CNN Business Arabic goes live

CNN Business Arabic (CNNBA), a new partnership between International Media Investments (IMI) and CNN International Commercial, was launched on Sunday.

The digital business news platform is set to cover a range of sectors including sustainability, green investment, cryptocurrency, Web3, real estate, energy and technology, CNNBA said in a statement.

“We are dedicated to providing high quality content that inspires and empowers Arabic speakers around the world,” said CNNBA's editor-in-chief Maher Chmaytelli.

Mr Chmaytelli, who has more than 25 years of experience in journalism, joins CNNBA from Thomson Reuters, where he was the head of the Middle East and North Africa breaking news hub.

Before joining Thomson Reuters as Iraq bureau chief in 2015, Mr Chmaytelli worked with Bloomberg from 2009-2014 and helped the media group set up a regional hub in Dubai.

He is responsible for overseeing the creation and publication of all news, features and analysis at the new platform.

Mr Chmaytelli is supported by a senior editorial team with experience from around the Mena region, in addition to having access to newsgathering capabilities and content from across the CNN Worldwide portfolio.

“CNN Business Arabic is a new, complementary offering to both CNN’s business output and our engagement with Arabic speakers worldwide through our existing CNN Arabic platform,” Phil Nelson, chief operating officer of CNN International Commercial, said.

“We wish IMI every success in this venture, and look forward to working with the team to bring a fresh approach to how Arabic audiences can access business news and information across a range of digital platforms.”

News content will be delivered on the CNN Business Arabic app, website and social media channels, in a number of visual, data-driven formats. There will be short video, social and audio content, with a focus on explainers, personal finance, investment and career advice, according to the statement.

CNNBA will join a network of 10 existing CNN-branded partners that operate under licence in countries including Brazil, Japan, Portugal, the Philippines and Turkey.