AMEinfo.com: Tracing the Journey of the Middle East’s Business Information Hub

A once-thriving business information website across the Middle East, AMEinfo.com was also a leader in online journalism in the region. It began as a CD-ROM-based database launched in 1993 and gradually turned into a massive digital platform featuring news, industry insight, and multimedia content. From print to online, AMEinfo.com stood for quick business information, allied itself with industrial legends, and extended its reach miles beyond the United Arab Emirates. The regional business media powerhouse AMEinfo.com, however, quietly shut down in 2023-a silent goodbye to an era.

Lars B. Nielsen was appointed as a shareholder and the sales leader in 1996-the company that proved grounds for the growth of the project. In 1997, strategic sponsorships from such giants as Royal Dutch Shell and UPS helped the project grow further. By 1998, the distribution of AME Info’s database increased to more than 180,000 copies, which was quite a result due to the association with Shell, which distributed branded versions of content on its magazine in the Middle East.

By the year 1999, AME Info took a big decision by shifting from CD-ROMs to an internet-based platform. This time was when digital media was giving giant leaps as one of the most authentic sources of updated business information. From merely company directories, the firm expanded into news, economic reports, and sector-specific insights to cover all of the Middle East. It was a time in which AMEinfo.com became one of the most trusted sources for professionals to find business news and market analysis.

In 2000, AME Info launched AME Info FN, dedicated to financial markets and economics in the Middle East under the editorial leadership of Peter Cooper. This further helped confirm AMEinfo.com as the go-to source not only for directory information but also for in-depth coverage of regional economic developments. Columns from professional writers throughout the region on education, defense and currency markets were also increasingly featured on the website, further broadening the reach of the website.

It moved to Dubai Media City in May 2001 and changed its name to AME Info FZ LLC. This new premises allowed the firm to extend its coverage to multimedia content as video and audio features with even internet radio. This greatly enhanced its audience reach and afforded users more vivid ways of accessing business information. In 2002, AME Info entered into a significant partnership with CNN International. Under the marketing deal, both companies were to promote their services on digital and television channels. The time run between 2002 and 2006 saw AME Info enjoy daily visibility on CNN International, further securing its position as a credible business information provider. Apparently, in March 2005 HSBC Private Equity Middle East took a major equity stake of the company, so illustrating faith in further development and prospects for its future. Almost next year, July 2006, London-based EMAP bought AME Info, merging the company with other assets in the Middle East, among which was already MEED. A deal of $29 million saw the acquisition of the firm by EMAP, but the value EMAP was gaining from the influence it had in the local media landscape was immeasurable.

However, considering popularity, AMEinfo.com didn’t hesitate to gain steam. According to ABC figures as of March 2012, the site had over 2.4 million monthly unique browsers. This immense volume of traffic proved that AMEinfo.com earned much business information and hence confirmed its status as a leader and a brand worth the trust of professionals in the Middle East region.

In 2013, it was sold along with its sister site SME Info to MediaQuest for an estimated $1 million. However, with the changing landscape of media, AMEinfo failed to sustain its former glory. News sites flooded the internet, and the position of AMEinfo started to fade. The whole website went offline by 2023; that ended its three-decade-long run of providing basic business information to the region.

It has become a testament to its rich place in the digital business information landscape of the Middle East, since humble origins as a CD-ROM directory to its position today as one of the most authoritative online sources of business news. It provided an unmatched amount of information to industry professionals, investors, and decision-makers. This was furthered with its involvements with well-known brands and bodies such as CNN International, Royal Dutch Shell, and HSBC, thereby establishing its stand as a vessel that could unite regional and international business communities.