Vision Voices

Clarity Under Pressure is a practical conversation on how to stay clear, grounded, and structured when pressure rises and the usual assumptions of safety begin to shift. In this episode, Lara spoke with Kline Martin, Conflict Coach, to explore how people respond when uncertainty increases — in families, communities, organizations, and within themselves. The conversation looks at what happens to th...

In a world where everyone has access to AI tools, what actually separates great creative work from average output? In this conversation, Kim Jerbo, Executive Creative Director at Create Group, speaks with Lara about why taste, artistic instinct, and creative judgment still matter — even in the age of AI. AI can generate visuals, motion, concepts, and endless variations in seconds. But knowing what...

Is the AI boom making us more efficient, or just more robotic? In this episode, Lara sits down with Minaam Khatri, Regional Director at WPP Media and seasoned Media Consultant, to discuss the intersection of AI, storytelling, and the "human advantage." While the industry is flooded with vanity metrics and automated content, Minaam argues that the most powerful tool in your marketing arse...

What if the real shift isn’t content… but who owns the story? In this conversation, Lara speaks with Renato Franchi (Transmedia & IP Strategy Lead) to unpack what’s really happening behind moves like the rumored Netflix + Warner Bros deal — and why it signals a much bigger transformation in media, marketing, and the creator economy. This isn’t just about streaming. It’s about IP ownership, aud...

In this episode from the Digital Media Forum pop-up studio, Lara spoke with Joey Feghaly about one of the biggest debates in media today: 👉 Is TV still dominant, or has digital completely taken over? From connected TV (CTV) and streaming platforms in MENA to the rise of the creator economy, Joey shares insights on how media consumption is evolving—and what it means for brands, marketers, and cont...

"High performance is not just a habit - it's a mindset that is still being defined in the Arab world." 🌍 In this conversation from the 1 Billion Followers Summit, we sit down with Hisham Al Yahyai, host of the High Performance Mindset (HPM) Podcast. Hisham reveals the deeply personal "knife in the stomach" moment that forced him to change his life and how he turned that e...

Is the traditional newsroom dead? Former White House Correspondent Tara Palmeri joins Lara during 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai to discuss her jump from legacy media (CNN, ABC, NBC) to becoming a top independent creator on YouTube and Substack. In this interview, Tara breaks down: - The Transition: Why she left the stability of legacy journalism to bet on herself. - Rapid Growth: How she hit...

In this interview from the 1 Billion Followers Summit, we sit down with Ian Schafer, Co-Founder and President of Ensemble. Ian breaks down the massive shift from traditional "linear" TV to a world where technology companies provide the pipes and creators provide the soul. Ian explains why the B2B space is desperately lacking entertainment and how "The Office" is actually the pe...

Is traditional TV dying, or is it just evolving? In this exclusive interview from the Digital Media Forum, Lara sat down with veteran producer Joe Kazi, a man who has spent 15 years at the helm of senior content production. Joe breaks down the massive shift from linear TV to digital-first media and reveals the "Holy Trinity" that every media investor is looking for today: Engagement, Imp...

"Brands are very distanced from Gen Z... corporate jargon comes off as cringey." Teddy Solomon, the 23-year-old co-founder and CEO of Fizz, isn't just theorizing about Gen Z - he’s building their new favorite home. In this episode, Lara sits down with Teddy at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai to discuss why "legacy" social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok h...

Is the Arabic language being lost, or is it just evolving for the digital age?  In this episode of the Vision Voices Podcast, Arabic Series, Lara sits down with Radwa Hassan to explore the "Digital Remix" of the Arabic language.   They dive into how Gen Z is blending traditional heritage with modern tech through emojis and the viral stickers that define Middle Eastern group chats. From t...

Is the traditional marketing funnel dead, or just evolving? In this insightful session from the  @digitalmediaforum , Wade Eger, Chief Marketing Officer at Platforms, joins the popup studio to pull back the curtain on the intersection of AI, AdTech, and classic marketing principles. As AI disrupts the creator economy and changes how we reach audiences, many claim the "traditional funnel"...

Brit explains how legacy giants like Gap Inc. and Invisalign are reinventing themselves by moving away from traditional TV and digital ads toward "creator suitability" and long-term partnerships. We explore the move from the "follower graph" to the "content graph" and why the biggest brands are now managing programs with tens of thousands of creators simultaneously. -...

Banking is traditionally rigid, but the creator economy is anything but. In this episode, we sit down with Amina Taher, CMO of Wio Bank and one of the UAE’s most innovative marketing leaders, at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai. From launching the Middle East’s first dedicated bank account for creators to the philosophy of "unorthodox marketing," Amina shares her blueprint for sta...

Stop chasing the algorithm and start building a business. In this exclusive interview from the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 in Dubai, Gracie Schram (Head of Creators at Epidemic Sound) reveals the blueprint for long-term creator success. Gracie has seen the creator economy evolve from its infancy to a global powerhouse. Drawing on her experience as a singer-songwriter and a tech executive, she...

Recorded at the MENA Digital Awards and Digital Media Forum, this episode explores where the media industry is truly heading — beyond platforms, algorithms, and short-term metrics. Our guest, Nisrine Ghazal, Vice President of Digital Media at Rotana Media Services Holding, shares a powerful perspective on the shift from broadcast to borderless media, and challenges the idea that television is no l...

Are attention spans really getting shorter — or are we just misunderstanding how people consume content today? In this conversation, we break down the attention span myth with Yash Murthy, Executive Director of Strategy & Social at Create Group, recorded live during a MENA Digital Awards and Digital Media Forum podcast popup studio. We talk about why “short attention spans” became the default...

Podcasting is exploding across the UAE and the GCC — but why now?  In this episode recorded at MENA Digital Awards and Digital Media Forum inside a PodConnect pop-up studio, Lara spoke with Rasha Hamzeh, MSc — Managing Director at The Inhouse Agency and Producer — to unpack why authentic, unscripted conversations are winning in a world that’s becoming more automated by AI. We dive into the real re...

In this conversation from the pop-up studio at Digital Media Forum in Dubai, Lara spoke with Chantal Rickards OBE, about the evolving world of content, creativity, and technology. Theyexplore how YouTube and podcasts are reshaping media consumption, why long-form content still matters despite shorter attention spans, and how creators can balance algorithms with meaningful storytelling. Hanelle sha...

In this episode of Vision Voices: The Arabic Series, Lara sits down with Radwa Hassan to unpack the deeply personal and often unspoken question many people carry: “Is my Arabic good enough?” What begins as a conversation about dialects quickly becomes a reflection on identity, belonging, and the emotional weight that language carries—especially in a place as diverse as the UAE. Radwa, an Egyptian...

In this episode of Vision Voices – Arabic Series, Lara sits down with psychologist Areej Khataybeh for a conversation about identity, belonging, and mental well-being in Dubai and the UAE. They explore how Arabic psychology, faith, culture, and modern life intersect — and how living between cultures shapes who we become. From the ancient concept of healing the “diseases of the heart” to navigating...

AI isn’t just changing marketing — it’s rewriting the rules of how teams create, plan, and grow. In this episode of Vision Voices, host Lara talks with Lillian Pierson, P.E., a Fractional CMO and AI Marketing Instructor at LinkedIn Learning, about what happens when businesses start replacing human workflows with AI systems. In this episode we explore: • How AI is transforming marketing strategy, c...

Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s job market is evolving fast.  In this Vision Voices episode, former big-tech HR executive  David van Lochem explains how AI and the augmented workforce are reshaping careers in the Gulf.  We unpack what universities should really teach in an AI master’s (leaders with transformation skills, not just coders), the rise of DIY AI ($20 tools, agentic workflows), and why human + AI...

Most brands still treat YouTube like an archive — webinars, clips, and press videos. But the companies winning attention today treat it like strategy. In this episode of Vision Voices, Lara and Valeria Korotina (former YouTube lead and media strategist) unpack what makes channels like Alex Hormozi and Ali Abdaal work — and how their lessons apply to B2B marketing. We explore: • Why YouTube is the...

In this STEP 2025 special, Lara sits down with Stefania Brunori — Personal Branding & Social Media strategist, 2x TEDx Speaker, Wellbeing Entrepreneur, Consultant, Coach, and Trainer — to explore the rising importance of mindfulness in business, leadership, and daily life. In this insightful conversation, Lara and Stefania dive into: - Why multitasking is a myth (and how it hurts productivity)...