LONDON (UK) –Herald Media Network Ltd, the firm which owns British Herald, is all set to make its presence felt in the UAE. It has secured the media license for starting Asian Herald, an online media entity, said Ansif Ashraf, director of the company.
Originally registered in March 2001 in the US, Asian Herald is the world’s first online news portal for the Asian diaspora. The brand was acquired by the Ansif Ashraf and it will be revamped and launched as a news and analysis portal targeting 48 Asian nations, said Ansif.
Asian Herald’s license was awarded by the UAE’s National Media Council and it will be based in Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC). Its beta version will be launched on November 1 2020, said the director of Herald Media Network Ltd.
A first of its kind in the GCC dedicated to the printing and publishing industry, SPC is an ecosystem supported by the Emirate of Sharjah and it is a one-stop-shop for registration and licensing. Zero taxation, 100 percent capital repatriation, and easy licensing of startups and companies make SPC an ideal destination for entrepreneurs in the printing and publishing sector.
It was established in 2017 and is managed by the Sharjah Book Authority, which single-handedly takes care of the plethora of projects of the Emirate envisioned by its ruler His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhamad Al Qasimi. The state-of-the-art facility enables hassle-free operations – from writing, designing, and publishing to storage and distribution in the region as well as around the world.
Asked why Sharjah was chosen for the new media enterprise, Ansif said: “Sharjah is a quiet Emirate and its ruler, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhamad Al Qasimi, is a visionary who gives utmost importance to knowledge and education. He has been proactive in promoting the Emirate as a hub of knowledge. That’s why I am immensely pleased and privileged to launch my new venture in Sharjah.”
The farsightedness of its ruler has made the Emirate stand out in the GCC as an oasis of knowledge and learning. The University City, the Sharjah Book International Book Fair, which is the third biggest in the globe, speaks volumes of Sharjah’s enviable position as a hub of culture and learning. In fact, it was even bestowed with the rare UNESCO honor of Global Book Capital of 2019.
With so many amenities available in SPC, we are weighing the options of shifting the entire back-office operations of British Herald to Sharjah, said Ansif.
British Herald CEO to test UAE waters with a new media outfit
