APCO Worldwide Launches Strategic Partnership with Middle East and Africa Compliance Association

Dubai – 14 September 2022: APCO Worldwide and the Middle East and Africa Compliance Association (MEACA) launched a strategic partnership to help elevate the dialogue around ethics and compliance across the Middle East and Africa, Imad Lahad, managing director of APCO’s Dubai office, announced today.

“MEACA is the go-to professional association in the region that seeks to promote accountability, transparency and integrity in both private and public organizations,” Lahad said. “This strategic partnership between APCO and MEACA will further help to empower and support communities to inspire movement and catalyze progress toward a more ethical world.”

Based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) (in association with Norton Rose Fulbright), MEACA works to promote global regulatory compliance and effective governance. It provides networking, educational and advisory services to DIFC companies, multinational businesses and government agencies around the world.

The association’s coverage areas include, but are not limited to, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, environment, society and governance (ESG), financial crimes, ethics and integrity, corporate social responsibility, sanctions and export controls, antitrust and competition laws, data privacy, and corporate culture. Through the partnership, APCO will provide counsel on communications and thought leadership efforts, as well as advice on topical issues critical to MEACA’s mission.

MEACA Co-Chairman and Co-Founder Tomell deSilva Ceasar stated, “our partnership with APCO is pivotal in assisting our mission to support association members and the communities in which they live to be effective combatants against the proliferation of corruption in all forms.”

Since launching its Dubai office in 2006, APCO’s regional presence grew from a small team of 10 consultants to more than 200 people from 26 countries working in teams across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Manama and Amman. APCO’s achievements in the region have been consistently recognized by peers and industry leaders, including being awarded EMEA Public Affairs Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report in 2018, Best Agency in the Middle East by PRWeek in 2019, Corporate Consultancy of the Year by The Holmes Report in 2019, Best EMEA Agency to Work for: EMEA Network by The Holmes Report in 2017 and 2019 and Top 5 Best EMEA Networks to Work for by PRovoke in 2022.