Charles Yardley, who was CEO at the Evening Standard between 2020 and 2023, is moving to Dubai to take the same role at the Khaleej Times.
His new employer is the oldest English-language daily newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, founded in 1978. Yardley will move to Dubai for the role.
Yardley’s job will be to oversee its continued transformation “from a legacy print newspaper to a digital-first multi-channel editorial brand”. The title currently publishes in print on weekdays, having dropped its weekend editions last year.
The Khaleej Times is owned by Galadari Printing and Publishing, part of Galadari Brothers. It began life as a partnership between the UAE government, Galadari Brothers and Dawn Media Group in Pakistan.
Mohammed Galadari, co-chairman and group CEO, said his aim is to “continue strengthening the position of the Khaleej Times as the leading media company in the UAE and beyond”.
He said: “Charles has an exemplary background and brings significant experience in delivering growth and innovation for global media brands, as well as a career history of building deep client relationships with marketers to ensure successful partnerships.”
Yardley said: “It’s an honour and a great privilege to lead Khaleej Times. I sincerely look forward to getting to know my new colleagues, expanding the business and building out new opportunities for the brand, whilst empowering Khaleej Times’s journalism.”
Yardley joined the Standard in June 2020 when it was apparent it had been among the hardest-hit titles by the Covid-19 pandemic due to its legacy print-centric and advertising-heavy model suffering from commuters staying home. His job involved a major restructuring and leading it towards a digital-first model, which included a relaunch of live events and of branded content solutions.
The Telegraph first reported Yardley’s departure in May last year, citing an email to staff from interim chairman Paul Kanareck who said the CEO had “admirably steered the business through some of the most challenging times in recent years”.
Over a year on, the Standard has begun dropping its print edition and will launch a new weekly newspaper this month.
Before joining the Standard, Yardley held senior manging director positions at Forbes and as chief operating officer at City AM.
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