Rafat Ali

Founder

New York, New York, United States23 yrs 9 mos experience

Most Likely To Switch

Key Highlights

Founded Skift, a leading travel media company.
Successfully sold paidContent to Guardian News & Media.
Expert in digital media and travel marketing.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in Travel Media and Digital Marketing.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

Digital MediaMarketingEntrepreneurship

Other Skills

TravelVenture CapitalBloggingEntertainmentOnline TravelBusiness TravelStart-upsTourismHospitality IndustryMediaOnline AdvertisingEvent ManagementDigital StrategyE-commerceMobile Devices

About

Rafat is the CEO/Founder of Skift, the largest business media intelligence and marketing company in travel, providing news, information, data, and services to all sectors of the world’s largest industry. Previously, he was the founder/CEO of paidContent and ContentNext, which he sold to UK's Guardian News and Media in 2008, and left in 2010. Prior to that, he was managing editor of Silicon Alley Reporter. Rafat was the Knight Fellow at Indiana University, where he completed his Masters in Journalism, 1999-2000. Prior to that he completed his BSc in Computer Engineering, from AMU in Aligarh, India.

Experience

23 yrs 9 mos

Total Experience

4 yrs

Average Tenure

14 yrs 5 mos

Current Experience

International women's media foundation

Board Member

Aug 2022 – Sep 2025 · 3 yrs 1 mo

The IWMF is the only global organization built to serve the holistic needs of women and nonbinary journalists. We are an ambitious, bold and inclusive organization that supports journalists where they are with awards, reporting opportunities, fellowships, grants, safety training and emergency aid. As one of the largest supporters of women-produced journalism, our transformative work strengthens equal opportunity and press freedom worldwide.

Investigative news network

Board Member

Dec 2013 – Mar 2015 · 1 yr 3 mos

The Investigative News Network helps nonprofit news organizations produce and distribute stories with impact, achieve cost efficiencies by pooling resources and develop new revenue streams to become sustainable businesses. Includes some of the biggest names in journalism — NPR, WNET.org and American Public Radio — as well as startups and everything in between.

Media development investment fund (digitalnewsventures)

Board of Advisors

Sep 2013 – Dec 2015 · 2 yrs 3 mos · New York City

Digital News Ventures makes seed investments in news and information start-ups, and is part of Media Development Investment Fund, which provides financing and business assistance to independent news outlets worldwide. MDIF has invested $130.9m in 94 independent news businesses in 32 countries since 1996.

Asia society

Board of Advisors, Digital Media

Jan 2013 – Jul 2014 · 1 yr 6 mos · New York City

Gigaom

Board of Advisors

Jan 2012 – Mar 2015 · 3 yrs 2 mos

Gigaom provides intelligent, credible analysis of emerging technologies.

Skift

CEO/Founder

Dec 2011 – Present · 14 yrs 5 mos · New York City

Skift is the largest industry intelligence platform providing MEDIA, INSIGHTS and MARKETING to key sectors of travel. Skift deciphers and defines global travel trends for marketers, strategists and technologists in the global travel industry.
Check out: http://Skift.com.

Digital MediaMarketingTravelEntrepreneurship

Paidcontent.org

Founder, Editor, Publisher

Jun 2002 – Jun 2010 · 8 yrs

Founder of paidContent, online media company covering the business of digital media, entertainment and information industries. Was the first blog-media company in existence.
Raised one round of venture capital from Greycroft Partners in 2006, sold it to UK-based Guardian News & Media in 2010, and left the company in summer of 2010. The company was subsequently resold to Gigaom Network in early 2012.

EntrepreneurshipDigital Media