I followed, as many did, the news of SRMG increasing its ownership in #Thamanya through its subsidiary "Arabia Media Solutions," alongside talk about the resignation of Abdulrahman Abumalih. This is a moment that deserves to be read calmly, away from emotion and public bias, especially since some have tried to suggest there might be a problem in the group's management, specifically with Jomana Al-Rashid.
I knew Jomana Al-Rashid between 2012 and 2016 during my time in Britain. She was a person who possessed remarkable administrative discipline and was punctual. I might even say she was strict in follow-up due to her previous work at the Kingdom's embassy in London, which is common for most who work in the diplomatic corps. Others who knew her closely noticed her belief in numbers and planning. She gained further experience after returning to the Kingdom, leading me to believe she has the integrated experience to manage major institutions. She doesn't just have charisma; she has a clear methodology and the ability to manage human, financial, and editorial resources.
Here lies an important point in understanding the transformations occurring within modern media institutions, including the Saudi Research and Media Group and its subsidiaries. Success in content creation does not necessarily mean success in managing a bloated media institution. This is the difference between a "content creator" and a "media institution leader."
Media management during major growth phases requires people who excel at building structures, managing contracts, developing governance, achieving financial sustainability, dealing with investors, measuring risks, and building multidisciplinary teams. This is why we see globally that many inspiring founders leave the executive scene when institutions enter the expansion phase.
A company like Netflix didn't succeed just because of creative ideas, but because of strict management of data, investment, and expansion. Similarly, Disney didn't become a media empire because of stars alone, but because of its ability to manage systems, rights, resources, and acquisitions.
Sometimes the founder is the most suitable for the starting phase, but not necessarily the most suitable for the phase of major institutional transformation. This does not diminish their value but reflects the difference in skills required between each stage.
Therefore, I believe that what is happening in "Thamanya" today should be read as a natural institutional scene in the world of modern media. When institutions grow, their tools change, their needs shift, and solid professional management becomes an element no less important than creativity itself.
It remains to be said that Abdulrahman Abumalih succeeded in founding and managing Thamanya. As for the Jomana I knew, she believed from an early stage that true administrative success is not built on noise, but on discipline, sustainability, and the ability to manage small details before large elements.
