What happens to your job when the most powerful companies in the world are laying off thousands of people not because they are failing, but because they are betting on AI instead, and your region is also in a war that is reshaping who can hire and who has to cut?

In this episode of With Loulou, Loulou Khazen Baz sits down with Justin McGuire, Founder and CEO of MCG Talent, the Middle East's leading recruitment firm for marketing, communications, creative, product, data and digital talent.

They get into the specific role Justin removed from his own firm and rebuilt with ChatGPT, why the people who feel safest in their seats are actually the most exposed, the one LinkedIn move that lands an offer, and the playbook he gives fresh graduates to land three offers in a market where 65% of UAE professionals now say finding a role has become harder.

For students, fresh graduates and anyone navigating a redundancy in 2026, Loulou and Justin close with what AI-native actually means in the workplace, why "knowing how to prompt ChatGPT" is not enough, and which careers in MENA are still hiring at premium salaries this quarter.

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Where do you put your money in the Gulf right now? Loulou sits down with one of the UAE's most experienced investors to read the region as it actually is in June 2026: the regional war still the dominant story, the World Cup just under way and more.

HE Faisal Belhoul is a veteran Emirati investor and entrepreneur, former Vice Chair of Dubai Chambers, and chairman of UAE second-division football club Fursan Hispania (co-built with Real Madrid legend Michel Salgado). He has been one of the most consistent backers of operators building global businesses out of Dubai for two decades.

For students, fresh graduates and aspiring founders, Belhoul closes with the single quality he backs in founders, the apprentice model he believes in, and the line he was given by a founder he is mentoring: "I eat 'no' for breakfast."

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01:57 - The Three Big Stories of the Week

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Abdullah Mutawi, Partner & Head of Corporate MENA at Taylor Wessing, and Kushal Shah, Private Markets Investor, join Loulou for a conversation (episode 103) on where opportunity really sits in the GCC today.

They unpack angel investing, founder red flags, why many startups fail despite strong products, and the lessons that come from writing early-stage checks.

The discussion also explores cash-generating businesses versus venture-backed startups, SME rollups, the impact of AI on investing, and why the region continues to attract founders, capital, and talent from around the world.

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Kushal Shah

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Gaurav Biswas, Founder & CEO of Trukker, joins Loulou for a timely conversation on what happens to GCC supply chains when the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted.

They unpack how cargo was rerouted through alternate ports, land bridges, and trucking networks while food security, industrial supply, and construction materials came under pressure.

Gaurav also breaks down Trukker’s 75,000+ driver network, the reality of building a $240M revenue logistics business, and why resilience is now a strategic priority for the region.

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Gaurav Biswas, Founder & CEO of Trukker

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Philip Bahoshy, Founder & CEO of Magnitt, and Ziad Awad, Founder & CEO of Awad Capital, join Loulou for episode 100 of With Loulou.

Recorded during a period of regional uncertainty, this conversation looks at what is really happening across MENA private markets, venture capital, M&A, IPOs, and the future of exits in the region.

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00:00 Episode 100 and the first two-guest format

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Day 56 of the Iran war. Most international press wrote Dubai's obituary in March. Predictions of a mass exodus, the end of the UAE story, a 15 year setback. None of it happened. 2,800 strikes were fired at this region. Almost nobody left. Trevor McFarlane, Founder and CEO of EMIR, advisor to GCC CEOs and government leaders, explains why.

Recorded in Dubai, April 22, 2026. Day 56 of the Iran war.

00:00 Reality TV geopolitics (cold open) 

00:44 Day 56: where the UAE actually stands 

01:48 Why this is a "coercive pause," not a resolution 

03:43 Why Rory Stewart was wrong about Dubai 

11:32 What systems thinking means for a country under attack 

14:54 Which sectors hold up — and which don't 

21:34 Tourism, luxury, and the floating population

24:09 The next phase: sovereign resiliency in the GCC 

31:28 150 CEOs, 2,800 strikes, nobody left 

36:54 The real story: sociological diversification 

40:18 "A place you belong, not a place you use" 

41:08 Rapid fire: GDP, levers, decisions in uncertainty

Trevor McFarlane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormcfarlane-emir/

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A Saudi quick-commerce startup raised $212 million and just collapsed. MENA VC funding fell 37% year-over-year. Late-stage debt is frozen. Khaled Talhouni — Managing Partner of Nuwa Capital, one of the most active GCC funds with 53 portfolio companies across Saudi, the UAE, and Egypt joins With Loulou to break down what's actually happening in the regional venture market right now. 

Recorded in Dubai, April 22, 2026. 

Chapters: 

00:00 The state of MENA VC right now 

02:35 What's actually happening in the Gulf 

06:55 53 portfolio companies through the war 

12:45 The Q1 numbers: $941M, -37% YoY, and the late-stage freeze 

18:20 How to deploy capital when nothing is priced 

24:35 The case for investing during downturns 

28:05 IPOs, secondaries, and where MENA exits actually happen 

33:20 Why Nana burned $212M (the dark store math) 

47:30 The "Accenture for AI" thesis 

54:20 Rapid fire: 2026's biggest MENA exit, deals he regrets, the underrated sector 

57:15 What he'd do differently 

Khaled Talhouni: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaledtalhouni/ 

Nuwa Capital: https://www.nuwacapital.io 

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In this special episode, Loulou Khazen speaks with Mo Gawdat about fear, uncertainty, and the psychological impact of war. في هذه الحلقة الخاصة، تتحاور لولو خازن مع مو جودة حول الخوف وعدم اليقين والتأثير النفسي للحروب. 

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Discover how Anam Khalid, co-founder and COO of Squatwolf, went from a small-town girl in Pakistan to building a global fitness brand from Dubai. In this inspiring conversation, Anam reveals the sacrifices, challenges, and truths of entrepreneurship, breaking gender barriers, and building a business with her husband. If you dream of creating your own success story, this episode will light the fire.

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لماذا علينا أن نتحدث عن المال؟ ولماذا تكون النساء أكثر عرضة للموت مفلسات؟

في هذه الحلقة، نستضيف الإعلامية العالمية، خبيرة التواصل، ومؤلفة كتاب "The Brilliant Communicator"، نعمة أبو وردة، وهي أيضاً صحفية سابقة في هيئة الإذاعة البريطانية (BBC)، لنغوص في قضايا المال، واتخاذ القرار، وأهمية الحضور والتعبير عن الذات.

نعمة، بخبرتها في آلاف المقابلات وتدريب مئات الأشخاص، تشرح لنا لماذا لا تقل طريقة عرض المعرفة أهميةً عن المعرفة نفسها.

هذه الحلقة ليست موجهة للنساء فقط، بل لكل من يسعى لفهم النظام، وكسر الصمت، وصناعة حياة مليئة بالخيارات والكرامة

🎁هذه الحلقة برعاية XM Arabia. زوروا الموقع للحصول على مكافآت تسجيل خاصة
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🎁هذه الحلقة برعاية Mustashar Mini MBA. زوروا الموقع وإستعملو الكود: Loulou 

للحصول على خصم ٤٠٪ وكمان خصم إضافي ٢٠٪ إذا سجلتو قبل ١٠ آب
🌐 https://www.mustasharminimba.com?coupon=LOULOU

👇 Explore the full journey below | استكشفوا محطات الحوار الكاملة هنا 👇

00:00 مدخل تمهيدي للحلقة | Episode Hook

00:54 التعريف بنعمة أبو وردة ومقدمة الحلقة | Meet Nima Abu Wardeh & Episode Intro

01:29 رسالة نعمة إلى المستمعين | Nima’s Message to Listeners

04:36 الفلسفة والدوافع وراء تفكير نعمة | Behind Nima’s Mindset & Drive

07:02 لماذا من الضروري تبنّي منظور صانع القرار؟ | The Importance of Stepping into the Decision-Maker’s Shoes

08:43 كن المدير التنفيذي لخبرتك | Become the CEO of Your Expertise

10:28 نجاحك يتحدد بمن يعرفك، لا بمن تعرفه | Your Success Is Defined by Who Knows You, Not Who You Know

12:29 أهمية بناء الحضور خارج إطار العمل | The Importance of Building Presence Beyond the Workplace

16:38 ضعف شبكة العلاقات يؤدي إلى قلة الفرص المهنية | How a Weak Network Hurts Career Opportunities

17:53 وجودك على منصة هو مفتاح نجاحك | Why Having a Platform Is Key to Success

21:27 تميّزك يلغي المنافسة | Stand Out by Defining Your Uniqueness

25:41 كيف تحقق أهدافك؟ دليل من الكتاب | Reaching Your Goals – Insights from the Book

31:19 الفيل في المقابلة: الأسئلة غير المعلنة | Addressing the Elephant in Job Interviews

34:08 امتلك خبرتك بثقة | Owning Your Expertise with Confidence

38:59 عبّر للعالم عمّا تريده | Communicate What You Want to the World

39:30 خطوات عملية لتحقيق الأهداف | Steps to Achieving Your Goals

40:10 اقترض لتبني | Borrow to Build

45:00 تدرّب على عرض قيمك عبر المنصات | Practice Sharing Your Values Across Platforms

48:50 لماذا النساء أكثر عرضة للموت مفلسات؟ | Why Are Women More Likely to Die Broke?

56:00 الحقيقة حول فجوة الأجور بين الجنسين | The Truth About the Gender Pay Gap

01:02:00 الطلاق وتحمل المسؤولية المالية بمفردك | Divorce and the Burden of Being the Sole Provider

01:04:05 تكلفة المعيشة بالنسبة للنساء | The Cost of Living for Women

01:06:50 الظلم الواقع على النساء حول العالم | Injustice Toward Women Worldwide

01:08:15 كيف تواجه المرأة المُهمشة واقعها؟ | How Can Disadvantaged Women Stand Up for Themselves?

01:11:07 هل هناك ما يُسمى بوظيفة “أقل قيمة”؟ | Is There Such a Thing as a Lesser Job?

01:11:45 كسر القيود الثقافية التي لا تخدمنا | Defying Cultural Norms That Don’t Serve Us

01:14:48 كلمات ختامية | Closing Remarks

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