Arab News holds ‘The Art of the Portrait’ workshop at Arab Media Forum

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Alarfaj has also photographed a large number of Saudi royals, celebrities and covered major events. (Arab News/Ziyad Alarfaj)
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Alarfaj’s work with Arab News ranges across several different photo-journalism projects. (Arab News/Ziyad Alarfaj)
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Before he took on his passion for photography, Alarfaj studied construction engineering management, and an MBA. (Arab News/Ziyad Alarfaj)
Updated 27 March 2019
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Arab News holds ‘The Art of the Portrait’ workshop at Arab Media Forum

  • The workshop was managed by Arab News’ head of photography Ziyad Alarfaj
  • Alarfaj is a Saudi engineer who decided to follow his passion and dedicate his life to professional photography

DUBAI: Arab News, the Riyadh-based regional leading English language daily, offered students, young journalists and photographers a workshop on the art of taking portraits at the Arab Media Forum in Dubai on March 27-28. 

The workshop was managed by Arab News’ head of photography Ziyad Alarfaj.

Alarfaj is a Saudi engineer who decided to follow his passion and dedicate his life to professional photography. He worked behind the scenes with large number of international media outlets, and since 2017, has been working with Arab News where his work is directly published.

Alarfaj’s work with Arab News ranges across several different photo-journalism projects where he takes portraits of successful professional Saudi women to shed light on the empowerment of women in workplace under Vision 2030.

“I was always passionate about story-telling, and being a visual person, I wanted to tell the story of the Saudi people through photographs,” Alarfaj said, adding that “I've lived outside of Saudi Arabia for more the 27 years, but I am always asked about my country, so it’s all about showing who we are, as we are.”

The project, titled TheFace: Portraits from the Kingdom, captures the true essence of professional Saudi women across the kingdom in order to highlight their positive impact and empowerment in the workplace.

“I always photograph the women at their homes in order to show that these negative rumors of women being oppressed at home are false. Ever since I held the camera, I promised myself that I will always portray the positive and not the negative,” the head of photography said.

“74% of Saudi Arabia’s population is below 35 years old, and they will be growing up soon looking for people to look up to…what we are showing are role models and people the youth can follow.”

Apart from TheFace, Alarfaj has also photographed a large number of Saudi royals, celebrities and covered major events. 

Before he took on his passion for photography, Alarfaj studied construction engineering management at California State University in Long Beach, and has an MBA in IT from the University of La Verne. He went on to work in a multitude of countries for 16 years including the US, Kuwait and the UAE.


SRMG launches G.O.A.T, AI-powered sports platform for data-driven fans

Updated 13 January 2026
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SRMG launches G.O.A.T, AI-powered sports platform for data-driven fans

  • The launch comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is increasingly at the center of global sport
  • The app complements live broadcasts by keeping fans connected before, during, and after the game

RIYADH: The Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG) on Tuesday announced the launch of G.O.A.T, a new sports app designed to deliver fast, credible, and curated coverage in one destination. Built for a mobile-first generation, G.O.A.T is designed for a sports landscape evolving at unprecedented speed.

The launch of G.O.A.T comes at a time when Saudi Arabia, and the region more broadly, are increasingly at the center of global sport. Saudi football in particular has been undergoing rapid transformation, emerging as one of the fastest-growing and most closely followed leagues in the world.

“As fan behavior evolves alongside this growth, audiences are no longer looking only for headlines, but for trusted context, real-time access, and platforms that reflect how sport is experienced today,” the group said in a statement. 

Created to meet these expectations, G.O.A.T is an audience-first, data-driven app built for the AI age. It brings together real-time updates, breaking news, video highlights, and match insights in a simple, always-on experience designed around fan behavior and matchday flow.

The app complements live broadcasts by keeping fans connected before, during, and after the game, from instant goal alerts to key stories, highlights, and the conversations shaping matchday momentum across screens and platforms.

The launch marks the first phase of G.O.A.T’s rollout, initially focusing on football and the Saudi Pro League, alongside coverage of the world’s most prominent competitions. In its early release, the app serves as a leading destination for up-to-the-minute Saudi football news, grounded in SRMG’s editorial standards and designed to cut through misinformation and noise that increasingly dominate sports coverage.

In its initial release, G.O.A.T curates content from SRMG’s most trusted brands, including Arriyadiah, Asharq Al Awsat, Asharq Sports, and Sport 24, giving fans access to reporting, analysis, and match coverage from the region’s most established newsrooms through one unified product experience.

As the platform evolves, G.O.A.T is expected to unlock new monetization opportunities aligned with fan behavior and premium engagement. These include intelligent sponsorship integrations, data-driven brand partnerships, and premium experiences built around key moments and competitions. Designed as a scalable product platform, G.O.A.T enables brands, leagues, and partners to connect with highly engaged sports audiences through context-rich formats that enhance rather than disrupt the fan experience.

The launch of G.O.A.T also marks another step in SRMG’s expansion across the sports media ecosystem, following the group’s acquisition of exclusive rights to broadcast the Saudi Pro League across the Middle East and North Africa through Thmanyah.

Alaa Shahine Salha, Content Development Managing Director at SRMG, said: “G.O.A.T was built around a simple idea. Sports fans need speed, depth, and credibility in one place. This first phase establishes a strong editorial and community foundation. What comes next will expand how fans interact with content, match moments, and each other, powered by a smarter, data-led experience.”

SRMG said it will continue to evolve G.O.A.T through interactive and community-driven features that deepen participation and bring fans closer to the action, while maintaining a clear commitment to credibility and responsible reporting.

G.O.A.T is now available to download on iOS and Android.