APO Group Wins Gold Stevie® Award for Most Innovative PR Agency of the Year
APO Group has been named the Gold Stevie® Award winner in the Most Innovative Public Relations Agency of the Year category at the 2026 Middle East & North Africa Stevie® Awards, recognising its impact as a leading pan-African communications consultancy.
The announcement was made as part of the seventh edition of the awards programme, which celebrates innovation across 18 countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The awards are organised under the broader Stevie Awards framework, widely regarded as one of the world’s premier business awards systems.
Winners will be formally honoured at a gala ceremony scheduled for 11 September 2026 at the InterContinental Hotel, Istanbul in Türkiye.
APO Group’s winning entry highlighted a portfolio of high-impact campaigns delivered for global and continental partners, including organisations in the business, humanitarian and technology sectors. The submission reported more than USD 1.2 billion in PR value, over 1,500 media features and interviews, and more than 20 million social media impressions.
Key campaigns included work for Africa’s Business Heroes, Canon, Mercy Ships, the Basketball Africa League, GITEX Africa, and the Global Africa Business Initiative. The jury recognised the company’s integrated communications model, which combines strategic advisory, execution, and proprietary news distribution into a single system designed for measurable impact.
“This award recognises a communications model that integrates consultancy, execution and distribution into one system,” said Bas Wijne, Chief Executive Officer of APO Group. He added that effective pan-African communication requires deep understanding of diverse media ecosystems and audience dynamics across markets.
The Stevie® Awards programme received more than 1,400 entries this year, evaluated by international juries comprising over 150 executives.
“We are delighted to recognise such a diverse group of organisations across the region,” said Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller, noting the growing level of innovation reflected in this year’s submissions.
APO Group’s recognition follows a series of recent international accolades, including Gold Sabre Awards and recognition at the Davos Communications Awards, alongside industry titles for excellence in public relations and media consultancy.
Operating across all 54 African countries, APO Group delivers integrated communications services supported by its proprietary distribution platform, Africa Newsroom, which syndicates content across more than 250 Africa-focused news sites globally.
The awards are supported by the RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which promotes innovation and enterprise development in the United Arab Emirates.
Details about the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards and the list of Stevie Award
winners are available Here
