Hassan Al Damluji
Today Hassan Al Damluji, the Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is our guest on the show. We trace his life journey, from a young adult discovering his Iraqi roots, to his current role in public health. We talk about his work in the region and his
Nada Debs
Today I welcome Nada Debs to the show. Nada is a Lebanese designer who has re-invented the Levantine tradition of wood-work making. She has taken traditional techniques and given them a modern, contemporary twist. Nada works across a wide range of design including furniture, accessories, crafts, fashion and interiors. Nada’
Max Rodenbeck
I’m joined on this episode by journalist Max Rodenbeck, currently the South East Asia Bureau Chief for The Economist, based out of New Delhi. Max began his career in Cairo, and has since covered every major event affecting the region from the late 1980’s; so much so that
Fatma & Amina Ghaly
We’re kicking off our new season with Fatma and Amina Ghaly, the two talented sisters who are the driving force behind the luxury jewelry brand, Azza Fahmy. They work hand-in-hand to ensure their mother’s philosophy and aesthetic are moved forward for a new generation of customers. The sisters
Season 2 of ‘What I Did Next’ launches August 23
We’re thrilled to back with you for a new season of What I Did Next, starting Monday. Season 2 is a bit less Egypt-centric, we’ve cast a wider net to include an amazing line-up of guests from across our amazing region, and across a range of industries—from
Malak Fouad: Behind The Scenes
We're wrapping up season 1 today with a slightly different episode. My producer Chirag Desai is turning the tables on me and asking me about my own life journey and the show's two staple questions. A big thank you to our guests this season, and to all of you for
Omar Samra
Omar Samra is the first Egyptian to reach the top of Everest, he’s climbed the 7 Summits and he has skied to both the North and South Pole. He is the founder of Wild Guanabana, one of the region’s leading adventure travel companies. In 2017, Omar took up
Ali Ali
My guest today comes from the world of advertising. Ali Ali is the co-founder of Good People Films and one of the most highly respected and sought-after advertising directors around. The Gunn Report named him one of the 10 most-awarded directors in the world and AdWeek placed him amongst the
Jehane Noujaim
My guest on this episode is Jehane Noujaim, a multi-award-winning director from the world of documentary film-making, specifically, the cinema verité genre. Jehane has captured the zeitgeist time and time again in her work. She’s the engine behind such well-known documentaries as Startup .com (2001) and Control Room (2004)
Samih Sawiris
My guest today is Samih Sawiris, the founder of Orascom Development Holding which operates 33 hotels with over 7,000 rooms and controls approximately 100 million sqm of land. He is perhaps best known as the person behind El Gouna, a tourist resort town on the Red Sea coast of
Dina El-Mofty
My guest today is a multi-award winning powerhouse in the NGO landscape of the Middle East. Dina El-Mofty is the co-founder of Injaz in Egypt in 2003. Dina’s first pivot came at the start of her career and she has been shifting gears ever since. Moving from education to
Sarah Trad
I’m joined this week by Lebanese hotelier Sarah Trad, who is the owner of Beit Trad, an idyllic and luxurious guesthouse in the mountains of Lebanon. She is also the co-founder of Skoun, the first-of-its-kind drug and addiction rehabilitation center in Beirut. But beyond her professional pivot points, it
