Operational History
I am a digital media executive and strategist with over 20 years of experience leading media transformation across global organizations. My career has essentially been a two-decade-long exercise in building digital products and brands that have engaged millions of audiences while successfully avoiding the word "synergy".
Current Deployment: AJ+ English
I currently serve as the Head of AJ+ English, Al Jazeera Media Network’s award-winning digital channel. My role involves overseeing overall strategy, growth, and the occasional organizational redesign.
Recently, I’ve guided our teams through strategic shifts away from Facebook-first models toward prioritized growth on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Along the way, the channel has picked up some of the industry’s highest honors, including two National Emmys, two Peabody Awards, and two Edward R. Murrow Awards between 2023 and 2025.
Foundations & The Core Team
I am one of the founding figures behind AJ+ along with my good friend and inspiration Riyaad Minty, having been part of the core team that launched and incubated the project in 2014 to set global benchmarks for mobile-first journalism. Before that, I served as Al Jazeera’s Innovation & Incubation Manager, where I led a team dedicated to experimenting with concepts that actually had business potential.
My earlier technical and editorial heavy lifting included:
- International Expansion: Establishing the digital presence for Al Jazeera America, AJ Turk, and AJ Balkans.
- Crisis Infrastructure: Leading the creation of live digital reporting formats and UGC verification workflows during the 2009 Iran elections and the Arab Spring standards eventually adopted across the industry.
- Team Building: Hiring and training editorial, technology, and product teams to operate best-in-class native experiences.
Technical Specs & Advisory
I hold a Bachelor of Computer Science from the University of Toronto (2003) and a graduate diploma in International Relations from Cambridge University. This combination means I can discuss global policy and broken CSS with equal enthusiasm.
I currently serve on the Creative Commons Advisory Council. My previous extracurriculars include the advisory boards of Qatar University and the Diplomatic Council, as well as speaking engagements at TEDx, SXSW, the Aspen Institute, and various International Journalism Festivals.
The Mission
Beyond the awards and executive boards, I remain a firm advocate for media justice, knowledge equity, and using open access to ensure voices from the Global South aren't just heard, but are actually part of the infrastructure.