Reuters seeks company news reporter in Saudi Arabia

Reuters is seeking an Arabic-speaking correspondent to cover company news in Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom is by far the largest economy in the Middle East and is home to some world-class companies – and not just in the oil and oil-related industries that many might expect. Some may not be household names outside of the region but that is about to change as Saudi Arabia opens up to direct foreign investment for the first time.

There will be much attention and investors across the world will be wanting to know exactly what is going on in this unfamiliar world. Reuters is looking for someone who can bring this distinct corporate world to our readers.

Based in Riyadh, the successful candidate will be able to get into the Saudi story and explain what is happening in the corporate sector to our international audience with clarity and accuracy, both through spot and exclusive news and in analysis pieces. Contacts with company executives will be an important part of the job, so an ability to mix easily with, and extract information from, such individuals will be important.

A grasp of numbers and company reports will also be valuable. While Arabic will be a key skill, this must be combined with a nose for news and the ability to spot industry trends and communicate them with anecdotes as much as with numbers. While company news is the main focus of this job, periodic stints on the general news file will be part of this role. Training in reporting company news will be available for this role.

Qualifications

Proven fluency in Arabic a clear advantage
Strong writing, excellent news judgment and reporting skills.
Ability to build contacts in the corporate world
Ability to spot agenda-setting stories or trends
Ability to write breaking news
At least three years reporting experience would be ideal; equivalent experience in the financial industry may be relevant

To apply, go here.