WIDN with Malak Fouad

We’re continuing my conversation with Hazem Barakat, co-founder and Chairman of B Investments. On this episode, Hazem outlines their core formula for backing new ventures and why surviving a young market means being a generalist over a specialist. You can also catch Part 1 of my conversation with Hazem , where he talks about the personal turning points that shaped his life and his pivot into priva...

Hazem Barakat, co-founder and Chairman of B Investments, joins me on the show to talk about the personal turning points that shape how he leads and lives, and the realities of private equity in Egypt. On Part 1, we talk about moving to the US at 16, returning to work with his father in the family firm and the importance of ethics and hard work. On Part 2 coming up next week, we’ll dive into the wo...

Award-winning anchor, journalist and author Hala Gorani returns to the show to talk about returning to field reporting and the future of journalism & independent media. Hala also catches me up on what she’s been up to since I first spoke to her in 2023, right after she had finished writing her book But You Don’t Look Arab . This episode is part of Encore , where I check-in with your favourite...

We’re continuing my conversation with Suzanne Zeidy and Rawah Badrawi, he co-authors of a new book Egypt: Recipes and Stories from an Ancient Land. On this episode, Suzanne and Rawah tell me about their life’s pivots, marriage, children and friendship. We also talk about being the sandwich generation, and whether we can really have it all. This episode is brought to you by: EFG Hermes One: your on...

I’m joined today by Suzanne Zeidy and Rawah Badrawi, the co-authors of a new book Egypt: Recipes and Stories from an Ancient Land , which is part travelogue and part culinary journey. They also happen to be two of my closest friends! On Part 1 of our conversation, Suzanne and Rawah tell me how they came together to write this incredible book, and how they peeled away the fears and uncertainties of...

This week, I'm sitting down with my producer Chirag Desai to reflect on a whirlwind first half of the year—from interviewing iconic figures and taking the show international to the importance of reclaiming our narrative.  We talk about what drives the show, the magic of the MENA region, and what it truly means to create space for our own stories. This episode is brought to you by: EFG Hermes One:...

This week, we're continuing the conversation with Karim Mekhtigian and Mohamed Fares, where they tell me about their design philosophy, and their new destination in Downtown Cairo, Tamara Haus , which is where we recorded the episode. Karim & Fares, alongside Emy Hussein, are the visionary architects behind Cairo's premier design firm, Alchemy Architecture. Together, they have spent years shap...

This week, I’m sitting down with Karim Mekhtigian and Mohamed Fares, two of the visionary architects behind Cairo’s premier design firm, Alchemy alongside Emy Hussein. Together, they have spent years shaping the architectural landscape in Egypt, setting new standards of quality, style and craftsmanship. In the first of two episodes, we talk about how they each came to architecture and design, and...

Ramy Adeeb, founder & managing partner of 1984 Ventures, is back for an Encore episode to talk about what he’s been upto since 2023. He talks about why he’s excited about AI in legacy sectors but worried about unemployment. He also takes on our signature lightning round. This episode is part of Encore , where I check-in with some of your favourite WIDN alumni. We’ll continue this segment with...

We’re continuing my conversation with Dina H. Sherif, talking about the shift from aid to agency, AI and regulation, and entrepreneurship as a national competitiveness strategy. Dina has served as the Executive Director of the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship since 2019. You can catch the first part of our conversation in your podcast app or on our website . I’ll be back...

I’m joined by Dina H. Sherif about entrepreneurship and ecosystem building in growth markets. Dina has served as the Executive Director of the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship since 2019. She also talks about her own entrepreneurship journey with Ahead of the Curve , and her personal experiences with loss. We’ll continue the conversation in Part 2 about the shift from aid...

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 Hal...

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...

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 produ...

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...

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: E...

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 abou...

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...

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...

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...

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 Su...

I’m delighted to welcome Thuraya Ismail. She's the CEO of Mentor Arabia, an organisation dedicated to improving the well-being of young Arabs in general, and towards drug prevention in particular. Since its launch in 2006, the organisation has reached more than 1.5 million beneficiaries and now operates across 12 countries. Stay tuned for more on that in Part 2 of our conversation next week. I’m r...

On this episode, you'll hear about the incredible message through art with designer Nada Debs and entrepreneur Sarah Beydoun, and the importance of preservation from Omniya Abdel Barr and artist Louis Barthelemy. 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 some of our best conversations. This episode is brought to...

I'm re-connecting today with award-winning film producer Mo Hefzy. Since I first spoke to him in 2022, Mo has had a series of successful releases, including 'Flight 404', 'Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo', 'Darwish', and many more.  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.  Chapt...

We’re continuing my conversation with legendary architecture Abdel Wahed El Wakil. Today, we’re diving deep into the world of architecture and materials. This episode is a crash-course whether you're in the field, an enthusiast like me, or just want a better understanding of the world around us. Abdel Wahed also tells me about the spiritual connection that traditional architecture fosters with nat...