Dubai Media City chief moved, no replacement named

MEDIA HUB: Dubai Media City has become the regional headquarters for many international media organizations. (Getty Images)

The executive director of Dubai Media City’s (DMC), the Middle East's leading international media cluster, has moved to the same position at the Arab Media Group (AMG), leaving the free zone without a leader just as Abu Dhabi has begun promoting its own media free zone.

Mohamed Almulla, who has worked at Dubai Media City since 2001, became the executive director of AMG earlier this month, according to officials at the group and spokespeople for DMC, UAE daily The National reported on Monday.

Both are part DMC and AMG are units of TECOM Investments, a subsidiary of Dubai Holding.

"As executive director, he is one of the key people here at Arab Media Group," the paper quoted Abdullatif Al-Sayegh, chief executive of AMG, as saying.

There has been some speculation among people familiar with AMG management that the move was made in preparation for Al-Sayegh's promotion further up Dubai Holding's chain of command, the paper said.

In his mid-30s, Al-Sayegh is seen as a rising star in Dubai media circles, having overseen the launch of MTV Arabia and Nickelodeon Arabia brands during his tenure.

Al-Sayegh confirmed Almulla's move and acknowledged to The National that he had received several phone calls from people who had heard rumours of his promotion, he denied that he had been offered one as yet. "Everyone wishes to be promoted," he said. "But as far as I know, I’m not changing jobs. Not yet."

Founded in 2005, AMG owns a wide array of media properties, including ARN, a radio division that broadcasts across eight frequencies; Awraq Publishing, a publishing division that operates three daily newspapers and several magazines; Done Events, an events company; Shoof Advertising, an outdoor advertising company; Tawseel, an independent distribution company; and Masar, a printing house.

Since opening in 2001, the media free zone has grown to include more than 1,000 companies, including major global media brands such as Reuters, CNN, CBNC, MBC, Sony, Showtime and Bertelsmann and regional players such as Arabiya and MBC.

Spokespeople for DMC told the paper said they had no information on when his successor would be named.

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM