I recently moderated a panel about how AI is being applied across different sectors like media and finance, how investors are looking at AI companies and the role of telecom in enabling AI adoption. My panelists was made up of a number of the show's alumni including Ahmed Alfi (Chairman, Sawari Ventures), Amy Mowafi (Co-founder & CEO, MO4 Network), Mounir Neamatalla (Founder & CEO, MNT Halan) and Karima El-Hakim (Partner for Africa, Plug and Play Tech Center), and Head of Cloud Software and Services for Ericsson North Middle East, Amer Sakkijha.

This panel was part of our partnership with The Shift by e&, powered by The Narrative Summit. The event was a prelude to the annual Narrative Summit's gathering in Soma Bay in October.    

This episode is brought to you by EFG Hermes One, your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!

3:30 Ahmed Alfi on investment criteria 

7:40 Mounir Neamatalla Fintech meets AI

12:58 Amy Mowafi on creativity in the age of AI

22:55 Amer Sakkijha on the role of telecom in AI adoption

27:00 Karim El-Hakim on private sector success

Music ID: 5ROQ12DERYHSUUVQ

Today I’m bringing you a special episode with our sponsor EFG Holding. I recently interviewed Karim Moussa, Co-CEO of EFG Hermes Buy-Side, Head of Private Equity & Asset Management & CEO of Vortex Energy. Karim tells me how he got started in private equity, and how the thesis of investing with purpose led EFG to expand renewables, education and healthcare.

This episode is brought to you by EFG Hermes One, your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!

Chapters:
0:00 On this episode...

2:12 Hustling in Berlin

6:48 First Steps in Deutsche Bank

9:23 A detour to Dubai

11:29 Moving into Private Equity

17:46 Building Vortex Energy

24:01 Egypt’s renewables potential

26:56 Investing in education

35:00 Lightning Round

Music ID: 5ROQ12DERYHSUUVQ

On the second part of my conversation with Youssef Salem, we’re talking about AI, energy security and the future of the region. Youssef also tells me why the younger generation needs to prepare for greater competition in the AI age and how he's working to inspire them.

Youssef Salem is the CFO of ADNOC Drilling. ADNOC is the UAE’s primary oil company and 12th largest in the world in terms of production. You can also watch the first part of our conversation where we talk about his personal and professional pivots in your podcast app or our website.

This episode is brought to you by EFG Hermes One, your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!

• (00:00) - Coming up...

I‘m delighted to be joined by Youssef Salem, CFO for ADNOC Drilling. ADNOC is the UAE’s primary oil company and 12th largest in the world in terms of production.

I’ve followed Youssef for quite some time now and in addition to his many professional accomplishments, he’s a wonderful role model for the younger generation entering the corporate world.

On this first of two episodes, we talk about his personal and professional pivots that brought him to where he is today, and the impact of the recent war on the UAE in particular. 

We’ll continue the conversation next week on Part 2, where we talk about the oil & gas sector specifically, and how companies like ADNOC handle crisis management in times like these.

This episode is brought to you by EFG Hermes One, your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!

• (00:00) - Coming up

We’re continuing my conversation with Nabila Abdel Nabi, Senior Curator of International Art at Tate Modern and Lead of the Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational. On this episode, we talk about what those specialisations really mean, the paradigm shifts happening in the art world, and how a curator like Nabila collects feedback from the Museum’s audience.

This episode is brought to you by:

• EFG Hermes One: your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!
• Azza Fahmy Jewellery

1. Lotus Bouquet Earrings
2. Blossom Lotus Ring
3. Winged Scarab Cuff

Malak is wearing Azza Fahmy’s:

1. T-Lock Love Necklace
2. Gold Floral Tribal Earrings
3. Gold Roman Chain Bangle

Music ID: 5ROQ12DERYHSUUVQ

I’m joined today by Nabila Abdel Nabi, Senior Curator for International Art at Tate Modern and Lead of the Hyundai Tate Research Center: Transnational. When Nabila and I first met a few years ago I was immediately impressed by her sincerity and depth. She is thoughtful and intentional in how she interacts with the world and those qualities make for deep and interesting conversations. 

We talk about her curatorial work, in particular her focus on transnational and transcultural approaches to art history and the importance of better institutional support for parents. 

On Part 2 of our conversation coming out next week, Nabila and I talk about the evolution of the museum-artist dynamic and drill down into something that is especially interesting to me—the idea of repatriating art to its country of origin.

This episode is brought to you by:

• EFG Hermes One: your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!
• Azza Fahmy Jewellery

1. Lotus Bouquet Earrings
2. Blossom Lotus Ring
3. Winged Scarab Cuff

Malak is wearing Azza Fahmy’s:

1. T-Lock Love Necklace
2. Gold Floral Tribal Earrings
3. Gold Roman Chain Bangle

Chapters:
0:00 Coming up

11:17 Her pivot into the art world

14:28 Being an only child

17:39 Institutional support for motherhood

21:09 What’s next for Nabila at the Tate

27:30 The Lightning Round

I’m re-connecting again with one of my first guests, Jalal Abu-Gazaleh & Dalia Sultan, co-founders of Gourmet Egypt. The headline news since we first spoke in 2021 is that the company went public earlier this year! 

Tune in for the inside story of their expansion and IPO.

This episode is part of Encore, where I check-in with some of your favourite WIDN alumni. We’ll continue this segment with more of the show’s alumni, so stay tuned.

Chapters:

0:00 Coming up..

13:27 The IPO Journey

31:53 Balancing marriage and business

37:45 The lightning round

We're continuing my conversation with journalist & best-selling author of Prisoners of Geography, Tim Marshall. On this episode, Tim tells me how the journalism landscape has changed, and the importance of geographical context in understanding current affairs and geopolitics.

I’ll be back again next week with a special Encore episode with two of my earliest guests—Jalal Abu Ghazaleh and Dalia Sultan, co-founders of Gourmet Egypt—and the amazing story that led to their incredible IPO earlier this year.

Chapters:

0:00 Coming up...

10:40 The importance of geography in current affairs

15:24 The new world order

This episode is brought to you by EFG Hermes One, your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!

Tim Marshall joins me on the show this week to talk about his journey from starting out with the British Royal Air Force to his three-decade career in journalism and now best-selling author of ‘Prisoners of Geography’.

We also talk about the importance of understanding geography and how that intersects with current affairs and geopolitics. This is particularly relevant considering the ongoing war in the Middle East. More on that in Part 2 which comes out next week. 

This episode is brought to you by EFG Hermes One, your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!

I’m continuing my conversation with Thuraya Ismail, CEO of Mentor Arabia, an organisation dedicated to improving the well-being of the Arab youth. On this episode, Thuraya shares her insights on drug prevention, overcoming stigma and how this work intersects with her other passion for arts & film.

Chapters:

0:00 Coming up

3:27 Tackling drug prevention

12:12 Impact of Saudi Vision 2030

14:14 Supporting youth through arts

16:13 Expanding Mentor Arabia

This episode is brought to you by:

• EFG Hermes One: your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets. Start investing today!
• Azza Fahmy Jewellery