Arabian Gulf Business Insight (AGBI), a next-generation business news platform, announced the appointment of its first Editor-in-Chief.

James Drummond, a seasoned financial journalist and experienced regional markets analyst, will steer the development of the digital resource as it informs decision-makers on events and issues that are shaping the region’s economy.

Drummond joins a leadership team including veterans from Arabian Business, Gulf Business, The Times, the Financial Times (FT) and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The platform will provide intelligence and analysis around the Middle East’s commercial opportunities and challenges.

An Arabic speaker, the 56-year-old British national’s wide experience in the region includes roles as a former hedge fund correspondent and news editor in the Gulf for the Financial Times, as well as FT correspondent in Cairo and Baghdad, where he covered the aftermath of the US-led invasion. Oxford-educated Drummond is a qualified chartered accountant and anti-money laundering specialist, and has also led geopolitical risk analysis for a number of global banking and corporate institutions.

Headquartered in London with a newsroom in Dubai, AGBI began publishing at agbi.com last year as a focused resource for the local, regional and international business community and since its launch, has grown rapidly, recording 100,000 visits in February.