The role is one of the biggest in African Public Relations, with APO Group’s PR team collaborating with some of the world’s most prestigious organizations as they look to develop their operations on the continent
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, January 17, 2024/APO Group/ —
APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the premier award-winning Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, is delighted to announce the appointment of Rania El Rafie as Vice President of Public Relations and Strategic Communications.
Egyptian Rania is the first candidate to be promoted to VP of Public Relations and Strategic Communications from within the company, and the youngest person ever to hold this key role. She joined APO Group as Account Director in 2020 and was promoted to Group Account Director shortly thereafter. In the last three years, she has been responsible for managing the company’s most prestigious accounts, delivering huge success for both her clients and APO Group itself.
APO Group’s VP of Public Relations and Strategic Communications is one of the most important and influential roles in the African PR industry. Rania heads up a team with unparalleled experience that operates ‘on the ground’ in Africa, reaching every country and every corner of the continent.
Rania and her team provide a gateway to the media, and are responsible for supporting some of the biggest global organizations operating in Africa today, including: FIFA, Canon, Nestlé, TikTok, Jack Ma Foundation, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Marriott, AstraZeneca, European Investment Bank, Afreximbank, Islamic Development Bank, Vertiv, NBA, Basketball Africa League, Siemens Gamesa, Siemens Energy, GITEX, KONE, Mercy Ships, MSD, Qatar African Business Forum, Western Union, and Rugby Africa.
Rania’s performance as Group Account Director made her the unanimous choice among the APO Group leadership team when the position of VP of Public Relations and Strategic Communications became available.
In her time at APO Group, she has already played a pivotal role in two award-winning campaigns for Canon Central and North Africa at the PRovoke Africa SABRE Awards – Africa’s leading Public Relations Awards. Rania was also heavily involved in further SABRE Award success thanks to her work with The Jack Ma Foundation and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
As Group Account Director, Rania helped many clients – including Canon and the NBA – achieve exceptional media attendance at events in Cairo; she delivered the overall international media hosting programme at GITEX Global in Dubai; and she was also a key moderator during the Africa Women Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) Cairo summit in 2022.
APO Group’s VP of Public Relations and Strategic Communications is one of the most important and influential roles in the African PR industry
Rania has more than 20 years of experience in Public Relations, working her way up through the ranks in a number of key roles across Africa and the Middle East.
Prior to joining APO Group, Rania was the Regional Account Director for Ketchum RAAD Middle East Dubai, managing client PR accounts and providing strategic counsel to prominent clients such as Etihad Airways, Nissan, P&G, and CNN.
She also spent five years at the world-famous J. Walter Thompson PR in Dubai, part of the global WPP group, where she managed key accounts within the consumer and financial PR sectors across the MENA region.
Rania holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the American University in Dubai (AUD). She is also a dedicated mother to two boys, Youssef and Yassin.
As she commences her new role, Rania will embark upon a personally tailored Executive Leadership Development Plan, which APO Group Founder and Chairman Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard says will help her to reach her great potential and allow her to flourish at the very highest level of African Public Relations.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Rania to the leadership team,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and Chairman of APO Group. “I’ve been enormously impressed with her progress since joining the company, as she has delivered for our biggest clients time and again. Her appointment was a completely unanimous decision across the management group and reflects her vast potential to propel our Public Relations division forward still further.”
“I am truly honored and grateful for the trust placed in me by our management team,” said Rania El Rafie, APO Group’s VP of Public Relations and Strategic Communications. “One of the things that I’ve always loved about APO Group is the sense of closeness and collaboration, and it is a privilege to lead such a diverse and experienced team. I look forward to building on our outstanding culture of high performance, commitment to quality, and continuous improvement. More than anything, I’m excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.”
ZHONGSHAN, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 July 2026 – As 2026 marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the 6th Cross-Strait Sun Yat-sen Forum was held in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province—the hometown of the great pioneer—from June 27 to 29 under the theme “Carrying Forward Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Spirit of Endeavor and Working Together for the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation”. This year’s forum was the largest in its history, attracting the broadest participation from Taiwan compatriots and the highest proportion of young participants to date. Around 2,000 representatives from across the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao attended the event. Centered on cultural heritage and driven by economic and trade cooperation, the forum established a multi-level platform for cross-strait exchanges and collaboration while fostering broader consensus on integrated cross-strait development.
Distinguished guests from both sides of the Taiwan Strait attended the opening ceremony and noted in their remarks that Dr. Sun Yat-sen is a revered national pioneer shared by compatriots on both sides of the Strait. His vision of rejuvenating China remains a common spiritual legacy, and people across the Strait should carry forward his ideals and work hand in hand toward national rejuvenation. During the opening ceremony, Zhongshan Municipal People’s Government and the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland signed the Strategic Framework Agreement on Deepening Zhongshan-Taiwan Economic and Trade Cooperation to Promote Integrated Development, laying a solid institutional foundation for long-term industrial cooperation across the Strait.
A series of cultural exchange activities also took place throughout the forum. Participants enjoyed an evening tour of the century-old Sunwen West Road Arcade Pedestrian Street, immersing themselves in Zhongshan’s rich historical heritage and the vibrant cultural and tourism scene of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. They also visited the Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, where they studied revolutionary historical archives, bowed before Dr. Sun’s bronze statue to pay homage, and gained a deeper appreciation of his enduring ideals of “All Under Heaven Belong to the People” and “Revitalize China”. Many participants remarked that these activities provided an excellent platform for sustained exchanges among young people across the Strait and that their shared cultural roots and common heritage form a solid foundation for advancing cross-strait spiritual integration.
To further strengthen cross-strait economic cooperation and advance industrial integration between Shenzhen and Zhongshan, the forum also featured the “Taiwan Businesses Gather in Zhongshan, Industries Glow in the Greater Bay Area” 2026 Guangdong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Exchange Conference and Investment Promotion Event Celebrating the Second Anniversary of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link. A total of 19 industrial projects were signed during the event. The first group comprised seven Taiwan-invested projects spanning semiconductor supporting industries, electronic components, smart home products, high-end fitness equipment, and medical devices. The second and third groups included 12 Shenzhen-Zhongshan collaborative projects covering new energy vehicle components, industrial robotics, memory chip packaging, advanced specialty materials, and integrated cultural, tourism, and commercial developments.
During the investment promotion event, Taiwan business representatives spoke highly of Zhongshan’s business environment. Zhang Congyuan, Chairman of Huali Industrial Group, which has operated in Zhongshan for more than two decades, praised the city’s enterprise service philosophy of “staying out of businesses’ way when everything runs smoothly while providing prompt support whenever needed”. He noted that this business-friendly environment has helped the company grow into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of athletic footwear.
Guo Wenhai, secretary of the CPC Zhongshan Municipal Committee, extended a sincere invitation to Taiwan businesses and entrepreneurs to invest and establish operations in Zhongshan. He emphasized that the city offers not only strong industrial infrastructure but also high-quality government services. Zhongshan will continue to provide proactive, efficient, and dedicated support for businesses while continuously improving both its hard and soft investment environment. Leveraging the opportunities created by the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, the city aims to create broader prospects for cooperation and shared growth for enterprises from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Participants and Taiwan business representatives agreed that, taking the 160th anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s birth as an important milestone, this year’s forum created new channels for both cultural exchanges and industrial cooperation across the Strait. Looking ahead, Zhongshan will continue to organize regular initiatives, including entrepreneurship support programs for young people from Taiwan, youth exchange activities, and Guangdong-Taiwan industrial matchmaking events. By carrying forward Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s spirit, embracing the opportunities of the Greater Bay Area, and strengthening both economic cooperation and people-to-people ties, the city will continue to contribute to a new chapter of integrated cross-strait development.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 July 2026 – An iconic Swiss chocolate brand meets one of the world’s most celebrated names in crystal artistry to bring ‘Never Square’ to life. Creating something unexpected, something beautiful, and something that gives back: Toblerone today announces The Ultimate Gift.
The centrepiece is the Toblerone Crystal Bar crafted by Swarovski: an exceptionally rare series of hand-made crystal replicas of the original Toblerone chocolate bar – the gift many associate with travel. Familiar in form. Remarkable in execution. Individually numbered, certified, and utterly one-of-a-kind.
The Ultimate Gift: A Global Auction for Good
From 1st July to 31st July 2026, travellers passing through some of the world’s most iconic airports (Athens, Delhi, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Madrid, New York JFK, Singapore and Zurich) will encounter a mesmerising pop-up experience celebrating both brands and, above all, will have the chance to bid in person on the Toblerone Crystal Bar crafted by Swarovski.
Each auction is linked to the airport’s own established charity partner – organisations already embedded in their local communities and chosen by the airports themselves. 100% of winning bids will be donated to the designated charity at each location.
However, the auction is open to everyone globally. No need to be travelling to take part. Bidding is available online (terms and conditions apply), click here to visit the auction site and here for more information on the charities.
The Story Behind the Crystal Bar
Toblerone was born in Switzerland in 1908. Its triangular shape has made it one of the most recognised silhouettes in the world. For generations of travellers, it has been the gift you bring home: a small but indulgent, reliable piece of Switzerland.
To bring the Toblerone Crystal Bar to life, Toblerone turned to Swarovski. Swarovski delivers a diverse portfolio of unmatched quality, craftsmanship, and creativity. Founded in 1895 in Austria, the company designs, manufactures and markets high-quality crystals and created stones as well as finished products such as jewelry.
The two share more than Alpine geography. They share a belief that quality is not a detail but it is the point. That the things worth making are worth making properly. And that some of the most enduring objects in the world are the ones that manage to be both beautiful and, somehow, completely unpretentious about it.
The result is the Toblerone Crystal Bar crafted by Swarovski: Toblerone’s unmistakable triangular form, unapologetically rich on the inside, reimagined as a luxury artefact through Swarovski’s crystal craftsmanship.
Iain Livingston, President Toblerone & World Travel Retail, says: “Toblerone has always been more than a chocolate bar. It’s a ritual, a symbol of travel, and one of the world’s most recognised gifts. Creating the Toblerone Crystal Bar crafted by Swarovski feels like a natural expression of who we are: a brand that takes quality seriously but never takes itself too seriously. The Ultimate Gift is exactly that and will raise funds to support brilliant causes that help make the world a better place.”
The Craft Behind the Crystal
Each Toblerone Crystal Bar crafted by Swarovski is exclusively designed and developed using Swarovski’s rich savoir-faire:
Modelled on the original Toblerone chocolate bar & manufactured in Austria
Each weighs 851g and measures 305mm in length
546 individually cut facets per bar
140 hours of development and 65 hours of production – 100% handmade
Crafted with high-precision cutting technology, characterised by unmatched brilliance
The Ultimate Gift Box: Available to All
For those who prefer to take something home immediately, Toblerone is also launching a limited-edition Ultimate Gift Box adorned with Swarovski crystals, available exclusively in World Travel Retail throughout the campaign period across airports globally.
Inside: a Milk Toblerone bar.
Crystals on the outside. Unapologetically rich on the inside. The answer, as ever, to the question every traveller eventually asks themselves at the airport: “Where is my Toblerone?”
The conversation is shifting from what is possible to what can be implemented securely, compliantly and efficiently
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, July 1, 2026/APO Group/ –As stablecoins continue to gain traction across the financial services industry, businesses are increasingly focused on the infrastructure required to support their adoption at scale. The conversation is shifting from what is possible to what can be implemented securely, compliantly and efficiently.
This was a key theme at Money20/20 Europe 2026, where global fintech leaders gathered to discuss the future of payments. Across the event, discussions centred on artificial intelligence, regulation and reducing fragmentation across global payment systems.
Industry leaders focus on practical implementation
As businesses explore new payment rails, the need for reliable infrastructure that connects local and global markets becomes even more important
Sessions such as the live Agentic AI demonstrations and the Policy20 regulatory roundtables highlighted the industry’s growing focus on execution rather than experimentation. Stablecoins featured prominently in conversations around faster settlements, lower costs and more efficient cross-border payments.
“Kora is well-positioned for where the industry is heading,” said Tofunmi, Head, Global Partnerships at Kora. “As businesses explore new payment rails, the need for reliable infrastructure that connects local and global markets becomes even more important.”
Connecting Africa to the future of payments
Money20/20 Europe reinforced the importance of payment infrastructure in enabling the next generation of financial services. Throughout the event, Kora was recognised as a trusted African payment infrastructure provider, with discussions focused on the company’s expansion efforts and growing settlement capabilities.
As demand for faster and more connected payment experiences grows, Kora continues to build the infrastructure that enables businesses to collect, send and settle payments across Africa and globally.
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