Arif Ali
Encyclopedia
Arif Ali was the regional product director for the Associated Press
news agency
in Europe
, Middle East
and Africa
.
bureau
in October 1982 as a field service technician
. Ali often worked on risky assignments for the AP, including as a technical operations technician in Somalia
in the early 1990s as the country collapsed in interclan warfare. His main tasks at this time in his career were keeping satellite phone
s, satellite
systems and power generators working so that AP reporters could file reports for the wire service
from remote locations such as Somalia.
Ali also managed a wide range of AP technical projects during his career with the organization. Ali managed the Associated Press Server
from 1995 until 2003. He also served as the product manager
for the project manager for AP Photo Archive from 1995 to 1999 before being promoted to director
of photo technology
from 1999 to 2003. Additionally, Ali also worked as product manager for eAP
and eDistribute in 2003 and 2004.
Ali also oversaw the technical operations coordination for large, special events covered by the AP, such as the 1998 Winter Olympics
in Nagano, Japan, and the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney, Australia.
In 2006 and 2007, Ali guided the creation of a new AP Arabic text
service.
Also in 2007, he was honored with the Gramling Award, the Associated Press' top staff award for overseeing the creation and implementation of new AP services.
for sometime. Ali was survived by his wife, Hina
. His funeral was held in Slough
, United Kingdom
.
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
news agency
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Career
He first became employed at the AP LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
bureau
News bureau
A News bureau is an office for gathering or distributing news. Similar terms are used for specialized bureaus, often to indicate geographic location or scope of coverage: a ‘Tokyo bureau’ refers to a given news operation's office in Tokyo; foreign bureau is a generic term for a news office set up...
in October 1982 as a field service technician
Technician
A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skills and techniques, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Experienced technicians in a specific tool domain typically have intermediate understanding of theory and expert...
. Ali often worked on risky assignments for the AP, including as a technical operations technician in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
in the early 1990s as the country collapsed in interclan warfare. His main tasks at this time in his career were keeping satellite phone
Satellite phone
A satellite telephone, satellite phone, or satphone is a type of mobile phone that connects to orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites...
s, satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
systems and power generators working so that AP reporters could file reports for the wire service
Wire Service
Wire Service is an American drama series that aired on ABC as part of its 1956-57 season lineup.-Synopsis:Wire Service focuses on three reporters for the fictional Trans-Globe wire service, which was similar to real-life news wire services such as the Associated Press and United Press International...
from remote locations such as Somalia.
Ali also managed a wide range of AP technical projects during his career with the organization. Ali managed the Associated Press Server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
from 1995 until 2003. He also served as the product manager
Product Manager
A product manager investigates, selects, and develops products for an organization, performing the activities of product management.A product manager considers numerous factors such as intended demographic, the products offered by the competition, and how well the product fits with the company's...
for the project manager for AP Photo Archive from 1995 to 1999 before being promoted to director
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
of photo technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
from 1999 to 2003. Additionally, Ali also worked as product manager for eAP
EAP
- Organizations :*EA Patras, a Greek sports club* The business school, which, after merging with ESCP, became ESCP Europe*European Workers Party *European Association for Psychotherapy...
and eDistribute in 2003 and 2004.
Ali also oversaw the technical operations coordination for large, special events covered by the AP, such as the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
in Nagano, Japan, and the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney, Australia.
In 2006 and 2007, Ali guided the creation of a new AP Arabic text
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
service.
Also in 2007, he was honored with the Gramling Award, the Associated Press' top staff award for overseeing the creation and implementation of new AP services.
Death
Arif Ali died at his home in London on January 31, 2008 at the age of 46. He had been ill with cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
for sometime. Ali was survived by his wife, Hina
Hina
Hina is the name of several different goddesses and women in Polynesian mythology. In some traditions, the trickster and culture hero Maui has a wife named Hina, as do the gods Tane and Tangaroa. Hina is often associated with the moon....
. His funeral was held in Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.