Centaur Stage

What happens when a leader decides their ideas matter enough to be shared with the world? In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour, Founder and CEO of Cosmic Centaurs, reflects on her recent TEDx journey and explores why leaders from the Arab world have a responsibility to contribute their perspectives to global conversations. Together with Tala Odeh, she discusses the challenges of stepping into the publ...

In this episode of our Psych Safety in Focus webinar series, we explore Open Conversation, one of the four core domains of psychological safety and a critical driver of learning, collaboration, and performance. At its core, psychological safety is about creating an environment where people can contribute honestly, engage in constructive debate, and surface issues before they become problems. In th...

As AI and technology continue to reshape the workplace, I keep coming back to one question: what human capabilities will matter most in the future of work? Tala Odeh, Capability Development Lead and Dua Al Toobi , Founder of The Futureproof Advisory and author of Futureproof Your Workforce, for a conversation on what it really takes to build future-ready organizations today. Together, we’ll explor...

In this episode of the  Psych Safety in Focus Series, we’re diving into Willingness to Help, one of the four core domains that shape whether teams can truly collaborate, learn, and perform together. Many organizations value collaboration, yet asking for help can still feel risky. People worry about looking incompetent, overburdening others, or appearing less capable, especially in high-pressure en...

Psychological safety is one of the strongest predictors of performance, learning, and innovation, but how is it actually experienced across organizations today? In this session of our Psych Safety in Focus Webinar Series, we unpack the latest Fearless Report: one of the most comprehensive global studies on psychological safety to date. Drawing on over 16,000 cumulative responses across 33 countrie...

The organizations that remain resilient and relevant are the ones that build the ability to continuously innovate. In this keynote bridging our Adapt and Thrive weeks, Marilyn Zakhour brings together the key ideas from the week and the best of academia to explore how organizations develop the ability to continuously evolve, invent and innovate, strengthening their resilience and readiness to navig...

As part of the final session of the Cosmic Conference 2026, we turn the lens inward to reflect on a simple question: What does impact really look like? In this conversation, the Centaur team shares real stories from the past year — across organizations, communities, and within our own team — bringing to life how leadership, capability, and culture translate into meaningful outcomes. Moderated by S...

In a world where the future cannot be predicted, how should leaders think about strategy, governance, and decision-making? In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour speaks with José Santos about what it means to lead and govern at the edge of uncertainty. Challenging conventional thinking, José draws a clear distinction between risk and true uncertainty—and explains why treating one as the other leads to f...

Most organizations only discover their true capabilities when they are tested. In this episode, Dr. Saleh Al-Tamimi reflects on leading one of Saudi Arabia’s largest healthcare systems through both COVID-19 and a broader national transformation. This is a conversation about what pressure reveals, what it builds, and how leaders can turn short-term responses into long-term strength. We explore how...

The UAE’s response to COVID-19 has become a global case study, not just for how it managed the crisis, but for how it emerged stronger. In this episode, Peter Zemsky, Professor of Strategy & Innovation at INSEAD and CEO of Lexarius , shares insights from his research into what made that response effective. The conversation explores how leaders navigated difficult trade-offs, integrated experti...

In a world where disruption is no longer an exception but the norm, what distinguishes organizations that fragment under pressure from those that emerge stronger? In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour speaks with Loïc Moutault about what it takes to build organizations that are both resilient and ready. Drawing on decades of global leadership, Loïc reflects on how crises have evolved into a constant co...

Leadership in moments of transformation is often framed as a question of scale. But what does it take to build at a global level while everything around you is still evolving? When ambition is accelerating faster than systems, talent, and even industries themselves? In these conditions, leadership shifts. It is no longer just about growth, but about building, integrating, and scaling all at once,...

Leadership is often framed as an individual pursuit. In reality, especially in uncertain contexts, it is deeply shaped by the communities around us. In this session from the 7th Cosmic Conference, Individual & Collective: The Power of Community , Tala Odeh is joined by Wafa Al Obaidat, Founder & CEO of Playbook, to explore how community influences how leaders think, decide, and move forwar...

Not all crises are the same. When uncertainty is prolonged, the rules of leadership change. There are no clear timelines, no reliable benchmarks, and often no precedent to guide decision-making. Leaders are required to act while the ground is still moving, balancing immediate pressures with the need to build for an unknown future. In this episode, Claudia Zeisberger, Professor at INSEAD and expert...

What actually makes a leadership team work as one? In this episode, Roland Daher, CEO of AstroLabs shares the behind-the-scenes reality of building a high-performing leadership team while scaling a company in uncertain conditions. From redefining strategy and introducing operating cadence, to navigating identity shifts as a CEO, Roland walks through the small, often overlooked disciplines that com...

What does it really take to lead when the stakes are high, the path is unclear, and the pressure is constant? In this episode of Center Stage , Wissam Adib joins Marilyn Zakhour for a conversation on containment and ambition — and why the ability to hold complexity may be one of the most critical leadership capabilities today. Drawing from his experience advising senior leaders and shaping large-s...

In Lebanon, crisis is not episodic. It is continuous. In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour speaks with Maya Ibrahimchah, Founder of Beit el Baraka and Beit Kanz, about what it takes to build systems that endure in the face of ongoing economic, social, and political instability. The conversation begins with a single moment. An encounter that revealed a hidden crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of r...

Markets are shifting. Pipelines are slowing. Decisions are taking longer. In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour speaks with Emad Odeh about what it takes to grow a business when the ground is less stable. Rather than stepping back, the conversation explores how leaders can adapt the way they show up. From changing how they approach selling, to strengthening relationships, to recognizing opportunities t...

In this Manager Mailbag session, Marilyn Zakhour and Tala Odeh explored the lived experience of middle managers leading through uncertainty. Drawing on anonymized questions from managers across the GCC, the conversation focused on the tensions leaders are holding every day. Balancing performance with people.  Providing direction without full visibility.  Knowing when to take control and when to em...

What does it mean to lead when everything around you is shifting, and not everyone is experiencing it the same way? In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour is joined by Ghida Barakat to explore how leaders in the GCC are navigating layered and often conflicting realities. From geopolitical tension to internal team dynamics, this conversation unpacks the complexity leaders are holding today, across both s...

What does leadership look like when crisis is not an exception, but a constant? In this episode, Aline Kamakian, Founder of Mayrig and Batchig, joins us to share her experience leading through decades of instability in Lebanon—where crises are layered, ongoing, and deeply human. This is a conversation about:  Leading when there is no stability to rely on   Making decisions grounded in values, not...

Decisive & Compassionate: Leadership in Downsizing In times of uncertainty, leaders are often forced to make decisions they never hoped to face. Reduce costs. Restructure teams. Protect the business.  All while recognizing that these choices impact people’s lives. In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour speaks with Rabih Brair, Partner at Tandem, about what it truly means to lead through downsizing i...

What if the leadership wisdom we need today has always been part of our cultures? In this episode, Rama Chakaki joins Marilyn Zakhour to explore leadership through a regional lens, one that moves beyond imported frameworks and reconnects with the cultural foundations of the Middle East. Together, they reflect on:  • Where global leadership models fall short in local contexts  • The role of indigen...

In times of prolonged uncertainty, leadership is often framed as a question of strategy, decision-making, and execution. But what if one of the most critical levers is something less visible— human connection ? In this episode, Marie Nakhle, Psychological Safety Lead at Cosmic Centaurs , sits down with Dr. Connie Noonan Hadley , organizational psychologist and Research Associate Professor at Bosto...

What do leaders say when they don’t have all the answers? In moments of uncertainty, communication carries a different weight. It’s no longer just about sharing information, it’s about steadying people, building trust, and creating direction in environments that are often unclear. In this episode, Tala Odeh (Capability Development Lead at Cosmic Centaurs) sits down with Claire Furlong, Partner at...