By IANS,
Dubai : Leading British business daily Financial Times has announced the launch of a new Middle East edition with the first copy available Tuesday.
The new edition’s regional editorial and commercial offices will be based in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi while the printing will continue in Dubai as has been the practice since 2003, the newspaper said in a statement.
“We have identified a strong and growing demand for high quality, global independent news and analysis across the Gulf region,” said Financial Times editor Lionel Barber.
“This demand reflects how the Gulf has quickly become a financial and business powerhouse and our new edition will cement the region’s place in the global economy.”
The newspaper’s London-based Middle East editor Roula Khalaf will manage a team of three full time journalists in Abu Dhabi, including Andrew England, Middle East correspondent, and James Drummond, Gulf news editor.
Dubai-based Gulf business correspondent Simeon Kerr will complement a network of Financial Times offices in Cairo, Tehran, Jerusalem and Beirut.
Stringer journalists will be recruited in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the newspaper said. With the launch of the new edition, the paper now has dedicated editions for Britain, the rest of Europe, Asia, the US and the Middle East and is printed in 24 cities across the world.
“This edition is a further step in our successful global strategy, reflecting the rapidly deepening interface between the region and the international economy,” said Financial Times chief executive John Ridding.
“It will provide a further boost to our global circulation and provide a quality advertising vehicle for businesses seeking to reach senior decision makers in the Middle East,” he added.