What I Did Next: Recent Episodes
A & T Media
What I Did Next is a show that explores lives’ pivotal moments. Host Malak Fouad welcomes guests from our region and across a variety of industries to bring you conversations of success, failure, and everything in-between. New episodes every second Tuesday. You can connect with us on Instagram, X and on LinkedIn, and watch extended clips from our interviews on our YouTube channel.
I’m excited to be bringing you a new season of the show starting September 6, with new episodes every second Monday. I’ve had incredible guests over the past five seasons, leaders in their fields from a wide range of industries such as business, art, design, fashion, medicine, and entertainment. These conversations keep reminding me that each person’s journey is unique to them, and I’m always floored by how honest and authentic my guests are. I’m also excited to introduce a new platform this season! We’ve just launched our YouTube channel where you’ll find extended clips from our interviews. And of course, we’ll continue to have shorter clips and updates on social media. You can follow us on Instagram, X and on LinkedIn. I can’t wait to share some amazing conversations with you again.
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We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with renaissance man Samih Sawiris. Samih and his brothers, Naguib and Nassef continue to be icons in the business world in Egypt and the Middle East. Samih is the founder of Orascom Development Holding which operates 33 hotels with over 7,000 rooms and controls approximately 100 million sqm of land. Samih is above all, a sort of renaissance man, and a person who doesn’t define himself by his career or profession. He has a multitude of interests and he consciously prioritises the work / life balance. Now that he is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the company, he is spending time developing his passions and checking off his extensive bucket list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with reconstructive surgeon Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram, who told me about her shift to entrepreneurship with Proximie, to revolutionise the world of surgery. Dr. Nadine saw the horrors war inflicts on people and communities during her formative years living in Lebanon after the civil war, and how difficult it is for individuals to re-build their lives if proper health care is not available. Her story is one of perseverance, dedication and incremental change. We also have more from Dr. Nadine in a bonus episode exclusively for our members. You can listen in Apple Podcasts or subscribe on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with businessman, art collector, activist and academic Sultan Sooud Al Qaseemi. Sultan’s story starts out as a proud son of Sharjah in the UAE before he came to the attention of a wide audience around the world for his activism during the 2011 revolutions in the Arab World. His heritage, nationality and deep sense of what it means to be Arab today is the thread that links all his work and interests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’re currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with Amy Mowafi, a dynamo in the region’s media space, and an inspiring role model for the younger generation of empowered Egyptian and Arab women. Amy and her team are the digital publishers of CairoScene, ElFasla, StartUpScene, NFTYScene, NFTY Arabia, SceneNoise, SceneTraveller, SceneEats, CairoZoom & the SceneNOW App. They also house a digital creative agency and are leading the way in the Web3 universe as well. Amy brings passion, authenticity and a sense that anything-is-possible to everything she does. She is a fierce proponent of what our generation used to call Girl Power, and is awed by how Gen Z women have given that voice full-throttle. We also have more from Amy in a bonus episode exclusively for our members. You can listen in Apple Podcasts or subscribe on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Thank you for joining me on an incredible season 5 of What I Did Next, and for your feedback and comments. This week, I’m joined by our producer Chirag Desai to talk about my own life’s pivots and a few highlights from our season. We’ll be back with new episodes in early September. Until then, you can catch up on our previous episodes, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn for updates. Thanks to our partners EFG Hermes for their support of this season, and to Egypt Fashion Week for a lovely collaboration. Links:
Frontlines of Journalism by BBC Radio 4
The Lost Manuscript by Cathy Bonidan
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I’m joined on the show this week by the talented Lebanese/Iraqi chef, Hussein Hadid. If you’ve been lucky enough to attend his unique kitchen table experience in Beirut, you'll know that Chef Hussein conjures up magic not just for your taste buds, but also by giving a lot of thought to the atmosphere and decor. He actually started out working in finance, quickly discarding that career in favour of a chef's jacket and hat. Our conversation took many twists and turns, with amazing anecdotes from his time working for a top New York restaurant to his more difficult experiences in Lebanon over the last few years. Chef Hussein also told me how his business has weathered these storms, and what's to come. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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! This episode is brought to you by:
Sodic, celebrating 25 years of creating timeless places
EFG Hermes One, your one-stop gateway to investment
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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. This episode is brought to you by:
Sodic, celebrating 25 years of creating timeless places
EFG Hermes One, your one-stop gateway to investment
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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. This episode is brought to you by:
SODIC, celebrating 25 years of creating timeless places
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Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram joins me in the hot seat today to discuss her amazing, life-changing work. Dr. Nadine is a reconstructive surgeon working with the National Health Service in the UK. She's is also the founder of Proximie, a start-up revolutionising how surgery is conducted, with a technology platform that enables operating rooms across remote locations to virtually interact and conduct surgeries in real time. Dr. Nadine saw the horrors war inflicts on people and communities during her formative years living in Lebanon after the civil war, and how difficult it is for individuals to re-build their lives if proper health care is not available. Her story is one of perseverance, dedication and incremental change. We also have more from Dr. Nadine 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! This episode is brought to you by:
Sodic, celebrating 25 years of creating timeless places
EFG Hermes One, your one-stop gateway to investment
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My guest on this episode is a giant in every field he’s ventured into, Mo Gawdat. Mo was Chief Business Officer at Google X, and is now the popular author of Solve for Happy, Scary Smart, and more recently, That Little Voice in Your Head, with more books to come. He is also behind the One Billion Happy movement which is inspired by his late son, Aly, who died tragically in 2014. Mo today is more monk than mogul. He has gone from corporate man to living out of a carry-on bag, lugging his podcast equipment around the world, and having conversations with people who will shine a light on a hidden corner of the human experience. We also have more from Mo 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. This episode is brought to you by:
Sodic, celebrating 25 years of creating timeless places
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My guest on this episode is Amy Mowafi, who makes up one-fourth of the MO4 network of companies. Amy and her team are the digital publishers of CairoScene, ElFasla, StartUpScene, NFTYScene, NFTY Arabia, SceneNoise, SceneTraveller, SceneEats, CairoZoom & the SceneNOW App. They also house a digital creative agency and are leading the way in the Web3 universe as well. Amy brings passion, authenticity and a sense that anything-is-possible to everything she does. She is a fierce proponent of what our generation used to call Girl Power, and is awed by how Gen Z women have given that voice full-throttle. We also have more from Amy 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! This episode is brought to you by:
Sodic, celebrating 25 years of creating timeless places
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’re kicking off this season with Fadi Ghandour, an icon of the Middle East’s business and entrepreneurial landscape. After co-founding Aramex, Fadi became the poster-boy for Arab entrepreneurship success. Aramex went on to become the first Arab company to list on NASDAQ, not a small achievement by any means. We’re focusing our conversation on the pivot that followed, when Fadi decided to leave Aramex and everything he’s been doing since. We also have more from Fadi 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. This episode is brought to you by:
Sodic, celebrating 25 years of creating timeless places
EFG Hermes One, your one-stop gateway to investment
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What I Did Next is back with a new season, beginning September 5th. If you’ve heard the show before, you’ll know that the guests on our show are leaders in their fields from across the Middle East. This season we have entrepreneurs, doctors, designers, journalists, innovators and more! You’ll hear a new guest join me in the hot seat every other Monday until the middle of December. We’re also launching a subscription via Apple Podcasts this season. If you like the show as it is, nothing will change, but if you want little bit extra, you'll get to hear episodes a few days earlier, and be able to unlock bonus content. You can subscribe in Apple Podcasts now to get started with a free trial. While you wait, check out our library of episodes in your podcast player and don’t forget to save the date of 5th of September for the kick off of Season 4! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I hope you’ve enjoyed listening to Season 3 of What I Did Next! We’ve had an incredible line-up of guests, and want to thank each of you for listening in and sending in your feedback and reviews. Listen in to our wrap-up episode where I sit down with our producer Chirag Desai to talk about the highlights of the season, some learnings and a look ahead to Season 4. We’ll be back soon — until then, you can follow us on Instagram, Twitter and on Facebook for updates on the show. This episode is brought to you by:
Marakez, Spaces for Life
EFG Hermes Holding, a universal bank in Egypt with the leading investment bank franchise in frontier emerging markets (FEM)
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I’m delighted to have Youssef El Deeb as my guest today. Youssef is a film-maker, photographer, writer, ad-man, broadcaster, foodie and even a sailor. A son of Alexandria, Youssef’s life has seen him move from Egypt to Canada, to Kuwait, and finally to Dubai where he currently resides. In 2006, Youssef launched the food channel, Fatafeat, a venture he calls ‘his baby’. Youssef created the Fatafeat catchphrase, El Haya Helwa. The origin of this phrase is very close to his heart but can also be seen as the guiding words of his life. Youssef unpacks the peaks and troughs of his life in our conversation, and we discuss the pivots that have shaped his journey. This episode is brought to you by:
Marakez, Spaces for Life
EFG Hermes Holding, a universal bank in Egypt with the leading investment bank franchise in frontier emerging markets (FEM)
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I’m joined on this episode by Nadine Kanso, the ultra-chic and super-creative jewellery designer, photographer, purveyor of beautiful things and all ‘round influencer. Nadine has taken the concept of what it means to be an Arab and translated it using her camera lens, calligraphy or by moulding gold into bold, strong letters to form her signature brand, Bilarabi. Over the years, she has become a leader and style icon in the region. Nadine shares her key pivot points and how there was no linear path that got her to where she is today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dr. Ahmed Heikal is today’s guest on the show. As chairman and CEO of Qalaa Holdings, Ahmed is well known to many in the business community across the Middle East. Prior to founding Qalaa Holdings, Ahmed was an integral part of the rise and dominance of EFG-Hermes bank. To some, Ahmed is a polarizing figure. We talk candidly about the trajectory of his career, his appetite for risk and how he views the current phase of his career. This episode is brought to you by:
Marakez, Spaces for Life
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Clarissa is a multi-award winning journalist and Chief International Correspondent for CNN. She’s been reporting for over 15 years from various countries in the region, including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. More recently, she covered the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, and she’s also been covering the Ukraine war. Clarissa is also the author of On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist, one of my favourite books of 2020. She talks about her unconventional childhood and how 9/11 was a clear pivot point in helping her decide to tell stories for a willing. This episode is brought to you by:
Marakez, Spaces for Life
EFG Hermes Holding, a universal bank in Egypt with the leading investment bank franchise in frontier emerging markets (FEM)
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I’m delighted to welcome Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi to the show. Sultan is someone I have long-admired from afar; a man who has worn many hats over the decades—businessman, art collector, activist, academic. Sultan’s story starts out as a proud son of Sharjah in the UAE before he came to the attention of a wide audience around the world for his activism during the 2011 revolutions in the Arab World. His heritage, nationality and deep sense of what it means to be Arab today is the thread that links all his work and interests. This episode is brought to you by:
Marakez, Spaces for Life
EFG Hermes Holding, a universal bank in Egypt with the leading investment bank franchise in frontier emerging markets (FEM)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We have the gorgeous Hend Sabri on the show! Hend is the queen of our cinematic hearts, and a leading light of both the silver and the small screens. Although a lawyer by training, Hend went on to star in ground-breaking roles such as Asmaa, where she portrays an HIV-positive woman in rural Egypt, and Ola in Ayaz-Atgawez, whom she recently brought back Finding Ola, which is available on Netflix. Hend has often taken on difficult and taboo subjects that are whispered about but not spoken about out loud. And underneath the actress, Hend is a woman of fierce intellect, who cares deeply for the world she will be passing on to her daughters. This episode is brought to you by:
Marakez, Spaces for Life
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I’m continuing my conversation with Kito de Boer for this special bonus episode about his role with the Quartet, a group tasked with mediating between Israel and the Palestinians. As Head of Mission of the Quartet, Kito brought his considerable business and negotiating acumen to the table to try and address this problem essentially from an economic perspective. You can listen to the full conversation with Kito in your podcast player or on our website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My guest on this episode is Kito de Boer. Kito spent nearly 30 years at McKinsey, and his exposure to the world of management consultancy as well as international political institutions has given him unique insights into what makes the world go ‘round. Kito also reveals himself to be a man of many hobbies and facets, acknowledging the grounding importance of family and the essential need for a satisfying ‘inner life’. He and his wife are avid collectors of Indian art. His work in helping set government strategies across various sectors in the Middle East placed him in a unique position to succeed Tony Blair as Head of Mission of the Quartet from 2015 to 2017. This entity was tasked with helping mediate between Israel and Palestinians, particularly tackling issues from an economic perspective. This episode is brought to you by:
Marakez, Spaces for Life
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We’re starting season 3 with the Soprano sensation Fatma Said. Fatma is a soprano taking the world of opera by storm. Since starting out at the iconic La Scala theatre in Milan, she tours the world as a soprano bringing beloved roles to life in productions spanning the traditional languages of opera; Italian, German, French and Russian. In October 2020 Fatma released her debut album with Warner Classics called El Nour, where she crosses cultures from Spain, Egypt and France and encompasses classic opera with folks songs as well. Listen to Fatma share the moments that changed her life around and about her exciting life on the stage. Her passion is heart-warming and contagious! You can find her album, El Nour on various streaming platforms here. This episode is brought to you by:
Marakez, Spaces for Life
EFG Hermes Holding, a universal bank in Egypt with the leading investment bank franchise in frontier emerging markets (FEM)
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We hope you’ve enjoyed listening to Season 2 of What I Did Next! We’ve had a great line-up of guests, great feedback and some Apple Podcasts love by being included in their Best of 2021 selection. What more can a podcast ask for?! Tune in to our wrap-up episode where we discuss the highlights of the last 8 episodes and look ahead to Season 3. Listen to the show to hear about an exciting new announcement as well! Happy holidays everyone :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I’m delighted to welcome Prince Abbas Hilmi onto the last episode of Season 2. Prince Abbas Hilmi is a descendent of two Middle Eastern royal houses. Through his father, Prince Mohamed Abdel Moneim, he is a descendent of Mohamed Ali of Egypt, while his mother, Neslishah Sultan, was the granddaughter of Mehmed VI, the last Ottoman Sultan. A quiet and modest man, Prince Abbas Hilmi spoke to me about his unique life journey, weaving stories of royalty and history with the more contemporary realities of the region’s finance and business industries. This episode is brought to you by Marakez, building spaces for life; and by EFG Hermes, the leading financial services the leading financial services corporation in frontier emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meet Kim Ghattas, journalist, writer and lecturer. Kim’s career has been extensive and multi-layered. Kim, who is half Lebanese and half Dutch, shot to prominence as a BBC reporter, first covering Lebanon and then reporting on U.S. foreign policy from the United States. Lately, she has gained recognition as an author of bestselling books. First came The Secretary and more recently, Black Wave, a must-read for all those interested and concerned about Middle East politics. Listen to my conversation with her where she unpacks what inspires her and more profoundly talks about the shadow that growing up in the Lebanese civil war still casts across her life and outlook. You can find the episode in Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Podbean. This episode is brought to you by Marakez, building spaces for life; and by EFG Hermes, the leading financial services the leading financial services corporation in frontier emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bobby Chinn—celebrity chef, raconteur, comic, mimic and globetrotter—is my guest on the show this week. Perhaps best known in the Middle East as one of the judges on MBC’s highly rated show, Top Chef, Bobby brings a unique perspective on what a life journey should look like. Our conversation covers everything from his peripatetic childhood to his steep learning curve trying to find the path that was best for him. Taking us on his journey we are entertained and awestruck by his innate positivity and optimism. The most striking thing for me was his deep love of family and country that he kept reverting back to time and again during our chat. This episode is brought to you by Marakez, building spaces for life; and by EFG Hermes, the leading financial services the leading financial services corporation in frontier emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Meet Dr. Lama Al-Sulaiman; Wife, mother, business-woman and most notably, an unexpected pioneer of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. Listen to her story, where she comes across as thoughtful and compassionate. She opens up about her challenges and talks passionately about helping the underdog and less fortunate as well as her fight to get women treated equally in the boardroom. This episode is brought to you by Marakez, Spaces for Life. Marakez is one of the largest mixed-use developers in Egypt that designs, builds and manages their own properties which have grown to become the heart and soul of the communities they serve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today Hassan Al Damluji, the Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is our guest on the show. We trace his life journey, from a young adult discovering his Iraqi roots, to his current role in public health. We talk about his work in the region and his developing a more global world view. Discover how chance trips and encounters have contributed in shaping Hassan’s path. This episode is brought to you by Marakez, Spaces for Life. Marakez is one of the largest mixed-use developers in Egypt that designs, builds and manages their own properties which have grown to become the heart and soul of the communities they serve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today I welcome Nada Debs to the show. Nada is a Lebanese designer who has re-invented the Levantine tradition of wood-work making. She has taken traditional techniques and given them a modern, contemporary twist. Nada works across a wide range of design including furniture, accessories, crafts, fashion and interiors. Nada’s life—from her childhood in Japan to graduate school in the US—have all laid the foundations for her professional and personal journey. The 'less is more’ aesthetic that Nada brings to all she does has gained her wide recognition and this has translated into very interesting and dynamic collaborations with such diverse brands as Louis Vuitton, Converse and IKEA. This episode is brought to you by Marakez, Spaces for Life. Marakez is one of the largest mixed-use developers in Egypt that designs, builds and manages their own properties which have grown to become the heart and soul of the communities they serve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today I am delighted to welcome journalist Max Rodenbeck to the show. From 2000 to 2015 he was the Economist’s man in the Middle East—in 2010, in an article for the magazine, Max predicted the seismic changes that were to come in Egypt in January 2011. Having been raised from the age of 2 years old in Egypt, Max is not your usual expat; his wife is Egyptian and he has deep roots in the country. Max is also the author of one of my favourite books, Cairo: The City Victorious, a must read for those interested in history and cities. This episode is brought to you by Marakez, Spaces for Life. Marakez is one of the largest mixed-use developers in Egypt that designs, builds and manages their own properties which have grown to become the heart and soul of the communities they serve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’re kicking off our new season with Fatma and Amina Ghaly, the two talented sisters who are the driving force behind the luxury jewelry brand, Azza Fahmy. They work hand-in-hand to ensure their mother’s philosophy and aesthetic are moved forward for a new generation of customers. The sisters have been instrumental in taking the firm from a local Egyptian niche company to a luxury international brand with 19 retail doors across the Middle East as well as in London and Washington DC, and a staff of over 280 people. This episode is brought to you by Marakez, Spaces for Life. Marakez is one of the largest mixed-use developers in Egypt that designs, builds and manages their own properties which have grown to become the heart and soul of the communities they serve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
📣 Season 2 begins August 23! We’re thrilled to back with you for a new season of What I Did Next, starting Monday. Season 2 is a bit less Egypt-centric, we’ve cast a wider net to include an amazing line-up of guests from across our amazing region, and across a range of industries. We’re also excited to announce that the season will be sponsored by Marakez. Whether you listen to the show on your walk, your commute, your workout or simply bumming around, we hope you enjoy this season! Remember to stay connected to us for the latest episodes and news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're wrapping up season 1 today with a slightly different episode. My producer Chirag Desai is turning the tables on me and asking me about my own life journey and the show's two staple questions.
A big thank you to our guests this season, and to all of you for joining us, and leaving us wonderful reviews. A new season of _What I Did Next_ is currently in the works with another amazing line-up of guests coming your way in a couple of months. Until then, please stay tuned to our Instagram where we'll be sharing bonus material from Season 1 and news on what's coming next.
Thanks to Marakez for their support of the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Omar Samra is the first Egyptian to reach the top of Everest, he’s climbed the 7 Summits and he has skied to both the North and South Pole. He is the founder of Wild Guanabana, one of the region’s leading adventure travel companies.
In 2017, Omar took up a maritime challenge with his friend Omar Nour to highlight the plight of refugees who were crossing dangerous waters to seek a better life. That journey ended just 1000 kms later, and the men had to be rescued. The trip has become the subject of a documentary called _Beyond the Raging Sea_, which has garnered rave reviews at various film festivals.
This episode also brings us towards the close of season 1. For the final episode next episode, the tables are being turned on me. I'll be in the hot seat, answering the questions I've been putting to my guests all season.
Thanks to our partners Marakez for sponsoring this episode. Marakez is the leading mixed-used developer in Egypt, with an ever growing portfolio of commercial and residential projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My guest today comes from the world of advertising. Ali Ali is the co-founder of Good People Films and one of the most highly respected and sought-after advertising directors around. The Gunn Report named him one of the 10 most-awarded directors in the world and AdWeek placed him amongst the top 10 most exciting directors of 2020.
Thanks to our partners Marakez for sponsoring this episode. Marakez is the leading mixed-used developer in Egypt, with an ever growing portfolio of commercial and residential projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My guest on this episode is Jehane Noujaim, a multi-award-winning director from the world of documentary film-making, specifically, the cinema verité genre. Jehane has captured the zeitgeist time and time again in her work. She’s the engine behind such well-known documentaries as Startup .com (2001) and Control Room (2004). More recent films include The Square (2014), the Great Hack (2019) which is available on Netflix, and the series The Vow on HBO, all produced in collaboration with her husband, Karim Amer. Thanks to our partners Marakez for sponsoring this episode. Marakez is the leading mixed-used developer in Egypt, with an ever growing portfolio of commercial and residential projects. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My guest today is Samih Sawiris, the founder of Orascom Development Holding which operates 33 hotels with over 7,000 rooms and controls approximately 100 million sqm of land. He is perhaps best known as the person behind El Gouna, a tourist resort town on the Red Sea coast of Egypt.
Samih is above all, a sort of renaissance man, and a person who doesn’t define himself by his career or profession. He has a multitude of interests and he consciously prioritises the work / life balance. Now that he is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the company, he is spending time developing his passions and checking off his extensive bucket list. Our interview was recorded at the end of 2020.
If you’re enjoying the show, leave us a review in Apple Podcasts, or IMDb, or reach out to us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
My guest today is a multi-award winning powerhouse in the NGO landscape of the Middle East. Dina El-Mofty is the co-founder of Injaz in Egypt in 2003. Dina’s first pivot came at the start of her career and she has been shifting gears ever since. Moving from education to the start-up world, Dina has used her entrepreneurial know-how for the benefit of others; helping people garner employment skills and then translating them into businesses and new opportunities. Dina’s positive and upbeat approach are dynamic and impactful.
If you’re enjoying the show, leave us a review in Apple Podcasts, or IMDb, or reach out to us on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I’m joined this week by Lebanese hotelier Sarah Trad, who is the owner of Beit Trad, an idyllic and luxurious guesthouse in the mountains of Lebanon. She is also the co-founder of Skoun, the first-of-its-kind drug and addiction rehabilitation center in Beirut.
But beyond her professional pivot points, it was a major change in her personal life that resonated with me the most. Sarah has consistently pushed the bounds of convention and has chosen to go down her own path, even when those choices are at odds with what is expected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
I’m joined on the show today by Jalal Abu Ghazaleh & Dalia Sultan, the husband-and-wife team behind Gourmet Egypt, a company that has raised the bar for food retail in Egypt. Join our conversation to hear about their pivot points — from the cute way they met to the challenges they encountered in the evolution of their business. The conversation blends the personal and professional and we meander down memory lane to key cross-roads along their path.
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My guest on the inaugural episode of What I Did Next is Ahmed Alfi, a well-known name in the tech start-up world in both Egypt and the Middle East. From starting his career on Wall Street, Ahmed moved to Egypt in 2006, went on to co-found Sawari Ventures and is also the co-founder of Flat6Labs and the Greek Campus, a startup innovation hub in downtown Cairo. Tune in to the episode to find out all about those turning points in Ahmed’s life, who he’s inspired by, and what makes him tick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What I did Next is a show that will explore life’s pivot points, both professional and personal. We’ll look at life’s journeys through this lens and how sometimes certain circumstances can lead to life-altering changes. Season One launches February 4, 2021 with a fantastic mix of guests from the Middle East who share their pivot points. Do you take the left or right at the fork in the road? Do you choose the path less traveled and go against what is expected? These are the big questions at the heart of this show—questions that inform and shape our lives and the paths we take. The people I’ll be interviewing will either be from the Middle East or have a connection to the region in some way. These are people who are multi-national, multi-lingual, are engaged, curious and passionate about knowledge and aim to leave a positive imprint on the world. They represent a variety of industries and careers but they all have one thing in common: they aren’t afraid to do it their way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices