In today's world masculinity is often defined as a spectrum of qualities and behaviours traditionally associated with men, including traits like strength, courage, independence, and assertiveness. But what about their emotions? Do they have emotional intelligence? Are they vulnerable? Empathetic? Why don't they cry?...

Adil Hussain, a visionary, life & men's coach and  founder of BrotherhoodDXB, has dedicated his life to redefining masculinity and creating a global community of empowered men. As the driving force behind BrotherhoodDXB, a men's group currently situated in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Adil envisions a world where men can openly share their truths, free from judgment and shame.

At the heart of Adil's mission is the belief that fostering a supportive community is paramount to the growth and well-being of men. BrotherhoodDXB serves as a sanctuary for authentic self-expression, where men can embrace their vulnerabilities, learn, and thrive. Through this transformative journey, Adil aspires to build not only healthier and happier individuals but also to contribute to a better world for future generations.

Whether you're a man or a woman, i hope you enjoy this conversation, I have very much loved chatting with Adil about this taboo topic and love what BrotherhoodDXB is doing for men.

*For more information visit @adilcoachesmen.

"On the other side of fear is freedom, you just need to take that first step" - Adil Hussain

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

In this episode, we delve into the complex and often misunderstood journey of women's bodies through perimenopause, premenopause, and menopause. Our guest, Ann Marie McQueen, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Her background as a digital journalist and podcaster, along with her foundational role at The National Newspaper and her innovative work with Hotflash Inc,  equips her to shed light on this crucial life stage.

Understanding the physiological and hormonal shifts that occur during the lead-up to menopause is key for women to effectively manage their health. This phase can significantly impact both physical and mental well-being, making education and awareness vital. Something that helped Ann to navigate this journey, raise that awareness and educate herself on the topic were courses, such as the ones from Mark Groves from the "Create The Love" program; and books such as "The Untethered Soul" by Michael Singer, "The Wisdom of Anxiety" by Sheryl Paul and "Hormone Repair Manual" by Lara Briden (what Ann calls the "perimenopause rescue kit").

We'll explore various topics, including the effects of hormonal changes on mental health, the significance of adapting nutrition and exercise routines, and the realities and myths surrounding Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). There's a lot of misinformation about HRT, and it's important to clear up these misconceptions to aid women in making informed choices.

Join me on this conversation that promises to be both informative and empowering, offering scientific insights along with practical guidance for women navigating through menopause. It emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding and acceptance of these changes, advocating for a holistic approach to health and wellness during this transformative period.

*For more information you can visit @annmariemcqueenad or @hotflashinc

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

Biomedicine today stands as the vanguard of human health, weaving together science and technology to unravel the mysteries of our biological intricacies. It plays a pivotal role in advancing medical knowledge, enabling the development of groundbreaking treatments and therapies. From decoding the secrets of our genetics, to preventing and early-detect diseases such as cancer, and harnessing the potential of stem cells, biomedicine offers unparalleled insights into the mechanism of today's preventative medicine. Our guest, Dr. Mucci, is an award winning expert in the subject and takes us on a journey through the world of this innovative - yet revolutionary - medicine.

Dr. Giuseppe Mucci is a bioscientist with over three decades of specialised expertise in the fields of genomics, oncology and stem cell therapy.

Founder and CEO of the Bioscience Group, Dr. Mucci has always nurtured an inquisitive mind that was focused on finding ways to help others with the most innovative and safest medical techniques, which led him to immerse himself in the
world of Stem Cells, and to found the Bioscience Institute in 2005 to offer new and highly effective treatments for people across the globe.

Throughout his career, Dr. Mucci has had a resounding impact on the Stem Cell industry. Some of the awards he's won over the years include the "Excellence and Innovation" from Dubai Healthcare City; "Excellence in Research & Development in Genomics", and the "Leonardo Startup" prize from the Italian Quality Committee.

Join me in this episode as we dive first hand into the curious field biomedicine and learn all things about regenerative & preventative medicine, stem cells & helixafe, personalised medicine & how we should be doing supplements, how the lungs and heart are key to stay rejuvenated and much more...

*For more information & consultation bookings with the team in Bioscience's Institute Clinic in Dubai please visit www.bioinst.com or call +971 4 375 7220.

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

Brand building is an integral aspect of personal and business development. It not only increases the voice and consumer awareness of a brand, but it also gives it an identity and worth.  That's why I decided to centre this episode around this interesting topic. 

From discussing about what it takes to build a brand, reach larger audience and stay relevant from a fashion & communications expert; to discovering the inspiration behind the creation of one of the Middle East's most renowned home brands (and Best Place to Work in the Middle East!) and discussing the importance of values, organisational culture and creating impact; to diving into the marketing world in today's fast changing world and discussing how important is to keep a balance between what our guest calls, "the heart & the science" -  we discuss all things around brand building on this season. 

Whether you're an entrepreneur building your brand, an adventurous soul thinking about taking the step into the entrepreneurial world, or just curious to know more about this topic, I invite you to listen to this season's episodes to uncover the interesting insights & learnings that our guests, Sultan Darmaki, Thomas Lundgren and Carla Hassan share with me on these episodes. 

See you on season 10, where we'll jump from the entrepreneurial world to the interesting topic of healthcare!

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

In today's world, marketing is a huge word that encompasses so much and is essential in building a brand and not only in promoting your products or services; it shapes and communicates your brand identity, your purpose, your values...and most importantly it is the key connector between your customers and employees allowing you to create loyal long lasting impact and relationships with & between them.

Carla Hassan is the Chief Marketing Officer of JPMorgan Chase with responsibility for firmware marketing, including advertising, media, performance marketing, sponsorships and tales, customer insights and analytics for the Chase, J.P. Morgan & corporate brands. Prior to this role, Carla was the Chief Marketing Officer of Citi.

Besides her recent career in the banking area, Carla has previously lead in other important marketing roles for consumer giants such as PepsiCo or Toys "R" Us.

Today, Carla serves on the board of the AdCouncil and the Association of National Advertisers, and has received several awards and recognitions for her career, including being named on the "World's Most Influential CMOs" in 2021, 2022 and 2023 by Forbes Magazines, "ADColor Legend" in 2021, and one of Business Insider's "31 Most Innovative Chief Marketing Officers of 2022". In Other words, she's the rockstar of brand building and marketing and also originates from our region, making her a pride and joy for all of us!

Join me on this episode as we learn about Carla's journey, how she fell in love with Marketing and  how she manages to stay relevant as the marketing trends evolve. We discuss the role of senior leaders in making marketing & branding central in strategy and decision making, the importance of defining your WHY and your values & finding the balance between the "heart & science", the impact of social media and market trends, and much much more...

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

Successful retailers know that in order to stand out, retail businesses must build a strong brand, be trustworthy, and provide excellent customer experiences - and our guest in this episode has built such a brand.

Thomas Lundgren, is an awarded Swedish entrepreneur and Founder & CEO (Creative Emotional Originator - as per Thomas' words) of THE One Total Home Experience.

Thomas moved to the Middle East with IKEA at the young age of 24, where he first began his career in Saudi Arabia, before being transferred to Kuwait. It wasn't until a few years later, when he started his "adventures" in Dubai, UAE.

During his first two years in Dubai, Thomas worked tirelessly on his business plan, trying to convince every bank and business family in the region to understand his vision of a revolutionary home fashion brand - but all he got were a bunch of rejection letters.

In 1996, along with two partners, Thomas finally managed to see results from his hard work & persistence with the official opening of THE One's first "Theatre" (store) in Abu Dhabi.

Since then, THE One has grown to be one of the largest and most successful furniture & home decor retailers in the Middle East, with different "Theatres" across the UAE.

Over the years Thomas has been recognized for his entrepreneurial and business leadership skills with several awards such as "Leader of the Year (2018/19)" by Great Place To Work and "Businessperson of the Year 2018" by Esquire ME.

Join me as I have one of the most  amazing conversations with Thomas. We discuss the importance of play in retail, the inspiration & meaning behind the name, how he created the renowned furniture brand, and how he scaled within the region. You will also  discover his thoughts on succession planing, physical retail vs online, company values, creating impact, scalability opportunities within the region, organizational culture, and much much more... 

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

They say it takes a village to build a brand !
 
In this episode, we invite Sultan Darmaki to dive into the brand building world from a designer's point of view, and we enjoy a reflection on what that village can look like for designers.

As a designer, creative and communications specialist, Sultan has played different roles in the world of brand building throughout his career. He wears many hats;  entrepreneur, artist, founder and designer. Sultan has most recently worked on Halpern Studio, supporting the creative director and team to position the brand on the global scene.

With over 16 years of experience in developing strategies, tactics and activation plans for a diverse range of clients, Sultan has built a strong name within the creative industry - especially after launching and developing his namesake footwear brand DARMAKI and becoming the first Emirati to have his work permanently exhibited at the V&A museum in London.  
 
However, his career is not limited to fashion; not long ago Sultan was recruited by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs to develop the communications department's architecture at the UAE Embassy in London and launch the public diplomacy program.

Join me in this episode to discover more of Sultan's journey and the experiences he had navigating the different chapters of his career (and brand), how he worked on making his brands go global and what he thinks it takes for a brand to reach larger audiences & stay relevant, and much more ...

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

What an amazing group of women I had the honor to host this past season on ReShape.  On season 8, I decided to focus on the teenagers to raise more awareness on how they function, the issues that impact them, and the tools that are out there to support them, and us as parents.

Like in every recap episode, I share with you my key takeaways to give you a taste of every episode, so you can yourself take later the time to pick the episode that speaks to you the most, or all three of them!

Whether you're a teenage parent or not, or you're  just curious to know more about these topics, I invite you to listen to this season's episodes to uncover the insights & learnings that our guests, Dr. Haneen Jarrar, Dr. Carole Wehbe & Frederica Tribuiani share with me on these episodes. 

See you on season 9! I have an amazing lineup for you of brand building experts to inspire and challenge us! - See you soon xx

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

If you had to choose a phase of a child's life that you feel is the most challenging one, which one would you choose? For many, it is the teenage-hood.

Our guest on this episode, Frederica is currently a mother to three teenagers who has been through some challenging times in her parenting journey: from divorce, being a single mom, remarriage to teen mental health struggles.

Frederica Tribuiani is a French-Italian-Lebanese Brand Advisor, specialized in luxury brand strategy, digital transformation and the execution of strategic omnichannel marketing plans. In the last 4 years she has focused in building brands committed to having a great impact in our wellness & wellbeing, and not long ago she launched WellSi - her own concept dedicated to supporting the health of mid-life women. Apart from the professional, Frederica is a mom of three teenagers that are currently between the ages of 15 and 18.

Join me on this episode as we dive into Frederica's journey as a parent, to discuss in all honestly and vulnerability what it is like being the parent of a teenager, from the angle of the mom. I hope this episode makes other parents feel less alone and will reshape the way we speak about our struggles and our expectations in parenting an adolescent. 

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib

According to a report by Common Sense Media, teenagers are more likely to be influenced than many other age groups and are highly responsive to messages that appeal to their desire to fit in, be popular and be seen as attractive - which some times ends up creating weight stigma which can derive into causing health issues diseases such as eating disorders.  According to a study by World Health Organization, today, eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness among adolescents worldwide - but why? Our guest, Dr. Carole gives us the answers to this and takes us behind the whys of this growingly illness affecting teens' healths around the world.

Dr. Carole Wehbe Chidiac is a Family Medicine Consultant specialized in Eating Disorders and Sports & Exercise medicine with over 25 years of experience. She is also qualified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders, as well as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive and Interpersonal Therapies.

With a strong belief in the effect that the mind has over the body and the role that our social network plays in our physical and emotional wellbeing, Dr. Carole is an acivtis against weight stigma, as well as a passionate promoter of having healthy relationships instead of eating what we call "healthy food".

Join me in this episode as Dr. Carole and me dive into the teenagers' health to discuss which are the key health issues in this age group today, as well as to discuss all things around weight stigma, eating disorders, diet culture, society's role & influence and the free tools parents can use to deal with this sensitive topic (i.e. The books"Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture" by Virginia Sole-Smith or the concept of "Division of Responsibility"by Ellyn Satter)

*For more information & consultation bookings with Dr. Carole, please call +971 800 255 433 or visit www.alliedmedicalcenter.net

Hosted by: Rania Masri El Khatib