MBC to close office in Lebanon and relocate to Saudi Arabia

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Updated 27 October 2021
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MBC to close office in Lebanon and relocate to Saudi Arabia

  • Staff reportedly offered a choice of moving to Riyadh or resigning

LONDON: Saudi-owned broadcaster MBC Group announced on Wednesday that it plans to shut its office in Beirut “soon” and relocate to Riyadh.

The company said the reason for the move is a push by authorities in the Kingdom to relocate all state-owned media and broadcasting companies to Saudi Arabia.

While the headquarters of MBC is currently in Dubai, the Lebanon branch was a prominent production office. The company has reportedly offered staff the choice of moving to Riyadh or resigning.

The decision to move the offices of Saudi media companies to Riyadh from other cities in the region, such as Beirut and Dubai, is the result of plans by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to establish the Kingdom as a regional business hub.

News of the move comes a day after George Kordahi, the Lebanese information minister and a former MBC presenter, caused controversy with his comments about Saudi Arabia and the war in Yemen.

When asked during an appearance on Barlamanasha3b TV what he thinks about the situation in Yemen, Kordahi said: “They (the Houthis) are defending themselves.”

He added: “Are they attacking anyone? In my opinion, this Yemeni war is absurd and should stop.”


Asharq Business with Bloomberg, Nasdaq to bring real-time US equities data to MENA

Updated 13 January 2026
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Asharq Business with Bloomberg, Nasdaq to bring real-time US equities data to MENA

  • Nasdaq to deliver exclusive real-time US equities market data
  • Real-time updates fully integrated into Asharq Business’ data infrastructure and available across all platforms

RIYADH: Asharq Business with Bloomberg, the region’s leading business and financial news multi-platform channel, announced Tuesday a strategic three-year collaboration with Nasdaq, to deliver exclusive real-time US equities market data and updates to investors and decision-makers across the Middle East. 

Through access to Nasdaq’s official data product, Nasdaq Last Sale (NLS), Asharq Business with Bloomberg will receive real-time last-sale trade updates and calculated insights across major US exchanges directly from the Nasdaq Market Center. The collaboration strengthens market transparency, enhances data-driven storytelling, and provides audiences and partners with deeper insight into global financial activity. 

With a rapidly growing investor base in the region — and with Nasdaq serving as a primary destination for many Arab and regional investors — Asharq Business with Bloomberg reinforces its mission to deliver timely, accurate, and exclusive financial updates by integrating NLS data into its digital platforms, live markets coverage, and broader data ecosystem. 

Leveraging its partnership with Bloomberg Media — which grants access to reporting from over 2,700 journalists and analysts worldwide — Asharq Business with Bloomberg continues to build on its reputation as the region’s most trusted and credible multi-platform business news source. The collaboration with Nasdaq underscores its commitment to providing reliable, data-backed content across social, digital, and streaming platforms, available for audiences anytime and anywhere. 

Dr Nabeel Al Khatib, General Manager of Asharq News Network, commented: “It has been five years since the inception of Asharq Business with Bloomberg, and our audience has always been at the center of everything we do. We invest time and effort to understand what matters to them, ensuring we deliver data and stories that genuinely support informed decision-making. With growing regional interest in global markets, our collaboration with Nasdaq marks a strategic step toward offering a clearer, more comprehensive view of international financial activity. Through Nasdaq Last Sale, we aim to further empower our audience with transparent, real-time insights, strengthening their ability to navigate an increasingly interconnected global investment landscape.” 

The Nasdaq leadership team added: “We are pleased to collaborate with Asharq Business with Bloomberg to broaden access to high-quality US market data in the Middle East. Through Nasdaq Last Sale, we aim to enhance transparency, support informed decision-making, and contribute to a more connected global investor community.”