ABU DHABI — Masdar, the multibillion dollar planned city project in the UAE, has shifted PR duties to H+K Strategies from Edelman, the Holmes Report has learned.

A subsidiary of Abu Dhabi government investment vehicle Mubadala, Masdar brought in Edelman to handle PR in 2016, after previously working with APCO.  

Mubadala chief communications officer Brian Lott confirmed the decision, which was made following a competitive review.

"Following a competitive tender process, Masdar has chosen to work with a new communications partner," said Edelman Middle East CEO Omar Qirem. "Following a competitive tender process, Masdar has chosen to work with a new communications partner. We will continue to support Masdar through this transition period and wish them the very best."

Initiated in 2006, Masdar City originally planned to house as many as 50,000 people, as a hub for cleantech companies. However, those horizons have shrunk; fewer than 3,500 people currently work there and final completion has been delayed to 2030.

While Masdar City has been able to attract numerous cleantech companies, the city's goal of becoming the world's first zero-carbon footprint city also looks unlikely, with half of its power expected to come from grid electricity by 2030.

Despite the smaller scale, the Masdar PR assignment remains one of the UAE's largest, said sources familiar with the process. 

[Pic credit: Flickr]