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DUBAI: Al Arabiya, the Dubai-based leading regional news channel, has appointed Saudi journalist Mamdouh Al-Muhaini as its new general manager, Arab News has learned from informed sources. 

The appointment which is due to be announced later today comes as outgoing GM Nabil Al-Khatib resigns to join a new Dubai-based media venture. Unconfirmed reports suggest Mr. Al-Khatib will either be moving to a new international news channel, or join a prominent pan-Arab media group in a senior managerial role. 

Al-Khatib has served as Al Arabiya general manager since January this year and he shall continue to provide Al Arabiya’s editorial board with consultation, sources confirm. 

For his part, Mamdouh Al-Muhaini will oversee operations at both Al Arabiya and its sister news channel, Al Hadath. He has previously managed the networks’ digital platforms and has served under Mr. Al-Khatib as his deputy. 

Throughout his tenure, Al-Khatib has managed to enhance the quality of the channel’s coverage of regional events. He also finalized the long-awaited revamp of the look and feel of the channel and its new studios, which will be revealed by the end of this year or by the beginning of 2020, internal sources confirm. 

The revamp has been done with the help of some of the biggest international names in the industry and will see the 17 year old news channel modernize and become much mode digital.