The Majlis

In this episode of The Majlis, Karen Elliott House joins us remotely to discuss her new book on the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.    Explore the untold story behind one of the most powerful figures in the Middle East. Karen dives deep into Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s rise to power and his sweeping vision to transform Saudi Arabia.    From bold social reforms and fu...

In this episode of The Majlis, we sit down with Faisal Sultan, President of Lucid Middle East, to explore the story behind Lucid Motors’ rapid rise and its pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s electric vehicle revolution. The conversation covers: Lucid’s journey from a battery startup to a luxury EV manufacturer The strategic importance of Saudi Arabia for Lucid’s global ambitions The challenges and opp...

In episode 31 of The Majlis, we sit down with Fawaz Farooqui to talk about what it takes to increase the quality of life in a country, leading the national transformation program, organizing the first events in Saudi, and much more. Fawaz was appointed as the first CEO of the country’s National Transformation Program (NTP) to lead the first revamp of the program to enhance execution and delivery,...

Join us for an in-depth conversation with Tony Cripps, CEO of Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), as he shares firsthand insights into the rapid transformation of Saudi Arabia’s banking sector and SAB’s evolving strategy. Tony discusses why digital innovation is at the heart of SAB’s approach:“The domestic banking industry is turning to technology and digital tools to become more customer centric, thereby boo...

What does it take to transform an industry from the inside out? On this episode of The Majlis, Abeer Alessa, CEO of Bold Group, joins the table to share her story of launching a creative agency in a market once dominated by global giants. Aida reflects on her early days, the challenges of breaking through, and how Vision 2030 is fueling a new generation of Saudi entrepreneurs.   Listeners wil...

In this episode, Abdulrahman Al-Abed, founder and creative director of Qormuz, joins us to discuss how he fuses Saudi Arabia’s rich history and culture with contemporary fashion and lifestyle design.  He shares his journey from law graduate to fashion designer, the inspiration behind iconic pieces like the embroidered jubba worn at the Venice Film Festival, and how Qormuz aims to evolve tradi...

Can you make investing as easy & fun as shopping? How can you put more money in the right places? Adel Alateeq is the former CEO of Jada Fund of Funds, and the current CEO of Awaed, a wealth management platform. He joins us to discuss how investment has evolved in the Kingdom since his days building the first real estate fund at Riyad Capital after the Saudi stock market crash, to founding PIF...

Welcome back to The Majlis!   For the premiere of Season 2, we are joined by Sultan Ghaznawi, Chairman & MD of Scene Holdings. Sultan is a proactive investor and venture builder, and has spent more than a decade building companies across fintech, entertainment & culture, and real estate development and operations.   Sultan talks about what it takes to build successful companies,...

Just in time for Canada's 60th Flag Day, Ambassador Jean-Philippe Linteau and I discuss the revitalization of Canadian-Saudi relations following a five-year diplomatic rift.  We explore key sectors where both countries collaborate, such as infrastructure, clean energy, and education, and address pressing issues like Trump’s tariff plans. Ambassador Jean-Philippe Linteau serves as Canada's amb...

Aziz and I talk about the evolution of Web3, why blockchain is potentially more exciting than crypto, how it all works, and why the use cases of it are much broader and can potentially change our lives today.   Aziz Alangari is one of the founding partners of ChainVisory, a blockchain consultancy based in Riyadh. Following a career switch from Hollywood to crypto in NYC, Aziz moved back to th...

Ari Matityahu has spent the last decade bringing global companies to  Saudi, and shares his insights and advice on how global companies can support the vision 2030 goals. He says, “it isn’t too late to expand in to the region, it’s in fact the right time to explore”.    Ari is a global entrepreneur with over a decade working and investing in KSA. As Founder & Chairman of  W...

Bilal provides an overview of Saudi Arabia's ambitious defense transformation plan. Relying on his professional experience as a defense analyst and a former official in the Pentagon, he explains the challenges and opportunities of Saudi defense reform from a historical perspective, while ultimately tying the subject to the future of US-Saudi security relations. Bilal is the Senior Managing Directo...

Dr. Ibrahim Almojel explains the lessons he's learned and the investment philosophy he's developed over his years in the public and private sector, the guidance of Vision 2030 in shaping the future of Saudi Arabia, and shares some great advice for folks on how to think about their next career steps. Dr. Ibrahim Almojel is the founding partner of Khwarizmi Holding. Khwarizmi holding owns specialize...

Ambassador Michael Ratney is the current U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a position he has held since April 2023, the first career diplomat to serve in the role in approximately 30 years.  Prior to this, he has held diplomatic positions across the Middle East. Ambassador Ratney and I discuss the history of U.S.-Saudi relations, the sectors the two countries collaborate on, the importance of...

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Reem Bunyan. We discuss value-centric healthcare, which focuses efforts on the quality of care received rather than the amount of health services offered, to transform the way healthcare is done globally. Dr. Reem spearheads Saudi Arabia's efforts on this front, fostering connection and knowledge-sharing with the G20.   Dr. Reem is the CEO of the Center for...

Abdulrahman Albassam is the founder executive chairman of AWN enterprises, the CEO of Tilal Real Estate Development Company, and Board Director at Baheej Tourism Development Company. He’s also a fourth-generation member of AlBassam Sons, one of the Gulf’s oldest family businesses.    Abdulrahman and Yasmin discuss the shock the private sector underwent when Vision 2030 was first enacted,...

Join us for a conversation with Frank Kane, an award-winning journalist who has spent the last two decades reporting on the Gulf, as part of institutions like Arab News, The National, and Arabian Gulf Business Insight. He is also a communications consultant to the Ministry of Energy in KSA.   Frank and Yasmin discuss the latest COP events in Baku & in Riyadh, the advances in green energy...

This week, join us for an inspiring conversation with Aida Murad on the creative economy. We discuss the ways in which the arts not only benefit the individual but the economy as a whole, Aida's journey as an artist, and the various ways she infuses art into programs to the benefit of governments and corporations. Aida Murad, shortlisted as America’s Next Top Artist by Smithsonian Channel, is a Gl...

Ragad AlNasser is the CIO of Jabal Uhud Holding Company, and founder & CEO of the “Wealth Management Company.” Ragad has experience managing global assets and joins us to encourage everyone to invest, particularly women in Saudi.   Ragad and I discuss the low investment and savings culture in Saudi, give realistic and tactical advice on how to get started, and dissect the reasons behind t...

Sultan Moraished is the Group Head of Technology and Corporate Excellence at Red Sea Global, with a background in banking. Sultan joined us to discuss the work culture at Red Sea Global, and the importance of “ihsan” (good will) in working within and across teams when operating at the gigaproject scale. Sultan also explains the importance of tech folks operating as enablers within an institution,...

Manal Anis Ahmed is a technology and society expert who has worked on human capital development in Saudi Arabia and South Asia for two decades, and advises global governments on digital public infrastructure. Manal and I sat down for a discussion on AI and how it can be detrimental to society if not taught and practiced by a code of ethics, and how it is more important now than ever for Saudi Arab...

Join us this for a conversation with HRHP Dr. Ahad Al Saud, who in addition to being an emergency physician is the chief medical officer of the Saudi Automobile Federation - and keeps events like Formula 1 safe for all! We talk about the evolution of the healthcare sector in Saudi, and what challenges we need to overcome. 

Join us in a conversation with Fadi Alawami, who shared his extensive expertise in the fintech space in Saudi, from the support of the regulatory environment in Saudi, to the evolving relationship fintechs have with banks, the maturity of the market across different product segments, the opportunities for growth he sees and the advice he has for those interested in becoming fintech entrepreneurs.

Ahmed Al-Rawi is a serial entrepreneur, best known as the founder & CEO of CALO, a meal subscription app. Join us for an honest and fun conversation about being a founder in the GCC, the challenges in raising funds domestically and internationally, and the secrets of start-up success.

Dr. Hanoof Abokhodair has almost a decade of experience with Saudi family businesses, helping leading families navigate business and family challenges, develop owner strategies and protocols, and support generational transitions. We talk about managing conflict constructively, what good governance truly means, and the challenges and opportunities facing the rising next generation.