Roopa Raveendran Menon

Experience

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  The Asian Age

  Sept 2003 - Dec 2003

  Sub-editor

   Subbing, designing and producing newspaper pages while sticking to deadlines.

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  Mid Day

  Dec 2003 - Nov 2004

  Reporter

  Key Responsibilities: Reporting local beat (Navi Mumbai) & civic issues as well as issues based on education and trends in Navi Mumbai. Writing articles on lifestyle in Navi Mumbai.Major achievements: Wrote the following articles, which were published in the Metro section of Mid-day Multimedia Pvt. Ltd.: Education Beat• Profile of Rosy Rajan, the advocate who won the SIES fee hike Case (dated July 23, 2004)• Admission trends in Navi Mumbai (July 9, 2004) Lifestyle Beat• Profiles of upcoming designers in Navi Mumbai• Articles on fashion trends in Navi Mumbai Trend Beat• Article on housewives and call centers. (July 16, 2004)• Article on real estate in Navi Mumbai (July 30, 2004) Civic Beat• Illegal sale of terrace by CIDCO• Article on missing stray dogs Show less

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  Times of India

  Dec 2004 - Aug 2006

  Copyeditor/Correspondent

  Key Responsibilities: Generating story ideas and commissioning them to a team of freelance reporters. Selecting and editing articles contributed by a team of freelance reporters. Designing and producing newspaper pages while sticking to deadlines. Contributing articles to the newspaper.

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  Routledge Taylor & Francis Group

  Aug 2006 - Nov 2007

  Copyeditor

  Key Responsibilities: Preparing the author checklist (ACL) and author approval forms (APF). Working with manuscripts from the academic field that dealt with social sciences. Liaising regularly with authors via phone and email. Preparing the typesetting specs for the proofs and sending it for typesetting. Resolving queries directly with the authors, viz. style and text inconsistencies. Preparing the blurb for the publication & commissioning the cover design for the publication. Preparing preliminary pages for the title, contents and preface of a publication.Major Achievements: Copyedited and produced 4 books & actively involved in the production of about 8 books in one year. Show less

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  SOS Recruitment

  Jul 2008 - Aug 2010

  Recruitment Consultant

   Interacting with clients & analyzing their companies and work culture Advertising vacancies appropriately by drafting and placing adverts using a wide range of media (e.g. newspapers, websites, magazines). Identifying and approaching suitable candidates. Receiving and reviewing applications, managing interviews and short-listing candidates. Conducting interviews for the right candidates with the clients. Preparing résumés and correspondence to forward to clients in respect of suitable applicants. Informing candidates about the results of their interviews and preparing letters of appointment. Negotiating pay and salary rates and finalizing arrangements between client and candidates. Offering advice to both clients and candidates on pay rates, training and career progression; reviewing recruitment policies to ensure effectiveness of selection techniques and recruitment programs. Show less

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  ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA UAE

  Sept 2010 - Mar 2013

  PR Consultant

  Served as Trade Commission spokesperson by responding to telephonic and email queries post event or press release distribution. Headed marketing of Austrian pavilion by liaising with media professionals and coordinating event press meets, as well as arranging media kits. Crafted advertorials, news releases, and articles for organisation’s quarterly newsletter while observing media coverage to draft regular reports. Performed administrative duties and aid event planning in collaboration with Austrian Business Council Executive Board. • Augmented media coverage levels by building exceptional media relations.• Boosted audience engagement on social media platforms by developing appealing posts. Show less

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  Al Reyami Interiors

  Apr 2013 - Feb 2014

  Copywriter and Media Executive(PR)

  Composed press releases and advertorials, as well as in-house technical documents, including brochures, leaflets, internal communications manual, and web articles. Communicated with journalists regularly, supervised media coverage, and assembled press packs. Oversaw company social media and blog updating while drafting and designing newsletters. Supported organisation of public and fundraising events and ensured consistent use of company branding in printed materials to maintain awareness among prospective customers. • Heightened audience engagement on social media platforms by developing exhilarating posts. • Enhanced brand perception among employees as well as partners by developing effective copy for brand guidelines document Show less

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  Active (Digital. Marketing. Communications)

  Sept 2014 - Jan 2016

  Account Executive

  Contributed to management of Alibaba Group, Xerox, CEB, J.P Morgan, Bridgestone, and NVIDIA accounts while creating client proposals and executing PR strategy. Interacted with media professionals and clients daily to establish and maintain rapport while monitoring traditional and digital media platforms daily to identify opportunities for customers. Conducted research to outline and distribute press releases to targeted media while pitching stories and features to acquire coverage for clients. Documented and reviewed media coverage regularly to draft detailed reports for presentation to customers during meetings. Supported compilation of internal client publications by ordering market research and organizing shoot logistics. Attended client events and press conferences to arrange interviews with journalists present increasing coverage.• Spearheaded coordination of media roundtables and events with key industry media houses resulting in 20% visibility boost for Xerox and CEB. • Negotiated media coverage in multiple publications to increase consumers’ awareness of clients’ products by 25%. • Leveraged excellent media relations to acquire publication of over 60 pieces in several publications regionally. Show less

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  Freelance

  Jan 2017 - Apr 2022

  Independent Copywriter

  Formulate long- and short-form web-optimised articles, company brochures, video scripts, and marketing literature in line with brand voice and style guide by conducting comprehensive research and interviews to ensure production of accurate and engaging copy while proofreading and editing content. Manage keyword research on a variety of topics and employed SEO best practices boosting site traffic while studying industry trends to develop relevant content. Current Projects:• Creating digital media campaigns, blogs, and content for social media calendars for Caltex Lubricants Middle East• Preparing social media calendar for the Austrian Pavilion at Expo Dubai.Key highlights:• Composed SEO-optimised blog pieces at Brand Lounge and Blueground Rentals leading to a 25% and 18% increase in brand awareness respectively. • Improved video visibility by 17% at Medcare Hospital & Medical Centre by creating compelling content. • Heightened audience awareness of travel campaigns by 15% at Cleartrip by researching and writing impactful stories. • Authored compelling executive speeches and Ministerial letters for various high-ranking lawmakers, including Dubai’s Deputy Ruler, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and Iraq’s Ambassador at New Perspective Media. Show less

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  Adfolks LLC - Your Cloud Transformation Partner

  Sept 2020 - Mar 2021

  Content Strategist

  Led assignment of blog posts to writers and formulation of content and style guides while overseeing editorial calendar enabling the timely publication of articles. Supervised proofreading and editing prior to publication while collaborating with design and marketing teams to create graphics for articles and social media posts. Uncovered areas for improvement in content delivery by analysing web traffic and audience engagement to identify readers’ needs and recommended new topics accordingly. Wrote landing page content while scheduling social media posts and updating published articles when new information arises. Maintained superior knowledge of industry news and developments to outline content ideas on trending topics. • Pioneered targeted social media marketing campaign to build awareness of Cloud mentorship initiative resulting in over 12 booked sessions with company CEO in one month. • Authored web-optimised technical articles for technical portal, Hackernoon, boasting over 4M monthly readers. • Boosted leads by 25% by drafting social media posts for the company page. Show less

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  ICCA - International Centre for Culinary Arts (Dubai)

  Jan 2022 - Jun 2023

  Content and Communications Manager

  Accountable for the overall development and distribution of content through various channels, including media, website, social media and various internal communication channels for ICCA Dubai. Optimizing content according to SEO. Managing content calendar. Directs in-house and external graphic designers, photographers, and other media-production specialists integral to the completion of marketing projects. Resource, prepare and manage all communication material, guidance and review for all collateral and messaging for a mix of internal and external audiences. Develop a brand voice and maintain brand integrity across all platforms.• Singlehandedly prepared strategy, crafted content and handled the social media for high profile competitions such as the 2022 USA Cheese Specialist Competition resulting in a reach of 1.2 Million. • Interviewed celebrity chefs, Michelin-starred chefs, drafted articles and handled social media for YouthX events at Gulfhost and garnered a reach of over 750,000.• Interviewed Michelin-starred chefs, drafted articles and handled social media for Taste and Dubai 2023 and garnered a reach of over 500,000.• Strategised and drafted segments such as Chef Talks for the ICCA Instagram and Facebook pages that led to viral posts with 12 million views.• Author speeches for the CEO & Director for high profile panel discussions at high profile industry events such as Gulfhost, Gulfood, World Chefs Congress & Expo, among others.• Full-fledged media training for the CEO & Director before media interviews. Show less

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  Outreach Advertising

  Jan 2023 - now

  Content writer
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  Saba Consultants

  Apr 2024 - now

  Copy writer