the Executives: A Dialogue with Majid

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Andre Kiwitz, a German entrepreneur who founded Viventura in 2001 and grew it into the Ventura Travel empire. From a single trip in Ecuador to becoming the #1 tour operator for group trips in South America within just 2-3 years, Andre shares his journey of making travel more meaningful, locally impactful, and sustainable.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How Andre built Ventura from scratch in Peru after moving from Germany
• The philosophy behind small-group, authentic travel experiences
• How Ventura became #1 in South America within 2-3 years
• The VSocial Foundation's impact: building schools and supporting communities
• Behind the scenes of managing 100+ employees across multiple countries
• The difference between mass tourism and responsible travel
• Why Trip.me connects travelers with local guides differently
• Future plans: UK expansion, 3 new brand launches, and IPO in 2 years

⏱️ Chapters:

01:25 Introduction to Andre Kiwitz and Ventura Travel

09:24 25 years of Ventura Travels - Going back to the roots

11:10 WiFi vs Luggage - What if Andre lost one of these for a week?

13:24 How is Ventura Travel structured?

16:50 Difference between Fancy Travel Boards and Community-Based Tourism

22:01 Maintaining the quality of the trips across multiple brands

39:00 Buying assets of a business 

42:11 Different kinds of business sellers

43:30 What is trip.me  (now called Travel Local)

50:43 The Reality of a company going Public

53:40 How is Ventura Trave using AI

56:26 Market Size of Community-Based Tourism (Estimated to reach 2 Trillion by 2032)

59:34 Team is an asset to build an organization

01:02:09 Is Sustainability real or just marketing and greenwashing? 

01:07:28 Most Impactful Story of Ventura Travel

01:08:47 Big Plans for Ventura Travel for the next years

01:10:17 Closing Remarks

About the Guest

Andre Kiwitz, the German entrepreneur who founded ViVentura in 2001 and grew it into the Ventura TRAVEL empire - a collection of niche travel brands that's redefining responsible tourism. From building schools in Peru through his VSocial Foundation to launching trip.me and revolutionizing how travelers connect with local guides, Andre has spent 23+ years making travel more meaningful and locally impactful.

📢 Connect with Andre Kiwitz:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akiwitz/
• Ventura Travel: https://www.venturatravel.de/

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official 
• Majid M: https://www.majidm.com 

📢 Follow the Executives:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast 
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/ 

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Zaid Munir, CTO of Immersifi and CEO of Scytale Labs, a telecommunications engineer who saw blockchain's potential in 2016 when the world called it hype. Eight years later, he's building solutions for the United Nations and leading the charge in Web3 innovation.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• Why curiosity is the defining trait of successful tech leaders

• From selling his first software at 15 to building blockchain solutions today

• How he got into Bitcoin during the first hype cycle and never left

• The reality of automating businesses with AI (without replacing humans)

• Client retention secrets: Why quality beats quantity every time

• Managing chaotic deployments across continents and time zones

• The difference between perceived quality and internal build quality

• Why blockchain keeps him engaged after 8+ years

• His philosophy on health, productivity, and staying mentally sharp

• What's next: AI automation and building better solutions

⏱️ Chapters:

01:12 Introduction to Zaid Munir: Curiosity Personified

08:55 The reality of cryptocurrency in 2025 

09:15 Why He Never Left Blockchain After 8 Years

12:00 Pivotal moment when Zaid moved from academia to blockchain consulting

14:23 The Philosophy Behind Scytalelabs

16:40 ICP for Scytalelabs

19:10 Building the best traceability solution for the United Nations

26:34 Friction in payment solutions

38:32 AI Fundraising vs Real AI Innovation

42:05 The Skills Gap Crisis: Not Training the Next Generation

52:00 The Chaotic Deployment Story: Australian Client at Midnight

57:01 Final Question: What's Next for You and Your Ventures?

01:00:29 Closing: Thank You and Where to Find Zaid

About the Guest

Zaid Munir has been a critical contributor to many blockchain product teams for the last 8+ years. His technical skills and practical communication skills make him a reliable partner, and clients trust him to pull through no matter what the project entails. At Scytale Labs, he works tirelessly to deliver advice and innovative solutions for enabling Web 2.0 businesses to transition into Web 3.0. Scytale Labs is a Blockchain product, service, and consultancy company that delivers quality and compliant solutions to standards such as FIPS, NIST-800-63, FIDO, W3C-VC, and W3C-DID. Currently, Scytale Labs is developing full-scale, full-stack AMM and lending protocols for upcoming POS Blockchains such as CasperLabs and has developed an industry-leading yet intuitive NFT Marketplace that helps customers offer digital collectibles tailored to market segments.

📢 Connect with Zaid Munir: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrzaidmunir/ 
• Scytale Labs: https://scytalelabs.com/
• Immersifi: https://immersifi.xyz/

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official
• Majid M: https://www.majidm.com

📢 Follow the Executives:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Jörg Dietzel, former global head of creative at Audi, four-time author, and award-winning brand strategist who has spent over 25 years shaping brands and minds across continents from Berlin to Singapore. Today, he's teaching the next generation how to build brands that matter.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• The origin of Jörg's unique personal brand (and his signature cocktail in Seoul)
• What it really takes to build a brand that stands out
• How AI is fundamentally changing the branding landscape
• The difference between authentic brands and fake ones
• Why personal branding matters more than ever
• How to pivot when your brand goes off track
• The unwritten expectations that separate good employees from great ones
• Why Germany (and the world) needs more ambition right now
• Jörg's unpopular opinions on branding and authenticity
• How to measure if your brand is actually working

⏱️ Chapters:

• 01:17 Who is Jörg Dietzel?
• 02:18 The Cocktail Question: If Your Brand Were a Drink
• 03:58 The Story Behind the "Jörg Dietzel" Cocktail in Seoul
• 05:27 From Advertising to Teaching: Finding His True Calling
• 15:40 Balancing Introversion with Teaching and Public Speaking
• 08:52 Then vs Now: Evolution of Creative Tools
• 13:00 Teaching Gen Z: Struggling with Their Vocabulary? 
• 16:48 Why is it important to build a personal brand?
• 19:32 Aspiring to Success: Does Surrounding Yourself Work?
• 21:11 Growing Apart: When Ambition Divides Friendships
• 23:01 Living Across Continents: How Culture Shapes Storytelling
• 27:21 Defining Your Target: The First Rule of Personal Branding
• 32:43 Brand Story vs Ambition: Perception vs Goals
• 38:32 Beyond Advertising: What Experience Branding Looks Like
• 47:56 Biggest Misconceptions Business Leaders Have About Branding
• 58:38 Breaking Down Hierarchy: Why Leaders Need to Be Contradicted
• 01:01:33 Traditional Advertising vs Everyone Being Their Own Brand Manager
• 01:08:47 Behind the Scenes: Unusual Moments Giving Brand Advice
• 01:13:43 The Big Reset
• 01:19:43 Your Funniest Career Moment
• 01:27:40 Final Advice: Challenge Yourself and Find Reasons Why It CAN Work

About Jörg Dietzel

Jörg Dietzel is the former Global Head of Creative at Audi, a four-time published author, and an award-winning brand strategist with over 25 years of experience shaping iconic brands across four continents. From running advertising agencies in London, Berlin, and Beijing to leading Audi Korea's marketing department and teaching at Singapore Management University for 20 years, Jörg has built a career at the intersection of creativity, strategy, and education. Today, he runs his own brand consultancies in Singapore and Germany, mentoring startups and teaching the next generation of brand leaders at top business schools, including Stellenbosch University.

📢 Connect with Jörg Dietzel:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jorgdietzel
• Website: https://jorgdietzel.com/

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official 
• Majid M : https://www.majidm.com 

📢 Follow the Executives:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast 
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/ 

In this episode of The Executives, I sit down with Scott Jones, VP of Product at Realeyes, where he's building revolutionary Vision AI technology for human measurement of attention, emotion, and identity. Scott is a patent-holding product leader who built a mid-seven-figure ARR identity solution from zero to one in just 18 months, and he's also a Dream Cymbals artist who's been perfecting his craft as a professional drummer for over 30 years.

🎯 What You'll Learn:

• How Realeyes built the world's largest ethically-sourced face dataset across 93 countries

• Why traditional identity verification methods like CAPTCHA are failing

• The "Better CAPTCHA" approach: validating personhood in seconds for cents

• How one big tech customer scaled to billions of identity verifications per month

• The future of digital sovereignty and zero-knowledge-proof biometrics

• Why most AI face models are biased and how to build fair ones

• The product management journey from analyst to VP of Product

• Why creativity and spirituality tie together in unexpected ways

⏱️ Chapters:

 01:51 Who is Scott Jones?

07:20 If You Were CEO of Spotify

10:38 What is Realeyes?

14:19 Are Social Media Apps Tracking Your Emotions?

18:25 The Ethics of Consent in Emotion Tracking

24:23 From Economics & Film to Product Management

30:06 The Roller Coaster of a PM Career

31:37 How Realeyes' Vision AI Differs from Competitors

39:53 Scaling to Billions of Transactions Per Month

47:29 Intersection of Privacy Concerns, and Detecting Emotions and Facial Expressions

51:00 The Future of Decentralized Identity

58:23 Zero to Mid-7 Figure ARR in 18 Months

01:03:43 Biggest Misconceptions About AI

01:07:24 The Power of No-Code & AI Tools for PMs

01:12:28 Jazz Musicians vs Fortune 500 CEOs: Who's More Demanding?

01:15:56 Final Remarks & Closing

About Scott Jones, 

Scott Jones is the VP of Product at Realeyes, the pioneering Vision AI company, where he's building revolutionary platform technology for human measurement of attention, emotion, and identity. Scott is a patent-holding product leader who built a mid-seven-figure ARR Identity solutions business from zero to one in just 18 months, and he's also a Dream Cymbals artist who's been perfecting his craft as a professional drummer for over 30 years.

📢 Connect with Scott Jones: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottjeezey/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottjeezey/

📢 Learn More About Realeyes: 

• Website: https://www.realeyesit.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/realeyesit/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realeyesit_

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial 
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official

• Majid M: https://www.majidm.com

📢 Follow The Executives:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcas
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/

In this episode of The Executives, I sit down with Richard Abi-Chahla, a four-time founder and the mind behind Purple Brains. With over 18 years of experience across 15 industries, Richard shares how he transforms bold ideas into market-shaping products, minimizes risk for founders, and blends intuition with frameworks to deliver results.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• What Richard learned while building 50+ products globally

• The mindset and systems behind Purple Brains' success

• How Lebanese resilience shapes his product leadership

• Red flags Richard looks for before working with founders

• The real role of a product manager and the misconceptions

• Why most startups fail at product-market fit (and how to avoid it)

• The cultural layer of product validation and localization

• Why launching to early adopters is key, not everyone

⏱️ Chapters:

00:54 Richard’s background & founding Purple Brains

02:00 Explaining Purple Brains to a 10-year-old

02:58 Red flags Richard watches for before taking on clients

04:42 Blueberry jam and Chicken Shawarma

06:40 Lessons from Lebanon: Internet redundancy & product resilience

11:54 Experience that made Richard think about building a startup to help companies with digital products

22:00 What does Product Market Fit (PMF) look like for founders

26:35 A look at the case of Lovable and Replit

33:20 Finding and Validating Market Gaps for brilliant product ideas

38:12 How does Purple Brains help founders and startups

41:10 What is the unicorn of a customer

44:30 Why product managers manage “nothing” yet carry all responsibility

51:25 Uncommon scenarios as a Product Manager

01:04:40 Ideal Customer Profile for Purple Brains

01:10:30 Funny story with clients

01:18:50 Concluding Remark

About Richard Abi Chahla

Richard Abi Chahla is a seasoned product manager and 4-time tech founder with over 18 years of experience building and scaling digital products across 15+ industries. As the founder of Purple Brains, he supports startups and enterprises as a fractional CPO, guiding them from idea to launch. Richard has led more than 50 product initiatives worldwide, blending strategy, technology, and execution to help teams deliver real impact.

📢 Connect with Richard:

• LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardabichahla/ 
• X/Twitter: https://x.com/richyabichahla 
• Purple Brains: https://www.purplebrains.com 
• LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/purple.brains.lb 
• Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/company/purple-brains/ 

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official
• Website: https://www.majidm.com

📢 Follow The Executives:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/

#MajidM #TheExecutives #ProductManagement #Startups #PurpleBrains #LebanonTech #FractionalCPO #PMLeadership #ProductMarketFit #TechFounder

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Davide, a physicist-turned-product leader helping founders turn raw ideas into scalable ventures. From design thinking to venture building, Davide breaks down what it really takes to ship products that matter.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• Why Davide shifted from physics to product strategy

• What makes an idea venture-worthy

• Common mistakes founders make when launching

• How frameworks like design thinking impact outcomes

• A real success story where Davide turned things around

• What product management actually means

• Who should hire Davide and when

• His 60-second elevator pitch to clients

⏱️ Chapters:

01:45 Who is Davide

06:08 Teleportation question: where & why

08:15 Why Davide left physics for product

14:54 Idea to Venture: Common founder mistakes

26:20 Frameworks Davide uses for decision making

35:00 When design thinking helps (and hurts)

43:03 Real client success story

47:50 What a product manager actually does

54:50 Who should hire Davide

59:09 Davide’s 60-second elevator pitch

01:02:20 What's next for Davide?

01:03 45 Concluding Remarks

About Davide

Davide is a former physicist turned product strategist who helps early-stage ventures turn raw ideas into scalable products. With experience across startups, scale-ups, and consulting, he specializes in frameworks like design thinking to guide product decisions, avoid founder pitfalls, and make sure teams are solving the right problems. His work sits at the intersection of business, design, and tech, with a focus on asking better questions, not just building faster.

📢 Connect with Davide:

• Website-: www.davidemarchisio.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidemarchisio/
• Booking a free initial call: https://cal.com/davidemarchisio/discovery-free

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official
• Website: https://www.majidm.com

📢 Follow The Executives:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Dmitry, a multi-time startup CTO and Global Tech Advisor who’s helped companies scale across borders and exit through acquisition. From building distributed teams to shaping the future of AI and cybersecurity, Dmitry brings decades of leadership, technical depth, and mentorship to the table.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• How to scale both product and people across geographies

• Why leadership evolution matters more than technical skill

• The difference between being a CTO vs. a CDO

• The biggest mistakes founders make when scaling tech

• Future trends in AI, cybersecurity & team collaboration

• Why celebration matters in high-performance cultures

• How to transition from builder to advisor without losing your edge

⏱️ Chapters:

• 00:58 Introduction: The Journey of Dmitry
• 03:29 Dmitry's leadership style is defined in fast food
• 05:37 The Story behind Tech Biz Global
• 08:42 Turnaround time in headhunting
• 11:24 Evolution of Dmitry's leadership style
• 15:19 The Operator-to-Advisor Mindset Shift
• 22:30 Being passionate about work and business
• 26:36 How does a CTO celebrate Success?
• 29:01 Challenges when Building Distributed Teams the Right Way
• 35:20 How to fight with silos being formed in organizations?
• 38:46 AI, Cybersecurity & The Future of Work
• 45:20 The Evolving Role of CTOs/CDOs
• 50:00 Funniest CTO Moment
• 52:27 Parting Advice for Tech Leaders

About Dmitry Kharchenko

Dmitry Kharchenko is a serial entrepreneur, tech executive, and venture builder with over 20 years of experience across fintech, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and software innovation. As the Founder & CEO of TechBiz Global and a Top 10 CTO to watch in 2024, he has led technology, data, and business growth strategies at scale. Dmitry is passionate about building and scaling startups, mentoring founders, and transforming businesses through technology and leadership. His career bridges hands-on engineering excellence with strategic leadership across global startup ecosystems​

📢 Connect with Dmitry:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmitrykh/
• Tech Biz Global: https://techbiz.global/de/
• Website: https://dmitrykharchenko.com/

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official
• Website: https://www.majidm.com

📢 Follow The Executives:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Dr. Charlotte De Brabandt, a digital futurist, negotiation expert, and global procurement leader. With a career that spans Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Porsche, and Volkswagen, Charlotte unpacks her philosophy of “Hyper Leadership” and shares how today’s leaders can navigate AI, digital transformation, emotional intelligence, and multi-generational teams.🎯

What You’ll Learn:

• What is Hyper Leadership, and how does it apply to today’s volatile business world
• The evolution of leadership in the digital era
• How to motivate and manage 5 generations in one team
• The real impact of AI on decision-making, strategy, and emotions
• Upskilling on a budget
• Why recognition, flexibility, and purpose build stronger teams

⏱️ Chapters:

• 00:02 Who is Charlotte De Brabandt?
• 05:03 Global career & early experiences in procurement
• 08:30 Defining leadership in the digital era
• 11:54 What is Hyper Leadership?
• 16:53 Hyper agility & decision-making
• 20:26 The role of emotional intelligence in AI-driven environments
• 27:00 Retaining & motivating multi-generational teams
• 37:22 Creating purpose-driven workplaces
• 41:45 Embracing digital innovation without overwhelm
• 45:35 Must-have negotiation skills for leaders
• 49:37 Building a personal leadership brand
• 53:40 Leadership trends shaping the next 10 years
• 57:15 Final advice for future leaders

About Dr. Charlotte de Brabandt

Dr. Charlotte de Brabandt is a digital futurist, negotiation expert, and procurement leader, recognized for her insights on leadership, resilience, and the future of work. With over 15 years of experience across industries such as automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, and IT, she has led global transformation projects for Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Porsche, and Volkswagen. A TEDx speaker, author, and board member, Charlotte is passionate about hyper-leadership, digital transformation, and mentoring the next generation of leaders.

📢 Connect with Dr. Charlotte:

• Website: https://www.charlottedebrabandt.com

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official
• Majid M : https://www.majidm.com

📢 Follow the Executives:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/

In this episode of the Executives, I sit down with Yash Piplani, a seasoned product leader whose 14+ year journey spans GE Capital, Ford, Expedia, Booking.com, Nubank, and now dunnhumby. From building customer-centric platforms to leading global teams across continents, Yash shares his playbook for scaling with empathy, product thinking, and strategic clarity.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• What it takes to lead product at scale for 90M+ customers
• How to design organizational structures for platform success
• Building cohesion in remote and distributed teams
• The difference between data-driven and data-informed decisions
• Leadership insights on autonomy, clarity, and mentorship

⏱️ Chapters:

01:18 Who is Yash Piplani, Global Product Leader?

07:55 Did You Move to Delhi Because of the Food?

09:32 If You Could Rename Monday, What Would You Call It?

12:16 What Does Dunnhumby Do?

14:12 Can You Explain Dunnhumby to a 10-Year-Old?

17:22 What Shaped Your Product Leadership Style?

25:15 How Do You Build Team Cohesion Across Regions?

31:27 What Were the Challenges of Scaling Platforms?

47:41 How Do You Use Data to Make Decisions?

53:03 How Should We Hire Product Managers?

59:47 What’s a Stressful Story You Now Find Funny?

01:04:18 Closing Remark from Yash Piplani

About Yash Piplani:

Yash Piplani is a seasoned product leader and innovation strategist with over 19 years of experience in driving product development, customer identity platforms, and strategic growth. Currently serving as the Global Director of Product Management at dunnhumby, Yash has previously led product and engineering teams at Nubank, Glovo, Booking.com, and Expedia Group. Known for building high-performing teams and scaling digital products, he is passionate about data-driven decision-making and empowering customer-centric innovations across global markets.

📢 Connect with Yash:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yashpiplani/
• Company: https://www.dunnhumby.com 

📢 Connect with Majid Mahmood:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majid-m/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/majidmofficial/
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/majidmofficial
• Threads: https://www.threads.com/@majidmofficial 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/majidmpage 
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@majidm_official 
• Majid M : https://www.majidm.com 

📢 Follow the Executives:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theexecutivespodcast 
• Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theexecutives_podcast 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theexecutives_podcast 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-executives-a-dialogue-with-majid/ 

In this episode of The Executives, I sit down with Dr. Yarjan Abdus-Samad, Assistant Professor at Khalifa University and Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Cambridge. We delve into the world of materials science and explore how 2D materials, such as graphene, are revolutionizing space technology, sustainability, and the future of energy.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• The future of graphene and 2D materials

• Real-world applications in space, water purification, and thermal management

• How space research contributes to Earth-based innovation

• What drives cutting-edge research and the importance of sustainability

• How to motivate the next generation of scientists

⏱️ Chapters:

00:49 Introduction

02:07 What is a famous food from Balochistan?

03:27 Who is Dr. Yarjan Abdus Samad?

05:06 What sparked your interest in material science and space tech?

10:32 What are some groundbreaking projects you've worked on?

14:08 How has material science revolutionized space tech?

16:31 Have you ever trained as an astronaut?

19:26 Why is graphene called a "wonder material"?

23:38 How does graphene help in water purification?

25:57 What is the future of graphene and 2D materials?

29:59 Can you give an example of applied research being used now?

32:08 How do you ensure your research is sustainable and high-performing?

34:58 How are advanced materials impacting renewable energy?

37:06 Will graphene face a scarcity problem like oil?

38:54 How can you explain research to a non-scientist?

40:53 How do you inspire students to pursue research?

43:12 What advice do you give when research hits dead ends?

46:35 Final thoughts from Dr. Yarjan

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