This season we've partnered with the Egypt Fashion & Design Council, which is launching the first edition of Egypt Fashion Week from May 12 to May 15. I’m joined on this bonus episode by two of the Council’s co-founders, Paul Antaki & Susan Sabet. We talk about the mission behind the EFDC and what they’re hoping to achieve with the first Egypt Fashion Week.

You can find out more on their website, and also follow Egypt Fashion Week on Instagram and on TikTok.

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Omniya is an architect and a specialist in cultural heritage conservation, working between Cairo and London. She has worked on some landmark projects in the region, and now divides her time between the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation (EHRF) in Cairo and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. Omniya was also one of four co-curators of the Islamic Art Biennale in Jeddah. 

Omniya talks about the effort that goes into maintaining our historical sites, including raising funds from across the region’s benefactors and institutions. My conversation with Omniya is a reminder that cultural heritage is as important to a nation’s foundation and economy as tangible industries like manufacturing or oil.

As always, we'll have a bonus episode with a few more details about her projects and what's in her cultural inbox. That'll be out for members next week.

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I'm joined on this episode by Ali Shihabi. Ali is a businessman, an investor, a scholar, a writer, and a pundit. A few years ago, Ali left the management of his company, Rasmala Investment Bank, to focus on his passion for writing and commentary. Ali has published two books — Arabian War Games and The Saudi Kingdom — and also writes for outlets like The New York Times, The Atlantic and Foreign Policy.

We dig into his life's pivots, from being at the center of one of the biggest reshuffles in the Saudi banking sector, to becoming an entrepreneur, and how he views the region against the world at large.

We'll have a bonus episode with Ali for our members out next week.

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Welcome to Season 6!

We're kicking off with a powerhouse broadcaster and journalist, Hala Gorani. Over a career spanning 25 years, Hala has covered natural disasters, wars, elections and interview key global leaders. Last year, Hala took a sabbatical from CNN and is currently working on her first book—a memoir that explores the subject of identity—which will be out in Spring 2024.

We dig into her life’s pivotal moments, growing up in the US and France, how and why she chose to become a journalist, and how she’s working to better understand her multicultural identity in a increasingly complex world.

Links

• Vogue Arabia: Ex-CNN News Anchor Hala Gorani on Taking a Sabbatical Year, and Why the Risk Has Been More Than Worth It

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What I Did Next is back with a new season beginning March 6.

On the show, we delve into people’s life journeys from the point of view of twists and turns, shifts and pivots. We’ve all had these moments in our lives that make us stop in our tracks, and course correct. Often we realize the importance of these moments only with hindsight, and this is what forms the underlying current of What I Did Next.

We’ll also have a bonus episode with each guest exclusively for our members. You can subscribe on our website with a free trial, as well as on Apple Podcasts.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed listening to Season 4 of What I Did Next! It’s been an incredible season and we want to thank each of you for listening in and sending in your feedback and reviews.

As always, we end the season with our wrap-up episode where I’m joined by our producer Chirag Desai to chat about some highlights from the season, and a special interview with Magued Sherif, Managing Director at our season partner, SODIC.

We’ll be back with new episodes in early March. Until then, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn for updates, video clips of our guests and more. 

You can also catch all our bonus episodes from the season by becoming a member in Apple Podcasts. You’ll also get early access to episodes when our new season begins!

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On our final episode of the season, I’m joined by a powerhouse business woman and role model, Neveen El Tahri. Neveen is the first woman to sit on the board of both the Egyptian Stock Exchange and the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority. More recently, she’s been associated with the world of entrepreneurship. As Chairperson of Delta Shield, Neveen is enhancing growth and employment with a focus on youth, entrepreneurship & SME activities. Our conversation though did not just focus on her career; we chatted about marriage, religion and health.

We also have more from Neveen in a bonus episode exclusively for our members coming out next week. You can subscribe in Apple Podcasts to get this bonus episode, and early access to future episodes of the season as well!

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I’m joined today by a living legend, Tarek Nour, who single-handedly revolutionised the advertising world in Egypt and the Middle East at large. He made household names out of major brands with catchy jingles and his signature voice-overs. Today Tarek is semi-retired, active in some aspects of his business but also able to take a bird’s eye view of the industry, his life and Egypt. 

We also have more from Tarek in a bonus episode exclusively for our members coming out next week. You can subscribe in Apple Podcasts to get this bonus episode, and early access to future episodes of the season as well!

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I’m joined on the show today by Caroline Louca. Carol is an art consultant and started out as a corporate lawyer in Paris and Cairo. In 2008, she moved to the UAE and joined the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. In that role, she was intricately involved with the establishment of the Louvre, the Guggenheim and the Zayed national museums. She then joined the Middle East team at Christie's in Dubai.

Carol and I are old friends and we had a great chat about her career and the art world, especially the Middle East art scene. 

We also have more from Carol in a bonus episode exclusively for our members coming out next week. You can subscribe in Apple Podcasts to get this, and early access to future episodes of the season.

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My guest today is Ayman Mohyeldin, the Arab-American TV anchor on the NBC and MSNBC networks in the US. Ayman spent his formative years in the United States and gravitated towards journalism after he graduated. Over the years, he’s worked as a field producer and reported in the Middle East with CNN and Al Jazeera in addition to the NBC network of channels. A few years ago, he exchanged his flak jacket for a suit & tie to take on prestigious and high-profile anchor positions in New York with NBC & MSNBC. He is currently the host of Ayman on weekend evenings. 

We met over the summer in Almaza on the North Coast of Egypt and had a wide-ranging discussion about his childhood and education, his career choices and his opinion on the current political climate in the US.

We also have more from Ayman in a bonus episode exclusively for our members coming out next week. You can subscribe in Apple Podcasts to get this bonus episode, and early access to future episodes of the season as well.

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