Speakers

Ghassan bin Jiddo

Place of Birth : Tunisia
Born : 1962
Position : Director of Al Mayadeen channel, Lebanon

Mr. Ghassan bin Jiddo is a veteran Tunisian / Lebanese journalist, activist and director of Beirut-based pan-Arab satellite television channel, Al Mayadeen. He has been recognized in the popular press as an influential Arab personality. He began his journalism career as a correspondent for the BBC Network, Al Hayat and other Arab newspapers as well as the Arab Institute for International Studies in Washington. Later, he began to serve as the bureau chief of Al Jazeera in Iran. Then, he became the bureau chief of Al Jazeera in Beirut.

During his Al Jazeera years, Jiddo worked on a documentary about Hezbollah. He had an exclusive interview with the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, during the Israel-Lebanon conflict of 2006. In the same year, he also interviewed Julia Boutros, Walid Jumblat and former Cuban president Fidel Castro. He was regarded as the most-watched and most popular presenter on Al Jazeera in 2007. He became an influential figure on the Al Jazeera network in 2010, with his program Hiwar Maftuh ("Open dialogue" in Arabic) which was one of the most commonly watched programs. He made insightful interviews with decision makers in his talk-show, and he received much acclaim for Al Jazeera's coverage of the war in Lebanon in 2006.

He was chosen to be the 24th most influential Arab among 100 Arab personalities by Arabian Business in 2007 and 59th most influential Arab in the world among 500 Arab personalities again by Arabian Business in 2011.

• He began his journalism career as a correspondent for the BBC Network, Al Hayat and other Arab newspapers as well as the Arab Institute for International Studies in Washington. Later, he began to serve as the bureau chief of Al Jazeera in Iran. Then, he became the bureau chief of Al Jazeera in Beirut.

• In 2012, Jiddo became the director of Beirut-based pan-Arab satellite television station, Al Mayadeen, launched on 11 June 2012.