Company: ADQ
Nomination Submitted by: Edelman
Company Description: Established in 2018, ADQ is an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company with a broad portfolio of major enterprises. Its investments span key sectors of the UAE’s diversified economy including energy and utilities, food and agriculture, healthcare and life sciences, and mobility and logistics, amongst others.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications Department of the Year
 Nomination Title: ADQ Communications Department
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated department since 1 January 2021, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated department: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 193 words used.
Established in 2018, ADQ is an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor and asset manager mandated to accelerate the transformation of the Emirate into a knowledge-based economy by seeking out compelling opportunities across sectors that are critical to realizing Abu Dhabi’s economic vision. ADQ’s busy Corporate Communications function forms part of the CEO Office to anchor communications as a business-critical contribution. Its scope encompasses four pillars:
- Shaping and protecting ADQ’s reputation through press office, branding, digital communications, stakeholder engagement etc.,
- Overseeing and guiding communications of its more than 20 fully owned or majority-owned portfolio companies in the UAE and beyond, which include numerous national champions and listed companies,
- Providing communications support services including advisory, copywriting, branding and training to internal stakeholders to enable the achievement of business objectives,
- Supporting highly confidential special projects, often with direct impact on the reputation of the sovereign, as directed by the management.
During the first years of ADQ’s existence, the team put the communications foundations in place while opting to keep a low profile externally in alignment with the priorities of the Government. This involved a highly selective approach to media engagement and a strong focus on owned channels.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the department's achievements since the beginning of 2021 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
Under a new Head of Communications since May 2022 and in preparation for ADQ’s fifth anniversary in May 2023, a new chapter began.
- Two team members were hired, bringing the headcount to four. New policies were introduced, and the company’s crisis communications repository was overhauled with a focus on portfolio crisis mitigation.
- ADQ’s first-ever brand perception survey was completed in early 2023. Building on the results, ADQ introduced a new corporate identity, featuring a bolder logo and the integration of the Arabic ‘Al Qabida’ into the Q as a nod to its roots.
- An engaging new website catering to specific stakeholder requirements was launched. Meanwhile, ADQ’s social media accounts continued to gain popularity thanks to a refreshed visual asset strategy.
- In addition to strategic announcements including the creation of MENA’s largest independent asset manager, ADQ’s thought leadership platform was strengthened with whitepapers on the future of the pharma and logistics sectors and an opinion editorial on grid resiliency.
- The asset communications workstream presented the team with ever-new briefs, ensuring adequate oversight and guidance. The network Elevate ADQ was launched, bringing together communications professionals from across ADQ to share best practices.
- The team contributed to the investor presentation and stakeholder Q&A for a successful non-deal roadshow in Asia, in addition to advising on market-leading ESG publications. Ongoing transaction communications advisory was provided to the highly active M&A team.
- The team led the activation of ADQ’s multiple strategic sponsorships, including with the NBA as Presenting Partner of the Abu Dhabi Games 2023.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the department's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 241 words used.
As part of a fast-paced organization with complex decision-making structures, ADQ’s Corporate Communications team successfully balances speed of delivery with high-quality outcomes, while ensuring alignment with the expectations and priorities of numerous high-level stakeholders.
Compared to both local and international peers, ADQ’s Corporate Communications function is exceptionally lean, with a four-strong in-house team in charge of all areas of communications, which is a significantly smaller headcount than peers, proportional to total assets under management.
The team has been making consistent contributions to shaping ADQ’s positioning as a sustainable investor creating long-term value for Abu Dhabi and the UAE, ensuring consistent and relatable messages as well as transparency as marked by a 200% year-on-year jump in Global SWF’s GSR 2023 transparency ranking (results to be published in July).
Taking a forward-thinking, audience-first approach to communications, ADQ’s Corporate Communications team minimizes run-of-the-mill press office activities that could not be expected to make a significant contribution to the corporate positioning. Strategic priorities are chosen with impact in mind, leading to landmark initiatives such as the brand refresh, the new corporate website, and bolstering ADQ’s thought leadership platform.
Despite the extremely busy day-to-day, the team makes internal stakeholder support a top priority to contribute to business objectives. In the past year alone, briefs have included ad-hoc advisory mandates for members of the Portfolio Management team, executive coaching sessions for members of ADQ’s management team, World Economic Forum engagement support, and multiple high-level strategic branding projects.
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
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