Bahrain-based media organisation, the Al Hilal Group, is expanding it's GCC operations through a new office in the Abu Dhabi Media Zone, twofour 54 to spearhead its business development strategies in the UAE capital.
The office is headed by Simon O'Herlihy, an experienced media professional who has previously worked with Al Hilal Group and more recently Motivate Publishing.

O'Herlihy said the significance of the Abu Dhabi launch could not be overstated, "Abu Dhabi is a key area for business development and the Group is delighted to establish a significant operational presence in the Media Zone. We already have extensive publishing interests and strong business relations in the capital and it is natural to further enhance our presence at this time," he said.

Commenting on the expansion into Abu Dhabi, Group Managing Director Ronnie Middleton, said: "We are experiencing increasing demand for our publications and other services in Abu Dhabi, so we needed to demonstrate Al Hilal's commitment to our clients in the UAE capital. The timing is ideal and we are confident that our client base and media portfolio will expand rapidly in the region's most dynamic market. The new media zone, twofour 54, provides the perfect launching pad and we are delighted to be part of this initiative."

The Abu Dhabi office complements the Group's offices in Bahrain, Dubai, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and London.

Established in 1978, Al Hilal Group is one of the Middle East's leading publishing and marketing organisations. It is well-known for its leading daily newspapers in Bahrain, the Gulf Daily News and Akhbar Al Khaleej, business directories and regional trade magazines such as Gulf Construction and Travel and Tourism News.

All publications are backed up by on line editions, the business news portal www.tradearabia.com and a growing number of conferences and exhibitions. Recent diversity and expansion has included IT, recruitment and loyalty programmes.