In this episode of The MAL Show, we sit down with Mohamad Kaswani — entrepreneur and fintech & proptech leader, and former Managing Director of Mortgage Finder, part of the Property Finder Group — for a deep conversation on how money, systems, and technology intersect in the real world. 

We dive into the mortgage and real estate ecosystem, unpacking why the mortgage process has historically been complex, how technology and data are reshaping the experience, and what’s really driving the Dubai real estate market today. 

From there, the discussion expands into the broader startup and investment landscape, exploring the relationship between companies, customers, and investors, and what it takes to build and lead ventures in a fast-moving environment like Dubai. 

Along the way, we touch on the role of initiatives and organizations in enabling entrepreneurship across industries, and how ecosystems are built through collaboration between different players. 

Toward the end, the conversation shifts into something more personal, reflecting on the situation in Syria and the support initiatives taking place there. Mohamad Kaswani is a venture builder who has spent years operating at the intersection of technology, real estate, and financial services, contributing to the growth of platform-driven businesses and supporting initiatives that empower entrepreneurs and innovation across different markets.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
2:37 Startup ecosystem & Mohamad initiatives in Syria 
10:12 The advantage of adversity 
12:23: Mentorship
19:43 Ethical standards
21:02 ChatGPT vs Claude
26:32 Transparency loop
27:37 Most important factor in home buying
31:15 Buying Vs Renting
40:35 How Mortgage is calculated?
46:22 Mortgage period
48:26 Balancing Business vs Ethics
54:42 Choosing the right bank
1:08:36 Rent Now, Pay Later
1:11:45 Growth Debt in Startups
1:22:21 Mohamad Kaswani at heart
1:29:41 Investors as partners
1:38:38 Final advice from Mohamad

To get in touch with us: 
[email protected]

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To get in touch with Mohamad Kaswani
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohamadkaswani/

#themalshow #proptech #mortgage #realestate #entrepreneur #podcast

Cryptocurrency is one of the most talked-about industries in the world today.

Some people see it as the future of finance. Others see it as speculation and hype. But beyond the headlines and price charts, an entire financial infrastructure is being built — exchanges, platforms, and systems that allow millions of people to buy, sell, and store digital assets.

One of the people helping build that infrastructure in our region is today’s guest.

Talal Tabbaa is the CEO of CoinMENA, a cryptocurrency exchange serving users across the Middle East and beyond, providing access to digital assets within a regulated environment.

In this episode of The MAL Show, we explore Talal’s personal journey into the crypto industry and what it takes to build a company in such a fast-moving and often controversial space.

We also break down cryptocurrency itself — why it exists, the problems this technology is trying to solve, and how the crypto market actually works. From trading and exchanges to the risks and realities of the industry, this conversation aims to help viewers better understand the world of digital assets.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

Talal Tabbaa’s journey into crypto
How cryptocurrency works and why it exists
How crypto exchanges operate
How trading works in the crypto market
The risks and opportunities in the industry
Building a regulated crypto company in the Middle East

Subscribe to the channel to get the latest episodes of The MAL Show.

To get in touch with us: 
[email protected]

Follow us on Social Media:
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https://www.tiktok.com/@themalshow.podcast
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https://www.instagram.com/youssefsamysalem?hl=en

To get in touch with Talal Tabbaa
https://www.linkedin.com/in/talaltabbaa/

#themalshow #crypto #bitcoin #cryptocurrency #entrepreneur #podcast

In this episode of The MAL Show (Podcast), we sit down with Wael Nafee — former Careem executive and now Partner at Raed Ventures, one of the region’s leading venture capital firms.

Wael has seen both sides of the table:
• building companies as an operator
• and backing founders as an investor

After studying and working abroad, he made the decision to come back and build in the region.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Why some founders choose to return and build in emerging markets
• The culture of money and capital in the Middle East
• What Sharia-compliant fundraising actually looks like in venture capital
• Whether ethical constraints make companies weaker — or more disciplined
• The responsibility that comes with building products used by millions

And perhaps the most important question:

When your capital shapes companies used by millions of people…
what do you owe society?

A conversation about nation building, capital with consequence, and the moral weight behind scale.

We hope you enjoy this episode and don't forget to subscribe to our channel to get the latest episodes of the Mal Show.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro and Wael's journey 
10:28 Sources of Fundraising 
17:51 Sharia compliance Fundraising
23:09 Careem's positioning & acquisition
27:06 Careem's culture
33:23 Joining Raed Ventures
40:15 What do Investors look for?
44:32 Self assessment, correction & reflections
52:26 Money & Culture
57:55 Women & Money
1:01:12 Final advice on money

To get in touch with us: 
[email protected]

Follow us on Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/themal.show/
https://www.tiktok.com/@themalshow.podcast
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566478614883

To get in touch with Yousef Salem
https://www.linkedin.com/in/youssefsamysalem/?skipRedirect=true
https://www.instagram.com/youssefsamysalem?hl=en

To get in touch with Wael Nafee
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wael-nafee-2b78abb/

#themalshow #fintech #islamicfinance #entrepreneur #podcast

Islamic finance is worth trillions; but does it actually fix anything?

In the first episode of The Mal Show (podcast), we sit down with Abdallah Abu Sheikh, Founder & CEO of MAL, who raised $230 million in one of the largest seed rounds in the region to build what to be the world’s first AI-native Islamic digital bank.

But this conversation goes deeper than fintech.

We explore:

• Are Islamic banks truly different — or just conventional banks with different terminology?
• Is Sharia compliance enough to make finance ethical?
• How do you handle venture capital pressure while staying aligned with faith-based principles?
• What is Islamic finance really trying to fix in today’s system?
• Is debt always bad — or is it about structure and intention?
• Is investing in stocks and crypto halal?
• Why do so many high earners still feel financially stressed?

We also unpack Mal specifically:

• Why build another Islamic financial institution?
• What does “AI-native banking” actually mean for users?
• Can Islamic fintech scale globally like Revolut or Stripe?
• What changes the moment someone switches to Mal?

This is a conversation about capital and conscience.
About growth and responsibility.
About whether we can build serious financial infrastructure from the UAE — without copying the West.

If you care about money, ethics, investing, Islamic finance, or the future of banking in the region — this episode is for you.

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:32 Building & Solving the region's problems 
16:44 What is Islamic Finance?
19:33 Ethics vs Sharia Compliance
24:37 Reality of Islamic Banking
26:35 What problem is Mal trying to solve?
30:13 The System challenges 
36:46 Financial safety 
43:54 Mal as the first Ai native digital bank 
45:21 Is a college degree still necessary?
49:26 Dealing with industry pressure & frustrations
55:09 What Talent is Mal looking for?
48:43 Voluntary vs involuntary Struggle and debt
1:05:41 Social Media & financial traps
1:10:03 Crypto and Islamic Finance
1:11:03 On being progressive..

We hope you enjoy this episode and don't forget to subscribe to our channel to get the latest episodes of the Mal Show

To get in touch with us: 
[email protected]

To get in touch with Yousef Salem
https://www.linkedin.com/in/youssefsamysalem/?skipRedirect=true
https://www.instagram.com/youssefsamysalem?hl=en

To get in touch with Abdullah Abu-Sheikh 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdallahabusheikh/
https://www.instagram.com/abdallahabusheikh/

#themalshow #fintech #islamicfinance #entrepreneur #podcast