Former Observer business
editor Frank Kane is heading over to Dubai to edit a new
English-language daily newspaper for the Middle East.
Kane is the
first big signing by Andrew Neil in his role as non-executive chairman
of ITP – a company which publishes Dubai editions of UK-based titles
including Time Out and Campaign, and a magazine called Arabian
Business.
The paper is to be called The Arabian Business Standard and will be available in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from the autumn.
It could then roll out to other nearby countries such as Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Kane is likely to be starting his new role in the next few weeks.
He
revealed last month that he was stepping down as Observer business
editor after five years in the job to write across the newspaper.
Kane
worked under Neil when he was editor of the Sunday Times, notably as
head of the Insight investigations team. The pair also worked together
on the Sunday Business, where Neil was publisher and Kane was news and
investigations editor.
Kane has also been City editor of The Guardian and number two on the Sunday Times business desk to Jeff Randall.
Neil
said: "I'm delighted Frank Kane has accepted the post of editor of
Arabian Business Standard. He brings formidable experience and
reputation as a business journalist and business editor and we look to
him to create a world-class daily business newspaper for the UAE and
the wider Gulf Region."
In March, when Times city editor Patience
Wheatcroft was made editor of the Sunday Telegraph, Kane told Press
Gazette that few City editors go on to become editors.
He said: "There aren't that many that have gone in that way.
There
was Andreas Whittam Smith, who was City editor at the Daily Telegraph,
who then went on to become editor, founder and demi-god of The
Independent. Now we have two. It's a very healthy trend."
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