Virgin Radio to launch in Middle East

Virgin Group's plans to launch the Virgin Radio brand in the Middle East are near to completion.

Arab Radio Network - owned by Arab Media Group - is close to signing a deal with Virgin, which will see the station open in Dubai before the end of the year.

Virgin Radio Asia, which has stations in Bangkok, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, launched in 2001. The brand also has outlets in Italy and France.

Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson told The Guardian that he had "no doubt" that the company would be launching more stations over the coming years.

Though he no longer owns Virgin Radio in the UK, Branson licenses the brand name to the station's current owner Scottish Media Group. SMG is planning to sell its Virgin Radio operations, but part of Branson's contract with the company includes the option to veto any sale to a Virgin Group competitor.