Gulf Marcom Group/Gulf Hill & Knowlton Chairman receives award from His Majesty the King of Bahrain

The prestigious award was given in recognition of Mr. Al Muqla's sustained and outstanding contribution to PR and marketing communications across the Gulf region.

Mr. Al Muqla established Gulf Public Relations Group (now Gulf Marcom Group), in 1974, followed in 1985 by the establishment of the first specific public relations network in the Middle East as a joint venture with the internationally acclaimed Hill & Knowlton group. Throughout his career, he has led the group from strength to strength while becoming a significant presence in both local and international marketing communications circles. He was recently appointed to the London-based International Public Relations Association (IPRA) National Chair and Council for Bahrain, and is, amongst other accolades, a founding board member of the Bahrain Businessmen's Association.

Mr. Al Muqla said: "This award was a significant personal milestone in my career, but it is equally testament to the dedicated and talented people with whom I have worked over the years. Marketing is a relatively new field; however I feel that between us we have made our mark on Middle East businesses and enhanced their growth by helping them to communicate smarter."

Gulf Marcom Group's activities cover Bahrain as well as many other Gulf, Middle East and Arab countries, and since its inception its remit has included advertising, public relations, publishing, event management, translation, cementing its position as a turnkey communications provider.

Dave Robinson, CEO of Gulf Hill & Knowlton, said: "This award recognizes Mr. Al Muqla's 30-year commitment to the region's public relations and marketing sectors, and H&K is fortunate to have such an energetic and inspired Chairman. In recent years the region's sustainability and status as an international business marketplace has been enhanced by modern disciplines like public relations, and it is thanks to those like Mr. Al Muqla that the bar has been raised for the industry as a whole."

Mr. Al Muqla has been closely involved with Hill & Knowlton who, as international public relations consultants, have contributed to the groundswell of PR consciousness across the region, guiding many companies to communicate more effectively through coordinated and sustained campaigns.