media list

Title: Group Managing Director

Nationality: Emirati

Company: Easa Saleh Al-Gurg Group

Sector: Diversified

Emirati businesswoman Raja Al-Gurg is group managing director and vice chairperson of Easa Saleh Al-Gurg Group, a family-owned conglomerate of 27 diverse companies that has been operating for more than 60 years.

Al-Gurg, a board member of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was ranked 28th in the Arab Power 2018 listing of the 100 Most Powerful Arabs, compiled by Gulf Business magazine.

She is deputy chairperson of the National Bank of Fujairah and serves on the advisory board of Coutts bank, the wealth division of the Royal Bank of Scotland. She is also president of Dubai Business Women Council.

Al-Gurg was named the most powerful Emirati businesswoman in Forbes Middle East’s 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 rankings, and was ranked third in Forbes Middle East’s 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen for 2017 listing. 

As of 2020 she is listed 89th among the world’s 100 most powerful women by Forbes.

Title: Chairperson

Nationality: Saudi

Company: Saudi Tadawul Group

Sector: Banking and Financial Services

Sarah Al-Suhaimi is the first Saudi woman to chair the Saudi Arabian stock exchange (Tadawul), the largest stock market in the Middle East.

Three years before Tadawul, Al-Suhaimi was the CEO and a board director at the National Commercial Bank, also known as Al-Ahli Bank.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from King Saud University in Riyadh with the highest honors, and completed the general management program at Harvard Business School in 2015.

Al-Suhaimi served as vice chairperson of the advisory committee to the board of the Capital Market Authority between 2013 and 2015.

She worked as the chief investment officer at Jadwa Investment, where she led the asset management and wealth management business lines, and was also a member of its management committee between 2007 and 2014.

Title: Chairperson

Nationality: Saudi

Company: Olayan Group

Sector: Diversified

Saudi businesswoman Hutham Olayan is chairperson, director and senior executive of the Olayan Group.

The group, founded in 1947 by Suleiman Olayan, began as a Saudi trucking, contracting and trading business, and grew into more than 50 companies with offices around the world. 

Olayan has headed the group’s US presence since 1985, and is currently president and CEO of Olayan America and other US affiliates of the group. 

She is responsible for all the group’s investment activity in the Americas, and oversees a substantial portfolio of public and private equities, real estate and other specialized assets.

Olayan is also a director of Morgan Stanley and a former director of Thermo Electron Corporation. She is a member of the General Atlantic executive advisory board, and also serves on the boards of institutions, including the American University of Beirut, Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the MasterCard Foundation.

Position: CEO, Engineer Holding Group

Nationality: Saudi

Location: Saudi Arabia

Mohamed Al-Khereiji is a Saudi businessman who wears many hats. He is CEO of Engineer Holding Group, a leading media and investment organization operating in the Kingdom for more than 40 years. It comprises several companies across the media, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, food and beverage, investment and real estate sectors. Its media companies include outdoor advertising company Al Arabia and media representation agency Saudi Media Company.

In 2020, Al-Khereiji was appointed chairman of the board of directors at MBC Group’s in-house commercial and advertising sales arm, MBC Media Solutions.

Most recently, his name has made the rounds in regional and international media following Saudi Media Company’s submission of a £2.7 billion ($3.39 billion) offer to buy Chelsea Football Club.

Al-Khereiji’s net worth is estimated to be $2.7 billion. He is considered one of the wealthiest Arabs in the world.

Position: Group chairman and CEO, BBDO Middle East, Africa & Pakistan

Nationality: Lebanese

Location: UAE

Dani Richa, who has more than three decades of experience in the advertising and marketing industry, is chairman and CEO of BBDO Middle East, Africa & Pakistan; a member of the BBDO Worldwide Board; group chairman and CEO of the Impact BBDO group of companies; and chairman of the board of Omnicom Media Group MENA.

Born in Beirut, Richa started his advertising career at Leo Burnett in 1986, leaving a year later to join BBDO in Cyprus. He stayed there for six years, going from senior art director to executive creative director.

He then joined Publicis for a year before returning to BBDO in 1995 as partner and group executive creative director.

Richa is deeply involved in the advertising industry, having served two terms as chapter president of the IAA. He was also knighted by the National Order of the Cedar in Lebanon and invited to speak at the World Economic Forum Summit.

Position: CEO, Saudi Research and Media Group

Nationality: Saudi

Location: Saudi Arabia

Jomana Al-Rashed is the first Saudi Arabian woman to be appointed CEO of the Saudi Research and Media Group, a Saudi-based integrated publishing company that owns 43 titles and 25 websites, including Arab News and Asharq Al-Awsat, reaching a combined monthly audience of 165 million.

After completing her education in London, she worked as the London correspondent of Al Riyadh newspaper before being posted as a senior aide and adviser for media relations to the Saudi ambassador to the UK.

Al-Rashed then moved back to the Kingdom to work in a media advisory capacity, assisting the private and public sectors in Riyadh. Since her appointment as board member and CEO of SRMG in 2020, she has unveiled SRMG’s new branding and transformation strategy, launched the first Arabic-language manga magazine and acquired a majority stake in the leading Arabic podcast platform Thmanyah.

Regional rank: 55

Growth: 68.7 percent

Industry: Mining, Metals & Minerals

Ma’aden is a Saudi Arabian state-owned mining company based in Riyadh. Established in 1997, Ma’aden is among the fastest-growing mining companies in the world and the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East. 

According to the 2022 Brand Finance Middle East 150 report, Ma’aden’s brand value improved by a record  68.7 percent from last year. 

Ma’aden has retained the position of the most valuable mining, metals and minerals brand in both Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East, according to Brand Finance’s Middle East 150.  

With a huge brand value increase to $503 million, Ma’aden is also the fastest-growing brand in the Middle East this year. Its growth in 2022 has been driven by a record year for sales in 2021.

The brand has become the third pillar of Saudi industry, behind oil and petrochemicals, and its growth has seen it named among the top 20 largest global mining companies by market

Regional rank: 87

Growth: 39.4 percent

Industry: Retail

Danube is a supermarket and hypermarket chain in Saudi Arabia. It is owned by BinDawood Holding, the grocery retail operator of hypermarkets and supermarkets in Saudi Arabia.  

Since becoming part of BinDawood Holding in 2001, Danube has expanded to 47 current locations.

According to the 2022 Brand Finance Middle East 150 report, Danube’s brand value improved by a record 39.4 percent from last year.

Despite the inability to carry out promotional campaigns such as “Back to School,” year-end festivities and food festivals due to the pandemic, Danube managed to strengthen its promotional activities on its e-commerce and social media platforms, which led to an increase in the promotion metric, which strengthened its brand value pillar. 

They also expanded internationally last year through their home improvement division, Danube Homes, opening new showrooms in Uzbekistan and Nepal, and are planning to take Danube Homes to more than 50 countries worldwide.

Regional rank: 64

Growth: 36.5 percent

Industry: Retail

eXtra is an electronics company that was established in Saudi Arabia in 2003 to provide customers with a complete shopping experience for consumer electronics and home appliances.

eXtra offers all the leading international brands and stocks an extensive product range including TV, audio systems, computers, mobile phones and IT communications, cameras, home appliances and personal care products. 

With over 12 Million shoppers, eXtra is the most popular electronics store with 42 stores across the Kingdom and two stores each in Bahrain and Oman.

eXtra operates in the electronics and home appliances segment and saw a 36.5 percent increase in brand value to $385 million, which was driven by higher revenues and a stronger BSI score. 

Country: Saudi Arabia

Growth: 68.7 percent

Industry: Mining, metals, minerals

Ma’aden is a state-owned Saudi mining company based in Riyadh. Established in 1997, Ma’aden today is one of the fastest-growing mining companies in the world, and the largest multicommodity mining and metals company in the Middle East. 

According to the 2022 Brand Finance Middle East 150 report, Ma’aden’s brand value improved by a record  68.7 percent from last year. 

Ma’aden remains the most valuable mining, metals and minerals brand in both Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East.

With a huge brand value increase to $503 million, Ma’aden is also the fastest-growing brand in the Middle East, with this year’s growth driven by record sales in 2021.

The brand has become the third pillar of Saudi industry.

Country: UAE

Growth: 53.3 percent

Industry: Utilities

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, or DEWA, is a public service infrastructure company founded in 1992 by Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai. 

According to the Brand Finance Middle East 150 report, DEWA achieved the fastest brand value growth in the utilities sector in 2022, with a 53.3 percent year- on-year increase. 

DEWA was formed by the merger of the Dubai Electricity Company and the Dubai Water Department. 

It has made significant progress toward Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050, and is expected to be listed soon to increase the size of the stock market in the emirate.

Country: UAE

Growth: 48.7 percent

Industry: Insurance

Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company, or ADNIC, is based in Abu Dhabi, and has been the UAE’s third-largest insurer since 2015.

According to the 2022 Brand Finance Middle East 150 report, ADNIC grew by 48.7 percent from last year.

ADNIC was founded in 1972 and is part of the Abu Dhabi Investment Council’s portfolio of companies. The council is the largest shareholder in the company, with a 24 percent stake.

The company offers life and nonlife insurance products in the UAE. Its main corporate offerings are in the property, marine and aviation businesses. It plans to expand its presence in the Middle East and North Africa region, and also enter the aerospace and SME industries.

In 2015, the company’s color-coded motor insurance offering was recognized as best consumer insurance product at the Banker Middle East UAE Product Awards.

Global rank 2022: 15

Global rank 2021: 17

The UAE earned a global rank of 15 in this year’s Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index, claiming the highest position for any nation brand in the Middle East and North Africa. 

EXPO 2020 exhibitions, which were labeled as the epitome of soft power, have been used to cement the UAE’s role as a global soft power and as a tool to connect nations and build bridges through innovation and inspiration. 

The UAE has performed best on the Business & Trade pillar, counting among the global top 10. Its best metric overall is “easy to do business in and with,” where it comes fourth, followed by “strong and stable economy” where it ranks eighth. 

The UAE also emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic strongly, with its trade and investment accomplishments underscored by the success of the EXPO 2020 exhibition in Dubai. 

Global rank 2022: 26

Global rank 2021: 26

Qatar comes in third place among Arab countries in the Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index, with a global rank of 26, maintaining last year’s position. 

Sports have played a very significant role in cementing Qatar’s global soft power position. 

Since the early 1990s, Qatar has heavily invested in promoting its image through sports. Not only has it spent more than $1.6 billion on Paris Saint-Germain football club, it is also hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Global Soft Power Index stresses on the idea that the small size of a nation is not a barrier to occupying a strong position in the soft power ranking.

Indeed, with a small population of 2.8 million inhabitants, Qatar has been able to to exert global, economic and political influence disproportionate to its size

Global rank 2022: 36

Global rank 2021: 42

Kuwait comes in fifth among Arab countries in the 2022 Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index, with a global rank of 36, up by four positions from 2021 when it was a new entrant. 

In sports, Kuwait has won a record ten championships in the Gulf Cup tournament. It was the first state to win the Asian Cup and the first Gulf Cooperation Council state to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 1982. 

Kuwait also scores high in areas of entertainment, theater and TV sitcoms. 

Many GCC officials have also obtained their college education from Kuwait University, the first university in the GCC, which opened its doors in 1966.

Genre: Sport

Original run: 1988

“Captain Tsubasa” (“Captain Majid” in Arabic) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoichi Takahashi since 1981. The series revolves around an 11-year-old student with a deep passion for football.

Known as Tsubasa Oozora in Japan, Captain Majid follows his dreams of one day winning the FIFA World Cup in Japan and takes viewers on a journey of rivalry, friendship, and talent.

According to the ‘How Arabs View Japan survey’ conducted by Arab News and YOUGOV, 75 percent of respondents ranked “Captain Majid” as their favorite anime of all time

“Captain Tsubasa” became one of the most memorable manga and anime worldwide, most notably in Japan due to how it popularized association football. Many real-life players have been reportedly inspired to become professionals after seeing the series.

As of 2010, the manga had been translated into English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. The series was also dubbed in various languages, most notably Arabic where it aired on Spacetoon TV, the pan–Arab free–to–air television channel.

Several volumes have been available in an official Arabic translation since 2017 and one-third of the first print run of these were donated to Syrian refugee children by the publisher, Kinokuniya.

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Martial Arts

Original run: 1986

“Dragon Ball” is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation. It is an adaptation of the first 194 chapters of the manga of the same name created by Akira Toriyama.

The series follows a young monkey-tailed boy named Goku who befriends a teenage girl named Bulma. Together, they go on an adventure to find the seven mystical dragon balls which have the ability to summon the powerful dragon Shenron, who can grant whoever summoned him their greatest desire.

According to the ‘How Arabs View Japan survey’ conducted by Arab News and YOUGOV, 37 percent of respondents ranked “Dragon Ball” as their favorite anime of all time

The anime is composed of 153 episodes that were broadcast on Fuji TV from February 1986 to April 1989 and 81 countries worldwide. It is part of the “Dragon Ball” media franchise.

Genre: Mecha

Original run: 1972

“Mazinger Z,” known briefly as “Tranzor Z” in the US, is a Japanese super robot manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai.

It follows an enormous super robot, constructed with a fictional metal called super-alloy Z, which is forged from a new element mined from a reservoir found only in the sediment of Mount Fuji, in Japan.

According to the ‘How Arabs View Japan survey’ conducted by Arab News and YOUGOV, 25 percent of respondents ranked “Mazinger Z” as their favorite anime of all time

“Mazinger Z” has spawned several sequels and spinoff series, among them “Great Mazinger,” “UFO Robot Grendizer,” and “Mazinkaiser.”

In 2019, it was announced that “Transformers” and “Mazinger Z” would crossover and a manga featuring the two franchises was released in March of the same year.

In 2001, the Japanese magazine Animage elected the “Mazinger Z” TV series the 11th best anime production of all time.

Country: Qatar

Global rank: 45

Qatar National Bank is a Qatari multinational commercial bank located in Doha.

It was founded in 1964 as the country’s first Qatari-owned commercial bank, with an ownership structure split between the Qatar Investment Authority (50 percent) and the remaining half held by members of the public.

QNB expanded its networks to support its vision of becoming a leading bank in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. In addition, the bank is establishing a foothold in highly competitive markets, including Hong Kong, where it recently opened its first branch.

QNB also started operating in Vietnam in 2015 and Myanmar in 2016, along with opening new branches in Saudi Arabia and India in 2017.

Currently ranked as the most valuable bank brand in the Middle East and Africa, QNB is also the official Middle East and Africa supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2022.

According to the Brand Finance Banking 500, QNB has consolidated its position as the most valuable banking brand in the region, observing a healthy brand value growth of 16 percent to reach $7.1 billion.

Country: UAE

Global rank: 83

Emirates National Bank of Dubai (NBD) is Dubai’s government-owned bank and one of the largest banking groups in the Middle East in terms of assets.

Founded in 1963 as National Bank of Dubai by then Dubai ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates NBD is the first national bank established in Dubai.

NBD merged with Emirates Bank International in 2007, forming Emirates NBD. In October 2007, the shares of Emirates NBD were officially listed on the Dubai Financial Market.

Emirates NBD is one of the largest employers in the Middle East, employing more than 9,000 people from 70 nationalities. In 2021, Emirates NBD was featured in Forbes magazine’s Global 2000 and World’s Best Banks lists.

The bank operates through the following business segments: Corporate Banking, Consumer Banking, Islamic Banking, Treasury and other operations.

Country: Saudi Arabia

Global rank: 94

Saudi National Bank, also known as AlAhli Bank, is the largest financial institution in Saudi Arabia and one of the biggest finance powerhouses of the region. Founded in 1953 as the National Commercial Bank (NCB), it merged with Samba Financial Group in April 2021 and was renamed Saudi National Bank.

Following the merger, SNB has emerged as a banking champion in the Middle East and North Africa region.

SNB plays a vital role in supporting economic transformation in Saudi Arabia by transforming the local banking sector.

A new entrant on the Brand Finance Banking 500, SNB has been ranked among the world’s top 100 most valuable banking brands by the annual Brand Finance report.

SNB was the highest ranked of 30 newcomers to the list this year. A brand value of $3.2 billion earned it the 94th position globally and sixth place among institutions based in the Middle East and North Africa. Qatar National Bank retained top spot among the region’s banking brands.

SNB operates through the following segments: Retail, Corporate, Treasury, Capital Market and International.

Country: Saudi Arabia

Global rank: 31

Industry: Oil & Gas

Aramco, formerly the Arabian-American Oil Co., is a Saudi Arabian public petroleum and natural gas company. Aramco traces its beginnings to 1933 when a concession agreement was signed between Saudi Arabia and the Standard Oil Co. of California. Drilling began in 1935, and in 1938 commercial oil production began.

Aramco is one of the biggest companies in the world by revenue. The company has both the world’s second-largest proven crude oil reserves, and largest daily oil production of all oil-producing companies.

Aramco operates Ghawar Field, the world’s largest onshore oil field, and Safaniya Field, the world’s largest offshore oil field. In the 2020 Forbes Global 2000, Aramco was ranked as the 5th largest public company in the world. Despite that, the COVID-19 pandemic curbed demand for oil, and Aramco’s 2021 revenues were almost 45 percent less than in 2019.

In 2021, Saudi Aramco offered a 50-year partnership with China to develop new technologies to combat climate change and announced plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from its wholly-owned operations by 2050.

Aramco announced plans to increase its production capacity from 12 million barrels a day to 13 million by 2027.

Country: Saudi Arabia

Global rank: 184

Industry: Telecoms

STC, or the Saudi Telecom Co., is the leading provider of telecommunications services in Saudi Arabia, and is among the largest operators in the Middle East.

Founded in 1998, the company offers landline and fixed infrastructure, mobile, broadband and data services to residential and business customers.

Operating the Jawal and Hatif networks, STC also operates a submarine communications cable system connecting Saudi Arabia and Sudan in Africa through the Arab Submarine Cables Co. The company generates the majority of sales in Saudi Arabia.

A pioneering digital telecommunications company, STC offers variety of ICT solutions and digital services in several categories including telecommunication, IT, financial technology, digital media, cybersecurity, and other advanced digital solutions.

Country: Qatar

Global rank: 305

Industry: Banking

QNB, or Qatar National Bank, is a Qatari multinational commercial bank located in Doha.

It was founded in 1964 as the country’s first Qatari-owned commercial bank, with an ownership structure split between the Qatar Investment Authority (50 percent) and the remaining half held by members of the public.

QNB expanded its networks to support the vision of becoming a leading bank in the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. In addition, the bank is establishing a foothold in highly competitive markets, including Hong Kong, where it recently opened its first branch.

QNB also started operating in Vietnam in 2015 and Myanmar in 2016, along with opening new branches in Saudi Arabia and India in 2017.

Currently ranked as the most valuable bank brand in the Middle East and Africa, QNB is also the official Middle East and Africa supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2022.

In 2016, a leak of data from the bank containing the personal data of the bank’s clients, as well as credit card information and passwords, was made public.

Monthly Listeners: 2,665,140

Most streamed song: Mghayer

Song Streams: 12,215,464 

Nationality: Moroccan

Genre: Rap 

Taha Fahssi, known professionally as ElGrandeToto, is a 25-year-old Moroccan rapper from Casablanca. As of 2021, he is the most listened-to Arab artist on Spotify, with more than 135 million streams in 178 countries.

One of the biggest hip-hop and rap artists in the MENA region, ElGrandeToto started his musical career in 2016 and released his first hit song, “Pablo,” in 2017. His music is heavily inspired by the streets of Morocco where he grew up.

ElGrandeToto deliver his lines in various languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French and Arabic, saying that certain words sound better in different languages, which helps the songs attract an international audience.

Monthly Listeners: 972,452

Most streamed song: Ya Habibi

Song Streams: 18,774,561

Nationality: Egyptian

Genre: Pop

Mohamed Ramadan Mahmoud Hijazi, known professionally as Mohamed Ramadan, is an Egyptian actor, singer, rapper, dancer and producer who began his artistic career in acting while still at school.

Ramadan has received the award for greatest nationwide talent three times consecutively and prospered in his acting career through films and television series. Recently, he became more known for his Egyptian pan-Arab songs.

Ramadan’s most famous song, “Ya Habibi,” in collaboration with French singer and rapper Gims, has amassed almost 19 million hits on Spotify.

In 2019, Ramadan posted a video of himself in a co-pilot’s seat during a private flight run by Smart Aviation Company to Saudi Arabia, which led to the pilot, Ashraf Abu Al-Yusr, being banned for life for violations of the Egyptian civil aviation law.

In 2021, the Egyptian Public Prosecution froze all Ramadan’s bank accounts, as he had to pay 6 million Egyptian pounds ($380,000) in compensation to the family of the pilot, who died earlier that year.

Monthly Listeners: 934,070

Most streamed song: Ya Tabtab Wa Dallaa

Song Streams: 20,730,744

Nationality: Lebanese

Genre: Arabic Pop

Dubbed as the Queen of Arab Pop, Nancy Ajram is a Lebanese singer, television judge and businesswoman credited with influencing the revival of Arabic pop music in the 21st century.

Ajram began performing as a child and appeared on several television shows in her early years. By the age of 15, Ajram signed her first recording contract. In spite of being under the legal age, Ajram was exceptionally accepted to the Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon.

Having sold over 30 million records worldwide by 2007, Ajram is one of the bestselling Middle Eastern music artists. By 2010 she was announced the bestselling Middle Eastern female singer of the decade.

Ajram has made the list of Most Powerful Arabs on Arabian Business several times, and was listed by Newsweek as one of the most influential Arab singers

In 2020, Ajram was the most-streamed Arab female artist on Spotify, achieving more than 100 million plays of her songs.

Network: Various

Release date: April 27, 2021

Main topics: Vision 2030, Economy, Education, Petrochemical Sector, COVID-19, Yemen, US relations.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave an interview on the fifth anniversary of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan. The interview was hosted by Saudi journalist Abdulla Al-Mudaifer and broadcast on various networks, including national television.

The crown prince appeared on the Liwan Al Mudaifer Show to discuss developments in the ambitious national strategy, which aims to transform the Kingdom and prepare it for a post-hydrocarbon age.

In the interview, the crown prince explained in detail the thinking behind Vision 2030, past achievements, the challenges of ensuring its implementation and future goals.

He also made headlines after putting forward facts and figures on Saudi Arabia’s economy. He said that the Kingdom had no plans to introduce income tax and that the 15 percent increase in VAT in the Kingdom was not a permanent measure, but a precautionary one, which would “ensure a long-term future for Saudi citizens.”

When asked about his criteria for selecting team members, the crown prince referred to “passion” as the most important part in success. “The most important thing there should be is passion,” he said. “The person in charge should have the passion, so when he assumes a certain position, it should be his passion — his personal passion.”

The crown prince also spoke about moderation in the application of Islamic laws, challenged Wahhabism and stressed the need for religious reform and a review of sources of religious legislation.

When talking about relations with Tehran, the crown prince noted the importance of having “a good and distinguished relationship with Iran,” and said that the Kingdom is working to find solutions to Iran’s certain “negative behavior,” which he said included its nuclear and missile programs, and support for illegal militias.

Network: Arab News

Release date: Dec. 23, 2021

Main topics: Diplomatic relationship with Saudi Arabia, Iran, Azerbaijan conflict

In his first-ever interview with a Saudi media outlet, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian sat down with Faisal J. Abbas, editor-in-chief of Arab News.

Sarkissian lamented the lack of diplomatic relationships between Armenia and Saudi Arabia, adding: “It’s unfortunate that for more than 30 years of our independence, we didn’t have diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia.”

He shared written correspondence with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which resulted in his trip to the Kingdom in October 2021, making him the first Armenian official to visit the Kingdom.

President Sarkissian said that he was aware of Saudi Arabia’s concerns regarding Iran. But, owing to being a landlocked state, he added: “We have to take make choices that are very specific to us.” When pressed by Abbas on the “nature of Armenia’s relationship” with Iran, he said that Tehran “does not interfere” in his country’s military and security affairs.

Early this year I visited Saudi Arabia. It was 1st ever visit of an Armenian President. As follow up, Faisal Abbas, editor-in-chief of biggest English language daily ArabNews is in Armenia for extensive interview w/ me covering a number of important topics.
Interview coming soon. pic.twitter.com/IDHp2mSMmH

— ՀՀ նախագահ | President of the Republic of Armenia (@Arm_President) December 20, 2021

On infrastructure and energy, the leader said that Armenia has “much deeper relations with the UAE, for example, with Masdar building a new solar station in Armenia.”

The interview also covered the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The president asserted that it was not a religious war, adding: “Armenia has wonderful relations with a lot of states where Islam is a major religion, or even states where Islam is the only religion, or states that have Islam as a state religion.”

Sarkissian took the opportunity to thank the Arab world and the Middle East for helping those who fled their homes more than 100 years ago amid the Armenian genocide. He also expressed his desire to support the wider Armenian diaspora, saying he wants to help the Armenian community in Lebanon so they can continue to live there.

He also stated his intentions to change the Armenian constitution. Currently, an Armenian from abroad cannot become a minister unless they have lived in the country for the last four years or have an Armenian passport — something Sarkissian considers “complete nonsense.”

He said: “Imagine a Gulf state that decided not to use oil. Our oil is our people.”

Network: CNBC International

Release date: June 4, 2021

Main topics: Oil production, OPEC+

Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s minister for energy, spoke to CNBC’s Hadley Gamble at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He said that he “does not see any threat to market stability,” adding that he “does not talk about price” when Gamble asked whether he views inflation or new COVID-19 variants as threats to energy.

The International Energy Agency released a report this year containing serious warnings on global fossil fuel use. It said that the exploitation and development of new oil and gas fields must stop this year if the world wants to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman dismissed the report, calling it a sequel to “La La Land” in a separate interview — but reiterated the sentiment his talk with Gamble, saying that those who had created such a scenario were “out of touch with reality.”

He added that Saudi Arabia would honor its plans to produce oil, starting in July.

However, he was secretive when asked about upcoming moves within OPEC+, and said: “We have to shroud our moves. We have to make sure speculators are not on their toes, but on their nails.”

YouTube subscribers: 9.88 million

Al Arabiya is an international pan-Arab TV news channel, based in Dubai. Operated by the media conglomerate MBC, Al Arabiya launched in 2003 and has since been broadcasting standard newscasts every hour as well as talk shows and documentaries. Al Arabiya’s online news service (alarabiya.net) was launched in 2004, initially in Arabic, and was later joined by an English-language service in 2007 and then Persian and Urdu services in 2008. Al Arabiya’s programs include a wide range of interviews and talk shows, documentaries, investigative programs, art and cultural features.

YouTube subscribers: 9.15 million

BBC News Arabic, formerly BBC Arabic television, is a TV news channel broadcast to the Arab World by the BBC. Launched in 2008, BBC Arabic initially broadcast for 12 hours a day, and later became a 24-hour news channel in 2009. Run by the BBC World Service, BBC Arabic is funded from the British television license fee and features an Internet-based news service (available at https://www.bbc.com/arabic). BBC Arabic covers the Middle East through an extensive network of correspondents specializing in the affairs of the countries of the Arab world. While programs are often produced in London and Cairo, BBC Arabic has correspondents in significant locations in the region.

YouTube subscribers: 3.05 million

France 24 is a French state-owned international news TV network based in Paris. Broadcast in four languages — French, English, Arabic and Spanish — France 24 launched in 2006 with the aim to broadcast to overseas markets. In 2007, France 24 began airing programs in Arabic for viewers in the Maghreb, North Africa and the Middle East. In 2010, France 24 launched its Internet-based services with live streaming services available on YouTube, mobile devices and other streaming platforms. In the same year, France 24 announced that its Arabic service would broadcast 24 hours a day.

Brand Index Score: 59.1

Headquarters: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Founded: 1945

Saudia is the national airline of Saudi Arabia, operating from Jeddah with its main operational base at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

The airline’s secondary hubs are King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.

Founded as Saudi Arabian Airlines in September 1945, Saudia was the first fully owned government agency under the control of the Ministry of Defense.

As the third largest airline in the Middle East in terms of revenue, Saudia operates domestic and international flights to more than 95 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

Despite travel restrictions and the grounding of flights for extended periods because of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents’ perception of Saudia has made notable improvement as a brand, enough to see it climb two places from last year.

Saudia owns more than 170 planes and operates more than 580 flights per day.

The airline joined the SkyTeam airline alliance in 2012, becoming the alliance’s 16th global member and first member from the Middle East to join one of the three major airline alliances.

Twice the recipient of the World’s Most Improved Airline award by SkyTrax, in 2017 and 2020, Saudia is one of the most experienced airlines in the region and has played a key role in the development of Saudi Arabia.

Saudia sponsored the Williams Formula One team from 1977 till 1984 and was the main sponsor of the 2018 and 2019 Diriyah ePrix.

Brand Index Score: 50.3

Headquarters: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Founder: Shakkour Abu Ghazalah

Founded: 1974

Al-Baik is a Saudi fast-food chain that sells mainly broasted and fried chicken. It is Saudi Arabia’s largest restaurant chain and currently has trade names in more than 80 countries.

The chain was founded by Shakour Abu Ghazalah, a Saudi entrepreneur who began selling fried chicken in a restaurant on Old Airport Road in Jeddah.

Al-Baik has more than 120 branches, with more than 40 in Jeddah, 10 in Mecca, eight in Medina, one in Taif, one in Riyadh, and other branches throughout the kingdom.

In 2020, Al-Baik opened two branches in Bahrain, marking the first expansion outside Saudi Arabia.

It launched an environmental awareness program in 2005 and joined the largest global environmental campaigns supported by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

In 2014, Al-Baik led the BrandIndex rankings released by the market research company YouGov with a brand score of 36.5. In 2017, Al-Baik was Saudi Arabia’s top brand, and in 2020, the YouGov BrandIndex Customer Loyalty rankings placed Al-Baik among the top three in Saudi Arabia.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Al-Baik donated 10,000 free meals daily to the people in Jeddah to lift the financial burden facing families under the lockdown.

Brand Index Score: 41.4

Headquarters: California, United States

Founders: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Ronald Wayne

Founded: 1976

Apple is an American multinational technology company that specializes in consumer electronics, computer software and online services and is the largest information technology company by revenue.

In 2021, Apple announced that it would establish an Apple Developer Academy in Riyadh, the first one in the Middle East and North Africa.

The Academy will be dedicated to providing tools and training for aspiring female programmers, developers and designers so that they can establish startups and create jobs in iOS app development.

The move will also bolster women’s empowerment and other social reforms under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 project.

In 2019, Apple topped the list of the YouGov BrandIndex Workforce Rankings in Saudi Arabia. The rankings were compiled using the reputation score from YouGov’s BrandIndex by asking respondents: Would you be proud or embarrassed to work for this brand?

Current occupation: Head of business at Al Arabiya News Channel

Nationality: Lebanese 

Jamil El-Hage heads the business section at Al Arabiya News Channel, which covers the latest and most significant business developments in the region and beyond. Every year, Al Arabiya business conducts intensive coverage of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Al Arabiya gains inside analysis at the forum through live interviews with decision makers and prominent businesspeople from the region to get their opinions on the latest developments. 

El-Hage has driven growth at Al Arabiya business by catering to the viewers’ interests. One prominent example is increasing the number of programs on Al Arabiya that cover the stock market in the Gulf, and particularly in Saudi Arabia. The editor said that Al Arabiya business noticed the increasing interest in stocks while the market exploded. 

Relying on accuracy, independence, and impartiality, Al Arabiya business continues to be one of the leading business and economics segments covering the latest developments in the MENA region and beyond. 

Current occupation: Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Maaal Business Newspaper 

Former employers: Shams Newspaper, Asharq Al-Awsat, Al Eqtisadiah

Nationality: Saudi Arabian 

Mutlaq Al-Buqami is the founder and editor-in-chief of Maaal Business News site, an electronic news site that covers Saudi financial and economic news. Launched in 2012, Maaal mainly covers economic and technological news and developments in the region, with a specific focus on Saudi Arabia. 

Al-Buqami is a former business editor at the leading pan-Arab daily newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, based in London, and its sister publication Eqtisadiyah, a dedicated business daily in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Buqami was also the last editor of Shams (Sun), a short lived Saudi tabloid that was published between 2005 and 2012.

Maaal newspaper also covers news of the stock market, currencies and the latest developments in business around the world. The electronic site includes various sections including Maaal and opinions, economy, and stock market news.

Current occupation: Editor-in-Chief of Business News at Sky News Arabia 

Former employers: Adaa Financial Services, CNBC Arabia, Government of Dubai

Nationality: Syrian

Lubna Bouza is the editor-in-chief of business news at Sky News Arabia based in Abu Dhabi, UAE. 

Bouza has been leading the coverage of key international and economic trends, the GCC stock markets, trading trends, and global and regional financial stories for nine years. 

Her academic achievements include two graduate degrees from University of Wollongong, Australia: a master’s in international business administration (with an emphasis on economics) as well as applied finance and banking. 

During her nine years in financial media, Bouza has interviewed a wide range of regional and international leaders, CEOs and ministers, including ECB President Christine Lagarde, Founder of Microsoft Bill Gates, President of the World Bank David Malpass, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Al-Jaber, the Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan and CEO of Aramco Amin Nasser, among others. 

She has also reported from major international events and conferences, including the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, in addition to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Bouza presents and produces the “Alam Al Taqa” show, a weekly program that reviews the most important energy issues worldwide while discussing them with industry decision makers and analysts. 

Current occupation: Editor of the Financial Times

Former employers: Forbes Magazine

Education: Syracuse University, Columbia University

Nationality: British-Lebanese

Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, Roula Khalaf became the first female editor of the Financial Times after serving as the newspaper’s Middle East, foreign and deputy editor. 

Winner of the Peace Through Media Award, Khalaf began her career as a staff writer at Forbes Magazine in New York. In 1995, she began working with the Financial Times, first as a correspondent for North Africa, then for the Middle East. She later served as Middle East editor, then as foreign editor. 

After almost 20 years at the FT, Khalaf was promoted to deputy editor of the newspaper. In addition to her responsibilities in this role, she wrote regularly on world affairs, Middle East politics and business. Khalaf succeeded Lionel Barber as editor of the paper in 2020, becoming the first female editor in the 131-year history of the FT.

Khalaf is known for her coverage of Jordan Belfort, the infamous stockbroker who became known as the wolf in the film “The Wolf of Wall Street.” 

Current occupation: CEO of Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG)

Former employers: Al Riyadh Newspaper, Arab News, Saudi Embassy in London

Education: SOAS University, City University of London. 

Nationality: Saudi Arabian

Jomana Al-Rashed is the first Saudi Arabian woman to be appointed CEO of the Saudi Research and Media Group, a Saudi Arabia-based integrated publishing company that distributes various publications, including Asharq Al-Awsat and Arab News. 

Previously a media adviser and communications director, Al-Rashed received her master’s degree in international journalism from City University in London. 

Recently, Al-Rashed announced the launch of various new SRMG products, most notably the Arab world’s first Arabic-language manga magazine for both adults and children. 

Under Al-Rashed’s auspices, the SRMG launched the “By women, for all” initiative on International Women’s Day whereby an all-women team of journalists and media practitioners takes over editorial content and press coverage for the day, including special interviews, op-eds and dedicated articles. The initiative was launched across all SRMG subsidiary newspapers, including Arab News, Asharq Al-Awsat, Sayidaty and Hia magazines. 

Al-Rashed is currently undertaking a digital transformation of the SRMG in alignment with Vision 2030.

Current occupation: CEO of Annahar, board trustee of Mentor Arabia

Former employers: Lebanese Parliament

Education: Lebanese University in Beirut, Jean Monet Faculty in Paris. 

Nationality: Lebanese

Journalist and politician Nayla Tueni is currently the CEO of Annahar newspaper, one of the biggest Lebanese daily newspapers in the Middle East. 

At the young age of 23, Tueni began preparing to take over the leadership of Annahar, after her father — renowned editor and publisher Gebran Tueni — was killed in a car bombing in Beirut.

As a fourth-generation journalist, the trade runs in Tueni’s family. Indeed, Annahar was established by her great grandfather Gebran Tueni in 1933 and has remained in the family ever since. 

After her father’s death, Tueni was trained by her grandfather Ghassan Tueni in journalism and newspaper management from 2005 until his death in 2012, when she took over the reins of the newspaper. 

Alongside her journalism work, Tueni served as a member of the Lebanese Parliament for almost 10 years, from 2009-2018, representing the district of Achrafieh in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. 

Tueni is also a board trustee of Mentor Arabia, a non-governmental organization that promotes drug prevention and awareness among Arab youths. 

In 2020, Tueni was awarded Media Personality of the Year at the 2020 Arab Media Forum for her steady leadership of Annahar during one of Lebanon’s worst years.

Current occupation: Host of CNN’s “Connect the World,” managing editor of CNN’s Abu Dhabi bureau

Former employers: ITN, Bloomberg, CNBC Europe

Education: University of Sussex, Arizona State University

Nationality: British

Becky Anderson has become a mainstay on television screens throughout the Middle East since her move to Abu Dhabi where she hosts “Connect the World with Becky Anderson” and serves as the bureau’s managing editor.

Anderson covers the most important stories of the day and hosts high-profile guests from a range of backgrounds that have included Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, and TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

She has compared her approach to interviews with hosting dinner guests — starting off serious before moving to lighter topics and forming trusted conversation that makes the guest feel comfortable speaking. She is well known for not pulling her punches when interviewing world leaders or top executives on sensitive or controversial subject matters.

Starting off her career at the UK’s ITN after graduating from the University of Sussex and later from Arizona State University, she progressed through news stations such as Bloomberg and CNBC Europe before joining CNN. Since moving to the Middle East, Anderson said her drive to make a difference intensified due to “so many extraordinary stories here, and it is so important they are told.”

Current occupation: News Anchor for Emirates News and co-host of Expo TV's Studio Expo

Former employers: Various Australian news broadcasters, City 7. 

Nationality: Australian

Katie Jensen is an Australian journalist, keynote speaker and communications coach. She is also news anchor for Dubai One’s Emirates News and co-host of Expo TV's Studio Expo. Her success in the field comes from her 14 years of experience in TV, which has included more than five years with some of Australia’s top news broadcasters.

Jensen is known for researching and setting up interviews by herself with prominent guests, including Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Al-Maktoum, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Emirates Airline President Tim Clark, former Royal Dutch Shell Global CEO Jeroen van der Veer, and other distinguished guests.

Apart from being behind the camera herself, Jensen set up communications and media training programs and coaches individuals and teams to help create their own presence on stage and in front of a camera - be it for public speaking or news anchoring.

While Jensen has locked in high-profile political and business personalities, she has also interviewed big names in film, TV, and sports, including actors Morgan Freeman and Colin Firth, tennis player Roger Federer, singers Michael Buble and Gary Barlow, and cricketer Brett Lee.

Due to her professionalism and internationally recognized presence, Jensen was chosen to become an ambassador for the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, which is committed to alleviating child poverty.

Jensen has regularly chaired events for organizations such as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, Conde Nast Traveller, Citrix, HSBC, Nokia, the Property Finder Group, Emirates NBD, Standard Chartered Bank, Al Tayer Retail, Johnson and Johnson, and the Chalhoub Group.

She has also hosted numerous events for Dubai One, including Dubai’s Expo 2020 bid in a three-hour live program from Paris, the Dubai International Film Festival, the Dubai World Cup, and the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Current occupation: Host of Arab News’ “Frankly Speaking,” Senior Business Columnist at Arab News

Former employers: Sunday Times, Sunday Business, The Observer, Arab Media Group, The National UAE

Nationality: British

Award-winning journalist Frank Kane solidified his presence in the Gulf after moving from the UK to become the director of business media at the Arab Media Group, which oversees Emirates Business 24-7.

Having worked at The Sunday Times and Sunday Business for five years, and then The Observer as its business editor for another five years, Kane brings a plethora of experience covering a range of the biggest business, energy, and oil stories from the region.

In 2016, he received the Citibank Journalistic Excellence Award for the UAE for “excellence in financial and business reporting in the markets in which Citi does business around the world.”

Kane has interviewed key industry ministers and executives, as well as figures such as former White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, and Stephen Schwarzman, the co-founder and CEO of financial group, Blackstone.

A mainstay at the world’s biggest economic conferences, including the World Economic Forum in Davos and G20 summits, Kane has maintained a solid profile off-camera before also taking on the helm of Arab News’s first venture into video programming, “Frankly Speaking,” a recorded show that interviews and challenges movers and shakers, world policymakers, and influential deciders, on topics related to the Arab world.