A scintillating saga of how a young entrepreneur from South India went on to make a mark on the global media domain
Entrepreneurs are a dime a dozen these days. But it is rare to come across one with acumen, foresight and tech prowess. Meet Ansif Ashraf, a young award-winning Indian entrepreneur who belongs to that rare tribe of businessmen with the above-mentioned qualities, who is making waves in the media industry. He is the proud owner of two stellar publications – Cochin Herald, a premier business magazine targeting the business/startup world in the Indian state of Kerala, and British Herald, a London-based news and information website, which is Britain’s window to the world.
The making of a mediapreneur
Ansif knows the curves and contours of the media industry as his family has a media background. His father, the late Dr Sheikh Mohammed Ashraf, was instrumental in founding Cochin Herald in 1992, which was then a Sunday newspaper in vernacular Malayalam in Kochi, south India. Ansif grew up watching his father manage the twin roles of Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director. Unfortunately, in 1995, he stepped down due to issues with the management.
But the young Ansif was determined to win back Cochin Herald one day. In 2011, he was finally able to gain control of the titles of the publication. After discussions with experts, he decided to publish it as a bi-monthly English business magazine in 2012. The magazine, which also publishes books, hosts the Business Excellence and Leadership Awards in Kerala.
From Kochi to London
At a time when the prospects of the print media appeared to be bleak, Ansif boldly decided to shift to the online platform. British Herald was relaunched as an online news and information delivery platform in 2018. It is owned by his London-based Herald Media Network Limited. Ansif also owns the intellectual property rights of British Herald, which leverages on its consolidated strengths in the digital media and communication market.