Maryam Al Mheiri, COO, twofour54: “Our mission is to build a skilled workforce to develop a self-sustaining media ecosystem”
02 Feb 2015
50% of twofour54 employees are UAE nationals
As part of its participation at Tawdheef Abu Dhabi 2015, Maryam Al Mheiri, Chief Operating Officer of twofour54, the commercial arm of the Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi, reiterated twofour54’s commitment to encouraging aspiring and qualified Emirati nationals to enter the media industry through a number of specific channels it has developed in order for Emiratis to select the journey that works best for them. According to the COO, twofour54’s drive lies in its dedication to creating and developing a thriving, self-sustaining media ecosystem by investing in the most talented and passionate people.
Maryam Al Mheiri said: “We have worked through the many different channels that twofour54 has developed for Emiratis to enter the media sector in order to build a local workforce including internships, volunteer programs, entrepreneurship schemes, training and freelancer programs – demonstrating how the company is going beyond just employing people; but enabling them through training, support and awareness of the available opportunities to forge a creative career path.”
Al Mheiri stated: “We are working in accordance with the overall strategy developed by the Media Zone Authority, which relies on training local talent and giving them the opportunities they deserve to find their career paths. Our vibrant and dynamic media campus contributes to Abu Dhabi’s attractiveness as a global business hub while offering career paths that fulfil the career aspirations of Emiratis. twofour54 has created a unique ecosystem in Abu Dhabi that contributes to the organic and sustainable growth of the media industry in the UAE and across the region and develops local media talent by providing training opportunities and connecting them with career opportunities in the creative industry.”
Since the establishment of twofour54, the company has been focused on raising the employment of Emiratis in all sectors of the media and entertainment industry. In 2014, its efforts have succeeded in raising the proportion to 50% from 43.2% in 2013 and 24% in 2010. A key contributor to the UAE’s economic growth and diversity, twofour54’s Abu Dhabi campus is home to more than 300 local, regional and international media and creative companies including Ubisoft, Cartoon Network, Sky News Arabia, CNN, Flash Entertainment, Sports 360, Reed Exhibitions, Charisma, Tahadi and Jawaker.
Al Mheiri also touched upon twofour54’s entrepreneurship scheme which was introduced to encourage Emiratis setup businesses within the media zone on a low cost basis, allowing them to obtain a license in the media zone without the need to rent office space. The programme has directly invested over 150m AED to date in content projects and direct investments to support such businesses in order to foster sustainable Arab-focused media and digital businesses in the UAE.
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