The News
Semafor today announced an expansion of Semafor Gulf, the latest step in the company’s sweeping 2026 editorial expansion and a doubling down on its investment in one of the world’s most consequential economic and geopolitical regions. Beginning this spring, Semafor Gulf will publish five days a week and deepen its presence in the region.
The expansion encompasses three areas:
- Daily publishing: Starting this spring, Semafor Gulf moves from three days a week to publishing every weekday, increasing the frequency and depth of coverage across the financial, business, and geopolitical forces shaping the Arabian Peninsula and the world.
- Hiring: Semafor is actively expanding its reporter base across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, with additional hiring planned across the broader region — building on a team that already includes award-winning journalists and contributors from Bloomberg, CNBC, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal.
- Live convenings: Semafor will continue to expand its signature gatherings of decision-makers in the Gulf, building on the momentum of The Next Three Billion, hosted during Abu Dhabi Finance Week in December, which marked Semafor’s inaugural convening in the region.
The Gulf announcement is part of Semafor’s broader 2026 editorial investment, which includes the expansion of Semafor Washington, DC; the recent launches of Semafor China; video and audio series Compound Interest and The CEO Signal; and the flagship Semafor World Economy in Washington, DC this April, the largest convening of top global government leaders and CEOs in the United States.
The View From Justin B. Smith
“This increased investment is anchored in our belief that the Gulf remains one of the most important and ascendant business stories in the world. Semafor’s goal is to become the region’s business and economic news platform of record, and this acceleration — despite the current challenges — is further evidence of our long-term ambition and commitment,” said Justin B. Smith, Co-Founder & CEO, Semafor.
The View From Ben Smith
“When we launched Semafor Gulf in 2024, we were excited to pursue one of the biggest economic and geopolitical stories in the world. Our team in the Gulf have been delivering brilliant reporting throughout this conflict, and we’re eager to add to their ranks to build the leading global independent news organization in the region,” said Ben Smith, Co-Founder & Editorin Chief.
Know More
Semafor Gulf launched in September 2024 as the company’s third global edition, following the US and sub-Saharan Africa. Led by veteran journalist and editor Mohammed Sergie, the platform launched with a world-class regional team reporting from Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. In July 2025, Semafor appointed Matthew Martin as Saudi Arabia bureau chief and global head of sovereign wealth fund coverage, joining Manal Albarakati in Saudi Arabia and Kelsey Warner in Abu Dhabi.
In December, Semafor took its flagship The Next Three Billion convening on the road to Abu Dhabi during Abu Dhabi Finance Week for its first signature live journalism convening in the region. To expand this work, Semafor is bringing on two new executives to lead the expansion of its signature live journalism convenings across the region.
Andy Rodgers, based in Dubai, has joined Semafor from Bloomberg Media as Executive Director for Marketing & Business Development and will be focused on incubating new partnerships with leading institutions and organizations across the region and innovating new digital and convening products. Joanna Johnson, also based in Dubai, joins from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) as Senior Events Director & Operations Lead for the Middle East, overseeing the growth and launch of Semafor’s signature convenings in the Gulf and additional key international markets.
Notable
The Gulf sits at the center of the new world economy — a hub for global finance, energy, trade, and capital flows that touch every major market on earth. As conflict has disrupted the region, Semafor Gulf has been able to provide key economic and business intelligence through its independent reporting and analysis.
Recent coverage includes:
About Semafor
Semafor is the world’s fastest growing independent news media company that delivers intelligence through its reporting and live convenings. Founded in 2022 by veteran media executives Justin B. Smith and Ben Smith, Semafor provides intelligent, transparent journalism that cuts through the noise and distills complexity for leaders to navigate the new world economy. With a global sensibility, reach, and reporting hubs now spanning from Washington DC, Silicon Valley, Wall Street to sub-Saharan Africa and the Gulf, Semafor’s journalists around the world power its suite of daily first-read email briefings and signature live journalism convenings. The flagship Semafor World Economy, anchored in Washington DC, is the largest annual gathering of top global CEOs in North America; Semafor’s convening on emerging economies, The Next Three Billion, is held annually at UNGA and expanded this year to South Africa, East Africa, and UAE. In 2024, Semafor was named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for “rewriting the story” on international reporting.