paritee-backed North Seventy Five has expanded its operations into Abu Dhabi. The move marks a pivotal step in the communications agency's growth strategy and responds to growing demand from clients operating in the UAE capital.

"Abu Dhabi is a distinct and extraordinary market in its own right. Between us, Iman and I have advised its governments, institutions, and businesses for over two decades. The emirate demands communications expertise that is as deeply rooted in local context as it is globally connected, and we are proud to bring North Seventy Five's full capabilities to the clients building its future,” said Lisa Welsh, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, North Seventy Five.

The agency offers its full suite of integrated communications services to Abu Dhabi clients, including strategy, creative campaigns, design and identity, content and publishing, leadership training, corporate communications, crisis response, and data intelligence, all delivered by senior and bilingual advisors embedded in the region.