AB Majlis

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Vaccine hesitancy continues to pose a serious public health challenge, particularly when it comes to maternal immunisation. In the latest episode of AB Majlis, Nicole Abigael, Arabian Business journalist sits down with Dr. Nawal Al Kaabi, Pediatrician and Infectious Diseases Consultant, Hayat Biotech to talk about the importance of maternal vaccines, common misconceptions, and the science-backed safety measures in place to protect both mothers and their babies.

In this episode, Reporter Nicole Abigael sits down with Fernando Morillo, Group Head of Retail Banking at Mashreq, to unpack the bank’s bold digital banking transformation. As one of the region’s most digitally advanced financial institutions, Mashreq is reimagining what modern banking can look like by placing the customer at the centre of everything, leveraging AI, and rethinking traditional structures. We’ll explore how digital innovation is enabling more agile, inclusive, and scalable banking, and what this means for both individuals and businesses.

What happens when the world’s last untapped property giant opens its doors to foreign buyers?

In this episode of AB Majlis, Arabian Business chief reporter Tala Michel Issa sits down with Dar Global CEO Ziad El Chaar to unpack Saudi Arabia’s forthcoming freehold law, the $100 billion local property market, and how Vision 2030 is reshaping global capital flows.

From Dubai’s early freehold boom to Riyadh’s next chapter, El Chaar explains why he believes the Gulf is the most exciting real estate destination on earth. The conversation also dives into the rise of branded residences - Versace, Aston Martin, Trump - and why El Chaar says investors aren’t just buying ROI, they’re buying “return on ego.”

A must-listen for anyone tracking Gulf megaprojects, international real estate, and the intersection of luxury, investment, and identity.

Vaccine hesitancy continues to pose a serious public health challenge, particularly when it comes to maternal immunisation. In the latest episode of AB Majlis, Nicole Abigael reporter at Arabian Business sat down with Dr. Nawal Al Kaabi from Hayat Biotech - a leading expert in maternal and child health to talk about the importance of maternal vaccines, common misconceptions, and the science-backed safety measures in place to protect both mothers and their babies.

What if we told you there's a $5.6 trillion industry built on making people deliberately uncomfortable — and it's projected to hit $8 trillion by 2027? Arabian Business journalists Tala Michel Issa and Nicole Abigael dive into the counterintuitive world where paying hundreds of dollars to sit in ice baths, hyperventilate through breathwork, and sweat in saunas has become the ultimate status symbol.

From Dubai's luxury spas targeting stressed-out executives to Thailand wellness retreats designed specifically for Middle Eastern clients, they unpack how discomfort became the new luxury. Discover why the cold plunge industry alone is worth $450 million (growing to $820 million by 2032), the dark side of wellness tourism, and the shocking health risks behind the Instagram-perfect ice bath photos.

This episode explores the psychology of why we believe "if it hurts, it must work," the role of social media in driving dangerous wellness trends, and Nicole's firsthand experience working for a cryotherapy company. From 12-year-olds dying from ice baths to record-holders sitting in freezing water for over 2 hours, they examine when wellness becomes genuinely dangerous.

Topics covered: Cold plunge economics, cryotherapy risks, breathwork dangers, sauna science, Dubai's wellness boom, post-COVID health obsessions, and why discomfort has become the ultimate luxury commodity in the Gulf region.

In this exclusive episode of the AB Majlis podcast, host Tala Michel Issa, Chief Reporter at Arabian Business, sits down with Zeina Khoury, Founder of Zed Capital and fashion brand I Am The Company, and star of Netflix’s hit reality show Dubai Bling.From surviving a public office showdown in Season 1 to turning a trademark ambush into a viral marketing triumph in Season 3, Khoury opens up about the business behind the drama and the strategy behind the brand. She shares how she built a real estate empire, what reality TV taught her about influence, and why “I am the company” became more than a catchphrase — it became a movement.

A raw, unfiltered conversation about entrepreneurship, power, imposter syndrome, and what it really takes to turn fame into capital.

What do license plates, biochemistry, and rocket ships have in common? According to tech entrepreneur Saygin Yalcin, they're all pieces of the puzzle in building the Middle East's next internet champion. In this episode, the founder of SellAnyCar.com reveals to Chief Reporter Tala Michel Issa how his company's number plate valuation tool went from 50,000 daily queries to over 3 million total valuations in just months — without spending a dirham on marketing.

Yalcin, who recently led a $135 million investment into iMENA and joined its board, explains why AI has fundamentally killed the traditional marketplace business model and how his "bicycle, car, rocket ship" framework determines when entrepreneurs should fuel their businesses with venture capital.

Most startup founders dream of unicorn status, but Yalcin shares the sobering statistics — only 4 in a million companies in China and 9 in a million in the U.S. ever reach the billion-dollar valuation mark. So what separates the car builders from the rocket scientists? According to Yalcin, it comes down to pain tolerance, delayed gratification, and the understanding that "building a great company should take decades, not years."

Listen as we explore the hidden economics of marketplaces, the biological barriers between humans and AI, and the path to creating the Middle East's next tech IPO.

Host Nicole Abigael, Reporter at Arabian Business, sits down with Haider Ali Khan, CEO of Bayut and dubizzle, and CEO of Dubizzle Group MENA, to explore how technology is reshaping the UAE’s real estate sector.

Khan discusses how Bayut and dubizzle are driving market transparency and enhancing the home search experience in a booming property market. With Dubai’s real estate sector experiencing unprecedented demand, Khan reveals how AI-driven search tools and real-time data are helping users make smarter decisions, while supporting developers and agents in a fast-moving digital economy.

He shares insights into the company’s customer-first approach, the future of property technology in the UAE, and how platforms like Bayut and dubizzle are helping redefine how residents interact with real estate — from browsing to buying.

The conversation also touches on broader regional trends, smart city integration, and how proptech innovation is set to shape the next chapter of growth in the Middle East’s property markets.

Host Tala Misha Issa, Chief Reporter at Arabian Business, sits down with Khaled Nuseibeh, CEO of Hala, the joint venture between Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA) and Careem that has revolutionised taxi hailing in the emirate.

Nuseibeh reveals how Hala has captured a significant portion of Dubai's e-hailing market while growing its customer base by 21% year-on-year, even as new competitors like Bolt and Yango enter the scene. He shares insights from his journey from the telecom sector through Careem's landmark Uber acquisition to leading Hala, and explains how the company uses data analytics to stay ahead of Dubai's growing traffic challenges as the city approaches 4 million residents.

The conversation explores Hala's sustainability initiatives with its expanding electric vehicle fleet, innovative customer solutions like WhatsApp booking for tourists, and how "booking a Hala" has become part of Dubai's everyday language. Nuseibeh also offers his perspective on the future of mobility, including autonomous vehicles and the possibility of flying taxis in Dubai's skyline.

A must-listen for anyone interested in transportation technology, urban mobility solutions, and how innovative leadership is transforming one of the world's fastest-growing cities.

In this exclusive episode of AB Majlis, Roman Shimansky, Chief Executive at Yango Play, sits down with host and Arabian Business Chief Reporter Tala Michel Issa to discuss how this tech company is challenging global streaming giants. Shimansky reveals Yango Play's unique strategy of offering seamless transitions between music, video, and gaming while focussing on culturally relevant content for Middle Eastern audiences. He shares insights on their rapid growth across GCC countries and Egypt, their metrics for measuring success, and their vision to become a platform for rising regional talent. Shimansky also announces Yango Play's launch on PlayStation and discusses their experimentation with gamification features. A must-listen for anyone interested in the evolution of entertainment technology in the region and how local players are carving their niche in a globally dominated market.