WIDN with Malak Fouad

I‘m joined today by a legend of from the world of architecture, Abdel Wahed El Wakil. I sat down with him a couple of weeks ago in Doha, where he now lives, to document his incredible journey, his vision for architecture as an industry, and Islamic architecture in particular. Abdel Wahed has designed buildings around the world, including in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Paris and London. He also studied an...

I'm re-connecting today with celebrity chef & author Bobby Chinn. I first spoke to Bobby during the summer of 2021 in preparation for Season 2. That feels like such a long time ago, we were just 8 episodes in at the time, and we're now in our 6th year with more than a 100 episodes! You can listen to that episode in your podcast app or our website . This episode is part of Encore, where I check...

We’re continuing my conversation with luxury travel journalist and editor Maria Shollenbarger. Today, we’re delving into the travel industry—how and why certain destinations trend over others, how preferences have changed since COVID, and the future of travel in the age of AI.  I’ll be back next week with a new Encore episode with all-round rockstar Bobby Chinn. Chapters 0:00 Coming up... 2:30 Tra...

I’m excited to be kicking off the year with Maria Shollenbarger, travel editor at the Financial Times’ HTSI magazine. I got to know Maria last year at The Narrative Summit, where she was on a panel that I moderated .  Maria has been with the FT now for 17 years and had always dreamed about working as a travel journalist. On Part 1 of our conversation, we unpack her journey traveling and living aro...

We all know the value of looking back to understand our path. But as the world becomes increasingly uncertain, I wanted to open a new chapter on the show. In 2026, in addition to reflecting on the past, we’re also tackling the big questions about our future. I’ll be asking my guests how they're navigating the same anxieties and opportunities we all face, from AI to climate change to the changing w...

We’re closing out the year with a special episode with EFG Holding, and I’m joined today by the Group’s Chief Finance & Operations Officer, Mohamed Abdel Khabir. Mohamed joined the investment bank in 2008 and took on the CFO role in 2016. Earlier this year, he took on the additional responsibility of Operations, which includes Marketing, Technology & Administration.  Mohamed has been activ...

Last week, Mounir Nakhla told me about his entrepreneurial journey with MNT Halan, and how the company has risen to become of the Africa’s fastest growing start-ups. On this bonus episode, Mounir talks to me about the strategy behind their recent expansion into 3 new territories — Turkey, the UAE & Pakistan.  Chapters: 0:00 On this episode... 5:12 Consolidation vs. Expansion 8:36 The impact of...

I'm joined today by entrepreneur Mounir Nakhla. Mounir is the co-founder & CEO of MNT-Halan, Egypt's fintech unicorn that has now served more than 8 million customers and recently expanded into the UAE, Turkey & Pakistan. Mounir launched his first company in 2010, which showed him the true potential of micro-financing to unlock economic potential. This led him to co-found MNT-Halan in 2021...

I'm re-connecting today with Dr. Nadine Hachach-Haram. Dr. Nadine is the founder & CEO of Proximie  ⁨ and a practicing NHS surgeon with a specialty in plastic surgery. I first spoke to Dr. Nadine three years ago, when she told me how she wanted to help operating rooms function more effectively with Proximie.  This episode is part of Encore, where I check-in with some of your favourite WIDN alu...

We’re continuing my conversation with Karima Hakim on this episode, talking about the evolution of the private sector in Egypt and Africa, and her work specifically with Plug & Play. You can also catch the first part my conversation with Karima in your podcast app or on YouTube .  Chapters 0:00 Introduction 0:45 The Private Sector Evolution 11:39 Women Supporting Women 16:23 Leadership in a Ch...

I’m joined today by Karima El Hakim, Country Director at Plug & Play Egypt, and co-director for the company’s operations in the rest of Africa. Just as importantly, for me she’s one of the show’s biggest fans!  On Part 1 of my conversation with Karima, we’re criss-crossing through both her personal and professional journey, from growing up in Egypt in a Francophone home to her pivot to technol...

Today’s episode is a deep-dive with our sponsor, EFG Holding . As a long-time sponsor of the show, EFG have been with us from our single digit episode count all the way through to 100! I’m joined on this special episode by Hanaa Helmy, Chief Corporate Sustainability and Impact Officer at EFG Holding and CEO of the EFG Foundation. Hanaa has been with the company 19 years, and has been involved with...

We’re celebrating 100 episodes! So this week I’m sitting down with our producer Chirag Desai to celebrate this milestone and unpack some of the learnings.  Chapters  0:00 Episode 100!  1:11 Evolution of Podcasting  3:11 Reflections  13:53 Destiny vs Agency  24:08 The Impact of Our Work  24:28 A big thanks to EFG Holding  25:35 Malak takes on the Lightning Round This episode is brought to you by EF...

We’re continuing my conversation with Azzam Fakhreddin this week, where he tells me about his decision to shift focus to economics under the mentorship of Dr. Galal Amin and getting starting in the family hospitality business. Azzam also tells me about his involvement with the Jordan football team, which just qualified for its first FIFA World Cup in 2026. I’m also excited to share that What I Did...

I’m joined today by Azzam Fakhreddin, a name familiar to many across the Middle East as a notable figure in the hospitality industry. On Part 1 of our conversation, Azzam tells me about his involvement in two significant projects, the book ‘Palestine, Memories of 1948’ and the feature film ‘Palestine36’, which is Palestine’s official entry to the 2026 Oscars. It stars iconic actors Jeremy Irons an...

AI is a topic that has come up many times over the years on the show, so today I’m sharing a special episode of Double-Take where I’m connecting the dots from some of our previous episodes on the philosophical, ethical and practical implications of our future AI world. You’ll hear from author & AI expert Mo Gawdat on how we all need to be better role models for this nascent technology, actor R...

Continuing my conversation with Dr. Mona Hamdy to unpack the role of AI, and how the emerging world should prioritise its adoption. We talk about the ethical implications of technological advancements, and the need to close the gap between profit-driven AI development and our needs as a society. She also tells me about her work with Anomaly, the ‘Bitcoins and Birkins’ club, and upcoming launch of...

The word AI gets bandied about by everyone in everything today, and I’ve been wanting to unpack the opportunities and challenges our future world holds for us. So I’m delighted to welcome technology ethicist Dr. Mona Hamdy to the show this week. On Part 1 of our conversation this week, we talk about her pivots, and how she found herself at this unique intersection of technology and human dignity....

One of the themes that often comes up on the show is giving back to the community. Today I wanted to highlight two guests who instantly come to mind when talking about giving back—the incredible heart surgeon, Sir Magdi Yacoub and META’s Regional Director, Fares Akkad.  This episode is part of our new segment, Double-Take, where I take a deep-dive into a single topic and connect the dots between s...

Today I’m sharing the answer to another question I’m asked quite often: “how do you prepare for your interviews?”

Author and commentator Omar El Akkad joins me this week to talk about his latest book “ One day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This ”. This is perhaps the most important book I’ve read in the last couple of years as it brought together all that I have been thinking, and feeling, about Western Liberalism. I talk to Omar about the larger themes that led to him writing the book, and his own...

Media powerhouse Amy Mowafi returns to the show for Encore, where I check-in with your favourite alumni guests.  Since we last spoke, Amy has been leading and participating in various must-attend events across Egypt. She’s also been returning to her first love, writing, with her ⁠ Substack ⁠. You can also catch my previous Encore conversations with adventurer Omar Samra, designers Nada Debs and Na...

Another question I get asked often is “how do you select your guests?”Join me for a look behind-the-scenes at how I select my guests and some of the criteria involved.

We’re continuing my conversation with the talented mezzo-soprano Farrah Al Dibany, exploring the world of opera.  Farrah tells me about her experiences and challenges of her work, including her transformative journey playing Carmen , and her commitment to introducing classical music to broader audiences. She also tells me about her artistic choices on stage, and how she prepares for her roles. You...

Mezzo-soprano Farrah El Dibany joins me on the show this week. We cover her journey from discovering her passion for singing at 14, to her incredible performances, including the FIFA World Cup Final in Qatar and the celebration of the re-election of French President Emmanuel Macron in 2022.  I had the opportunity to see Farrah perform in-person a couple of years ago, at the Manial Palace for Princ...