The News
Semafor will launch in the Middle East this September, marking a major milestone in its global expansion strategy, following its success in the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa.
Launching on September 16th, Semafor Gulf will feature original reporting and thrice-weekly newsletter that will examine how the region’s financial, business and geopolitical decisions shape the world, from culture and investment to infrastructure, climate and technology. The platform will serve as a fresh, new destination for regional audiences, delivering Semafor’s signature independent, intelligent and transparent journalism to leaders in the Gulf and around the world. Sign up now to receive the first issue of the Semafor Gulf newsletter at launch.
To lead the new platform, the company has appointed veteran journalist and editor Mohammed Sergie. Sergie, who began his career in the UAE, previously established the Saudi Arabia bureau for Dow Jones in 2008, covering the major economic, social and political stories in the kingdom. He previously served as an editor at Bloomberg News where he shaped coverage of energy and commodities in the region and was the company’s sole reporter in Qatar. Sergie will report to Senior Editor Prashant Rao.
Semafor Gulf will launch with a team of staff reporters as well as columnists covering Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and will continue to expand through 2025. In addition, the company has established digital and event collaborations with some of the region’s top brands across a diverse range of sectors. Joining Semafor Gulf as its inaugural launch partners are: First Abu Dhabi Bank, G42, and Invest Qatar.
In this article:
Justin’s view
“The ascendancy of the Gulf is one of the defining stories of our time and Semafor’s expansion into the region represents a crucial step in our global strategy. By harnessing exceptional journalistic and business talent in the region, we will deliver fresh, modern, world-class editorial products to regional and global audiences seeking intelligent, multi-perspective news and insights.” - Justin Smith, Co-Founder & CEO
Ben’s view
“The Gulf is a huge center of financial and political power and in the middle of a dramatic transformation, so it’s a natural next location for us to bring our style of independent and transparent journalism.” - Ben Smith, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Mohammed’s view
“The Gulf is undergoing a dramatic transformation, demanding insightful and nuanced journalism that engages both the region’s citizens and a global audience. Semafor has demonstrated its dedication to fair reporting on economic, financial, political and cultural forces in the U.S. and Africa. I am confident that the Semafor Gulf team will bring that same rigor to inform and delight our subscribers, both in the region and around the world.” - Mohammed Sergie, Editor, Semafor Gulf
Notable
Since its launch in 2022, Semafor has built a powerful, global opinion leader audience with over 700,000 newsletter subscriptions across its nine premium newsletters. This year, the company was named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024 for “rewriting the story on international reporting.”
Outside of the U.S, Semafor Africa has grown to over 100,000 subscriptions, with an audience of nearly half a million monthly web visitors. The platform prioritizes regional news for regional readers and has become a dominant force in the market as a top-tier pan-regional African news experience under the visionary leadership of editors Yinka Adegoke and Alexis Akwagyiram.
Earlier this year, Semafor advanced its global mission through a major partnership with Microsoft and OpenAI to launch Signals, a global multi-source breaking news feed offering diverse perspectives and trusted insights on major global stories. The company also introduced its inaugural 2024 Global Election Hub charting major races around the world and Flagship Asia, a newsletter providing an Asia-first view on global events.