Latest news with #RichardQuest
Campaign ME
9 hours ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Going beyond breaking news
On the sidelines of World Governments Summit earlier this year, a fascinating discussion took place between CNN's Chairman and CEO Sir Mark Thompson and two of the network's foremost journalists, Richard Quest and Becky Anderson. At a dinner for VIPs attending World Governments Summit, they reflected on the global news agenda at a time when the news cycle was already in overdrive with the LA fires, the inauguration of President Trump for his second term and continuing conflicts and geo-political tension around the world. However, the conversation wasn't just about breaking news, conflict and politics; they also reflected on many of the themes that had emerged from the sessions, events and interviews that had taken place at World Governments Summit and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Themes such as innovation, collaboration and advancements that could benefit society, culture, wellness, the environment and more. Anderson talked about covering rich stories from across the Gulf and the Middle East, and Quest gave his perspective reporting on global business. This discussion made me reflect how in a way this conversation encapsulated the changing nature and purpose of 'news' in today's world. Yes, the brand promise of the world's foremost news organisations to cover breaking news and politics is even more important in an era of prevalent, rapidly spreading misinformation. This is why people around the world turn to CNN when it really matters. But people also turn to CNN to learn more about topics that they are passionate about, which may not be strictly defined as 'news'. The data backs this up. According to GWI – a major global survey which looks at behaviour of 16- to 64-year-olds in 52 markets around the world – 72 per cent of CNN's audience has an interest in gadgets and technology, 68 per cent in music, 63 per cent in food and drink, 58 per cent in films and cinema and 58 per cent in cooking. The same survey found that 69 per cent are interested in personal healthcare, fitness and exercise, 68 per cent are interested in business, economy and entrepreneurship, and 54 per cent plan to purchase a handbag, jewellery, wallet or wristwatch. This data tells us that news networks such as CNN have diverse audiences with all kinds of passions, hobbies and interests. Therefore, it makes sense that audience expectations of a news provider go beyond breaking news and politics as they also want to hear about other topics important to them. For years, CNN has had this commitment whether in business – where shows such as Quest Means Business have been a mainstay in the schedule – or in CNN Style, for decades a show fronted by the iconic Elsa Klensch and now a smart, video-led digital destination – or in travel, where Richard Quest, Eva Longoria, Anthony Bourdain and others have fronted travel show franchises, and CNN Travel remains a go-to hub for incredible content. When it comes to travel, GWI data tells us that in the last year, 465 million people who consume CNN travelled on at least one business trip, and 704 million people had at least one trip for vacation. Those are incredible numbers. Consequently, news organisations such as CNN have developed franchises such as the long-running Quest's World of Wonder and the newly launched My Happy Place – the first CNN Original to launch simultaneously on CNN US and international networks. Such franchises are a counterweight to the news agenda and provide audiences with 'news you can use' in an entertaining and informative way. As news organisations embark on transformation programmes, these franchises feature on different platforms to reach diverse audiences in new ways. Such content lends itself to podcasts, newsletters, social media and, of course, streaming and on-demand as well as TV and digital. As CNN accelerates its own transformation, we are seeing more touchpoints for content, bringing new angles and perspectives to audiences. From a brand perspective, news-adjacent content provides a unique space for advertisers to reach news audiences. Data from Stagwell and others shows no negative impact to brands that advertise alongside breaking news and politics, and that avoiding doing so can threaten the sustainability of business models that enable such important news provision. In which case, as someone who has worked in this space for a long time, I point brand partners to areas such as travel, business, sports, technology and culture. Advertising alongside or sponsoring such content enables brands to reach audiences at scale in a premium environment. With the multi-platform approach enabled by transformation, publishers can also provide advertisers with more data, insights and attribution on the audience response to the content. So, the next time you think of news – either as a consumer or as an advertising partner – be prepared for more than the headlines. Breaking news will always be the bedrock of a major international global news network, but news is also about life. By Marwan Kai, CEO, MIS Gulf
Zawya
28-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman sets stage for world's next investment conversation
As the sun rises over the Sea of Oman, leaders from across the globe are gathering under the lofty ceilings of the St. Regis Muscat for something more than a business forum. Today, the Sultanate of Oman begins an ambitious new chapter—not just as a host of capital, but as a curator of the world's next big investment conversation. The Advantage Oman Forum opens this morning with a promise: to rewire how we think about investment in an era of broken paradigms. And unlike the hundreds of forums that quietly fade into corporate memory, this one starts with a pulse. A purpose. A provocation. It's not just about money. It's about mindset. OMAN IS NOT PITCHING. IT'S POSITIONING For years, investment forums in emerging markets have followed a predictable playbook: project showcases, investor brochures, keynote promises. But Oman, ever the measured voice in a loud region, is doing something different. It is not shouting its arrival—it is shaping the conversation. Today's agenda is built on megatrends, not market clichés. Artificial intelligence, climate resilience, the evolution of global supply chains, the rise of storytelling as corporate currency—these are not abstract ideas. They are existential questions for companies and countries alike. From the first session—'The Shape of Things to Come'—Oman places itself at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and strategic foresight. Not as an observer, but as a co-architect of the future economy. WHY THIS FORUM, WHY NOW? Timing is not incidental. As capital shifts away from high-risk volatility and toward strategic reliability, Oman offers rare attributes: geopolitical stability, rule of law, fiscal discipline, and a long-term vision under Oman Vision 2040. The forum arrives amid quiet but radical transformation: new laws enabling 100 per cent foreign ownership, green hydrogen projects under development, a stock exchange restructuring, and global partnerships that go far beyond oil. This is Oman's moment not because it shouts louder—but because the world is ready to listen to a place that thinks deeper. Few would expect a Gulf investment forum to include sessions on vulnerability in leadership or storytelling as a trust-building tool. Fewer still would build an entire day around the psychology of risk. Yet here in Muscat, thought leadership isn't just performative—it's policy-informing. Whether it's Richard Quest leading dialogue on global volatility or CEOs mapping new ESG frontiers, the forum isn't content with panel platitudes. It is built to move the needle—on ideas, deals, and diplomacy. While international guests may marvel at the mountains of Al Jabal Al Akhdar or the cultural heritage of Nizwa, the real Oman transformation is happening in boardrooms and ministries. It's in the way the Ministry of Commerce now talks about AI. In how OPAZ speaks of 'investment ecosystems' instead of 'zones.' In the way the Oman Investment Authority speaks less about scale—and more about impact. This is not branding. It's a reset. SOFT POWER MASTERCLASS CNN is here, not merely to broadcast Oman's story—but to participate in writing it. With anchors like Becky Anderson and Eleni Giokos moderating, this isn't media coverage—it's media convergence. Oman is placing its narrative on the global stage through one of the world's most trusted channels, ensuring that the forum is not only seen—but understood. As a journalist, I've covered dozens of such events. But rarely have I sensed a country using an event not to catch up to the future—but to help define it. This morning, Muscat becomes more than a capital—it becomes a canvas. For ideas, for policies, for partnerships. As Oman bridges its natural elegance with economic intelligence, the Advantage Oman Forum is not a one-off. It is a declaration. And as the doors open today, the message to every investor, policymaker, and visionary is clear: You're not just entering a forum. You're entering the future—from Oman. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Observer
26-04-2025
- Business
- Observer
Oman sets stage for world's next investment conversation
As the sun rises over the Sea of Oman, leaders from across the globe are gathering under the lofty ceilings of the St. Regis Muscat for something more than a business forum. Today, the Sultanate of Oman begins an ambitious new chapter—not just as a host of capital, but as a curator of the world's next big investment conversation. The Advantage Oman Forum opens this morning with a promise: to rewire how we think about investment in an era of broken paradigms. And unlike the hundreds of forums that quietly fade into corporate memory, this one starts with a pulse. A purpose. A provocation. It's not just about money. It's about mindset. OMAN IS NOT PITCHING. IT'S POSITIONING For years, investment forums in emerging markets have followed a predictable playbook: project showcases, investor brochures, keynote promises. But Oman, ever the measured voice in a loud region, is doing something different. It is not shouting its arrival—it is shaping the conversation. Today's agenda is built on megatrends, not market clichés. Artificial intelligence, climate resilience, the evolution of global supply chains, the rise of storytelling as corporate currency—these are not abstract ideas. They are existential questions for companies and countries alike. From the first session—'The Shape of Things to Come'—Oman places itself at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and strategic foresight. Not as an observer, but as a co-architect of the future economy. WHY THIS FORUM, WHY NOW? Timing is not incidental. As capital shifts away from high-risk volatility and toward strategic reliability, Oman offers rare attributes: geopolitical stability, rule of law, fiscal discipline, and a long-term vision under Oman Vision 2040. The forum arrives amid quiet but radical transformation: new laws enabling 100 per cent foreign ownership, green hydrogen projects under development, a stock exchange restructuring, and global partnerships that go far beyond oil. This is Oman's moment not because it shouts louder—but because the world is ready to listen to a place that thinks deeper. Few would expect a Gulf investment forum to include sessions on vulnerability in leadership or storytelling as a trust-building tool. Fewer still would build an entire day around the psychology of risk. Yet here in Muscat, thought leadership isn't just performative—it's policy-informing. Whether it's Richard Quest leading dialogue on global volatility or CEOs mapping new ESG frontiers, the forum isn't content with panel platitudes. It is built to move the needle—on ideas, deals, and diplomacy. While international guests may marvel at the mountains of Al Jabal Al Akhdar or the cultural heritage of Nizwa, the real Oman transformation is happening in boardrooms and ministries. It's in the way the Ministry of Commerce now talks about AI. In how OPAZ speaks of 'investment ecosystems' instead of 'zones.' In the way the Oman Investment Authority speaks less about scale—and more about impact. This is not branding. It's a reset. SOFT POWER MASTERCLASS CNN is here, not merely to broadcast Oman's story—but to participate in writing it. With anchors like Becky Anderson and Eleni Giokos moderating, this isn't media coverage—it's media convergence. Oman is placing its narrative on the global stage through one of the world's most trusted channels, ensuring that the forum is not only seen—but understood. As a journalist, I've covered dozens of such events. But rarely have I sensed a country using an event not to catch up to the future—but to help define it. This morning, Muscat becomes more than a capital—it becomes a canvas. For ideas, for policies, for partnerships. As Oman bridges its natural elegance with economic intelligence, the Advantage Oman Forum is not a one-off. It is a declaration. And as the doors open today, the message to every investor, policymaker, and visionary is clear: You're not just entering a forum. You're entering the future—from Oman.
The Independent
28-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Is it worth going to the US? CNN anchor issues warning to tourists over tighter border controls
New hard-line US border controls are increasing concern among prospective transatlantic travellers – leading to some travellers to question whether they should be heading to the States. Richard Quest, CNN Business editor-at-large, told The Independent 's daily travel podcast: 'US immigration is going to be looking more closely at everybody coming through the border.' Immediately on taking office, Donald Trump issued an executive order that asserted: 'Over the last four years, the prior administration invited, administered, and oversaw an unprecedented flood of illegal immigration into the United States. 'Millions of illegal aliens crossed our borders or were permitted to fly directly into the United States on commercial flights.' The order, headlined Protecting the American people against invasion, says: 'Enforcing our nation's immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States.' The tighter controls, said Mr Quest, are leading to prospective transatlantic travellers wondering whether it is safe to travel to the US. 'We're starting to hear cases where visitors to the United States are having an extreme reaction at the border. 'In the last few weeks there have been, yes, isolated cases – a couple in Germany, one in the UK – but where travellers crossing US borders have been detained, in some cases sent to remote locations, and then deported. "There was a tattooist from Germany who's had her tattoo equipment found in her bag, and they thought she might be working. 'There was somebody who was the fiancee of an American citizen who was detained and then deported.' Such treatment is deterring travellers, the CNN anchor said. 'Are they going to get the third degree, or are they going to be turned away at the airport, or are they going to have an unwelcome experience? 'You even have Brown University telling its faculty and students who have visas, 'Don't travel out of the country, you might not get back or you might have trouble getting back'. 'In that scenario, I think you're going to have people saying, is it worth going to the US? 'If you and the kids are going to Orlando to Disney for a week, you don't necessarily have to worry. 'But there are those groups of people, I would think gap-year students, I would think those who have had legal difficulties. You need to be more aware that US immigration is going to be looking more closely at everybody coming through the border. 'How this translates into travel and decision making, we don't know yet, but you cannot ignore these very high-profile cases and ask yourself what is the effect going to be?' Ben Smith, the chief executive of Air France-KLM, told an aviation conference: 'We've seen from Canada to the US a significant shift in demand away from the US to other destinations. 'Canadians are still travelling [but] they've reduced their planned trips to the US significantly.' US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says: 'Securing our nation's borders and safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system is a primary focus of ICE officers and agents throughout the country. 'Immigration enforcement is the largest single area of responsibility for ERO [Enforcement and Removal Operations] and is a critical component of the overall safety, security, and well-being of our nation.' Richard Quest, 63, has been working at CNN since 2001 – principally reporting and presenting business programmes. He said of the new administration: 'The level of chaos and confusion is off the charts. 'The tariffs is a good example. How can any company, how can any business leader have a strategy when it's tariffs on, tariffs off, tariffs change, tariffs off, tariffs this, tariffs that? 'So it's very, very difficult at the moment.'
CNN
11-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Angela Merkel on Global Trade as Trump Threatens More Tariffs
Richard Quest spoke to World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel on global trade as Donald Trump threatens more tariffs on partner countries.
