Universal Aviation Begins Operations at Dammam’s New General Aviation Terminal

The opening of the new, first and only dedicated FBO/GAT and private aviation hangar at King Fahd International Airport marks Universal Aviation’s first operational milestone in its broader expansion across Saudi Arabia and into the Middle East.

 

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Universal Aviation, an Evans Family Company, today announced that it has officially begun operations at the new General Aviation Terminal (GAT)/FBO and dedicated hangar at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam (OEDF).

Universal Aviation is the appointed manager and operator of the new GAT/FBO and is providing full-service ground handling through the facility. Developed in close partnership with MATARAT Holding and Dammam Airports Company (DACO), the facility represents the first dedicated General Aviation Terminal/FBO in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – a significant milestone for Dammam and for the continued development of the country’s general aviation infrastructure.

Universal Aviation has also successfully handled its first flight through the new facility, marking the start of live operations at Dammam’s new GAT/FBO.

The opening reflects the broader vision being advanced under the leadership of His Excellency Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), to expand dedicated general aviation infrastructure and elevate Saudi Arabia’s position as a world-class destination for business aviation under Vision 2030.

The launch also marks Universal Aviation’s first operational location in Saudi Arabia and a major milestone in the company’s long-term expansion across the Kingdom and into the Middle East.

A New Standard for Private Aviation in the Eastern Province

The new 42,000 ft² Dammam facility was designed to provide business aircraft crews, passengers, and flight operations teams with a more private, efficient, and hospitality-focused experience – from pre-arrival communications and planning through arrival, ground operations, and departure.

The facility includes two dedicated VIP lounges, a pilot’s lounge, a conference room, a food and beverage refreshment area, offices, showers, and onsite customs, immigration, and quarantine facilities.

The facility also includes an approximately 20,000 ft² dedicated private aviation hangar. The hangar represents the first state-sponsored general aviation hangar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and provides secure, climate-protected space for aircraft operating in the Eastern Province.

In a region where heat, humidity, dust, sand, and coastal environmental conditions can accelerate wear on aircraft exteriors and sensitive systems, the enclosed hangar provides operators with an important new option for aircraft protection, operational readiness, and long-term or seasonal basing.

From Concession Award to Live Operations

The opening follows an extensive preparation and operational-readiness program that began after Universal Aviation was awarded the concession to manage the Dammam GAT in late 2025. Working closely with MATARAT Holding, DACO, GACA, and other key stakeholders, Universal Aviation progressed the facility from development and inauguration through regulatory approval and live operations.

Major milestones included the extensive buildout and operational fit-out of the facility, its formal inauguration in February 2026, the recruitment and training of a dedicated local team, the acquisition and deployment of new ground support equipment, and the completion of required safety, regulatory, and operational certification processes.

Universal Aviation also earned its GACAR Part 151 certification, the mandatory ground service provider certification issued by GACA.

“Bringing the new Dammam GAT to operational readiness required a tremendous amount of coordination across facility development, staffing, training, equipment, safety systems, regulatory approvals, and operating procedures,” said John Hewett, Global Vice President, Universal Aviation. “We have built an operation that supports clients well before the aircraft arrives, with proactive communication, clear advance information, and coordinated support through every stage of the mission. On the ground, our team is ready to combine safety and operational discipline with the exceptional, hospitality-driven customer service operators expect from Universal Aviation.”

One Accountable Partner Across Saudi Arabia

Dammam is the first of three Universal Aviation flagship locations planned for Saudi Arabia, with additional operations in Jeddah and Riyadh expected to open later this year.

At King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah (OEJN), Universal Aviation will manage a dedicated approximately 108,000 ft² private aviation hangar and provide a premium, full-service ground handling operation.

At King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh (OERK), Universal Aviation will open a Universal Aviation-exclusive private aviation lounge and provide full-service ground handling.

Together, the three gateway locations will give operators one accountable partner across the Kingdom’s primary business aviation markets, with common standards for safety, service, communication, and operational execution.

To support this network, Universal Aviation has established a centralized Operational Control Center (OCC) for flights operating into, out of, and within Saudi Arabia. Staffed by professional English-speaking operations specialists, the OCC provides operators with a single point of contact for pre-arrival planning, advance operational intelligence, local procedures, service coordination, and questions regarding what crews and passengers should expect on the ground.

The OCC will also help coordinate multi-city itineraries, operational changes, and communications between Universal Aviation teams, airport authorities, and supporting service providers. Beyond the three flagship locations, Universal Aviation is working to extend coordinated support to all airports across Saudi Arabia, allowing operators to maintain centralized communication even when missions extend beyond Dammam, Jeddah, and Riyadh.

With more than 75 locations across 20+ countries and more than 65 years of operational experience, Universal Aviation is bringing a proven global approach to Saudi Arabia, combining structured arrival and departure coordination, aircraft asset protection, proactive communication, and high-touch service for corporate flight departments, charter operators, and aircraft owners.

A Long-Term Commitment to Saudi Arabia

“Today’s opening is an important milestone, but it is only the beginning of our long-term vision for Saudi Arabia,” said Greg Evans, Managing Principal, Evans Family Office, parent of Universal Aviation. “We are proud to be working alongside MATARAT Holding, DACO, GACA, and other leaders across the Kingdom who share an ambitious vision for the future of general aviation. We are committed to investing in the Kingdom, developing Saudi talent, and helping elevate business aviation service standards. Our ambition is to help make Saudi Arabia a world-class destination for business aviation, with infrastructure, operational discipline, and hospitality that meet the highest global expectations and support the goals of Vision 2030.”

Universal Aviation’s expansion supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives by helping strengthen the Kingdom’s aviation competitiveness, expand premium business aviation infrastructure, support private-sector participation, develop local aviation talent, and improve the experience for international investors, businesses, aircraft owners, and operators traveling throughout the country.

Operator Resources

To learn more about Universal Aviation Dammam and the services available at OEDF, visit:

https://www.universalaviation.aero/locations/saudi-arabia/dammam-oedf/

Operators interested in basing aircraft or securing short-term, seasonal, or long-term hangar leasing agreements can visit:

https://www.universalaviation.aero/locations/saudi-arabia/dammam-oedf/hangar-leasing/

Operators, trip support service providers, international service providers, and airport or FBO data providers needing to update their operational databases can download the Universal Aviation Dammam facility specification sheet here:

https://www.universalaviation.aero/location-downloadables/oedf/Station-Datasheet-Dammam-OEDF.pdf

About Universal Aviation

Universal Aviation, an Evans Family company, provides dedicated ground support for business aircraft through a global network of GATs, FBOs, ground handlers, supervisory agents, and VIP agents at 75+ locations across 20+ countries. Backed by over 65 years of aviation excellence, Universal Aviation is trusted worldwide for its commitment to safety, compliance, and exceptional service – helping operators navigate the last 100 yards of every mission with confidence. Learn more at www.universalaviation.aero.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260901579072/en/

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Contacts

Media Contact
Ken Paynter
Vice President
Global Marketing
media@universalaviation.aero

Gradiant Secures Major Water Contract for Hyperscaler AI Data Center Campus in West Texas

 

New HyperSolved contract reinforces Gradiant's role as the water layer for AI data centers

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- As AI data center capacity races to keep pace with compute demand, water has become one of the sharpest constraints on where, and how fast, new facilities can be built. Nowhere is that clearer than West Texas, where one of the nation’s largest AI infrastructure developments is taking shape in a region with limited water resources.

Gradiant, the water layer of the AI economy, today announced a new contract to deliver a full turnkey water and wastewater package for a hyperscale AI data center campus being developed by one of the world’s largest technology companies, covering potable water supply and wastewater treatment as a single accountable partner. The project expands Gradiant’s growing portfolio of water infrastructure deployments supporting the next generation of AI data centers.

The win adds to Gradiant’s data center portfolio built around HyperSolved, its integrated cooling water platform for AI data centers, combining treatment technologies, CURE Chemicals, and SmartOps. The project supports one of the largest AI-driven, multi-billion-dollar investments underway in the United States and reflects growing demand for integrated water solutions capable of supporting hyperscale development in water-constrained regions.

“Water-scarce regions are where the next wave of hyperscale growth is happening, and most operators don’t have a way to get there,” said Prakash Govindan, CEO of Gradiant. “We’re giving them one. This project shows hyperscalers can build in these markets without water becoming the reason they can’t.”

“This project puts Gradiant’s data center track record to work in one of the tightest schedules and toughest water constraints we’ve seen, backed by the presence we’ve already built in Texas,” said Nish Vora, Managing Director, Americas at Gradiant. “We’re delivering the site’s full water and wastewater system engineered for zero discharge to surface water, on a construction schedule that leaves no room for delay.”

The project's zero-surface-discharge design offers a blueprint for the next generation of AI infrastructure. As hyperscalers expand into increasingly water-constrained regions, it demonstrates how growth in AI computing capacity and responsible water stewardship can advance together, creating a model for future developments worldwide.

About Gradiant

Gradiant is the Water Layer of the AI Economy. Founded at MIT and headquartered in Boston, Gradiant builds the water and wastewater infrastructure behind AI's build-out, from chips and data centers to the energy and industries that depend on them. As AI demand accelerates, water is becoming the resource that determines what can be built. Gradiant's technologies reduce what industry withdraws, reclaim what it would waste, and renew clean water to nature, with more than 3,000 treatment plants built across 92 countries. Learn more at gradiant.com.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260902307203/en/

Permalink

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Contacts

Corporate Contact

Felix Wang

Gradiant, Global Head of Marketing

fwang@gradiant.com

 

أيرون ماونتن توسّع نطاق حضورها في الشرق الأوسط من خلال شراكة مع بنك التنمية الاجتماعية

تمثل الاتفاقية، التي تستفيد من إدارة المحتوى الذكية المدعومة بالذكاء الاصطناعي، محطة بارزة في استثمارات أيرون ماونتن المتواصلة في المملكة العربية السعودية.

LEAP 2026 : أعلنت شركة أيرون ماونتن (المدرجة في بورصة نيويورك بالرمز IRM)، الرائدة عالميًا في خدمات إدارة المعلومات، اليوم عن اتفاقية مع بنك التنمية الاجتماعية في المملكة العربية السعودية لدعم التحول الرقمي المستمر للبنك من خلال تحديث عمليات التمويل كثيفة المستندات، بالاستفادة من المعالجة الذكية للمستندات المدعومة بالذكاء الاصطناعي. وسيستفيد البنك من إمكانات المعالجة الذكية للمستندات في منصة أيرون ماونتن InSight® DXP عبر عمليات إقراض المنشآت الصغيرة والمتوسطة.

ويُبرز هذا المشروع كيف تساعد أيرون ماونتن المؤسسات على الانتقال من إدارة المستندات التقليدية إلى عمليات أعمال مدعومة بالذكاء الاصطناعي. وتحول منصة InSight DXP المحتوى المعقد وغير المنظم إلى معلومات خاضعة للحوكمة وقابلة للاستخدام، بما يسهم في تحسين الكفاءة التشغيلية وتمكين اتخاذ قرارات أكثر استنارة.

وقال عبدالرحمن بن فهيد، المدير التنفيذي للأمن السيبراني واستمرارية الأعمال، المشرف على إدارة الوثائق والأرشيف في بنك التنمية الاجتماعية:

"في بنك التنمية الاجتماعية، يتجاوز نهجنا في التحول الرقمي أتمتة العمليات الحالية، إذ نركز على الاستفادة من التقنيات المتقدمة والذكاء الاصطناعي لتعزيز الكفاءة التشغيلية، وتحسين جودة البيانات وحوكمتها، والارتقاء المستمر بتجربة المستفيدين. ويدعم هذا التعاون مع أيرون ماونتن هذا التوجه من خلال إرساء أساس أكثر ذكاءً وقابلية للتوسع لعمليات التمويل لدينا."

ستعمل منصة InSight DXP تلقائيًا على تصنيف المستندات، واستخراج المعلومات ذات الصلة، والتحقق منها وفقًا لقواعد الإقراض المعتمدة، وتحديد المستندات الناقصة أو غير المتسقة. كما تتضمن المنظومة مراجعة بشرية تركز بشكل أساسي على الاستثناءات والحالات التي تتطلب مزيدًا من الاهتمام أو التقدير.

ومن خلال تقليل المعالجة اليدوية، سيسهم المشروع في تعزيز كفاءة واتساق سير عمل المستندات لدى بنك التنمية الاجتماعية، وتحسين جودة البيانات، ودعم معالجة أسرع لتوفير تجربة تمويل أكثر سلاسة للمستفيدين.

ستركز المرحلة الأولى من التنفيذ على عمليات مختارة لإقراض المنشآت الصغيرة والمتوسطة، بهدف إرساء بنية قابلة للتوسع وجاهزة للذكاء الاصطناعي، يمكنها دعم منتجات إضافية، وأنواع أخرى من المستندات، وحالات استخدام لأتمتة سير العمل مستقبلًا. وقد بدأ تنفيذ المشروع بالفعل، مع استهداف دخول الحل حيز التشغيل خلال الربع الثالث من عام 2026.

وقال فويتشيخ باجدا، نائب الرئيس لمنطقة الشرق الأوسط وتركيا وأفريقيا (MENAT) في أيرون ماونتن: ” تشهد المؤسسات في المملكة العربية السعودية ومنطقة الشرق الأوسط على نطاق أوسع، تحولًا من الرقمنة الأساسية نحو تحقيق نتائج أعمال قابلة للقياس. ويُظهر تعاون أيرون ماونتن مع بنك التنمية الاجتماعية كيف يمكن للإدارة الذكية للمعلومات أن تدعم أولويات التحول الرقمي الوطني، وتعزز المرونة التشغيلية، وترسي أساسًا للنمو المستقبلي”.

وتأتي هذه المبادرة في إطار استثمارات أيرون ماونتن المتسارعة في المنطقة، بما في ذلك شراكتها الاستراتيجية مؤخرًا مع stc البحرين لدعم التحول الرقمي للمؤسسات في مملكة البحرين.

لمزيد من المعلومات حول منصة Iron Mountain InSight® DXP.

عن أيرون ماونتن

أيرون ماونتن إنكوربوريتد (NYSE: IRM) شريك لأكثر من 240 ألف عميل في 61 دولة، من بينهم نحو 95% من شركات

Fortune 1000 وتُعد أيرون ماونتن جهة موثوقة لحماية ما يهم المؤسسات، ومساعدتها على إطلاق الإمكانات الكامنة فيه. ومن خلال الربط بين سير العمل المادية والرقمية والذكية، تساعد حلولها القائمة على إدارة دورة الحياة المؤسسات على تحقيق قيمة على مستوى المؤسسة وعلى نطاق واسع.

وانطلاقًا من التحديات المعقدة في مجالات إدارة المعلومات والتحول الرقمي وأمن البيانات ومراكز البيانات وإدارة دورة حياة الأصول، تمكّن أيرون ماونتن المؤسسات من مواكبة المشهد المتغير والاستعداد لإمكانات المستقبل. ويشكّل التزامها الراسخ بالسلامة والأمن والاستدامة والابتكار المستمر أساسًا لكل ما تقوم به.

لمزيد من المعلومات حول أيرون ماونتن، يرجى زيارة موقع الشركة الإلكتروني: www.IronMountain.com

عن بنك التنمية الاجتماعية

تُعد التنمية الاجتماعية ركيزة أساسية من ركائز التنمية، ويسهم بنك التنمية الاجتماعية في تمكين المواطنين من خلال توفير منتجات وبرامج تمويل ميسّرة، بما يعزز إسهامهم الفاعل والمؤثر في التنمية.

ومنذ تأسيسه، شهد البنك تطورات جوهرية أسهمت في ترسيخ مكانته كإحدى أبرز المؤسسات التنموية، ودعم دوره الفاعل والمؤثر في مسيرة التنمية الاجتماعية والاقتصادية في المملكة.

وانطلاقًا من إيمان القيادة الرشيدة بأهمية الدور الذي يضطلع به البنك، يوفر بنك التنمية الاجتماعية برامج تمويل تنموية ميسّرة لأبناء الوطن، كما يدعم المنشآت الصغيرة والناشئة باعتبارها مساهمًا مهمًا في بناء اقتصاد المملكة.

إن نص اللغة الأصلية لهذا البيان هو النسخة الرسمية المعتمدة. أما الترجمة فقد قدمت للمساعدة فقط، ويجب الرجوع لنص اللغة الأصلية الذي يمثل النسخة الوحيدة ذات التأثير القانوني.

الرابط الثابت

https://aetoswire.com/ar/news/0209202657015

جهات الاتصال

للاستفسارات الإعلامية: media@ironmountain.com 

Iron Mountain Expands Footprint in the Middle East with Social Development Bank Partnership

 

Leveraging AI-powered intelligent content management, the agreement marks a milestone in Iron Mountain’s continued investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- LEAP 2026 – Iron Mountain (NYSE: IRM), a global leader in information management services, today announced an agreement with the Social Development Bank in Saudi Arabia to support the bank’s ongoing digital transformation by modernizing document-intensive financing processes through AI-powered intelligent document processing. The bank will leverage Iron Mountain InSight® DXP’s intelligent document processing capabilities across its small and medium enterprise (SME) loan operations.

The initiative illustrates how Iron Mountain helps organizations transition from traditional document management to AI-enabled business processes. InSight DXP converts complex, unstructured content into governed, actionable information, improving operational efficiency and enabling better-informed decisions.

“At Social Development Bank, our approach to digital transformation goes beyond automating existing processes. We’re focused on leveraging advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to enhance operational efficiency, strengthen data quality and governance, and continuously improve the experience of our beneficiaries. This collaboration with Iron Mountain supports that direction by establishing a more intelligent, scalable foundation for our financing operations,” said Abdulrahman Bin Fehaid, Executive Director of Cybersecurity and Business Continuity, overseeing Documents and Archives Management, Social Development Bank.

Insight DXP will automatically classify documents, extract relevant information, validate it against lending business rules, and identify missing or inconsistent documentation. The solution will also include human review, focusing primarily on exceptions and cases requiring further attention or judgment.

By reducing manual processing, the initiative will help Social Development Bank enhance the efficiency and consistency of its document workflows, improve data quality, and support faster processing to deliver a more seamless financing experience for beneficiaries. Initial implementation will focus on select SME lending processes to establish a scalable, AI-ready foundation to support additional products, document types, and workflows. Project implementation is underway with go-live targeted in Q3 2026.

“Across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East region, organizations are moving beyond basic digitization to drive measurable business outcomes. Iron Mountain’s collaboration with the Social Development Bank demonstrates how intelligent information management can support national digital transformation priorities, strengthen operational resilience, and create a foundation for future growth,” said Wojciech Bajda, Vice President, MENAT, Iron Mountain.

This initiative is part of Iron Mountain’s accelerated regional expansion, including a recent strategic partnership with stc Bahrain to drive enterprise digital transformation in Bahrain.

Learn more about Iron Mountain InSight® DXP.

About Iron Mountain

Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM) partners with more than 240,000 customers across 61 countries, including approximately 95% of the Fortune 1000. We serve as the trusted guardians of what matters most, helping unlock what’s possible. By connecting physical, digital, and intelligent workflows, our lifecycle solutions help organizations realize enterprise value at scale. From complex challenges across information management and digital transformation to data security, data centers, and asset lifecycle management, we empower organizations to navigate an ever-changing landscape to prepare for tomorrow’s possibilities. Our longstanding commitment to safety, security, sustainability, and continuous innovation defines everything we do.

To learn more about Iron Mountain, please visit www.IronMountain.com.

About the Social Development Bank

The Bank considers social development to be an important pillar of development in empowering citizens through the provision of accessible financing products and programmes to contribute effectively and influentially.

Building, development and boosting the national economy, and since its inception, the Bank for Social Development has witnessed fundamental developments that it has developed today as one of the most important development institutions.

Which plays an active and influential role in the process of social and economic development within the components of the dear country, in the belief of rational leadership in the importance of the roles that have been played by

Provides it in the area of affordable development finance programmes for the children of this country, on the one hand, and supports small and emerging enterprises as an important contributor to building the economy of the Kingdom on the other.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260901766297/en/

Permalink

https://aetoswire.com/en/news/0209202657014

Contacts

Media Contact: media@ironmountain.com

 

مناظرات الدوحة تنظم جلسة "لقاء مفتوح" في تورونتو حول كرة القدم والمال والانتماء الجماهيري

الدوحة، قطر - الأربعاء, 02. سبتمبر 2026

نقاش يجمع صحفيًا رياضيًا ومؤرخًا وصانع أفلام مع طلاب من قطر وكندا والمكسيك لاستكشاف تأثير الدعم المالي الضخم للأندية على كرة القدم وجماهيرها

نظمت "مناظرات الدوحة"، التابعة لمؤسسة قطر، بالتعاون مع مبادرة الأعوام الثقافية قطر كندا والمكسيك 2026، أحدث جلسات "لقاء مفتوح"، تحت عنوان "جماهير كرة القدم: مجتمع أم سلعة؟". وتناولت الجلسة سؤالًا محوريًا حول من يملك زمام كرة القدم ولمن تنتمي؟ فلطالما مثّل ولاء جماهير كرة القدم لأنديتها رابطةً راسخة تتجاوز حسابات المال والقوة، ولكن مع هيمنة رأس المال العالمي على الرياضة الأكثر مشاهدة في العالم، يتزايد الجدل حول الجهة التي تؤول إليها.

تم تصوير الحلقة في مسرح "ذا تيرمينال" بمدينة تورونتو، بالتعاون مع مبادرة الأعوام الثقافية قطر كندا ولمكسيك 2026، وهي مبادرة وطنية تهدف إلى بناء علاقات مستدامة بين الدول من خلال توفير منصات للتواصل الثقافي وتبادل وجهات النظر. وقد أسهم هذا التعاون في إطلاق حوار هادف جمع الشباب عبر الحدود لمناقشة أبرز القضايا العالمية. وتُعرض الحلقة الآن عبر منصات "مناظرات الدوحة" و"الجزيرة الرقمية".

أدار الحوار الصحفي عمران غاردا، وجمعت المناظرة كلًا من شيرين أحمد، المساهمة البارزة في "CBC Sports"؛ وديفيد غولدبلات، مؤرخ كرة القدم وعالم الاجتماع؛ وكِيلي ناسيمنتو، رئيسة "مؤسسة ناسيمنتو"، لمناقشة تطور اللعبة. كما شارك في النقاش 20 طالبًا من قطر وكندا والمكسيك ودول أخرى.

ومن جانبه، أصر غولدبلات على أن كرة القدم وجماهيرها ليست موضع بيع أو شراء، مشيرًا: "لا ينبغي أن تكون أندية كرة القدم مملوكة ملكية خاصة، سواء للدول أم للأثرياء؛ فهي جزء من رأس المال الثقافي الذي تتقاسمه المجتمعات."

وفي المقابل، عارضت ناسيمنتو، وهي صانعة أفلام وثائقية وابنة أسطورة كرة القدم بيليه، هذا الطرح، متسائلةً عما إذا كانت كرة القدم أفضل حالًا قبل تدفق الأموال إليها. وعلقت: "أجريت بعض الأبحاث للتحقق من حال كرة القدم قبل وقوعها تحت سطوة رأس المال، ولم تبدُ الأمور أفضل مما هي عليه الآن"، مشككةً في أن يكون موقف غولدبلات أقرب إلى تصور مثالي منه إلى الواقع.

فيما دعت شيرين أحمد المشاركين في المناظرة إلى تفحص مصادر تلك الأموال وكيفية استخدامها بمزيد من الدقة. وقالت: "إن الحكم على المال بأنه سيئ في جميع الحالات مسألة معقدة ومتعددة الجوانب؛ لذا، يجدر بنا التركيز على ضمان الشفافية والمساءلة بشأن مصادر هذه الأموال وأوجه إنفاقها."

أثرى الطلاب النقاش بأبعاد أخرى؛ حيث قال نواف الكواري، خريج العمارة البحرية والهندسة البحرية من جامعة ستراثكلايد في غلاسكو: "أتساءل لماذا يواجه أبناء الطبقة العاملة صعوبة في حضور المباريات، ولماذا لا يتاح لهم حضور مباريات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز. يبدو لي أن الأمر أصبح أقرب إلى الرفاهية منه إلى تجربة في متناول الجميع."

بينما علّقت ريجينا ألدريتي، طالبة العلاقات الدولية في جامعة تكنولوجيكو دي مونتيري في المكسيك، على البعد السياسي للعبة قائلة: "كرة القدم سياسية بطبيعتها، ولذا فهي بمثابة مرآة تعكس واقع المجتمع"، مستشهدةً بالتوترات التي أحاطت بمباريات السلفادور وهندوراس بوصفها مثالًا على كيفية انعكاس الصراعات العالمية على هذه الرياضة.

وفي هذا السياق، أكد أمجد عطا الله، المدير العام لمناظرات الدوحة، أن هذا الحوار يأتي في إطار التزام مناظرات الدوحة بالتعمق في تناول القضايا المعاصرة، حيث علق: "قلّة من الأشياء تحظى  باهتمام مليار شخص في آن واحد، وأقل منها ما يثير هذا القدر من الجدل والشغف. ففي تورونتو، رفض ضيوفنا من الخبراء والطلاب الاكتفاء بالإجابات السهلة، وهذا هو جوهر البحث عن الحقيقة."

وأضاف: "نفخر بتنظيم هذه المناظرة بالتعاون مع مبادرة الأعوام الثقافية قطر كندا والمكسيك 2026، انطلاقًا من إيماننا المشترك بأهمية التبادل الثقافي. وندعو الجمهور في كل مكان إلى متابعة الحلقة وتحديد موقفه منها بنفسه."

الأعوام الثقافية قطر كندا والمكسيك 2026، هي مبادرة وطنية تهدف إلى بناء علاقات مستدامة بين الدول من خلال توفير منصات للتواصل الثقافي وتبادل وجهات النظر. وقد أسهم هذا التعاون في إطلاق حوار هادف جمع الشباب عبر الحدود لمناقشة أبرز القضايا العالمية. وتُعرض الحلقة الآن عبر منصات "مناظرات الدوحة" و"الجزيرة الرقمية".

وتأتي جلسة "جماهير كرة القدم: مجتمع أم سلعة؟" ضمن سلسلة جلسات "لقاء مفتوح" العالمية التي تنظمها مناظرات الدوحة، والتي تجمع الشباب والخبراء في حوار مستوحى من ثقافة المجلس، قائم على البحث عن الحقيقة حول القضايا العالمية المعقدة.

مناظرات الدوحة

الموقع الإلكتروني: DohaDebates.com

تويتر: @DohaDebates

إنستغرام: @DohaDebates

فيسبوك: Facebook.com/DohaDebates

يوتيوب: YouTube.com/DohaDebates

ثريدز: Threads.net/@dohadebates

تيك توك: @DohaDebates

 

ما هي مناظرات الدوحة؟

تضم مناظرات الدوحة روادًا من الباحثين عن الحقيقة ذوي الفضول الفكري لمناقشة الاختلافات بشكل بنّاء من أجل بناء مستقبل أفضل. نشدد على الوحدة بدلاً من الانقسام، ونشجع الحوارات التي تجمعنا بدلاً من التي تفرّقنا.

للمزيد يرجى زيارة الموقع الإلكتروني: DohaDebates.com

 

الرابط الثابت

https://www.aetoswire.com/ar/news/dd02092026a

جهات الاتصال

للتواصل الإعلامي مع مناظرات الدوحة:

سمية الكبسي

 بريد إلكتروني: salkebsi@dohadebates.com

Doha Debates holds Toronto town hall on football, money and fandom

Doha, Qatar - Wednesday, 02. September 2026

A sports journalist, a historian and a filmmaker join students from Qatar, Canada and Mexico to debate the impact of wealthy club backing on football and its fans

Football fans embody club loyalty that no boardroom can manufacture. But as global capital reshapes the world’s most-watched sport, who it belongs to is increasingly contested. This question is at the heart of Qatar Foundation’s latest Doha Debates town hall, “Football fandom: Community or commodity?”, now available on Doha Debates and Al Jazeera Digital platforms.

The episode was filmed at The Terminal Theatre in Toronto in partnership with the Qatar, Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture, a national initiative that builds lasting relationships between countries by creating spaces where people can meet and learn from different perspectives. This Doha Debates collaboration brought that purpose to life through a conversation connecting young people across borders.

Moderated by journalist Imran Garda, the Majlis-style debate brought together Shireen Ahmed, senior contributor at CBC Sports; David Goldblatt, a football historian and sociologist and Kely Nascimento, president of the Nascimento Foundation, to explore the sport’s evolution. Twenty students from Qatar, Canada, Mexico and beyond joined the discussion.

Goldblatt held firm that football—and its fans—cannot be bought or sold: “Football clubs should not be privately owned by anyone. They shouldn’t be owned by states, or by rich men or rich women. They are collective forms of cultural capital,” he said.

Nascimento, a documentary filmmaker and the daughter of football legend Pelé, challenged that position, questioning whether football was necessarily healthier before the influx of wealth. “I did some research into what it was like before the money. It didn’t seem like it was that great,” she said, going on to question whether Goldblatt’s stance was more of a utopian idea than reality.

Ahmed challenged her fellow debaters to more closely examine where the money is coming from and how it is used. “This discussion that money is bad in all cases—it’s nuanced, and it’s complicated. So I would rather have accountability for that money and transparency,” she said.

The students added other relevant dimensions to the debate. “I wonder why the working class have difficulties attending, and it’s not accessible for them to attend Premier League matches,” said Nawaf Al-Kuwari, a naval architecture and marine engineering graduate from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.  It seems to me like it’s more of a luxury than it is accessible.”

Regina Aldrete, an international relations student at Tecnológico de Monterrey University, commented on the game’s political nature. “Football is inherently political. Therefore, it is like a mirror of society,” she said, pointing to tensions surrounding football matches between El Salvador and Honduras as an example of how the sport can reflect global conflict.

For Amjad Atallah, managing director of Doha Debates, the conversation reflected Doha Debates’ commitment to in-depth examination of timely topics. “Very few things hold a billion people's attention at once–fewer still spark this much passionate debate. In Toronto, our expert guests and students refused the easy answer, and that is what truth-seeking looks like.”

He added: “We’re proud to have built this debate with the Qatar, Canada and Mexico 2026 Year of Culture, an initiative that shares our belief in the value of cultural exchange. We invite audiences everywhere to watch it, and decide for themselves where they stand.”

“Football fandom: Community or commodity?” is part of Doha Debates’ global town hall series, which brings young people and experts together for Majlis-style, truth-seeking dialogue on complex global issues.

About:

Doha Debates engages a vanguard of intellectually curious truth-seekers to constructively debate differences in order to build a better future. We emphasize unity over division, encouraging conversations that bring us together rather than drive us apart.

More at DohaDebates.com.

Doha Debates

Website: DohaDebates.com

X/Twitter: @DohaDebates

Instagram: @DohaDebates

TikTok: @DohaDebates

Facebook.com/DohaDebates

YouTube.com/DohaDebates

Threads.net/@dohadebates

 

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/dd02092026e

Contacts

Sumi Alkebsi

Director of Communications and Marketing

salkebsi@dohadebates.com

MEX Exchange, part of MultiBank Group, Strengthens Global Operations and Technology Leadership with Three Senior Promotions

 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Wednesday, 02. September 2026 AETOSWire  

Jeremy Pearce and Beth White promoted to regional COO roles, with James Longo named CTO

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- MEX Exchange, the institutional electronic trading platform of MultiBank Group, has announced three senior promotions as it strengthens its operational and technology leadership to support the continued development and international growth of its institutional trading business.

Jeremy Pearce has been promoted to COO – Middle East, Africa & Asia, Beth White to COO – Americas & Europe, and James Longo to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The appointments establish dedicated operational leadership across MEX Exchange’s key international markets, supported by experienced technology leadership as the company continues to develop its global electronic trading infrastructure.

Pearce brings 20 years of experience running and supporting trading businesses across global financial institutions. His career includes serving as COO of FX Sales & Trading at Nomura, as well as roles across interest rate swaps, emerging market bonds, high-yield bonds and credit default swaps at J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley and Barclays.

White brings more than 30 years of experience building and running financial technology businesses. She previously served as Managing Director and COO of Cürex Group, and as Director and Head of Operations at Hotspot. Earlier in her career, she served as Head of Operations at DLJ.

Longo brings more than 30 years of experience in electronic FX technology. He previously served as Managing Director and Head of Software Engineering at Cürex Group and as Senior Vice President at Citi, where he was Technical Lead for the first generation of CitiFX Velocity. He also served as Lead Developer for LavaFX.

Brian Andreyko, CEO of MEX Exchange, said: “As we continue to build MEX Exchange, having experienced leadership across operations and technology is critical to our ability to scale effectively. Jeremy, Beth and James bring decades of experience across institutional markets, electronic trading and financial technology, and their expanded roles strengthen our ability to execute across key regions while continuing to advance our technology infrastructure.”

The promotions further strengthen the leadership team of MEX Exchange as it expands its institutional capabilities and develops its presence across global electronic trading markets.

ABOUT MULTIBANK GROUP

MultiBank Group, established in California, USA in 2005, is a global leader in financial derivatives, serving over 2 million clients across 100 countries, and boasts a daily trading volume that exceeds $35 billion. Renowned for its innovative trading solutions, robust regulatory compliance, and exceptional customer service, the Group offers an array of brokerage services and asset management solutions. It is regulated across five continents by 18+ of the most reputable financial authorities globally. The group’s award-winning trading platforms offer up to 1000:1 leverage on a diverse range of products, including Forex, Metals, Shares, Commodities, Indices, and Cryptocurrencies. MultiBank Group has received over 80 financial awards recognizing its trading excellence and regulatory compliance. For more information, visit MultiBank Group’s www.multibankgroup.com.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260902298207/en/

Permalink

https://www.aetoswire.com/en/news/0209202657020

Contacts

nikolas.neofytou@multibankfx.com