BPG Group celebrates 30 year anniversary at its 17th annual workshop

UAE, Dubai, 23^rd September, 2010: BPG Group (BatesPanGulf), one of the larger marketing solutions groups in the Middle East, celebrated 30 years success at the Company’s 17^th annual workshop held at The Yas Hotel off the Yas Marina F1 Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

The Group announcement by Mr. Avi Bhojani, Group CEO of BPG, unveiled the future direction for the BPG Group. The quality driven strategy will see BPG differentiate itself in the market by offering marketing solutions to its clients, with a vision to become the most trusted solutions provider in the region.

Over three days, the workshop brought side-by-side eminent industry professionals and BPG Group’s 220 team members and associates from 11 different countries. Joined by BPG Group Chairman Mr. Abdulla Majed Al Ghurair and prominent industry speakers including, Mr. John O’Keeffe, Worldwide Creative Director of WPP, Mr. Paul Bell, CEO of Bell Pottinger Group, Mr. Toby Hoare, CEO, JWT Europe, CEO, Team HSBC for WPP and BPG Board Member, Mr. Kelly Clark, Global CEO of Maxus Worldwide, Mr. Kenny Powar CEO Blue Interactive, Mr. Ozgur Aksugur, Global COO, Blue Interactive, Singapore, and Mr. Christian Schroeder, CEO of Lambie-Nairn.

  

Held between September 15^th and 17^th, 2010, the 17^th annual workshop, themed ‘BPG Pitstop 2010’ enabled BPG team members, to come together to learn, immerse in workshop challenges and reconnect. One of the most thought provoking challenges issued was the syndicated case study, where after just 30 hours, groups of team members, from cross functional disciplines and across geographies, were tasked to conceptualise, research, brand and pitch an integrated solutions plan to an eminent jury including Mr. Ahmed Al Hashmi, Chief Commercial Officer, India, Etisalat, Mr. Eric Kerboriou, Marketing Director, Nawras, Oman, Mr. Mikkel Vinter, CEO & Founder Friendi Group, Mr. Kenny Powar CEO Blue Interactive and Mr. Christian Schroeder, CEO of Lambie-Nairn.      

Talking about the BPG Group vision for the future and the off-site challenges, Mr. Avi Bhojani, Group CEO of BPG commented; “The last 30 years has been an important journey for the BPG Group. Consciously adapting our offering to meet the changing market as enabled BPG to differentiate itself and remain a head of the times. If you don’t know what the problem is, you don’t know what the solution is. That’s why at ‘BPG Pitstop 2010’ we announced the move away from services to providing marketing solutions for our clients. I genuinely did not think that we could raise the bar higher following last years event, but the BPG team proved me wrong. I am extremely proud of our BPG team members. Through the accomplishments, commitment and passion of our people BPG has reached this milestone and come together in a workshop in a truly outstanding way. I am continuously grateful for the many years of support and guidance by Mr. Addulla Majed Al Ghurair, Chairman of the BPG Group, and his unwavering commitment to the BPG Group.”      

In his speech, Mr. Paul Bell, chief executive of the Bell Pottinger Group, spoke of the strong working partnership between Bell Pottinger and the BPG Group and said, “The trust that has developed between BPG and Bell Pottinger in the course of our six and a half year relationship is remarkable." Mr. Bell also noted that the technology revolution had transferred enormous power to consumers and voters, and put individuals at the centre of communication. This had introduced major changes in the way opinion is formed, and that among communications disciplines, public relations and digital content generation had come strongly to the foreground in reputation management.

Speaking at the offsite, Mr. Toby Hoare said: “I am always happy to return to BPG. The vision, leadership, team and professionalism of the group have never waivered in 30 years, and, although I have my day job at JWT and managing Team HSBC for WPP, returning to BPG is always a valuable and insightful pleasure.”