The result was remarkable: under his operational leadership, The Spectator saw its highest circulation figures in its 190-year history and became profitable enough to become an acquisition target. When the magazine was sold to Paul Marshall in 2020, the underlying value de Bellaigue built was a key selling point.
: He avoids taking easy partisan sides, choosing instead to explain the complex history behind current events.
Whether he is rescuing The Spectator from financial ruin or future-proofing The Telegraph against the AI revolution, de Bellaigue’s career is a masterclass in how to keep serious journalism alive in a frivolous, fractured market. He is, without hyperbole, one of the most under-reported power players in British media. jahan de bellaigue
De Bellaigue's insightful reporting has made him a frequent contributor to prominent international and regional publications. His work frequently appears in outlets focused on in-depth Middle Eastern affairs. Some notable highlights from his portfolio include:
For students of media management, Jahan de Bellaigue is a case study in how to: The result was remarkable: under his operational leadership,
Colleagues recall that had a legendary ability to cut a 3,000-word draft down to 1,200 words without losing a single argument. "He edits like a diamond cutter," one former staffer told Press Gazette . "He finds the flaw, the extra adjective, and removes it with surgical precision."
A recent graduate of the with a degree in International History, Jahan’s academic foundation is deeply rooted in the historical contexts of the regions he now reports on. During his time at LSE, he was also an active member of the drama society, even performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival —a creative background that perhaps informs the narrative depth found in his writing. Notable Reporting and Focus Areas Whether he is rescuing The Spectator from financial
Arguably his most ambitious work, this book directly refutes the common Western trope that Islam never underwent an era of modernization or enlightenment. De Bellaigue traces the intellectual transformation of Cairo, Istanbul, and Tehran starting from Napoleon's invasion of Egypt. He highlights how Muslim scholars, scientists, and statesmen adopted, adapted, and integrated modern concepts of medicine, democracy, feminism, and technology into an Islamic framework. The book was shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. 4. The Lion House: The Coming of a King (2022)
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: Beyond journalism, he has been involved in performance, appearing in original productions at events like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Journalistic Focus : His recent dispatches for New Lines Magazine