The Lighthouse Conversations with Hashem Montasser

Hani AlMalki — aka Bedouinfoodie — returns to podcast for a second sit-down, and it lands nothing like the first.​  When war hit the region, he started writing: a daily diary on his Instagram Stories that became required reading for Dubai’s food community, built on the one thing most creators trade away early: credibility.​  The conversation runs through the reset Dubai‘s restaurant scene needed,...

Karim Awad walked into EFG Hermes at one of the most turbulent moments in Egypt's recent history — a company caught mid-revolution, a bruised brand, and a region that wasn't sure it wanted to stabilise.​ What he did next is what this conversation is about.​ Karim and Hashem talked about the two years of firefighting that most people never saw — before the decade of expansion that everyone did. Abo...

“I really wanted to slow things down… to create an experience where people take their time, build relationships, and connect with design in a more human way.”​  Nicolas Bellavance-Lecompte has spent fifteen years living out of a suitcase, experiencing the quiet palazzos of Venice as well as the bustling streets of Beirut. He sits down with Hashem to share how his way of life and thirst for travel...

In this year-in-review episode, Hashem looks back on 2025 and what it actually took to open two restaurants in Riyadh in one year.​ It’s a conversation about going up the learning curve fast, staying humble, and why consistency always outlasts hype.​​ Chapters: 0:00 Coming up... 6:13 Navigating Expansion into Saudi Arabia 10:01 Understanding Local Market Differences 13:44 The Impact of Social Medi...

Lynn Hazim, founder of Middle Child and creator of popular food blog @nosoupforyou , shares her journey from corporate life at Google to building her own restaurant in Dubai. The episode explores her early love for food, the roots of her inspiration, and her bold pivot to entrepreneurship. Lynn talks candidly about the challenges she faced funding the business and how she was determined to create...

Raj Malhotra, co-founder of Sole DXB, shares the story behind building one of the GCC’s last major independent festivals — a cultural platform born from minimal capital yet lots of passion and grit.  The episode traces his journey to meeting co-founders Hussain Moloobhoy and Joshua Cox, and how their shared love for fashion, music, food, and design helped shape the DNA of Sole DXB. Raj reflects on...

Heba El Gabaly, co-founder and CEO of Efreshli, discusses her journey from corporate to entrepreneurship, scaling a tech-driven design-led business, and the importance of blending online and offline experiences. The episode explores her unique blend of leadership, what it felt like to bring on a co-founder and her mission to make quality design accessible to everyone. Chapters  0:01 Coming up…  2:...

Abdullah Alajaji, founder of  Driven Properties, shares his insights into the real estate markets of Dubai, the growth of the Saudi Arabia market, as well as the company's expansion into China and Spain.

This week on The Lighthouse Conversations, Hashem sits down with Abdullah Alajaji, Founder of Driven Properties, to discuss his meteoric journey in real estate. Tune in as they discuss taking personal risks, how he spotted a gap in the UAE real-estate market, and how Driven Properties successfully navigates an ever-evolving business landscape.

Hashem is back this month with Chef Salam, the Chef-Operator of one of the UAE’s most popular restaurants,  Bait Maryam. Chef Salam shares the journey behind her success and how she slowly built up her business from the ground up while honoring the legacy of her late mother. She also explores the evolution that led to her starting Sufret Maryam, the sister of her original brand and the many lesson...

Hashem Montasser sits down with Sultan Al Darmaki, founder of 1833, an exclusive members’ club redefining community spaces and activations. Sultan shares his journey so far—from his unorthodox approach to fashion, how he felt working in London to the creation of 1833, a space that bridges the worlds of entrepreneurship and creativity. Don’t miss this inside look at the vision behind 1833 and the m...

Hashem is back this month with the ever-inspiring Rami Al Ali. Together, they explore the evolution of Arab couture, from breaking stereotypes to redefining luxury on a global stage. Listen in as they swap stories about navigating tradition and modernity, and that unforgettable moment Rami realized the world was ready for a new wave of Arab designers.

Hashem sits down with acclaimed Syrian fashion designer Rami Al-Ali. Tune in this week to hear about Rami’s journey from Damascus to the global fashion stage.

Hashem and the ever-stylish Samir Aghera delve into the dynamic world of luxury retail, discussing Hashem’s aesthetic vision for The Lighthouse and Samir’s keen eye for detail at Montroi. Listen in as they share insightful anecdotes ranging from Samir’s first pop-up and that unforgettable moment when a customer was this close to swiping the card! 

Fashion Entrepreneur Faiza Bouguessa on the design process behind Bouguessa ‘s annual collections and why she can’t imagine doing anything else! Watch the full episode in your podcast app before this one, or on YouTube . Chapters 00:00 The intense fashion production cycle 03:41 Bespoke designs 05:36 Bouguessa’s target customer 06:35 Menswear! 07:38 Faiza’s regrets

Hashem is joined this week by accomplished fashion designer Faiza Bouguessa. The two consider the trials and tribulations of founding a successful business, and the importance of finding an authentic design aesthetic for one’s brand. Influenced by vintage elegance, Faiza discusses how Bouguessa is a display of her own unique, minimalist style, and why she aims to create timeless pieces that resona...

This week on The Lighthouse Conversations, Hashem is joined by the talented fashion designer and Creative Director of ‘Bouguessa’, Faiza Bouguessa. Tune in this Thursday to hear about her topsy-turvy journey from willing her eponymous fashion brand into existence to Queen B wearing her designs.

Host Hashem Montasser chats with our latest guest, Avni Doshi, author of the award-winning novel ‘Burnt Sugar’ about the literary community in the UAE. They talk about some of the current programs and the need for institutional support for literary work.

Award-winning author of ‘Burnt Sugar’, Avni Doshi shares her creative writing process as she works on her second book. She also shares the differences between her new book and the writing of her debut novel, ‘Burnt Sugar’.

Hashem catches up with Avni Doshi, author of ‘Burnt Sugar’, which was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize. In her book, Avni explores the themes of identity, culture and motherhood. The heartfelt discussion captures the poignant moments of personal growth that permeate her narrative, now seen through the lens of maternal experience, where vulnerability and understanding intertwine. Their...

In our upcoming episode, award-winning novelist Avni Doshi opens up about her literary journey. From the process of crafting her debut novel Burnt Sugar , to grappling with the aftermath of critical acclaim, she shares insights into her creative process and the cultural depth that defines her work. Avni and Hashem’s conversion navigates Avni’s love of astrology before moving on to her artistic dou...

Chef, hotelier and author Fadi Kattan shares a special recipe to help Hashem reuse his leftover Molokhia. Listen to the full episode with Fadi in your podcast apps right before this one, or on our website: https://thelighthouse.ae/podcast/fadi-kattan/

Hashem catches up with chef, hotelier, and author, Fadi Kattan in Bethlehem. Chef Fadi talks about his newly published cookbook, Bethlehem , which is essentially a celebration of Palestinian Food. It is a beautiful homage to Palestine’s food culture conveyed via Fadi’s memories. Snippets of oral history are prominently featured including his grandmother’s recipes, his twists on traditional Palesti...

This week, we’re flipping the script. Art consultant Caroline Louca gets behind the host’s mic to chat with Hashem the art collector! As a long-time friend of Hashem’s, an art advisor, and former Managing Director of Christie’s Dubai, Caroline digs deep into Hashem’s passion for art. They talk about Hashem’s art enthusiast and academic mother, who exposed him to the world of art, how memories of E...

Hashem catches up with the renowned art collector and CEO of Vivium Holding, his newly established family office.  Elie, a self-made man who grew up during Beirut's civil war has had a fascinating career journey, pivoting to advertising early in his career and then building & leading Omnicom Media Group MENA for 18 years. In 2017, he established Vivium Holding, a family office focused on all t...