With over 28 years of experience in a range of leadership and management roles within Further & Higher Education across the UK and the Middle East, Richard Hollywood has been driving transformational change achieving performance and sustainability improvements and growth. But this wasn't the reason for being my guest today. This man achieved what I only dreamed of as a teenager, and that was to work in a music recording studio.  I had to have him come in and tell his story.  

Ep. 188 Your Onion - Richard Hollywood

This show brings you an insight into business happening in Qatar and the MENA region. We peel away the layers of a company to reveal how the company works and the people behind it.

We find out why and how people wanted to set-up their business here in the MENA region and what have been the highs and lows in doing so.

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Careers

Management & Marketing

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Entrepreneurship

A star is born but not into acting or the modeling world as initially thought but into the medical insurance world. Amber Musson-Thorpe found her calling when she stepped onto the stage of medical insurance and hasn’t looked back since.  

Ep. 206 Your Onion - Amber Musson-Thorp

One of my all-time favorite tracks was by a band called Madness, and the track was Driving In My Car. It reminds me of my teenage years, when I first got my driving license, and the freedom to escape the little village we lived in. I passed my test the first time. I was very thankful, I had ridden a motorbike the year before, just to get a true sense of what being on the road was all about and to get professional training also. Over the years, I have experienced driving situations that have shaken me up and which I have never experienced before, from having a burst tire on a motorway to having a child run out in front of my car to crashing into the back of another after being distracted by my kids in the back seat. These experiences really shake you up, and you handle the moment the best you can. Now think about your driving training before you took the test. Not much goes into what obstacles or situations might happen on the road, you just get tested on how well you can drive and maneuver a car. My next guest, Raffat Zriek, CEO & Founder of Gamyra, took this issue on board and created a driving simulation experience of dealing with difficult situations on the road. From there, he has created a business of virtual experiences to power the future of immersive and interactive digital realities.

Ep. 205 Your Onion - Raffat Zreik

Many of my guests go to University following their parent's wishes. They qualify and then move into employment.  After a while, they follow their heart or true calling and move into something they are genuinely passionate about. My next guest, Zewde Zewde, didn't follow the same rule book and started his side hustle while still studying. Taking him on a different path than his qualification would have done.  

Ep. 204 Your Onion - Zewde Zewde

My next guest is an ex-professional basketball player from Romania who joined his mum in Qatar 10 years ago. While waiting to sign up for a local basketball team, Serban Spirea fell into Real Estate, initially working for a company, then setting up his own. Join me as we follow his journey from landing on Qatar shores to seeing the Real Estate industry as it was and realizing he could make a difference based on his values in life.

Ep. 203 Your Onion - Serban Spirea

A regular guest to Ginger Camel and its podcasts, from ThinkBigQatar to Doha Heat to finally being on Your Onion Podcast. Elsbeth Blekkenhorst-Tammes reinvents herself as often as she has been on our podcasts. A fantastic lady driven by her love for life and freedom, she runs her business to help professional women in Qatar succeed. Enjoy her story

Ep. 188 Your Onion - Richard Hollywood

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