LONDON: SRMG, the largest integrated media group from the MENA region, has announced significant operational changes with the launch of a new exclusively digital approach for Arriyadiyah, AlEqtisadiah and Malayalam News, effective Jan. 19, 2024. Additionally, SRMG has announced the appointment of several new editors-in-chief, deputy editors-in-chief, and assistant editors-in-chief.  

This announcement aligns with SRMG’s digital transformation, growth and expansion strategy, demonstrating the Group’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of journalists and media professionals to meet the demands of audiences worldwide. This decision also reflects the significant shift in regional media consumption habits, particularly with the rising popularity of digital, social and audio-visual media platforms.   

These developments will optimize SRMG’s operational efficiency and support the production of innovative digital products across audio, video and written formats, which in turn will create new and diverse content offerings and marketing opportunities for advertisers across its digital platforms.  

Additionally, SRMG announced several appointments at the editor-in-chief level, empowering the next generation of media professionals and journalists. These individuals have demonstrated the skills and knowledge to meet the evolving demands of SRMG’s diverse audience across different generations, backgrounds and interests. The new appointments include:  

Ibrahim Hamidi has been appointed as Editor-in-Chief of Al Majalla, the Arab world’s leading current and political affairs magazine. With more than 22-years of experience, he has held various editorial positions at Al-Hayat Newspaper, including Director of the publication’s office in Damascus. Since 2017, he has served as a Senior Diplomatic Editor and Writer, covering Syrian affairs at Asharq Al-Awsat. Additionally, he oversaw the digital transformation of Al Majalla, leading to an impressive annual increase of 1704 percent in views.  

Fahim Al-Hamid has been appointed as the General Supervisor of Editorial Affairs for Malayalam News, Urdu News and Independent Urdu. With over three decades of experience in political journalism, Al-Hamid has actively covered Middle East and South Asian affairs, engaging with several political leaders and other prominent international figures.  

Mohammed Al-Bishi has been appointed as the Acting Editor-in-Chief of AlEqtisadiah, in addition to maintaining his current role as Managing Editor of Asharq Business with Bloomberg in Saudi Arabia. Al-Bishi has held a wide-range of editorial positions at Asharq Al-Awsat, AlEqtisadiah, Asharq Business with Bloomberg, which is ranked number one for digital economy news. His extensive economic and editorial expertise has played a pivotal role in the growth of Asharq Business with Bloomberg since its inception. This comes following the latest strategic decision from SRMG to restructure AlEqtisadiah under Asharq Business with Bloomberg, allowing it to focus on the most important global business and economic news and its impact on the region through in-depth high-quality analysis and coverage. 

SRMG has appointed several new assistant editors-in-chief and deputy editors-in-chief to sustain high-quality editorial processes, transfer knowledge and skills, and create innovative media content. The appointees are as follows:  

Mohamed Hani has been appointed as a Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, the leading international Pan-Arab newspaper. Hani brings a wealth of experience, having served in various editorial positions at Al-Hayat and currently at Asharq Al-Awsat. He played a pivotal role in the recent revamp of Asharq Al-Awsat, overseeing the media title’s digital transformation and growth strategy by drawing on his extensive experience in modern content management systems.  

Zaid bin Kami has been appointed as a Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Asharq Al-Awsat. He previously served as Assistant Editor-in-Chief of AlEqtisadiah and Director of Economic News at Asharq Al-Awsat. Additionally, he worked as Managing Editor of Asharq Al-Awsat in Saudi Arabia from 2009-2014. He brings extensive experience in both print and video journalism, with a specialization in economics. He has actively participated in several international conferences, showcasing his broad and diverse expertise.  

Noor Nugali has been appointed as a Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, having progressed through various editorial assignments. Notably, Nugali played a significant role in the launch of the digital version of Arab News in French in 2020. She has also conducted prominent interviews with leading political figures, including US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Nugali has been instrumental in covering high-level conferences and has been part of the media delegation for His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s international tours. 

May AlSharif has been appointed as the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Independent Arabia, having held several editorial positions within the publication, including her most recent role as Supervising Manager of the Riyadh office. During her tenure in the content creation department, AlSharif effectively implemented various projects and documentaries. Additionally, she oversaw the media title’s social media accounts, contributing significantly to the initial stages of the publication’s establishment and development.  

Jomana R. Alrashid, CEO of SRMG, said: “We are proud of SRMG’s achievements over the past three years since launching our ambitious growth and transformation strategy. This strategy was developed to address growing audience demand for accurate, in-depth, credible and high-quality content, and our investments aim to further cement the Group’s rich journalistic history through modern, innovative products and services.” 

Further commenting on this important step in SRMG’s digital transformation, Alrashid stressed that the Group’s growth and expansion strategy is “focused on maintaining our leading role at the forefront of the regional media landscape and reaffirming our commitment to meet the needs of our diverse audiences, utilizing innovative digital platforms.”