An authority on strategic international relations, Dr Raghida Dergham has been a columnist and senior diplomatic correspondent for the London-based Al Hayat, the leading independent Arabic daily, since 1989. The author of what New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman called “a smart and important column,” her writing style sheds light on the cultural chasm between the Arab and Western worlds and what must be done to bridge that gap.

Through her journalism, Dergham contextualizes the latest events in the Middle East, their impact on the world stage, and how critical it is to understand diverse cultures in the world. She has broken major news stories, covered myriad peace conferences and summits, and shared her expertise on the world stage. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, and named one of 2011’s “100 Most Powerful Arab Women” by Arabian Business, she discusses the complexities of the nations, leaders, and policies of the Arab world and how they interface with the West.

Dergham was a political analyst for NBC, MSNBC, and the Arab satellite LBC for eight years. She has been a frequent guest on PBS, CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, Canada’s CBC, and Al-Jazeera, as well as a radio guest on NPR and the BBC. She is a contributing editor on the international political scene for Los Angeles Times Syndicate Global and Viewpoint.

Dergham has conducted exclusive interviews with more than 50 foreign ministers and more than 20 international presidents, her notable interviewees include President George W. Bush and Secretaries Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell. She was the only journalist to interview Ramzi Youssef, the alleged mastermind of the World Trade Center bombing.

Dergham is a member of the International Media Council of the World Economic Forum, which is composed of the 100 most respected and influential media figures worldwide. Dergham is also an honorary fellow at the Foreign Policy Association and a regular participant in The World Economic Forum and the Noble Laureates conference. Additionally, she served as president of the United Nations Correspondents Association and a juror on the UNESCO Press Freedom Award.

Dr Raghida Dergham

Senior Diplomatic Correspondent, Al-Hayat

• President, United Nations Correspondents Association (1997)
• Member, International Media Council, World Economic Forum
• Juror, UNESCO Press Freedom Award
• Board Member, International Women’s Media Foundation