John Defterios
John Defterios is CNN Business' Emerging Markets Editor and Anchor. Based in the network's Abu Dhabi bureau since 2011, his reporting focuses on the top business stories from emerging economies, with a specialty in trade, geo-politics and energy.
Defterios has built a long-standing reputation for securing exclusive interviews with high-level figures during breaking news situations including: HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rachid, PM of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Ali Al Naimi & Khalid Al Falih, Energy Ministers of Saudi Arabia, HH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud and Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto as well many of the leading CEOs in the Fortune 100.
Defterios has three decades of financial news and current affairs experience covering some of the landmarks events during that period including the Gulf War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the World Trade Centre bombings and G8/G20 summits, the L.A. Riots from his postings in London, Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Rome and the U.A.E.
He is a World Economic Forum media leader and member of the Global Agenda Council on the Arab World and serves on the board of the Stern Stewart Institute in Germany, a non- for-profit group promoting leadership and entrepreneurship.
Defterios chairs more than a dozen high level events annually including the World Economic Forum, the OPEC Seminar, the IMF Roundtable, St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Atlantic Council Energy Forum, U.A.E. World Government Summit, U.S.-Saudi Arabia Investment Summit, Islamic Development Bank Annual Meeting and Saudi Arabia's Future Investment Initiative.
Prior to CNN, Defterios worked for Reuters Television as European Correspondent, U.S. West Coast Correspondent and special series producer in a joint-venture with The Nightly Business Report on PBS-TV.
He graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in Journalism and Political Economics and was a fellow at the USC's Institute of Politics and Government in Washington D.C.