What I Did Next

Welcome again to What I Did Next Encore, where I check-in with some of your favourite alumni guests. Today, I'm re-connecting with one of the guests from our first-ever season, advertising director Ali Ali. He catches me up on what he's been up to since we last spoke, his short film, Smokey Eyes, and exploring production in Saudi Arabia.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's bonus episode, Fatenn Mostafa Kanafani tells me about her work in documenting, codifying, and cataloging her research in art. She's contributed a chapter in Daughters of the Nile, authored Modern Art in Egypt, and is now working on a third book. This episode is brought to you by ⁠EFG Hermes One⁠, your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets worldwide. Chapters 0:00 Introduction 4:35 The Importance of Modern Egyptian Art 6:59 Exploring the Egyptian Avant-Garde Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fatenn Mostafa Kanafani has led a life full of twists and turns. Her career trajectory has seen her go from being a successful marketer with Procter & Gamble to being instrumental in the success of the relaunch of Ahram Beverages, leading to its eventual sale to Heineken in 2002. Fatenn then turned her attention to modern Egyptian art and launched Art Talks, a gallery as well as a forum for discussion on all aspects of art. She is now working on a third book in a trilogy looking at Egyptian modern art and artists. She talks to me in great detail about the threads connecting art, politics, and her identity in shaping who she is today. This episode is brought to you by EFG Hermes One, your one app for investing in more than 35 stock markets worldwide. Download EFG Hermes One on the App Store or Google Play Store and start investing today! On a bonus episode out next week, I talk to Fatenn about her work in documenting, codifying, and cataloging her research in art. She's contributed a chapter in the book Daughters of the Nile, authored Modern Art in Egypt, and is now working on a third book. You can find out all about this on the bonus episode, so stay tuned. Chapters: 0:00 On this episode… 2:01 Childhood Experiences Abroad 5:21 Cultural Identity and Challenges 7:29 Transition to Marketing Career 10:36 Journey with Procter & Gamble 13:17 Moving Back to Cairo 18:11 Ahram Beverages 21:56 The Ahram Beverages Success Story 24:08 Personal Life and Marriage 28:34 The Role of Art 29:38 Founding Art Talks 35:50 Focus on Modern Egyptian Art 39:01 Lightening Round Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode, I'm reconnecting with pioneering Arab designer, Nadine Kanso, founder of jewellery brand BilArabi. Nadine tells me what's been happening since our last conversation two years ago, including her partnership with Berluti, and staying authentic in an influencer-dominated world online. This episode is part of our special series, What I Did Next Encore, where I check-in with some of your favourite alumni guests. We'll continue this series each month with more of the show's alumni, so stay tuned. And if you haven't already done so, you can also listen to my Encore conversations with Omar Samra, Nada Debs and Ahmed Alfi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're continuing my conversation with award-winning ad director and filmmaker Omar Hilal. This week, he tells me about three key projects: the hilarious Aqua Mangos ad, the ground-breaking Royal Jordanian Ad and a sneak-peek into his upcoming film. You can listen to my full episode with Omar Hilal where he tells me about his life's pivots, starting out as a photojournalist to award-winning ad director to filmmaker: https://listen.amaeya.fm/widn-omar-hilal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm delighted to be joined by award-winning ad director & filmmaker Omar Hilal as this month's guest. Omar is one of those people who discovered that he wanted to become a director very early in life. He started out as a photo-journalist and went on to become an accomplished ad director, with stand-out ads such as the Aqua Mangos ad for Nestle and the ground-breaking Royal Jordanian Ad in his portfolio. The ads he's worked on have won more than 50 awards, including 5 Grand Prix. In 2023, he switched gears to release his directorial debut, Voy! Voy! Voy!, which went on to win 16 awards globally and was Egypt's official selection to the Oscars. Listen in as he tells me about his life's twists and turns from ad-man to film director and everything in between. This episode is brought to you by EFG Holding, a financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I'm joined by Rawya Mansour, Chairwoman of RAMSCO Egypt and Oasis Technologies Monaco, for a special episode as part of our collaboration with The Narrative Summit 2025. Rawya is a pioneer of sustainable development and regenerative agriculture, including shifting away from chemical polymer fertilisers towards green charcoal. We'll get into the pivotal moments that led her on this journey as well as her involvement with The Narrative Summit. The theme for the 2025 edition of The Narrative Summit is Egypt reset – to redefine Egypt's global standing by showcasing its economic resilience, investment potential and cultural dynamism. The summit will focus on three key pillars—Financial accessibility, Tourism and hospitality, and the sports ecosystem. The Narrative summit will take place from April 7 to 9 against the breathtaking backdrop of Somabay on the Red Sea coast. You can follow me on Instagram for coverage from the event, and I'll also be moderating a panel on the 8th of April. I'll be back with a new guest next week, see you then! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm excited to share a special episode from the podcast, Gems of Arabia about Arab Representation in Media. The episode, hosted by WIDN alum Hatem Al Akeel, was recorded a few weeks ago at the CNN Academy in Abu Dhabi in front of a live audience of the Academy's latest cohort of budding journalists. We were joined by another WIDN alum Becky Anderson, Managed Editor of CNN Abu Dhabi and Arab News' Editor-in-Chief Faisal Abbas. This was a great conversation about breaking stereotypes, how Arab voices are represented, and the importance of re-shaping and owning our narrative on the world stage. I hope you find the conversation as insightful as I did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're continuing my conversation with interior architect Nouf Al Moneef, Director of the Noor Riyadh festival. On today's episode, Nouf tells me about the evolution of Noor Riyadh, why they chose light as a theme in addition to art, as well as about her own design aesthetic. You can find the first part of my conversation with Nouf in your podcast app as well as on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nouf Al Moneef is an interior architect and the Director of the Noor Riyadh festival, which falls under the larger umbrella of the Riyadh Art Project. Noor Riyadh has now welcomed more than 3 million visitors and hosted artworks by hundreds of Saudi, regional and international artists. Nouf also continues to help grow the conversation about art and design on social media, although she is not a fan of the word influencer. Nouf has garnered a huge following and has had an obvious impact on how the KSA is perceived and she is a wonderful ambassador for culture, the arts and her country as a whole. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're continuing my conversation with actor Khalid Abdalla this week, going behind the curtain into his solo play, Nowhere. I saw the play when I was in the UK last October and was personally moved by his performance. On this episode, Khalid tells me about the journey that led to him writing Nowhere, and the impact of his work. On a bonus episode for members out next week, we'll dig into his process as an actor, and how he prepared for his role as Dodi Fayed on The Crown. If you haven't tuned in, you can also catch the first part of my conversation with Khalid in your podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Khalid Abdalla first became known to many of us with his incredible role in The Kite Runner. More recently, he was on our screens as Dodi Fayed on The Crown. But beyond all his subtle and challenging roles, I was personally moved by his stage performance in his solo play, Nowhere, which I saw last October. We covered so many topics during our conversation that we're bringing this to you as a two-part episode. On our main episode today, Khalid tells me about his journey, including his performances in The Kite Runner, The Square, The Crown and Nowhere, as well as how he views them through the lens of his own identity and how this has evolved now that he's a father of two. Next week, we'll go behind the curtain into Nowhere itself, how the play came to be and the impact of his performance. And finally as a bonus episode for our members, we'll dig into his process as an actor, and how he prepared for his role as Dodi Fayed. This episode is brought to you by EFG Holding, a financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm excited to welcome Farida Osman as the first athlete on the show! She's a 3-time Olympian, 3-times world bronze medalist and holds senior national records for butterfly, freestyle and backstroke events. Farida is such a natural, positive person who is authentic and passionate about her sport. She's a wonderful ambassador for swimming and an incredible role model for young sportspeople who can look to her and see that anything is possible. This episode is brought to you by EFG Holding, a leading financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm super excited to kick-off 2025 with one of our new segments called WIDN Encore, where I'll be checking in with some of your favourite What I Did Next alumni. My first guest is adventurer, entrepreneur, and podcaster Omar Samra. I first spoke to Omar in 2021 about his company, Wild Guanabana, and his epic maritime challenge with Omar Nour which they parlayed into an award-winning documentary, Beyond the Raging Sea. We're picking up right where we left off and Omar tells me what he's been upto since. A reminder that these Encore episodes will be members-only going forward, so if you'd like to hear from your favourite alumni, including Ahmed Alfi, Nada Debs, Ali Ali and Amy Mowafi, subscribe now so you can get this and all of our bonus episodes throughout the year! Chapters: 00:00 Coming up 00:41 Introduction 02:00 Moving away from city life 03:58 What Omar is working on 08:49 Launching two podcasts 11:33 Darkness retreat 15:19 The body experience of the darkness retreat 27:26 A more reflective Omar 30:09 Influential people in his life 33:22 Anthropology and Astronomy 35:20 Lightning Round Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A quick teaser on what's coming up on in 2025, including a new line-up, schedule and offerings! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thank you for joining me for an incredible year of What I Did Next. This week, I'm joined by the show's producer, Chirag Desai, to look back at how quickly the year has gone by, and what is to come in 2025. This episode is brought to you by EFG Holding. For 40 years, EFG Holding has been realising more, for clients, investors, businesses, communities and individuals. See the world differently, and realize more with EFG Holding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Omar Elsahy is General Manager for Amazon in Egypt, overseeing 2,500 employees in the country as well as after-market services across the region. He told me about his early years in the US and Egypt, starting a number of businesses with his brother before pivoting to e-commerce with Souq.com. I enjoyed getting to know Omar through this conversation, and also got some great insights into the way he thinks as a leader, and how Amazon approaches innovation. This episode is brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a Universal Bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louis Barthélemy is a multidisciplinary artist and designer based between Marrakech and Paris. He went on to work for Dior after studying fashion design at Central Saint Martins, before pivoting away from the fashion world after the public departure of designer John Galliano.  Louis designs beautiful works of art, from tapestry to rugs to stained glass and works on paper. He is a passionate exponent of craftsmanship and turns to ancient and trusted techniques to execute his work. We also talk about Louis' disillusionment with the fashion industry, and how a cancer diagnosis led Louis to the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yasmine and Farida Khamis are continuing the legacy left by their father, Mohammed Farid Khamis. He launched Oriental Weavers in 1979, which grew to become one of the world's largest carpet manufacturers. Yasmine took over as Chair of its Board since his passing in 2020, while her two siblings joined her as board members. Farida chairs the Petrochemical business and looks after the British University in Egypt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Haitham Mattar is the Managing Director of the Intercontinental Hotel Group for India, Middle East & Africa. Haitham has had a distinguished career working for global hotel giants as well as leading tourism for the Governments of Ras Al Khaimah and Saudi Arabia. His story is one of individual will, grit and resilience starting from his first job at 17. He tells me about the importance of maintaining and nurturing relationships all his life and how he's now trying to get new generations interested in hospitality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm excited to welcome Her Royal Highness Nourah Al Faisal as this season's inaugural guest. She's the founder of bespoke jewellery brand Nuun, and the founder of design and research consultancy Ahdlal for Design. She's also the great-granddaughter of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. As someone who grew up in Saudi, I continue to be impressed by the transformation taking place across the country. I talked to her about her work with Vision 2030, and her recent appointment as CEO of the Art of Heritage Center. Members, we have something special for you to kick off Season 8! You can listen to the next 2 episodes today—just head over to our website (or in Apple Podcasts) and listen now. Link: Subscribe Apple Podcasts Subscribe on our Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm excited to bring you a new season of What I Did Next, where I talk to people about their pivotal moments and life journeys. Season 8 begins September 24, with new episodes every second Tuesday. This season, we're also adding new benefits to our members' club. You'll be getting early access to our episodes—in fact, members can listen to the first THREE episodes of our season on Tuesday—we'll be continuing our bonus episodes with guests and we'll also be checking in some of your favourite What I Did Next alumni. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hope you're having a great summer so far. We'll be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, here's another one from our archive: my conversation with author, entrepreneur & tech giant, Mo Gawdat. Mo was Chief Business Officer at Google X, and is now the popular author of Solve for Happy, Scary Smart, and more recently, That Little Voice in Your Head, with more books to come. He is also behind the One Billion Happy movement which is inspired by his late son, Aly, who died tragically in 2014. Mo today is more monk than mogul. He has gone from corporate man to living out of a carry-on bag, lugging his podcast equipment around the world, and having conversations with people who will shine a light on a hidden corner of the human experience.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We'll be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, here's one from our archive–actor and comedian Ramy Youssef. Ramy is the starof the eponymous hit show, Ramy, which has won Golden Globes and Peabodies, as well as Emmy nominations. He's also the co-creator of Mo with Mo Amer, and can be seen later this year in Poor Things with Emma Stone, William Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo among other big wigs of the industry. As writer, actor, director and producer of the show, Ramy brings nuance and subtlety to what are, on the surface, extremely difficult issues to broach on US TV and he does so with the one tool that always breaks down prejudices—humour. He talks about growing up in New Jersey, the show, and how his life has changed before and after the show's global success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm joined by the show's producer, Chirag Desai, to look back at some of the season's highlights & themes from our latest line-up of incredible guests. You'll also hear from Mostafa Gad, Global Head of Investment Banking at EFG Hermes, an EFG Holding Company. EFG Holding has been an incredible partner for the show & I talk to Mostafa about his life's trajectory and his stellar career with the bank. Thank you for joining me on an incredible Season 7, and for your feedback and comments. We'll be back with new episodes in September. Until then, you can catch up on our previous episodes, and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and on X for updates, and on YouTube for extended video clips. Thanks to our partners EFG Holding for their support of this season. EFG Holding is a trailblazing financial institution with a Universal Bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a multidisciplinary artist, Ghada is as comfortable working with a needle and thread as she is with a paintbrush, or forging steel for sculptures or working on one-of-a-kind garden installations. She began exhibiting her work in the 90s, and her art continues to focus on women equality and female sexuality.  Ghada's work has been shown at the world's finest fairs and exhibition spaces, including, the Whitney Biennial and PS1 Contemporary Art Center in New York, at the Venice Biennale where she won the UNESCO Prize, at the Johannesburg Biennial, and the Istanbul Biennale among many others.  If you've enjoyed Ghada's story and want to hear more, we have a bonus episode for members where she tells me about her artistic process, and what's in her creative inbox. You can subscribe in Apple Podcasts or on our website, and you'll also get extra content from all our previous guests where we offer a deep dive into their worlds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mohamed Al Fayed is the co-founder & CEO of Grubtech, he's a digital advisor as well as a mentor, and he calls himself a tech disruptor. Even if you may not have heard of him directly, you'll have come across some of his work. Beginning his career with Macy's, one of the largest retailers in the U.S., Moe led the launch of Mamas & Papas and Gap in the GCC as well as the region's largest luxury online marketplace, Ounass. He also served as Senior Vice President of Omnichannel at Al Tayer Group, where he worked for 12 years before launching his startup, Grubtech. Moe has a great professional story, and a very moving personal story that shapes his outlook today. He shares how much he has changed from the guy starting out 30 years ago in the US, and what failing early in life has taught him. On our bonus episode for members next week, Mohamed tells me about his early years, and how Ounass was launched out of Al Tayer Group. This episode is brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a Universal Bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Becky Anderson is the Managing Editor at CNN Abu Dhabi, and one of the channel's most visible international anchors. From being the first team to broadcast from Riyadh after the ban on women driving was lifted to Tunisia during the Arab Spring, she has spearheaded special shows from Tehran, Jerusalem, Istanbul, Beirut and many more region capitals. I was excited to indulge my love for all things news with Becky. We talk about the industry as a whole, her pivot to broadcasting, and her mission to change the perception of this region through her work. On this members' bonus episode next week, we'll talk about her role as Managing Editor and how our region fits into the larger CNN programming agenda worldwide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Mounir Neamatalla is the founder of Environment Quality International, EQI, which he founded in 1981. EQI started out as the first environment-focused advisory in Egypt and went on to become a pioneer in the world of micro-finance. Then in 1996, Dr. Mounir's visit to the remote oasis of Siwa led to the launch of the pathbreaking Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative. My conversation with Dr. Mounir was special for a number of reasons—he is a family friend, I've long-admired his philosophy on life and how he sees the world, and he has all the characteristics of what is fast becoming a bygone era. He is a romantic, a dreamer, a deep thinker, choosing the slower measured approach over today's fast and frenetic pace. He has been on my podcast wish list since the show's inception but he kept resisting my requests to come on and share his story...until now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm joined this week by Malak El Baba, Egypt Country Manager for Visa, and a leader and role model for so many in her industry. We had a wonderful conversation that spanned different countries and phases of her life. Although she has spent nearly two decades in banking and finance, she actually started out wanting to become a diplomat. But destiny had other plans, shaping not just her career but who she married and where she lives today. Like a true marketer, Malak is very much a people-person, a team builder, and a team player. She's also an optimist. She truly embodies the traits I find is most successful people. Malak also leads Visa's Women Leadership Network for MENA, and is the winner of several market leadership awards including four MENA Effies' awards and 2 Media Efficiency awards. This episode is brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a Universal Bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hatem Alakeel is an award-winning Saudi designer, fashion entrepreneur and podcast host. He has designed for global icons including Mattel's Barbie, Evian, Lexus, Fairmont, Raffles, and the Ritz Carlton among others, and he was among the first regional artists to create and celebrate Saudi traditions. With his first company, Toby Hatem Alakeel, Hatem brought the traditional thobe into the luxury fashion world, with displays at Harvey Nichols, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Boutique 1. Today, he runs Authenticite, a consulting and creative production agency connecting creators and brands who want to understand Saudi culture. He also continues developing content with his editorial pieces showcasing Saudi artists on his website, and through his podcast, Gems of Arabia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Janan Shihadeh has made her mark creating bespoke pieces for clients all around the world—from murals in Washington D.C., to furniture and candles in Cairo, to transforming old handbags into little arm-candy jewels in Dubai. To say that Janan is versatile is an understatement. She brings passion, imagination and dynamism to whatever art medium she is working on and her eye for detail and colour is unsurpassed. Janan and I have known each other a long time, we even attended the same high school in Jeddah. As a friend, Janan is fun and mischievous. As a guest, she comes across as passionate, eager to tell her story and driven to make her mark through art.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

His Excellency Amr Moussa has had a distinguished career in the world of international diplomacy and cooperation. He served as the Ambassador of Egypt to India for 3 years in 1983, he was the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the UN in 1990, he was the Foreign Minister of Egypt for 10 years until 2001, when he became Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.  He continues to leave an impact today as an elected member of the Panel of the Wise, a critical pillar of the Peace and Security Architecture of the African Union, and as Chairman of the High-Level Advisory Council to the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations or UNAOC. This episode was brought to you by EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a Universal Bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new season of What I Did Next begins March 5. I'll be welcoming a new guest from our region every other Tuesday, and we'll take a deep-dive into their lives' pivotal moments. We'll cross-cross the region and cut across a variety of industries to bring you conversations of success, failure, and everything in-between. This season, I'll be talking to pioneers from the worlds of art, fashion, business, politics, sustainability, broadcasting and tech. Make sure to hit the follow button so you'll get an alert for new episodes. You can also subscribe to become a member of the show to get bonus episodes with each guest and all of our previous bonus content as well. Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or visit our website for more. You can also find extended clips from all our episodes on YouTube, and connect with us on Instagram, X and on LinkedIn—just search for What I Did Next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in March. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation legendary ad-man, Tarek Nour. Tarek told me about the trials and tribulations of the advertising world, and how he continued to adapt to the constantly changing industry. Today Tarek is semi-retired, active in some aspects of his business but also able to take a bird's eye view of the industry, his life and Egypt.  Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, X or on LinkedIn for updates, and you can also find longer video clips from my interviews on YouTube. We'll be back with new episodes in a couple of weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in March. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation with soprano sensation Fatma Said. Fatma talked to me about her incredible achievements, burning out and a lot more. You can find her album, El Nour on various streaming platforms here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in March. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation with Prince Abbas Hilmi, who told me about his unique life journey and the Egyptian royal family. Through his father, Prince Mohamed Abdel Moneim, he is a descendent of Mohamed Ali of Egypt, while his mother, Neslishah Sultan, was the granddaughter of Mehmed VI, the last Ottoman Sultan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in March. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation with journalist and author Kim Ghattas. Kim, who is half Lebanese and half Dutch, shot to prominence as a BBC reporter, first covering Lebanon and then reporting on U.S. foreign policy from the United States.  Lately, she has gained recognition as an author of bestselling books, The Secretary and Black Wave, a must-read for all those interested and concerned about Middle East politics.  She unpacks what inspires her and more profoundly talks about the shadow that growing up in the Lebanese civil war still casts across her life and outlook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is a deep-dive with our partners, EFG Holding. As a long-time sponsor of the show, EFG Holding have been avant-garde and frontier-breaking, keeping with their own ethos of being a trailblazing financial institution with a Universal Bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank in Frontier and Emerging Markets. This week, I'm sitting down Aladdin El Afifi, CEO of EFG Finance, an EFG Holding company - EFG Holding's Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFI) platform. I also speak to Mohamed Abou Basha, an MD and Head of Macroeconomic Analysis at EFG Hermes Research. We talk about their early career pivots, what brought them to EFG and how the company's culture and values is at the foundation of their growth. Thank you for joining me on this season of What I Did Next. We'll be back with a new season in March. Until then, you can catch up on any episodes you've missed and also watch segments of our interviews by following us on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, I'm joined by the show's producer, Chirag Desai, to look back at the highlights of our latest season, some common threads among our guests, as well as general insights from our recent conversations. We also discuss the issue of crisis management. This is a big picture conversation that impacts all of us and comes on the heels of discussions I've had recently with friends about concurrent crises happening around the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My final guest of this season is the one-and-only Youssra, who tells me about her life's journey from key decisions that led to her breakout success to her ground-breaking acting career that took on societal taboos. With over 80 movies, countless serials and theatre performances, her career has spanned seismic shifts in society, culture and politics, and she has witnessed, interpreted and contributed to all of them.   Youssra is also a role model to younger actors and people in the industry and is often championing new talent in her films and TV work. What struck me most about her was her professionalism, her simplicity and how down-to-earth she is—there is no entourage, assistants, or arriving late. My conversation with Youssra was recorded in September 2023 at our studio here in Cairo. If you're a member of the show, we'll have a bonus episode next week where Youssra shares her thoughts on the future of the Egyptian and regional film industries.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm joined this week by Ramy Adeeb, founder and Managing Partner of 1984 Ventures, a firm that specialises in providing seed funding to start-ups. Ramy's is a quintessential What I Did Next story, he moved to Canada for high school, went on to have early jobs at Microsoft and then as an investor in Silicon Valley, before launching his own start-up, Snip.It, which was acquired by Yahoo in 2013. He tells me how important risk taking has been for his career, and how his life's journey led him to the launch of his current company, 1984 ventures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In case you missed my conversation with fitness entrepreneur Amina Naguib, here's a quick clip from our conversation. You can listen to the full episode in your podcast app, and we'll have a bonus episode out for our members soon! This episode was brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank franchise in frontier and emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm joined this week by Amina Naguib, fitness entrepreneur and founder of B-URN. Amina always wanted to explore the human body and health—she studied sports science in Washington and then physiotherapy in Amsterdam before returning to Egypt. With B-URN, she has created a community of people looking to improve their health and wellbeing. Amina and I talk about how she's been connecting the dots of her life, particularly a major pivot in 2020 that was also a pivotal moment for me. She's a believer in each of us having the tools to better the quality of our lives — you just need to figure out how to unlock them.  If you're a member of the show, you'll get a bonus episode with Amina next week where she talks about the intersection of exercise and physical therapy with happiness, and the B-URN community she continues to build. This episode was brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank franchise in frontier and emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mohammed Hefzy is the award-winning film producer behind mega hits such as Clash, Sheikh Jackson, Microphone, Paranormal, and Perfect Strangers, to name but a few of the films that make up his incredible catalogue of work. Hefzy began his career as a screen writer but made the transition to producing quite quickly, realising he wanted more control of the film-making process as a whole. This led to the formation of his company, The Film Clinic, where he not only develops his own movies but produces new and emerging talent as well. Hefzy and I go way back to his pre-film industry days when we were both London-based. Meeting in a formal interview setting gave me a license to ask all my nerdy questions about the film industry that you can't get away with at a party! We'll also have a bonus episode next week for members where he dives deeper into the writing process, and how different it is for him to produce other people's work versus writing his own. This episode is brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank franchise in frontier and emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm joined this week by Sir Magdi Yacoub, ground-breaking cardiologist and founder of the Chain of Hope charity. Professor Yacoub has almost single-handedly revolutionsed cardiology from his early days as a junior doctor in London in the 60's, to retirement from his beloved NHS in 2001. As someone who has been on my Top 10 list of dream guests since the show began three years ago, Professor Yacoub was a joy to interview and his breadth of his knowledge is incredible. Today, Professor Yacoub dedicates his time to his Chain of Hope charity. His much-anticipated biography, A Surgeon and a Maverick: The Life and Pioneering Work of Magdy Yacoub is now available at AUC Press. He has pledged a percentage of the book royalties to the Magdi Yacoub Foundation in Cairo. You can find more information on both the foundation and the book in our show notes. This episode was brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank franchise in frontier and emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm joined this week by curator Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, founder of Art d'Egypte. From humble beginnings in 2017, their annual event has become a celebration of art, installations and global partnerships. Nadine is also an art curator with a passion for one of Egypt's most celebrated artists, Mohamed Nagy, and manages their art estate along with his family. Nadine tells me how her childhood experiences led to her building a tremendously successful art platform and why her life's mission is the development of all things culture. Links: Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi on What I Did Next Forever is Now 2023 This episode was brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank franchise in frontier and emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a new season of What I Did Next! I'm joined by fashion entrepreneur Imran Amed, one of the leading voices in fashion and CEO of The Business of Fashion. Today, BOF employs 75 people with a presence in London, New York, Paris and Shanghai. It also boasts a community of 800,000 email subscribers and 100,000 paying members across 120 countries. What I Did Next was a media sponsor at the first edition of Egypt Fashion Week, where I met & interviewed Imran in front of a live audience at the Agricultural Museum in Cairo. This episode is brought to you by: EFG Holding, a trailblazing financial institution with a universal bank in Egypt and the leading investment bank franchise in frontier and emerging markets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm excited to be bringing you a new season of the show starting September 6, with new episodes every second Monday. I've had incredible guests over the past five seasons, leaders in their fields from a wide range of industries such as business, art, design, fashion, medicine, and entertainment. These conversations keep reminding me that each person's journey is unique to them, and I'm always floored by how honest and authentic my guests are. I'm also excited to introduce a new platform this season! We've just launched our YouTube channel where you'll find extended clips from our interviews. And of course, we'll continue to have shorter clips and updates on social media. You can follow us on Instagram, X and on LinkedIn. I can't wait to share some amazing conversations with you again.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're currently on a season break and will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, I wanted to share my conversation from last year with renaissance man Samih Sawiris. Samih and his brothers, Naguib and Nassef continue to be icons in the business world in Egypt and the Middle East. Samih is the founder of Orascom Development Holding which operates 33 hotels with over 7,000 rooms and controls approximately 100 million sqm of land. Samih is above all, a sort of renaissance man, and a person who doesn't define himself by his career or profession. He has a multitude of interests and he consciously prioritises the work / life balance. Now that he is no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the company, he is spending time developing his passions and checking off his extensive bucket list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices