(MENAFN - Jordan Times) The Jordan Press Foundation (JPF) on Sunday appointed former media and communications minister Ali Ayed as chairman of the foundation's board, succeeding Samir Hiyari, who was appointed as Al Rai newspaper's editor-in-chief.
Ayed represents the private sector on the JPF board in his capacity as a councillor at the Arab Bank Group, which has shares in the foundation.
Born in 1963, in Marka, Ayed has a bachelor's degree in law from the University of Jordan.
A career diplomat, he joined the Foreign Ministry in 1991 and has assumed several diplomatic posts, serving as ambassador to Israel and as charg d'affaires in the Kingdom's embassies in Washington and Tel Aviv.
He was a member of the Jordanian delegation during the Kingdom's peace negotiations with Israel from 1992 to 1994.
Ayed served as minister of state for media affairs and communications under Samir Rifai's government.
Hiyari is one of the longest serving journalists in the JPF and has served as its chairman. He has also served as a member of the Greater Amman Municipality council and as deputy chairman of the Jordan Television and Radio Corporation board.
Born in Amman in 1960, Hiyari received his bachelor's degree in media and communications from King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia in 1984.
He worked as assistant chief editor of Al Rai from 2004 to 2011 and is the co-founder and editor of Ammonnews website.
He has been a member of the Jordan Press Association general assembly since 1984.
During a meeting on Sunday, the JPF board also decided to appoint Omran Kheir as director general of the foundation, succeeding Nader Hourani, whose service ended in May.
Kheir has a BA in general administration and political science from the University of Jordan and a diploma in media. He has worked as deputy director general and as acting director general of the JPF.
Reem Abzakh was appointed on Sunday as vice chairman of the JPF board.
