Latest

“Success is not only measured by financial results but also by cultural relevance.” Ahmad Al Marri on why community support was crucial to Canvas Gelato’s success

Hashem speaks to Ahmad Al Marri, founder of Dubai-based ice cream brand Canvas Gelato.

Dubai Tourism CEO Issam Kazim on their post-pandemic strategy; plus, Goumbook’s Think Tank discusses ESG Reporting

We hope you're either enjoying some downtime to beat the summer heat 🥵, or at least counting down towards it! This week, we're getting a behind-the-scenes understanding of Dubai Tourism's strategy during and post-lockdown from their CEO, Issam Kazim. On the latest episode of The Lighthouse Conversations, Hashem Montasser and co-host

“Everyone has written off Dubai at one point.” Dubai Tourism CEO Issam Kazim on how Dubai bounced back post-pandemic

Hashem and guest host Samantha Wood aka FooDiva catch up with Issam Kazim, CEO of the DTCM, which helped catapult Dubai from the early pandemic days to the other side of lockdown. They also talk about the impact of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants and The Michelin Guides on the F&B and tourism sectors.

Goumbook Think Tank: Managing your ESG reporting

Goumbook gathered a network of experts and an all-star panel from different industries, contexts and trajectories to discuss the challenges and highlight opportunities around ESG reporting.

“Energy and lots of seasoning…that’s nafas.” Chef Mohammad Orfali and his sensational culinary pivot from TV chef to award winning restaurateur

Hashem catches up with Mohamad Orfali, TV celebrity chef extraordinaire, restaurateur and co-founder of the award winning Orfali Bros restaurant in Dubai.

Season 3 Wrap-up

I sit down with our producer Chirag Desai to talk about the highlights of the season, some learnings and a look ahead to Season 4.

“I’ve always been a strong believer in offering financial services to the unbanked.” Mounir Nakhon on turbo-charging growth at Halan

Mounir shares snippets of his journey since 2017 when he was approached by Indonesian tech unicorn Gojek, then being struck by the pandemic in 2020 and what it meant for Halan’s growth.

Entrepreneur, Nutritionist and Mother - Fayrouz Eid

On today's episode, I'm joined by my dear friend Fayrouz Eid. A talented entrepreneur, nutritionist, and mother of two adorable kids. Her passion for entrepreneurship made her build The Wellb, a company focused on helping people find long-lasting sustainable nutrition so they can get healthier and reach their goals. We

Youssef El Deeb

Youssef is a film-maker, photographer, writer, ad-man, broadcaster, foodie and even a sailor. A son of Alexandria, Youssef’s life has seen him move from Egypt to Canada, to Kuwait, and finally to Dubai, where he currently resides.

“The issue with progress is that it’s seldom linear.” Nadia Wassef on life after publishing a debut memoir

Since our first episode with Nadia, her well received debut memoir Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller has been published in several languages and Nadia is now preparing for her second narrative structure—but in a faster paced, post-lockdown world.

Nadine Kanso

Nadine has taken the concept of what it means to be an Arab and translated it using her camera lens, calligraphy or by moulding gold into bold, strong letters to form her signature brand, Bilarabi.

Dr. Ahmed Heikal

As chairman and CEO of Qalaa Holdings, Ahmed is well known to many in the business community across the Middle East. We talk candidly about the trajectory of his career, his appetite for risk and how he views the current phase of his career.

“I can figure out your personality by walking around your space.” Anoud Alzaben on the process of creating and immortalizing ephemeral tablescapes

Hashem and Anoud Alzaben discuss her process; the rural and bedouin roots that continue to influence her work; and their shared appreciation for journaling– whether classically with ink and paper or visually via Instagram Stories.

Art is an investment: Nadine Abdel Ghaffar

Nadine Abdel Ghaffar is the Founder and General Manager of Art D'Égypte and is my guest for this weeks show. She is an extraordinary woman that supports and promotes the Egyptian art and culture scene in bold ways never done before - including a massive installation at the Pyramids which

Clarissa Ward

Clarissa is a multi-award winning journalist and Chief International Correspondent for the CNN. She is also the author of On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist.

“I’m half woman, half to-do list!” Stasha Toncev on her improbable journey from Belgrade to Dubai and what it took to launch Balkan bistro 21 Grams

This week we sit with Stasha Toncev, founder of Dubai’s award-winning Balkan bistro, 21 Grams. Hailed in the media, Stasha’s restaurant was praised as “charming” and “brain melting” by The Financial Times supplement, How To Spend It, and Bill Addison, the Los Angeles Times’ celebrated food critic.

It’s Never Too Late: Mazen Yassen

In today's episode, I'm joined by Mazen Yassen, the Content Creator behind Justagoproer. Also actor, director and artist Manager. I have followed his work for about 6 to 7 years. We talked about his trajectory from the corporate world, where he stayed for 14 years, to then becoming an artist

Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi

Sultan is a man who has worn many hats over the decades—businessman, art collector, activist, academic.

Did you know Michelin inspectors eat 300 meals a year? Plus, Hend Sabri breaks down the taboos

Everything you’ve wanted to know about the Michelin Guides.

“The Michelin Guides are consistent; one star in Dubai equals one star in Paris” Michelin Guides’ Gwendal Poullennec debunks urban legends surrounding the iconic restaurant guide

Hashem and his co-host Samantha Wood aka FooDiva sit down with Gwendal Poullennec, the Michelin Guides’ International Director.

Innovation, Investments, Blockchain, Family: Naguib Sawiris

In today's episode I am sharing my conversation with the chairman of Weather Investments's parent company, the former chairman and CEO of Orascom Telecom Holding, my former boss and mentor, Naguib Sawiris, at this amazing event, RiseUp Summit in Egypt. Back in 2017, I interviewed him for his first appearance

Hend Sabri

Hend is the queen of our cinematic hearts, and a leading light of both the silver and the small screens.

Everything you’ve wanted to know about the MENA 50Best list! Plus, soprano Fatma Said on carving out her unique career path, and burning out

The Lighthouse Conversations celebrates 50 episodes, and we go behind the scenes with the MENA 50Best list.

MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants with Claudia de Brito and Samantha Wood aka FooDiva “The fact that we have this list is a vote of confidence for the MENA region.”

To mark the occasion of the Middle East's recent inclusion in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, we catch up with award-winning food critic Samantha Wood aka FooDiva, and Claudia de Brito, the awards’ Gulf Academy Chair.

Mommy’s Happy Hour, with Heba Shunbo

On today’s episode I’m joined by Heba Shunbo. She’s such an amazing personality—entrepreneur, interior designer, writer, podcast host, wife, mother of twins and one of the sisters behind the bakery The Four Fat Ladies. And just in time for Mother’s Day check out her book

The alliance to end hunger, with Paul Newnham

Tatiana is joined on this episode by Paul Newnham, Chair of the Public Engagement Task Force for the UN Food Systems Summit and Vice Chair of the Food System Champion Network. He is also Director of the SDG2 Advocacy Hub Secretariat and the Chefs’ Manifesto Coordinator. Paul heads up the

Kito de Boer

Kito spent nearly 30 years at McKinsey, and his exposure to the world of management consultancy as well as international political institutions has given him unique insights into what makes the world go ‘round.

SDG12 and Food Waste, how can we make a difference? With Tarek AlKhoury

In this episode, Tatiana is joined by Tarek Al Khoury, Regional Coordinator for Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Consumption and Production at the West Asia Office of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). They talk about UNEP initiatives to promote the UN Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, more precisely

“If you want to employ more women, design your workplace around it.” Rania Masri El Khatib’s call to arms for female employees is loud and clear

We sat with Rania Masri El Khatib, Founder of the RMK Collective, a transformation and experience design advisory.

Fatma Said

We’re starting season 3 with the Soprano sensation Fatma Said.

Maha’s talk at the RiseUp Summit in Egypt

Maha shares my thoughts on how you can connect with your audience and build your brand through cultural relevance and storytelling, from the RiseUp Summit in Egypt 2021

Is yoga for everyone? How to go beyond the postures and more into self-acceptance, with Dylan Bernstein

Yoga is about creating harmony between body, mind and soul; which even after 20 years, I have to honestly admit, I am not even close to achieving. At times, yoga can even feel very much like the opposite of harmony, when all we see on social media is yogis doing

“You can’t force a talent to go into production.” Cyril Zammit on Dubai’s evolving design landscape, the role of government support and the future of NFTs

We caught up with Cyril Zammit, design advisor and former director of Design Days Dubai.

2022... Will this be your year?

I’m back with Season 3, kickstarting the new year with an episode on my vision for 2022. I loved taking this time to think about how to shift gears, reflect on 2021, try to digest the rocky start of 2022, and how to turn it around to make it

“Most of the time I’m right when it comes to food.” Bedouinfoodie Hani Almalki on the multi-cultural cuisine of the Hijaz region, why Saudi’s culinary scene is about to pop and the real origins of Hummus

We met up with Hani AlMalki aka Bedouinfoodie, Dubai-based restaurant reviewer extraordinaire and food history buff.

2021: A Podcast Odyssey

Tune in as host Hashem and producer Chirag discuss the highlights of another successful year of The Lighthouse Conversations including snippets by Fatafeat founder Youssef El Deeb, and chic fantastique BBQ pitmaster Hattem Matter.

Sometimes there is no solution – Omar Samra

We are launching Season 4 with a special series from newsmakers and shakers from Egypt! And then get ready we have an NFT edition, a Dubai edition and SO MUCH MORE. On today’s episode I’m joined by Omar Samra. He’s such an amazing personality—both an entrepreneur

The artist, the art and the journey

Plus, the inspiration behind Nada Debs’ work.

Barjeels: Keeping cool in old Dubai

Summer in Dubai is intense with relentless humidity and temperatures soaring close to 50°C (122°F). How did people stay cool before air conditioning? We had heard about barjeels – traditional wind towers – but we didn’t quite know how they worked, or if they were still used today. So,

Why the stock market outperforms when people listen to happy songs

“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife” —Kahlil Gibran Speaking of, have you thought about what influences your mood? We're in the second week of 2022, do you feel the holiday blues? Cue saxophone... Research shows that music evokes emotions

New year, new weekend, new podcast survey, same awesome us!

> “What you resist, persists” —Carl Jung We've had a new year's eve to remember in Dubai. Our first rains of the season poured as we welcomed 2022, the new weekend days are now in effect, and we hope it's an exciting, joyful, and happy year for you! A warm welcome

Podcast Survey 2021

Our 2021 survey is now live! As always, one lucky respondent will win a giveaway once the report is published.

Recapping 2021: blind spots, the power of vulnerability

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing. It's having the courage to show up and be seen when you have no control over the outcome.” —Brené Brown, Rising Strong So the countdown begins, and we're within a few days of our annual ritual of messing up the dates we write. What's

‘Making the beast beautiful’: Manal Ataya on powering through anxiety

As the world strives to shatter the stigma associated with mental health, let us work to be more candid about topics such as anxiety.

Season 2 Wrap-up

We discuss the highlights of the last 8 episodes and look ahead to Season 3.

Will switching weekends bring a better work-life balance?

In a few weeks, your family back home will get to enjoy that video call with you knowing you aren't working either. The milestone announcement that the UAE public sector is switching to a Saturday-Sunday weekend, with a half-day on Friday, came as a surprise even though most of us

Motocross champion Mohammad Balooshi on discipline and dedication; plus we’re on Apple Podcasts Best of 2021!

HoHoHo, it’s December! It's feeling a lot cooler in Dubai, now all we need is some rain and maybe some snow to make the season truly festive. We’re just coming out of a long holiday weekend to celebrate the UAE’s 50th birthday. The Golden Jubilee, or quinquagenary,

Prince Abbas Hilmi

Prince Abbas Hilmi is a descendent of two Middle Eastern royal houses. 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.

‘Tis the season!

Omar Samra and Omar Nour in Beyond the Raging Sea, plus Amir Allam from Elmenus.

“Food is an open ended problem, we’ll never perfect it.” Amir Allam, Founder of Elmenus on his obsession with problem solving & how he will meet his biggest challenge yet - building Elmenus to scale

On this week’s episode, Hashem caught up with Amir Allam, a fellow Egyptian and graduate of the infamous DEO, the German school in Cairo. Amir Allam is the Founder of Elmenus, an F&B marketplace boasting digital menus & delivery for over 6000 restaurants across Egypt. Founded just days shy

Infertility: how one woman is raising awareness about reproductive health and how parenthood doesn’t look the same for everyone

Infertility is a condition that affects both men and women, and even though 15% of couples worldwide experience infertility, it is considered a dirty little secret that no one is comfortable talking about. My guest Nathalie Carpenter describes it as a mental, emotional, and physical condition that never goes away.

4 years, and a million!

Four years on... It's a reflective time of the year, doubly so for us as we celebrated our fourth birthday last week. Last year, we spoke about becoming a pooping-on-our-own toddler. We've mastered that generally, but boy, there are days...

Designers David & Nicholas on time as a design element; plus, can four co-founders make a party?

Designers David Raffoul and Nicolas Moussallem joined Hashem Montasser from Milan to discuss their fixation on time as a "marker" in design, the hybridity of their identities, and how the duo met at a McDonald's in Beirut.

Kim Ghattas

Kim Ghattas shot to prominence as a BBC reporter, first covering Lebanon and then reporting on U.S. foreign policy from the United States.

Dubai PodFest: Podcasts grow in popularity in the UAE, say top creators

Dhanusha Gokulan spoke to our Chirag Desai, Courtney Brandt (CSR of One) and Tatiana Antonelli (Forward Talks) about the upcoming PodFest in Dubai.

“Investors look for traction and founder’s pedigree.” Ramy Adeeb shares his journey from computer science to building his own venture capital firm, 1984 Ventures

As fellow Egyptians and graduates of Harvard College in the 90s, Hashem and Ramy Adeeb initially shared a similar path that led them from Cairo to Cambridge, Massachusetts. We caught up with Ramy this week via Zoom in Silicon Valley to follow his journey from young computer programmer writing software

Baraka’s Feras Jalbout talks investing, crypto and the metaverse; plus, Chef Bobby Chinn on life’s pendulum swings

Meta is everything and everything is meta The digital world has been rife with reactions to Facebook (the Company, not the platform) renaming to Meta, and unveiling their vision of the future.

Bobby Chinn

Bobby Chinn—celebrity chef, raconteur, comic, mimic and globetrotter—is perhaps best known in the Middle East as one of the judges on MBC’s highly rated show, Top Chef.

“Success in design means finding a good recipe and dreaming big.” Design wunderkinder David & Nicolas on 10 years as a successful brand and what makes their partnership click

Hashem is joined this week— via Zoom call from Milan— by David & Nicolas [https://www.davidandnicolas.com/?utm_source=amaeya-media&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=the-lighthouse-conversations] , the Milan/Beirut-based design duo whose retro-futurist work is featured in the acclaimed Nilufar Gallery and Carpenters Workshop Gallery. Hashem and David/Nicolas discuss

Parent to Parent, This Sucks!

Today, I sat with Georgina Fuller, writer for The Telegraph, The Guardian, and Grazia UK, for a candid discussion on the challenges of raising kids nowadays. From social media, helicopter parenting, COVID-19 and dealing with comparison to other mothers, we hash out everything about the difficulty of just raising our

Dr. Lama Al-Sulaiman

Meet Dr. Lama Al-Sulaiman: wife, mother, business-woman and most notably, an unexpected pioneer of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.

Wearing multiple hats, focus, and giving back: life lessons from star chefs

“At the end of the day, it seems like there's a critic archetype for food movies, like with 'Ratatouille' or anything. You know, if you were doing a puppet show about chefs, one puppet would be the chef, one would be the critic.” –  Jon Favreau A warm welcome to new

“Investing is about proving a thesis.” Feras Jalbout on the nascent investing culture in the region, crypto currencies and launching his trading app Baraka

In today’s episode, Hashem caught up with Feras Jalbout, founder of fintech app Baraka. A UAE-based platform, Baraka’s motto is empowering the investor and encouraging broader financial literacy among millennials and Gen Z’s in the Middle East. Hashem and Feras also discussed his pivot from private wealth

Shh... We're Talking About Sex

When was the last time you and your partner honestly talked about sex? Have you ever even talked about it? I'm joined by sex therapist ... who answers all the questions some of us are too afraid to ask. How often should I be having sex? Is it ok that I'm

Folklore of the Ghaf; plus the world of #MomTok

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." —Steven Covey, Author Happy Monday! We're kicking off this week with two words: Prosopis cineraria. That's the scientific name of the National Tree of the UAE, the Ghaf. The tree is historically tied to the

Hassan Al Damluji

Hassan Al Damluji is the Deputy Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Ghaf Tree

What’s a forest of ghaf trees called? Are ghaf leaves and pods edible? What do ghaf trees have to do with tree huggers? What might you find if you dig around ghaf trees? This episode is dedicated to the ghaf tree, the national tree of the UAE and a

Hattem Mattar on creating connections; plus, the road less travelled with Nada Debs

It's October! If you live anywhere close to the city of Dubai, the countdown to this month is synonymous with Expo, which kicked off with a massive opening ceremony over the weekend. Have you been yet? Tell us your highlights!

#176: Bathroom Renovation

I recently decided to renovate my bathroom. This was my first renovation project and it was not an easy process. I wanted to share my renovation experience so you can see what you need to be aware of when doing a renovation (mine was small so there may be much

Four to Five Million

From mama to influencer, Sonia was a typical mother and wife living in Vancouver with her 4 children. During quarantine, like billions of us, Sonia turned to TikTok to watch silly videos and connect with others virtually during a worldwide pandemic. One day Sonia realized she could make some of

“Barbeque is an analogue experience.” Hattem Mattar on the subtle science of live fire cuisine and why he finally made the jump to a full time gig

Welcome back, listeners! In our first episode post-summer, host Hashem Montasser caught up with Hattem Mattar, founder of The Mattar Farm for specialty artisanal smoked meat, brisket and third culture barbecues. Hashem and Hattem chatted about the hybridity of his upbringing; life as a father of two young children; and

#175: Medicines

This week we discuss the all important medicines in our lives. Often I find they are located in various parts of the house resulting in multiple purchases and out of date medicine in hidden corners of cupboards. This podcast focuses on how to declutter, categorise and organise your medicines so

Nada Debs

Nada is a Lebanese designer who has re-invented the Levantine tradition of wood-work making.

The Adventures of Max Rodenbeck, and should we be fighting for work-life balance?

Remember Tintin? Max Rodenbeck, formerly Middle East Bureau Chief for The Economist (and now South Asia Bureau Chief), shared on What I Did Next that the Belgian comic book series inspired his original foray towards journalism.

Peer Pressure, Judgement, and Sex - Oh my!

Heba brings aboard her husband, Hazem, again to interview Fara and Yehiaa, a married couple who have chosen not to have children. The four share their different lives and how children has affected their marriages and who they are individually.

#174: Teacups and Mugs

Today we are talking about Teacups and Mugs! Why do we never call them Teamugs? We are talking specifically about decluttering these cups and mugs as well as how to organise them, as people have a lot of them in their cupboards (I see a lot every day). You can

The UAE presents a sustainable alternative to concrete at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2021

This week, digging into the National Pavilion of the UAE for the Biennale Architettura 2021 Wetland, which is curated by Wael Al Awar and Kenichi Teramoto. The prototype is created from recycled industrial waste brine, handcast into organic shapes to recall the UAE’s traditional coral-built houses and spans 7m

#173: Tupperware

Exciting topic this week... Tupperware! aka containers with lids which we use to store mostly food. The lids are a pain, the containers if made of plastic are bad for the environment and people have too many of them. It's a hot mess and I'm not talking about the food.

Know your reds, and don’t let the non-reds distract you

A look at Dr. Darria long’s TEDx talk on the lessons we can learn from ER docs, plus the new Focus Mode in iOS 15

Max Rodenbeck

Max Rodenbeck is currently the South East Asia Bureau Chief for The Economist, based out of New Delhi, but began his career in Cairo.

#172: Focus mode in iOS 15

In this week's episode, Chirag takes the lead and discusses something Apple-based. Yep, us Apple Geeks have something new to get excited about to help us get organised digitally! It's fascinating...really. Press play to listen to our witty witticisms and review of the new Focus mode. Hope you enjoy

‘What I Did Next’ begins Season 2

Plus, September is upon us.

#171: Cataloguing, with Anne Welsh

This week my guest is Anne Welsh from Tidy Beginnings [https://beginningcataloguing.com/tidy-beginnings/?utm_source=amaeya-media&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=decluttrme-171] . Anne has been a professional librarian for nearly 30 years, specializing in cataloguing, including creating inventories for estates, so I thought it would be a great to

TalkCast: Chirag on Talk Back with Anjaan on Talk 100.3

Chirag joined Anjaan Ganesh on the evening show to talk about TalkCast with Amaeya Media [https://amaeya.media/newsletter/we-are-on-the-radio/], our podcast partnership segment that airs every weekday at 11 a.m. on Talk 100.3 FM.

Fatma & Amina Ghaly

Fatma and Amina Ghaly are the two talented sisters who are the driving force behind the luxury jewelry brand, Azza Fahmy.

“Jellyfish is nothing” How pearl divers built a culture around their work, and fought stingrays

Plus, a Mommy Happy Hour book signing.

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

#170: Adopting a vegan lifestyle

If you didn't know, Chirag (my co-host extradionnaire) is vegan and has been for a few years now. I remember when he told me he was changing his lifestyle to be vegan and all the changes that had to occur to get into this lifestyle. As more and more people

Diving for pearls

For hundreds, maybe thousands of years, pearls and the sea were a very big part of people’s lives in the Gulf region. The pearl shaped the economy and the identity of the people. Language, songs, clothing and travel were all part of the culture of diving for pearls. Some

How Branded Podcasts Can Enter New Ears Through Licensing

A conversation with Chirag Desai about our new radio partnership.

#169: Decluttering your toolbox

Toolboxes - we need them for various DIY projects, but with so many bits and pieces involved, it can become a disorganised mess very quickly. In this new episode, I wanted to share my top tips to stay organised, so you can find the right tool and accessories in less

#168: Decluttering your Skincare with Guest Dr Natalia Spierings

This week we have the wonderful Dr Natalia Spierings as our guest to talk about decluttering your skincare. Dr Spierings, is a Consultant Dermatologist based in the UK and UAE and has been my face saviour for a while now. During one of our consultations, we discussed skincare and how

We’re on the radio!

Announcing TalkCast, a podcast hour every morning at 11 a.m. on Talk 100.3

Amaeya Media announces partnership with Fun Asia Network’s Talk 100.3

Talk 100.3 will launch TalkCast with Amaeya Media on weekdays at 11 a.m., featuring podcast episodes from the Amaeya Media Network.

TalkCast: Chirag on Talk 100.3 about the new daily podcast segment

We're excited to announce the launch of TalkCast, a daily podcast segment on Talk 100.3, a new talk radio station from the Fun Asia Network. Our CEO Chirag Desai joined morning show RJ's Vicky Sanil and Sobia Khan to talk about the new segment.

#167: Music Subscriptions

A few weeks ago we discussed how to organise and declutter your music collection [https://amaeya.media/decluttr-me/music-streaming/]. During that conversation, Chirag had mentioned how I should join the rest of the world and subscribe to a music subscription service.  I have loved my own song catalogue and playlists

Do regional investors attach too much importance to the entrepreneur?

Plus, the Apple Developer Academy comes to MENA.

#166: The costume declutter

Kids and adults love dressing up - whether it is for Halloween, a retro party or an afternoon of fun with friends, it’s always fun to dress up. I used to dress up like Wonder Woman and a Nurse when I was growing up. There was a limit to

“Nothing is more important than the founder.” Khaled Talhouni on his journey from venture capital to supporting startups with Nuwa Capital

This week we dive into the world of venture capital and startup investing as Hashem catches up with Khaled Talhouni, Founder and Managing Director of Nuwa Capital, a Dubai/Riyadh-based investment platform he set up with partners Stephanie Nour Prince and Sarah Abu Risheh. Hashem and Khaled discuss his journey

#165: People…

In this episode, we started talking about changing careers and lives, like I did when forming Decluttr Me, but we ended up talking about people in our lives post forming our businesses. It’s an amusing and informative episode all rolled into 23 minutes! Hope you enjoy this episode. If

Technology fiascos, and a conversation about hybridity

Plus, nostalgia galore with memories from Sindbad’s Wonderland.

“I had a feeling of hybridity that I wanted to both capture and express” Hashem Montasser on his journey from Wall Street to building The Lighthouse from the ground up

This week we reunited with one of our favorite podcast guests from 2020, Fatafeat founder and overall renaissance man, Youssef El Deeb. Having met last summer just as The Lighthouse reopened post-lockdown, Hashem and Youssef formed a bond over chocolate cake, books and a shared nostalgia for Egypt’s ancien

#164: The Hobby Guy

After getting excited about recording in the morning, we decided to delve straight into men and their hobbies. From Lego, electronics, painting cars and figurines to board games. A lot of it maybe due to the lockdown during 2020 or it's a generational thing (I think it is more the

#163: Hangers

I can't tell you the number of times people use the wrong hangers for their clothes. This week, we're talking about the different types of hangers you should use (and shouldn't use) for hanging your clothes. You can check out the velvet hangers we mentioned at the DeCluttr Me shop

Time Out Market’s Sandy Hayek on homegrown concepts, and should subscriptions be ad-free?

Both Apple and Spotify announced this year that podcasters can charge subscriptions directly from listeners on their platforms. There are obvious advantages to building a direct and monetary relationship with listeners, but there could also be a few pitfalls to equating subscriptions with ad-free. Our CEO Chirag Desai shares his

Sindbad’s Wonderland

As summer approaches in Dubai, all we can think about is staying indoors and having fun. So, during this episode we look at Sindbad’s Wonderland -- an indoor arcade paradise at Al Ghurair Centre for Dubai kids in the 1980s and 1990s. Spatika and Liz never had the chance

How can advertisers navigate recent changes in the podcast landscape?

Our CEO Chirag Desai shares his thoughts on the pitfalls with advertising vis-à-vis the recent subscription offerings in this opinion piece [https://communicateonline.me/category/industry-insights/post-details/how-can-advertisers-navigate-the-recent-changes-in-the-podcast-landscape?utm_source=amaeya-media&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=members-newsletter:2021-06-27] for Communicate: > This is one of the dilemmas I've been pondering over

#162: Lego

I love Lego. I love playing with it, organising it and buying it for my nephews. I just don't like it on my feet—who does? In celebration of my love of Lego and due to my numerous organising sessions with them, I thought it would be great to discuss

Free water refills at Dubai Mall, and understanding the perils of confirmation bias

Plus, I might not want to give back my review unit of the Honda Accord.

“When it comes to homegrown concepts in Dubai, this is only the beginning.” Sandy El Hayek on Dubai’s F&B scene & how to play it for the long haul

This week Hashem caught up with Sandy El Hayek, the newly minted General Manager of Dubai’s Time Out Market which launched in April in collaboration with Dubai mega developer Emaar. A veteran of Dubai’s F&B scene, Hashem and Sandy talked about her childhood as the daughter of

#161: Following up on Chirag’s New Email System

Earlier this year, Chirag shared his move to a new email system which we spoke about on episode 142. He’s about 4 months in and shares an update on how using the system has been, if it’s helped his email workflow and a couple of new features that

Have podcasters replaced your real friends?

Plus, our website has new pipes and a shiny coat of paint!

Startup Scene: Malak Fouad looks at life’s pivotal moments

What I Did Next host Malak Fouad spoke to StartupScene about her philosophy and trajectory.

#160: Cleaning Products

We all need cleaning products to clean our house. Some people don't have enough and some have so many they could run a corner shop with their supplies. I have decluttered and organised a lot of cleaning products over my years of being an organiser and I thought I would

“The artist’s box doesn’t have to be small or exclusive.” Maha Maamoun on her multidisciplinary art practice and the importance of making art accessible to a wider audience

In today’s episode, host Hashem Montasser, a collector of Middle East art, catches up with multi-disciplinary and award-winning Egyptian artist Maha Maamoun. Maha expands on how her series “Domestic Tourism” and “Cairoscapes” came about and shares the fascinating stories behind the composited photographs. Hashem and Maha discuss the importance

#159: Organising your Music

From records, to CDs and now digital music, we have all types of formats of music in our house. Some people, like myself, may be very OCD with organising our collections, but some of you may have piles lying around in various places not being listened to. In this new

Season Finale: The Laughs and the Lessons Learned

We relive some moments that made us laugh, cry and left us with a lot to think about.

The blurry line between business & personal, and TOW the F•R•I•E•N•D•S Reunion 📺

Plus, we wrap up the first season of What I Did Next.

#158: How to Protect Your Clothes

We often get questions from clients, followers and listeners on the best way to protect clothes in the closets and drawers. Based on this feedback we thought why not share my favourite tips on how to protect your clothes whether hung or folded in various climates.

Malak Fouad: Behind the Scenes

Season 1 • Episode 9

Alli Webb on the line between business and personal, and Raising the Bar

Chirag Desai sits down with Dry Bar founder, Alli Webb about her podcast, Raising the Bar.

Were you ever invited to an NYE party at the top of Dubai’s World Trade Centre?

Also, it might be your fault your boss hates you.

“Curiosity is a blessing and a curse.” Manal Ataya on why curiosity became an essential trait in navigating her career as museum director

In our first episode since Ramadan break, Hashem is joined by Manal Ataya who, as the Director General of Sharjah Museum Authority, sits at the helm of 16 museums documenting and consolidating the cultural heritage of the region. They discuss the “inner workings” of a museum director and why Manal

#157: Clutter Over Cloud

This week's episode is a discussion about generational differences with keeping stuff in our lives. It is something we have touched upon on several episodes, but we thought we would delve over the "clutter cloud" about why the different generations are keeping or not keeping physical clutter.

Doing the impossible: prioritizing positive parenting in times of high stress

EP 15 • Heba Shunbo speaks to Maddie Milani about positive discipline.

Dubai’s First Skyscraper

Our first episode looks at Dubai’s first skyscraper -- Dubai World Trade Center. This 33-story building might seem tiny today compared to the more than 160-story Burj Khalifa and other super tall buildings. But, when DWTC opened in 1979, it was the tallest tower in the Middle East and

Introducing: Tell Me More

Tell Me More is a podcast for kids and adults. Join us as we time travel through Dubai with an 8 year old, to uncover what the city looked like in the beginning, told by the people who made and experienced some of it.

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 [https://wildguanabana.com/], one of the region’s leading adventure travel companies. In 2017,

#156: Spices

I love organising spice! I get very excited when client’s mention they want to organise their kitchens and spices - maybe a bit too gleefully. If you follow me on social media, you will see pictures of cupboards with spices all organised and labelled - that’s how much

How many types of jeans do you have?

Also, we might know Ted Lasso’s shortbread recipe.

Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, with Ramsey Tesdell and Lucas Skrobot

Our CEO Chirag Desai was joined by Ramsey Tesdell, CEO of Sowt [https://sowt.com], and Lucas Skrobot, host of The Lucas Skrobot Show [https://lucasskrobot.com] last week on Twitter Spaces to talk about Apple's announcement for podcasters to offer subscriptions within their platform, and what it means for

#155: Moving with Charlotte Hepworth

This week my guest is Charlotte Hepworth, the owner of Bespoke Home Moves. They organise the most stress-free moves imaginable in the UK and outside the UK for her clients. I have worked with a few clients over the years to unpack and pack their goods and love doing it,

A Candid Chat about Couples Counseling and Rediscovering Yourself After Divorce

I'm catching up with my old friend Rania Sidky, a health coach, mother of three and host of a new cooking show, who was married, divorced, then remarried the same guy. Over the past few years, she's been able to reinvent herself by getting to know her children over again,

Ali Ali

Season 1 • Episode 7

#154: My Face

No I have not decluttered my face, but I have finally removed the hyperpigmentation from my face which had been bothering me for a year or so. I had tried various creams and potions and nothing worked, until recently when I went to see a dermatologist. I thought I would

Seaspiracy

The Two Vegans talk about Seaspiracy.

Apple & Facebook place their podcast bets, and happenings near you

Plus, Heba Shunbo tells you how to deal with pushy grandmothers.

Chirag Desai talks podcasting and the blockchain on Podkas with Yaz

Chirag Desai talks about the State of the Industry 2020 report and how the Web3 world could provide a new impetus to the creator economy.

Strengthening Urban Biodiversity, with Rasmus Astrup

This week, we’re talking to Rasmus Astrup, a partner at SLA Architects, the company behind the Al Fay Park in Abu Dhabi. Al Fay Park is a game-changer in how to design and implement city nature in the dense megacities of the Middle East. The park [https://goumbook.com/

#153: The Jeans in Your Life

Have you got various piles of Jeans in your wardrobe that fall into these three piles? If yes, then this episode is for you today! In this new episode we talk about these three piles and also how to declutter these piles so that you use that valuable real estate

Dealing with infertility holistically. A talk with fertility activator, Fiona Boulton.

If you're trying to get pregnant, you're going to want to listen to this. Fiona Boulton is a holistic fertility expert who works with clients experiencing infertility. While her treatments rely on medicine, nutrition and physical health, they also revolve around mental and psychological methods, like energy hygiene and training

Tracking you a little less

Plus, Nada Debs on design, hybridity and anime.

Tracking you less

TL;DR We’ve shifted the analytics of our web properties away from Google Analytics to Plausible, an analytics platform that is compliant with policies such as GDPR, and no longer require cookies.

Jehane Noujaim

Season 1 • Episode 6

#152: Sorting by Season, with Ally Deatherage

This week my guest Ally Deatherage. Ally is the author of Sort by Season which reached number 1 on the Amazon Bestseller List. Ally Deatherage's personal journey of decluttering her own home inspired the Sort by Season Method. Through her book and her YouTube channel, she encourages others to feel

‘Preserving our heritage is to preserve ourselves.’ Designer Nada Debs on the inspirations of hybridity & true craftsmanship, plus creating her own contemporary design language.

On this week’s episode we caught up with friend of The Lighthouse, furniture and product designer Nada Debs. Coming from a lineage of Lebanese textile traders who settled in Japan at the turn of the century, Nada grew up with a sense of dissonance as one of the few

#151: Ramadan Collection

With Ramadan in a few short weeks we are seeing a lot of shops, online and offline, promoting their “Ramadan Collection”. Ramadan has become the new Christmas and there are a huge amount things which are supposedly related to Ramadan to buy. I wanted to talk about this every growing

An influencers life behind the scenes - is anyone ever really ready for motherhood?

Nour Aboulela is an Instagram influencer with almost half a million followers. While she poses for brands and events, behind the scenes she's a hardworking mother who's been through tough times. She joins me to talk about the trauma she's suffered as she raises a son who experiences seizures, therapy

FooDiva on the Dubai restaurant scene & Samih Sawiris’ bucket list 🎧

Plus, a Ramadan collaboration we have our eyes on!

Samih Sawiris

Season 1 • Episode 5

#150: Desi Fridges

We have had a special request to talk about the Desi Fridge and how to organise it. You may wonder what is a Desi Fridge and how that differs from a normal fridge.

What Dina El-Mofty Did Next

Plus, our podcast recommendations.

‘For a review, I have to be in the right state of mind.’ Samantha Wood AKA FooDiva on her restaurant review process, Dubai’s F&B scene & the ONE review that broke the internet

Grab a pen and notebook because this episode is brimming with life learnings! Samantha Wood AKA FooDiva, inimitable queen of Dubai’s restaurant review scene takes us along her transition from corporate hotel PR to solopreneur and becoming one of Dubai’s most sought after food writers. We chatted about

#149: Junk Clutter

I've come across this a few times with clients, and thought it would be a good idea to go over what clutter is really junk, even if it seems usable sometimes. Junk clutter is very real, and we've referred to it when we spoke about the 7 types of clutter,

Mother knows best

Egypt celebrated Mother's Day a few days ago, so I talked to the mother I know best: my own. She's an outspoken woman, and she makes some good points on how times have changed, my sister's decision to not have kids, and being lax in parenting style. But, when it

Communicate ME: The most important development for the GCC industry in 2021

CEO Chirag Desai shares his thoughts on Communicate’s question to the industry on the most important development in 2021.

Good managers & good employees

This week, we're talking about the qualities of good managers, and how to improve your own visibility as an employee. Maha shares how the role of the manager should be like that of a coach--someone who is motivating you to perform better, and help you grow.

Dina El-Mofty

Season 1 • Episode 4

What’s changed since we started?

The Two Vegans reminisce over how much has changed since we went vegan, in terms of adoption, retail and restaurant options and the changes we've seen over the last 5 years.

#148: Phone Home Screens

This week Chirag did something miraculous! He helped me to remove almost all the apps from my home screen on my phone! Yep I have about 5 apps now on my screen and that is it. I did this decluttering app binge after talking to him during this episode.

Maha answers your questions

This week, Maha answers questions we’ve received through the podcast and on Instagram [https://instagram.com/digitalandsavvy] over the last few weeks. On this episode, how to market a new pizza place with a shoestring budget, does Maha play tennis, can you make a ‘big’ announcement entirely organically, and

“I use my shows to make a statement,” gallerist Isabelle van den Eynde on her curatorial techniques, working with Emirati artist Hassan Sharif and the challenges of showing art through the pandemic

This week we caught up with gallerist Isabelle van den Eynde, founder of the eponymous Gallery IVDE, one of Dubai’s most established and celebrated contemporary art spaces. Isabelle shared snippets of her journey through the local art scene and how the late artist Hassan Sharif’s artistic methods still

#147: Receipts

It doesn't matter how much cities talk  about being smart, the retailers, especially in this region haven't received the memo and are still handing us receipts. Often they are very long and two (one for the card and the other for all the things we bought of course!). What do

Nutrition pre & post pregnancy and everything in between

If you've had kids, you know pregnancy cravings all too well. But what should we know about the things we don't usually crave, like vitamins, minerals and balanced diets? My guest this week is Janine Higbie, a certified nutritionist, and she's got alll the tips on what and how to

Sarah Trad

Season 1 • Episode 3

#146: Sustainable products

I have been buying more and more products that are sustainable and better for the environment recently. Due to this increase in sustainability in my life, I wanted to highlight a few of these products and talk about sustainability generally. We do talk about period panties and cups so if

What I Did Next tops the Apple Podcasts charts

Plus, our podcast recommendations.

Communicate ME: What we learned from the latest State of Podcast Industry Report

Communicate ME spoke to CEO Chirag Desai on the State of Industry 2020 Report, standardisation and monetisation.

Arab News: New report explores state of podcasting in MENA in 2020

Arab News interviewed CEO Chirag Desai on the Amaeya Media State of Industry 2020 Report.

Should you be on Clubhouse?

A key takeaway for Maha to help get through periods like we've had last year were her relationships. Maha shares how she categorises them and recommends you get out your notebook and write down the relationships you will look after in the coming year.

‘If your concept isn’t differentiated, you’re selling hot air.’ Samer Hamadeh on his mission as an F&B owner/operator and how to develop an edge

This week we caught up with our d3 neighbor Samer Hamadeh to doubleclick on his pivot from nightlife impresario as founder of Stereo Arcade–a Dubai staple–to F&B as owner/operator of Akiba Dori, a licensed Japanese street food restaurant. Samer shared some insights he gained since launching

#145: Store rooms

Store rooms come in many sizes here in the UAE. From small rooms in apartments, to large rooms in villas and warehouses at the back of the garden (true story), I have seen them all and worked on decluttering and organising the store rooms for client’s. In this week’

Being a single mom and co-parenting in Saudi

Eiman had her life planned out for her when she moved back to Saudi Arabia and got married soon after. Turns out as much as she'd planned, some things just go differently. Join us as we talk about how marriage may not be for everyone, Eiman's experience living and dating

#144: Feeling overwhelmed

This might seem like it will be a heavy episode, but the aim of this week’s episode is to lift the feeling of being overwhelmed. This episode will enable you to understand where you are now, if you are feeling overwhelmed with clutter, and how you can start removing

Jalal Abu Ghazaleh & Dalia Sultan

Season 1 • Episode 2

Executive Summary

Our second State of the Industry report builds on last year’s report by delving into key trends that emerged from the year, while also showcasing some of the impact the pandemic exerted on the medium. This report combines insights from our listener survey, which ran during December 2020 and

55 per cent report higher podcast consumption since March 2020, reveals Amaeya Media's 2020 State of the Industry report

Amaeya Media publishes the annual report on the MENA podcast industry, revealing regional listener behaviour and key insights around podcast creation, monetisation, and consolidation.

From the CEO’s Desk

Amaeya Media CEO Chirag Desai shares his notes on the year, and the State of the Industry 2020 Report.

The Year That Was

A year unlike any other, the podcast industry witnessed an impact as well, although closing out the year on a few highs.

Changing Habits

The global and regional podcast industry saw impacts due to the changing listening habits due to COVID-19.

Brands in Podcasts

Brands continue to explore podcasts as a way to connect with their audiences in 2020, while listeners still lean positively to brand mentions in shows.

Monetisation

As advertising revenue was impacted in 2020, creators explored direct revenue options such as Patreon.

An Exclusive World

Unlike any year before it, 2020 reopened the debate of the open versus closed in podcasting, with Spotify spearheading siloed shows within its platform.

Standardisation

The challenges of standardisation continued to be tackled in 2020.

The Podcast Index

The Podcast Index was launched in 2020 as a decentralised, categorized podcast directory. It is now actively working to improve the podcast ‘namespace’.

The Podcast Academy

The Podcast Academy, launched to rival organizations such as The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, was launched in 2020.

Conclusion

There is little doubt that audio will continue to play a significant role in our future, and 2021 will be no different.

More podcast listening highlight of 2020: Our State of the Industry Report

55% of respondents said they listened to more podcasts since March 2020

#143: Bathrooms

This week we are talking about bathrooms and how to organise them. I thought we had discussed this before, but to my horror (and after it was pointed out to us by a listener - thank you Shayla), we had only talked about items in the bathroom, but not the

A toast to all women having kids after 40

They say that perfection is a journey that never ends. To be honest, my friend Cindy and I would like it to. Join us as we talk about how we've learned to accept becoming first time mothers after the age of 40, mental health during covid, the challenges of single

Amaeya Media Launches New Podcast What I Did Next

What I Did Next is the 17th show in the Network's portfolio, and its second show created in Egypt. Hosted by Malak Fouad, the What I Did Next podcast explores life's pivot points, both personal and professional.

Ahmed Alfi

Season 1 • Episode 1

Introducing: What I Did Next, a new podcast about life’s pivot points

Plus, why we switched email systems.

‘Every act of reading is historical,’ Nadia Wassef on the art of reading vs. the craft of writing, and the business of founding Diwan, one of Egypt’s most popular modern book stores

This week we’re joined remotely by Nadia Wassef who in 2002 co-founded Cairo’s popular Diwan bookstore with her sister, Hind Wassef and their friend Nihal. Now, with three Masters degrees in her pocket and a separation from Diwan, Nadia is embarking on the arduous journey of writing her

#142: Chirag Gets a New Email System

Chirag has moved to a new email service, Hey, as a way to get better control of his inboxes.

#141: The Minimalists: Less Is Now

There is another new documentary on Netflix (one day it will be me - inshallah!) by the two guys who call themselves the Minimalists. I thought it would be a series like the Marie Kondo and Home Edit ones, but this is a film (a bit long for me) discussing

Introducing: What I Did Next

What I did Next is a show that will explore life’s pivot points, both professional and personal. We’ll look at life’s journeys through this lens and how sometimes certain circumstances can lead to life-altering changes. Season One launches February 4, 2021 with a fantastic mix of guests

Between London and Cairo, and living with lupus

I'm joined today by my friend Naila Halawa--in person! Naila was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder at 24, and we spoke about how she copes with it and how it affected her decision to become a mother. We also come to the lovely realization that we've turned into our own

#140: Cars

For this weeks episode, I got inspiration from Chirag and his—although he denies it—disorganised car. I have been in many cars which have been a hot mess of clutter and it does make me angsty. Being in a small confined space with clutter and me being an annoying

Helen Farmer on evolving into a social media influencer & mompreneur yet maintaining a work-life balance while in the public eye

Is there a recipe for building a loyal following? Helen Farmer’s work combines effective storytelling and just enough vulnerability to resonate with her audience of radio listeners and tens of thousands of Instagram followers. As one of Dubai’s most popular radio hosts and author of “The Mothership” blog,

Your network is your net-worth

A key takeaway for Maha to help get through periods like we've had last year were her relationships. Maha shares how she categorises them and recommends you get out your notebook and write down the relationships you will look after in the coming year.

Veganuary & Vegan Psychology

The Two Vegans catch up over Veganuary, thoughts after attending a vegan psychology seminar, and reminisce about their own vegan journeys. Also available on video: Vimeo • YouTube

2020 in the Review Mirror

Feels good saying it’s behind us, doesn’t it? What started as a normal year filled with fresh resolutions and new aspirations slowly took a strange turn into an unknown trajectory. When we concluded our live podcast session with HE Zaki Nusseibeh late in February 2020, we didn’t

#139: Tea and Coffee stations

We live in an era of tea and coffee drinkers. There are so many types of both beverages, which means even more boxes, cups, jars, pots, and machines for these drinks to be made. Often I find the cups are in one place, tea bags somewhere else and the coffee

A Royal Challenge for 2021

He's back by popular demand! My husband Hazem joins me back on the show to recap 2020 and talk about our aspirations for 2021. We were intrigued by the launch of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's podcast, so naturally we listened to their first episode, and we had some thoughts and

The future of work in 2021

#138: Diaries and Calendars

I bought a new diary for 2021. Yes, it was a bit of a bonkers idea considering how 2020 turned out, but I had a good reason for my purchase. I discuss the bonkers reasoning and also how I decluttered and organised my old diaries and calendars whilst I was

2021: Intention & Attention

Happy New Year everyone! We're kicking off 2021 with Maha's top learnings from the year that was, and her outlook for everything you need to pay attention to over the next 12 months. She also shares why 2021 is the year of intention & attention.

Reviewing 2020

The Two Vegans get together to reminisce the various news and happenings of 2020.

#137: The 2020 Review

Do we really want to talk about this year? Really? Well it was a weird one, but we got onto YouTube because of it and had lots of really cool episodes with great guests and topics. Find out about our great year (yep we are being positive - as much

The Dubai Framer

Season 2 • Episode 2

“You need to have a niche and really invest in yourself.” Tariq Khayyat on architecture in the region; working with Zaha Hadid; and his advice for aspiring architects

We caught up with Tariq Khayyat, one of the leading architects in the region, and a long time guest favorite of our restaurant in d3. Khayyat is the founder of a bespoke architecture firm, TKDP, in Dubai and leads grand scale projects including Shenzhen Luohu in China. But before this,

Fed is best

I’m joined on the show by Kaz Castillo, a yogi who runs her own practice specialized in Ashtanga Yoga, a close friend and a recent mother—her son was born in December 2019. We chat about her returning to work just a couple months after becoming a mother, traveling

‘Gear your life towards more than one legacy,’ Michelin Star Chef Daniel Boulud on wearing multiple hats to turbocharge a successful multi-decade career

Warning: Riveting birthday party anecdotes included, compliments of the Chef! 😉 This week we caught up with Michelin Star Chef Daniel Boulud on location at his newly launched Brasserie Boulud at the Sofitel Obelisk in Dubai. Chef Daniel is heralded as one of the world’s top chefs and has many

Sh*t, we’re old.

I've known Nicole Sprague for many years, back when she lived in Cairo, before we had kids and life consisted of endlessly socializing over drinks with friends. And while we don't have endless hours to discuss our "relationships" anymore, we do make time to compare notes about marriage and motherhood.

Goumbook: Tatiana Antonelli

Season 4 x Episode 5

Communicate: The Jingle that Didn’t Get Away

CEO Chirag Desai shares his answer to Communicate’s question to the industry on jingles from their childhood that have stuck with them.

“You can’t be noticed unless there is sincerity in your work.” Fashion designer Yasmine Yeya on being inspired by Egypt’s beauty, landing Jennifer Lopez as a customer, and debunking the overnight success myth

How do you go from working in advertising, to waking up with a gazillion Instagram notifications of J.LO wearing your mustard yellow couture gown to her movie premiere? In this week’s episode, Hashem sits with fellow Egyptian, designer Yasmine Yeya, to discuss what entrepreneurship means to her…and

What?? You take your child to work?!

My friend Nadine Dumas is a mother to her 8 year old boy, lives in the Cayman Islands and is a former accountant-turned-successful-entrepreneur. She's an eating psychology practioner, mind & body nutrition coach and 11x international cover model while also being a leading business woman and influencer in the worldwide fitness

Thynk: Rayan Malik & Yusuf Zia

Season 4 x Episode 4

“I’m not going to measure somebody by whether or not they’ve had a show at the MoMA,” Maya Allison on her curatorial techniques and how she forged a successful artist-curator bond ahead of the UAE Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale

In this week’s episode, Hashem, a long-time art enthusiast & collector, is joined by Maya Allison, Executive Director & Chief Curator of NYUAD’s Art Gallery, who shares glimpses of her professional journey leaving the New York/American art scene and moving to Abu Dhabi to establish The NYUAD Art Gallery.

Behind-the-Show with Heba Shunbo

Heba is the host of Mommy’s Happy Hour, a podcast about all things motherhood.

Sleep training for your sanity

I had no idea how sleep deprived I would be after I had the twins. Four months of minimal sleep and screaming babies all-day-long led to a complete nervous breakdown. That's when I decided to sleep-train the twins, and it still remains the best decision I made. On the episode,

‘ “Life is beautiful” has become a personal philosophy for me.’ Fatafeat founder Youssef El Deeb on his creative journey across media platforms, & the Arabic saying that became his life’s calling

This week’s episode was quite a unique experience for us at the recording studio that we hope all you listeners will enjoy! Our guest, Youssef El Deeb, is the founder of Fatafeat, the first Arab TV company that was acquired by a global media conglomerate, Discovery. In a time

Amaeya Media Announces the Launch of The Mommy’s Happy Hour Podcast

A new show that will traverse multiple facets of motherhood, and our first podcast to be created out of Egypt.

Sh*t, what were we thinking?!

My husband and I recount our first year as parents, and not sure how we made it through our first year with twins.  We discuss candidly, the good, the bad and the funny of the first year of parenting.

Sugaholic Bakeshop: Ravisha Bhatia

Season 4 x Episode 3

Howzat!

Season 2 • Episode 1

Campaign ME: Managing your mental health in Covid times

Our CEO Chirag Desai spoke to Campaign Middle East about how the Amaeya Media team dealt with the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic as part of their feature to mark World Mental Health Day. The story also features insights from mental health experts and information about resources. Managing your

“We don't have pills for eating disorders.” Eating Disorder expert Carine El Khazen on signs for the early detection of mental health issues, and how to cope with the collective trauma of the pandemic.

This week Hashem caught up with Dr. Carine El Khazen, clinical psychologist at the American Center in Dubai, and Vice President of MEEDA (Middle East Eating Disorders Association). Eating disorders are the deadliest form of mental illness, and 95% of sufferers are women between the ages of 15 to 25.

The Lighthouse: Hashem Montasser

Season 4 x Episode 2

‘Our world is not an ashtray’, with Monica Barten, Director Communications at Philip Morris Middle East

Philip Morris International's ongoing sustainability efforts include working to lower emissions, use energy more efficiently, and combat deforestation. In addition, PMI is determined to fight the environmental damage caused by plastic and post-consumer waste from their products - particularly cigarette butts. Around the globe, PMI teams have organized litter cleanups,

“You’re not investing in my husband, you’re investing in me” Bulkwhiz Founder, Amira Rashad, on navigating the entrepreneurial landscape as a woman

Hashem is joined by fellow hybrid Egyptian/Arab/American, Amira Rashad, founder of Dubai’s first bulk online shopping portal, Bulkwhiz. As the founder of a retail startup that implements AI and bespoke customer service, Amira shares her philosophy behind Bulkwhiz, why even affluent customers like a good deal, and

Behind-the-Show with Shelina Jokhiya

Shelina Jokhiya is the host of DeCluttr Me, a podcast about organising and decluttering your life.

Frying Pan Adventures: Arva Ahmed

Season 4 x Episode 1

Season 4 begins September 22

A new season on how companies—and the people behind them—are coping as we exit the various lockdowns in place due to the global pandemic. Join host Chirag Desai as he chats with a couple of former guests and partners, starting September 22.

Maha’s tips on adding value to a business

Maha often talks about creating value--for yourself and for others—and this episode features a few tips on how to get started on that process of value creation. She also shares a few pointers on how to define that value for a client so that it's a win-win for everyone.

Hashem Montasser on lessons he learned from his first year of podcasting and why content is always king

Our podcast is celebrating its first milestone: 20 episodes! And we’d like to give our listeners around the world a HUGE shoutout: Thank you for tuning in. While it’s been almost one year since we aired our first episode, it feels like yesterday. And we’ve learned a

S3 Wrapup

Courtney Brandt wraps up season three with producer Chirag Desai.

David Tusing

Our thoughts go out to the passengers and families of the repatriation flight IX1344 that crashed off the runway in Kerala, leaving 18 dead and several others injured. On our season finale this week, we're speaking to David Tusing who started working with various underprevileged groups in the community to

Zeina El-Dana on the changing face of PR and why female mentorship matters

Hashem is joined this week by Zeina El-Dana, founder & CEO of Z7 communications which she founded in 2007. Since then, Z7 has grown to become the premier PR agency for luxury brands in the region.

Behind-the-Show with Mouza Ali Alhameli

Mouza Alhameli is the host of Linazher ma3 Mouza (لنزهر مع موزة)

Fathers and kids: Vahid Fotuhi

This week, we're joined by Vahid Fotuhi, Chief Camper of Fathers and Kids Camping, which is celebrating their tenth year. They have designed and implemented events that involve camping weekends in various locations across the Arabian Gulf.  Select members of the group have also traveled to other countries for service-oriented

Gift-a-Meal by Frying Pan Adventures: Farida Ahmed

With many people affected by the lockdowns due to the worldwide pandemic, not knowing where the next meal will come is especially stressful. Enter Frying Pan Adventures, whose Stay-home Gift-a-Meal initiative has been getting wholesome meals from local community restaurants to neighbours who have lost their income during the COVID-19

‘Tales of the Trade’ & ‘Savvy Talk’ in Startup Scene ME’s list of shows for entrepreneurs

Tales of the Trade [https://talesofthe.trade] & Savvy Talk [https://amaeya.media/savvytalk] were featured by Startup Scene ME as part of their '12 Podcasts every entrepeneur should tune into right now [https://thestartupscene.me/EntrepreneurLife/12-Podcasts-By-Arab-Creators-Every-Entrepreneur-Should-Tune-into-Right-Now] ' series. Tales of the Trade, which is a narrative show featuring the

Richard Windsor on the implications of breaking up Big Tech, why Apple and Google are surprisingly similar, and what the Tik Tok fuss is all about.

This week Hashem is joined by Richard Windsor, founder of Radio Free Mobile which focuses on research & analysis across the digital & mobile ecosystem. Richard shares his thoughts on the current technology landscape—the handful of companies that dominate the sector (known as Big Tech or FAANG) and the prevailing mood

Peahead: Christine Wilson

Meet Christine Wilson, a Dubai resident who has spent her self-isolation period building a business with the help of YouTube and a sewing machine to create unique limited edition & handmade accessories using recycled & sustainable materials. So, what exactly does she make? Well, if you’re a current or former UAE

8 Practical tips for essential communication

We've been facing a huge shift in everything we do thanks to the circumstances around us--from how we live and shop to how we communicate with each other. On this episode, Maha shares 8 tips on communicating the essentials, how we can learn from all this and how we can

Maha on creating value & networking in the post-Covid era (Channel 4 Interview)

Maha joins Nimi on Channel 4 to talk about how you can get started on creating your personal brand and adding value to every relationship. Transcript Maha: Hi everybody just wanted to share a interview that I did with Channel 4 in Dubai with my good friend Nimi. Nimi and

Safe Space: Dani Hakim

The discussion around the support of mental health in the Middle East is an ongoing one, and one we feel deserves continued attention, much like our previous seasons. The key element of course in discussing mental health is having a secure environment where people are comfortable talking about it. Today’

Behind-the-Show with CSR of One, and your 🎧 playlist for the long weekend!

Behind-the-Show with Courtney Brandt from CSR of One It’s only befitting that we introduce you to Courtney Brandt, host CSR of One, which launched its third season this month. Through the BTS series, we aim to introduce our listeners to your favourite podcast host and perhaps unveil some interesting

Debra Kletter on creating magical “food experiences” for her clients and why flavors have memory

As the world of theatre was affected by the recession a decade ago, Debra Kletter founded Eat Quest NYC, a service that creates bespoke food itineraries for her clients. So successful was she at doing so that Alec Baldwin called her ‘the restaurant whisperer’. On this episode recorded earlier in

Behind-the-Show with Courtney Brandt

Courtney Brandt is the host of CSR of One, a podcast and social initiative to inspire people and communities to think beyond their own platforms and share on behalf of others.

Picture Happiness Project: Zainab Al Sawalhi

We sat down with Zainab Al Sawalhi to discuss an idea that made us think, ‘Now, why didn’t I start this?’ The Picture Happiness Project works to spread a message of compassion and inspire kindness. This Dubai-based movement is a simple, but generous way to anonymously make someone’s

Communicate ME: Chirag Desai on audio advertising & the podcast ecosystem

Our CEO Chirag Desai elaborates on the advantages of podcast advertising and how Amaeya Media produces branded shows for our partners in this focused interview with Nathalie Bontems for Communicate ME. Communicate Middle East is a quarterly magazine covering the regional media world. How Podcast Network Amaeya Keeps Its Ear

Stop & Help: Heather Harries

The world has changed dramatically in the past few months, and its impacts are felt by everyone in all walks of life. Enter Heather Harries, her husband, and their three children. Together, they launched Stop and Help that has grown into a team of 50 volunteers, and had managed to

Raja Al Mazrouei on Dubai’s fintech initiative and why she’s betting on a digital banking future

This week we’re talking Fintech with Raja Al Mazrouei, Vice President of the DIFC FinTech Hive, an accelerator program under the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) umbrella. Raja talks to Hashem about how Dubai—through its financial hub, the DIFC—is creating an ecosystem for fintech startups who are

Thrift for Good: Jennifer Sault

Welcome to Season 3! We began recording this season in the weeks leading up to the global pandemic and our ask was the same as previous seasons—what can we do with our personal platforms to make a difference, and what are we using social media for, outside of liking

We’ve rebranded, and here’s why

We realised last year that our brand has since evolved significantly, and this identity did not accurately reflect us or our personality. What may have been a 'new entrant' brand when we started is a brand that is courageous in exploration, bold and honest.

Nelio Leone on how Italian grannies are the ultimate weapons of mass surveillance & why privacy concerns should be on everyone’s mind

This week, Hashem Montasser is in conversation with Nelio Leone, Founder of Urban Monks, a growth marketing agency he started in early 2019. Before going down the entrepreneurial route, Nelio was a marketing manager at L'Oreal in Paris, Director of Brand at Careem and Head of Growth at Washmen. Nelio

Behind-the-Show with Vinita Bharadwaj

Vinita Bharadwaj is the host and co-producer of KarāmaSūtra, chronicles from communities we’ve grown up with.

Decluttering: the way to a low impact life, with Shelina Jokhiya

A lot of people think of decluttering as merely cleaning up or getting rid of things but not many understand its link with living a low impact life. When someone else uses something we get rid of, it reduces their consumption and impact just as much as our own. And

Instagram Live with Alli Webb, founder of DryBar

As we continue this season helping you built the toolkit you need, I’m also going to be talking to entrepreneurs and brand owners about how they're dealing with the circumstances and impacts of the pandemic. My guest for this episode is the CEO & Founder of DryBar, Alli Webb. We

The future of commute, with Adam Ridgeway

According to the The NY Researcher Market Watch, the electric 2-wheeler market is expected to grow at a compound rate of 4.6% to reach US$6.9 billion by 2024. This week, we're joined by Adam Ridgeway, the founder & CEO of One Moto here in Dubai, which finds itself

The Lives of Our Fathers

Season 1 Episode 9

On a mission to empower one million Arab women, with Sheikha Intisar Al Sabah

This week, we're joined by Her Highness Sheikha Intisar Al Sabah, a princess of the royal AlSabah family of Kuwait. Sheikha Intisar is a philanthropist, entrepreneur, author and columnist. She believes in using her knowledge, experience and personal discoveries to inspire people to look, feel and do better and is

Crisis Communications in a Pandemic

Hey everyone, it's been a while and I hope you're all staying safe. We're back this week and starting off with an episode on my insights on how brands and companies should communicate during a crisis especially as it relates to Covid-19. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks

Tarik Al-Zaharna on finding his voice in the region’s architectural landscape and why friction is sometimes necessary when creating new design concepts

The Lighthouse was conceived as a design-centric brand from the outset and its founders never took its design aesthetic—whether interior, graphic or digital design—for granted. So when joined this week by Tarik Al-Zaharna, Founder of T.ZED Architects, we asked him to take us through his journey into

Clean water empowering future generations, with Sunil Lalvani

This week, we're joined by Sunil Lalvani, the founder of Project Maji which seeks to bring sustainable access to safe water across rural sub-Saharan Africa through solar-powered water kiosks. Sunil shares his experience on starting & operating a social enterprise in the region and the overall impact having safe drinking water

Behind-the-Show with Heetal Bhatia

Heetal Bhatia is the co-host of The Two Vegans.

The role of insects in the future of food, with Patrick Crowley

This week, we’re sharing a conversation from a few months ago when we attended (and had a live podcast station) the Global Forum on Innovations for Marginal Envionrments held by ICBA in Dubai; the opening address by Her Excellency Mariam Bint Mohammed Almheiri, the Minister of State for Food

The Joe Rogan & Spotify exclusive deal and what that could mean for the podcast industry

The podcast news sphere was abuzz last week with Spotify announcing that The Joe Rogan Experience [http://podcasts.joerogan.net/] (JRE)--among the most popular podcasts worldwide (and right up there on YouTube too)--would be moving exclusively to Spotify [https://newsroom.spotify.com/2020-05-19/the-joe-rogan-experience-launches-exclusive-partnership-with-spotify/] , with all of his

Louis Lebbos on why we haven’t yet seen a superagency in the region & supporting local entrepreneurs

From our LIVE Facebook conversation with Louis Lebbos, Founding Partner at UAE-based Astrolabs. Louis chats with Hashem about why his co-founder Muhammed Mekki and him left their previous startup Namshi to start Astrolabs and the risks of raising money from the wrong VCs. He also shares his thoughts on digital

Beauty without Cruelty, with Leena Al Abbas

As we all continue to deal with the impacts of the restrictions in place to control the spread of the Novel Coronavirus, we’d like to encourage you to support your local businesses at this time in any way possible—whether it is ordering from them, donating to them, sharing

Sustainability in business: how local SMEs can get involved, with David Alvarez & Keith Bradley

This week, we're joined by David Ramos Álvarez, Senior Manager of Sustainability at HSBC and Keith Bradley, Founder & Managing Partner at Globally. The two companies have partnered together as part of the Living Business Programme which aims to help startups adopt more sustainable practices in their operations. Tune in to

Hashem Montasser and Hany Bassiouny on adapting The Lighthouse’s strategy for the post-Covid-19 era

We’re going behind the scenes this week with the Lighthouse’s Hashem Montasser & Hany Bassiouny who speak with producer Chirag Desai about how they’re dealing with the consequences of Covid-19 and its current impact on their business. They also share their insights on how the F&B industry

Amaeya Media announces ‘The Journey’, a new documentary-style podcast by Volkswagen

The show features successful UAE-based entrepreneurs and unravels the hard-hitting truth behind their road to greatness.

Pioneering sustainable solutions to tackle food security, with Abdulaziz AlMulla

This week, we're joined by Abdulaziz AlMulla, the founder & CEO of Madar Farms about the realities of water consumption and its effect on food security, how they’re handling this imbalance as well as helping educate the masses about the problem. The realities of just 1% of our land being

QuaranTimes | Norwalk, CT, United States

Season 1 • Episode 8

Fashion with a conscience, with Araceli Gallego

This week, on the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh in 2013, which killed 1,138 people and injured many more, we encourage millions of people to come together to campaign for systemic change in the fashion industry. We are living in a climate emergency and the

Moving towards net-zero carbon buildings, with Saeed Al Abbar

We're joined this week via web conference by Saeed Al Jabbar, founder & MD of AESG, a specialist consultancy firm focused on energy, sustainable development and urban improvement. We talk to Saeed about AESG's approach to better urban development, the impact of the current world situation on the construction industry & his

Chris Khalifa on pivoting from investment banking to F&B by starting Egyptian street food icon Zööba and learning key lessons after initially failing fast and hard.

This week, we’re joined from New York City by Chris Khalifa, founder of Zööba, an Egyptian street food concept he launched in Cairo in 2012 and took all the way to NYC late last year. Chris shares the story behind Zööba and how--after initially expanding too quickly and failing--they

Aparna Verma

Season 1 • Episode 2

Paul Evans

Season 1 • Episode 1

Conscious consumerism, with Maria Sillanpaa

We hope you and your loved ones are safe, and that you're listening to this episode from the comfort of your home. This week, we're sharing our conversation with Maria Sillanpaa, founder of Sustainability Advisory. This was a conversation we did much before the restrictions were put in to control

Chirag Desai on The EAST Podcast

Chirag Desai, CEO at Amaeya Media, joins Partha Srinivasan on The East Podcast to talk about the world of podcasting, the Amaeya Media State of the Industry Report 2019 [https://amaeya.media/2019-state-of-the-industry/] and Chirag's top tips on getting started with your own shows.

Amina Naguib on B_URN taking Cairo by storm & building a lifestyle business centered around physical and mental well-being

There’s been an explosion in terms of people’s focus on health—both physical as well as mental & general well-being—over the last few years. Amina Naguib embodies this positive trend as the Founder of Cairo-based B_URN, a workout loosely based on the Lagree fitness method that has

Touching the pickle (jar)

Season 1 • Episode 7

Humans vs Nature, with Tanzeed Alam

This week, we're joined by Tanzeed Alam, MD of Earth Matters — they are a consultancy focusing on strategy & advisory services to help find practical solutions around climate crises and human development. Tanzeed shares his thought on climate change and how they're enabling the businesses they work with. We also talk

Aegis Hospitality: Samer Hamadeh

Over a decade ago, a young man left behind his masters program to move to the UAE. It didn't take long for him to spot an opportunity to branch out on his own and today--as much as he hates the term--can only be defined as a serial entrepreneur. Pull up

Teaser

A preview to the first season of The Journey, a podcast by Volkswagen committed to unraveling the truth behind the road to greatness. Join us as we share the journeys of two powerhouse individuals who tell us about their most vulnerable moments, how they broke free even when they wanted

Vilma Jurkute on developing Alserkal Avenue into an arts & culture hub by taking risks on risk-takers

This week, we’re joined by Vilma Jurkute, Director at Alserkal who shares her experience in developing Alserkal Avenue as the leading arts & culture district in the region. She chronicles its evolution from a marble factory owned by the Alserkal family to a collection of art and design galleries, artists’

The Water Project, with Adam Torrey

With March 22 being World Water Day, we're joined on this episode by Adam Torrey from The Water Project, a non-profit focused on reliable water projects around clean water and sanitization in sub-Saharan Africa. Adam shares how The Water Project meets its goals as well as helps put various aspects

Nabbesh: Loulou Khazen

Building a successful technology platform and a business model that is sutainabile is hard enough; doing that without a technology background in a part of the world not exactly conducive to the gig economy requires a steely determination. So pull up a chair & join our conversation with Loulou Khazen, founder

Zaki Nusseibeh chronicles his personal journey with art & the importance of storytelling in building identities

In our first live conversation at The Lighthouse since launching the podcast, HE Minister of State Zaki Nusseibeh shares personal anecdotes from his childhood in Jerusalem, the early days of the UAE when he worked as a translator for HH Sheikh Zayed and the development of its arts and culture

Debt, despair, destiny

Season 1 • Episode 6

Leading a purpose driven life, with Maggie Doyne

On this episode, we’re joined by Maggie Doyne, founder of Blink Now Foundation, which provides quality education & a safe environment for children in Nepal. With thanks to Dana Al Matrook, founder of the Kind Human Collective.

Middle East Film & Comic Con: Arafaat Ali Khan

In the late 2000s, halfway across the world from the premiere event in the pop culture scene--the San Diego Comic Con--a young man couldn’t understand why the Middle East didn’t have one of these mega events for the aficionados of comic books & pop culture. Pull up a chair

Reif Othman on propelling Zuma into one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants and on launching his own, Reif Kushiyaki

We’re continuing with our food theme this month with a chef who’s left a tremendous mark on the Middle East culinary scene since his debut at Zuma in 2009. Reif Othman is a new breed of owner-operator chefs who landed Zuma Dubai on the “World’s Best 50

Majlis Talk: What is the role of the artist in society?

In the context of shifting definitions surrounding the role that the artist plays in nation building and place-making, Stephen Hobbs (Director of Johannesburg’s The Trinity Session) and Laila Binbrek (Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE la Biennale di Venezia) unpack insights that reflect on current trends and possible

Gulf Photo Plus & Seeing Things: Mohamed Somji

Just as the smartphone was revolutionizing the camera industry post-2007, a young expat was leaving behind his career as a brand marketer to become a photojournalist. Pull up a chair & join our conversation with Mohamed Somji, Director of Gulf Photo Plus & Founder, Seeing Things Photography. Credits Hosted & produced by Chirag

Mohamad Ballout on how to capitalize on being a first mover & positioning cloud kitchen pioneer Kitopi as a global brand

We’re joined by serial entrepreneur Mohamad Ballout, Founder of Dubai-based foodtech pioneer Kitopi, currently the world’s leading managed cloud kitchen platform. Founded in January 2018, Kitopi has quickly expanded to five countries having added Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UK & the US to its roster after raising a successful

Love, actually

Season 1 • Episode 5

Beyond dental care, with Dr. David Roze

This week, we're talking to Dr. David Roze, from the Dr. Roze & Associates Dental Clinic and the first member of our Fair Care initiative to provide affordable dental care to those who need it. Dr. Roze also explains why everything is linked to our teeth & how holistic medicine including dentistry

Boom & Mellow: Sima Barazi Haroun

Understanding how to scale your business—whether adding employees, opening a new branch, or even looking at funding—is really hard to do day-to-day. And when you've operated in a single-store model for over a decade, how do you go about changing gears towards a growth-oriented business? Pull up a

Isobel Abulhoul on building book centric businesses & instilling reading habits in children

This week, we’re joined by the CEO of the LitFest Foundation, Isobel Abulhoul, who is at the the center of the UAE & the region’s literary fraternity. Since arriving in Dubai over 50 years ago, she’s launched a prominent bookstore chain, a children’s publishing company and the

From Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week: Recycled water & AquaTEC

We had the opporutnity to sit down with the team from the Abu Dhabi Distribution Company during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, which brings together policy makers, industry specialists and the next generation of sustainability leaders under one roof. Engr. Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Project Director, and Humaid Al Shamsi, Reveneue Management

MX-Academy: Mohammed Al Balooshi

Nearly two decades ago, jumping on a dirt bike led a young man down the path to become the UAE’s athlete of the year in 2018 & set up a training center for anyone who wanted to learn the sport. So pull up a chair & join our conversation with Mohammed

Orit Mohammed on launching Boon Coffee & breaking the stereotypes around Ethiopian women and female entrepreneurship

This week, we're talking coffee with Orit Mohammed, founder of Boon Coffee. Orit hails from Ethiopia and decided to reconnect with the coffee culture she grew up with by supporting coffee farmers through her company. She's recently also added a B2C component to her business by opening two cafes in

Season 3 begins 21 January!

Happy 2020 everyone! It's been a busy 12 months for us here at AMAEYA Media, in fact we launched the network's 14th show in late November! We're also excited to share that a new season of Tales of the Trade begins next week, with a new episode every second Tuesday.

To market, to market

Season 1 • Episode 4

Maha’s 2020 outlook

Happy New Year everyone! This week, I'm sharing my top 10 things to keep an eye on in 2020--for your communication strategy and for yourself too. Plus, details about my upcoming bootcamp in Dubai [https://digitalandsavvy.com].

Khaleej Times: Podcasts gain regional audience

Khaleej Times featured insights from our State of the Industry Report 2019 [https://more.amaeya.media/2019-state-of-the-industry-report]: > The year 2019 was monumental for the podcast industry, according to a 'State of the Industry' survey published by Amaeya Media, one of the UAE's largest podcast networks. Three findings have emerged from

Communicate: The State of Podcasts in MENA

Communicate, an online magazine covering the Middle East media world, featured insights from our State of the Industry Report 2019 [https://more.amaeya.media/2019-state-of-the-industry-report].

Down Under with GaryVee (our closed door session at GVx in Sydney)

Savvy Talk: Down Under with Gary Vee 0:00  /0:00 1× In August I was in Australia with Gary Vaynerchuk as part of a deep-dive session called the GaryVee Experience (GVx), where attendees get time with everyone who works with Gary—David Rock, Tyler Schmitt, Claude Silver ... and me!

The dirty side of dry cleaning, with Elham AlQasm

Happy New Year everyone! We're back this week with the inspiring Elham AlQasm, the first Arab woman to ski to the North Pole in 2010. As she was looking for her next venture, she launched the Natural Laundry Company in 2015 to correct the perceptions people have about dry cleaning

كن مخلصًا لحقيقتك

حلقتنا اليوم بعنوان (كن مخلصاً لحقيقتك) وضيفتنا في هذه الحلقة السيدة رائدة الأعمال.. نور التميمي، الرئيس التنفيذي في "مجموعة داشينغ الدولية" للمزيد من المعلومات عن ضيفة الحلقة على حساب [الإنستغرام[(https://instagram.com/@nooraltamimi) تابعو أيضاً حساب الإنستغرام لأكاديمية أزهِر للمزيد من التفاصيل عن بودكاست [لنزهر مع موزة](https:

AMEInfo: Demand for podcasts strong in region

AMEinfo reporting business news & views from across the MENA region, featured insights from our State of the Industry Report 2019 [https://more.amaeya.media/2019-state-of-the-industry-report]. Business Real Estate News | Technology | Travel GuideTravel Guide [https://www.ameinfo.com/industry/media/demand-for-podcasts-strong-in-the-region-amaeya-media-survey]

Patrick Rogers on how startup founders can avoid common pitfalls

This week, we're talking to Patrick Rogers whose latest venture, Clara, attempts to solve entrepreneurship legal pain-points by combining human expertise with techonology. And as someone who advises startups a lot, Patrick also shared his insights on common pitfalls entrepreneurs should watch for when setting up their companies. If you

Executive Summary

The Apple Podcasts directory crossed its 800,000th show listing in December 2019, a first for the medium that has been soaring in popularity over the last five years. The industry itself is poised to exceed US$2 billion in advertising revenue globally by 2021 according to a study by

Note from the CEO

As we wrap up two years of being a podcast-first company in the UAE—a journey that led to AMAEYA Media becoming the largest podcast network in the country with 14 shows—it was fundamental for us to provide the right context for the industry and gather insights from listeners

Introduction

2019 was a monumental year in many ways for the industry with acquisitions, reshuffles and various new launches. There has been significant movement within the region as well this year.

The dichotomy: local vs. international content

Although nearly half of podcast listeners surveyed said they were open to listening to regional content, only 28% are actually listening to local shows. There are quite a few reasons for this dichotomy.

Outlook for Regional Podcasting

< Previous: The Dichotomy: Local vs International Content [https://amaeya.media/2020-the-dichotomy-local-vs-international-content]In order for local podcasters to grow their reach, there needs to be a stronger understanding of what listeners are looking for. There continue to be challenges regionally that need to be addressed to help create opportunities for the

The Challenge of Standardisation

< Previous: Outlook for Regional Podcasting [https://amaeya.media/2019-outlook-for-regional-podcasting]As a medium, podcasts are fundamentally different from today’s social platforms, where the various elements of the chain—from publishing to consumption—is not controlled by a single platform, compared to platforms like YouTube for video or Instagram for social

Monetisation

< Previous: The Challenge of Standardisation [https://amaeya.media/2019-the-challenge-of-standardisation]Podcasts are monetized in a few ways globally. Larger media companies with internal podcast teams tend to drive listenership from within their existing channels, and monetize through existing brand partnerships. Podcast-first companies use monetization models that are split between advertising and

The Case for Brands in Podcasts

< Previous: Monetisation [https://amaeya.media/2019-monetisation]With podcast advertising revenue expected to cross US$2.4 billion globally, it comes as no surprise that brands have found their space in the medium over the last few years, and 2019  was no different. According to ‘Audio: Activated’ [https://www.bbc.co.

Conclusion

< Previous: The Case for Brands in Podcasts [https://amaeya.media/2019-the-case-for-brands-in-podcasts]From the trends we’ve witnessed this year, Steve Jobs was right when he announced in 2005 [https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2005/06/28Apple-Takes-Podcasting-Mainstream/] that podcasting was the future of audio. At the time, the Apple Podcasts directory

The jewel of Egypt, Azza Fahmy

Savvy Talk: Azza Fahmy 0:00  /0:00 1× Excited to share my first Arabic interview with the jewel of Egypt, Azza Fahmy. Azza is the founder of a Jewellery company that works to bring timeless jewellery through modern & eclectic cultural designs. I talk to her about starting out in

Purpose driven news, with Katie Couric

Katie is a journalist, an author and has been a significant part of the success stories of ABC, CBS & NBC, not to mention CNN & Yahoo News.

الطريق إلى محبة الذات

حلقتنا اليوم بعنوان (الطريق إلى محبة الذات) وضيفنا في هذه الحلقة الدكتور والمؤلف ورجل الأعمال والمدرب في الوعي الإنساني.. د. سلطان العثيم.. للمزيد من المعلومات عن ضيف الحلقة على حساب [الإنستغرام](https://instagram.com/salothaim) تابعو أيضاً حساب الإنستغرام لأكاديمية أزهِر للمزيد من التفاصيل عن بودكاست [لنزهر مع موزة]

The yo-yos that started a library

Season 1 • Episode 3

Daneh Buahmad on juggling three careers & empowering women through her fashion designs

On this episode, we talk to Saudi designer Daneh Buahmad who launched her women’s fashion label DANEH nearly 10 years ago.

Conquering the North Pole, with Elham Al Qasim

On this episode, I talk with the inspiring Elham Al Qasim, the first Arab woman and first Emirati to ski to the North Pole. We talk about what lead her to taking on the challenge, and how she handled the physical and mental aspect of it all. We also touch

Engaging women for a better future, with Assia Riccio

Assia Riccio is the founder of Evolvin Women, an organization that provides a platform to prepare unemployed women from less privileged backgrounds in Africa. In just 3 years, Evolvin Women provides support, including 550+ hours each month of mentorship to the women they help as part of their program.

Styling Yourself, with Jane Taylor

How often do we find ourselves in the contrasting dilemma of having too much in our closets, and yet nothing to wear. On this episode I sit with Jane Taylor, a personal stylist who works at Wear That, which is a personalized subscription box service that customizes looks for your

بداية الطريق

في حلقتنا الأولى من بودكاست (لنُزهِر مع موزة)، والتي ستكون بعنوان: (بداية الطريق)، سأشارككم رحلتي المستمرة في محبة ذاتي ومعرفتها ولماذا بدأت هذا البودكاست وعملي الخاص (أكاديمية أزهِر للتدريب على مهارات محبة الذات والحياة). كل أسبوعين سأقوم باستضافة ضيف مميز من الأشخاص اللذين ألهموني خلال هذه الرحلة،

Myrna Ayad on the evolution & perception of Middle East art

On our first episode, we talk to Mryna Ayad, the former Editor-in-Chief of art magazine Canvas and now an independent art consultant who continues to shape the way art & artists from the Middle East are represented internationally. In addition to her professional journey that took her from Canvas to Director

Pre-opening diaries

A special prequel episode from the team of The Lighthouse Conversations podcast, which will focus on the regional arts, culture & entrepreneurial landscape. At our launch event held at The Lighthouse in D3, producer Chirag Desai chats with founder of the Lighthouse & host of the show Hashem Montasser about the journey

Balancing work, life & baking, with Layal Takieddine

On this episode I sat down with the incredibly talented Layal Takieddine, baker extraordinaire and the woman behind Gemini Bakes. Our conversation is jam-packed with so many amazing & actionable tips, foolproof recipes to try as well as how she went about building her personal brand online. Layal was gracious to

Introducing: The Lighthouse Conversations

The Lighthouse Conversations launches 20 Nov 2019

Letting go of clutter, with Shelina Jokhiya

Do you ever get that feeling when you walk into your home, or even towards your desk at the office and you feel overwhelmed by the a pile of clothes or papers or other keepsakes? You just don’t know where to begin, and with that also comes the guilt

The business of philanthropy, with Yann Bordstedt

This week, we're talking to Yann Borgstedt, a Swiss entrepreneur turned philanthropist who started the Womanity Foundation in 2005 with a focus on empowering women in countries such as Afghanistan, Brazil, India and the Middle East & North Africa.

The Outliers

Season 1 • Episode 2

The Comedy Hustle, with Arzoo Malhotra

Public speaking is tough enough, but then to have the added pressure of trying to make people laugh is no easy feat. And when you cross that ability with the background of a data-scientist who researches agriculture & climate change, you get a guest who packs a punch! Join our conversation

The National: Why more people than ever are creating audio content in the UAE

Amaeya Media CEO Chirag Desai shares his thoughts about podcasting in the UAE & the larger region alongwith other local podcasters in this piece by The National. > It was only in September 2017 that Chirag Desai, founder and chief executive of Amaeya Media, launched the company with the podcasts, The Two

The EV era, with Kyle Weber & Salman Hussein

We recently celebrated World Energy Day, and when we talk about energy, one of the major considerations is that of transportation. On this episode we're we’re talking to a company that is looking to tackle this issue of awareness of electric vehicles (EVs), and help improve their adoption through

Introducing: لنزهر مع موزة

S2 Wrapup

We're recapping our takeaways from Season 2 on this special episode. Thank you for joining us this season and we'll be back with Season 3 real soon!

The Subconscious Mind & Energy Healing, with Dalia Halabi

With phrases like energy healing, chakras, theta and reiki becoming a lot more mainstream today, I’m excited to be speaking to Dalia Halabi for our premiere episode. She’s a licensed energy healer practicing various modalities as well as yoga. Dalia helps explain the various modalities and why they

The BeeKeepers Association, with Varsha Pherwani

Everyone could use some help, from the biggest societies to the smallest creatures. On our season finale, we're joined by Varsha Pherwani who volunteers with the Beekeepers Association and how they work to preserve the bees.

Introducing: The Way We Live

A podcast featuring conversations from and about women in our region--sharing their experiences, lessons and vulnerabilities.

Mapping human skills, with Sallyann Della Casa

Our guest today is Sallyann Della Casa is the founder of GLEAC and Chief Tree Hugger at the Growing Leaders Foundation, something she started in 2010. Sallyann used to be a real-estate lawyer, but by 2012 she was already working on upskilling youth through workshops and training. This evolved into

Integreat Center, with Hussainali Fateh Nejad

All parents, from all backgrounds value the power of education. But what happens when specialized help isn't available? This is why it's so important for us to highlight the work with the Hope Foundation, or the Al Noor Training Centre, which we've covered last season. On today's episode we learn

NOx emissions, with Nicholas Brooks

We are joined this week by Nicholas Brooks, a local entrepreneur dedicated to Sustainability. As a passionate cyclist, him and his friend Stewart Howison started riding regularly in Al Qudra, later founding Cycle Safe Dubai. Along the way they were approached on the road by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al

40 years, one man, one job.

Season 1 • Episode 1

Artezaar, with Leena Kewlani & Teena Thawani

Home to over 60 UAE artists and more than 400 artworks, Artezaar is an indepedent platform helping support local artists by helping connect them with potential buyers. Join us as we talk to Leena & Teena, its founders.

Ozone for a toxic-free environment, with Adrienne Doolan

This week, we’re talking to Adrienne Doolan, CEO of Green Touches, about how she got started with using Ozone as a cleaning agent and why she believes we should talk about environment ‘sincerity’ rather than just sustainability. Combining a genuine passion for the environment, promoting a sustainable way of

Special Olympics, with Liz Beneski

This week, we're speaking with Liz Beneski about her work with the Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi for the last couple of years. Find out more about you can help.

Amaeya Media announces Fall Slate of Four New Podcast Shows

New seasons of the popular shows Tales of the Trade and CSR of One also to be launched this quarter

Planning arid cities, with Huda Shaka

This week our guest is a scientist & urban planner who has been working on the Sustainability aspect of projects such as the Abu Dhabi Capital Plan 2030, The Sharjah Strategic Plan 2040 and the Dubai Expo 2020 bid. Huda Shaka is a Dubai-kid who returned to the city after studying

SNIFF, with Heetal Bhatia

Stray animals in the UAE need a lot of help. This week, we talk to Heetal Bhatia who has been rescuing animals for over 15 years, and her work with SNIFF, a local group dedicated to helping find foster and forever homes for rescues. Heetal is also co-host of the

Fast fashion, with Sian Rowlands

This week, we're joined by Sian Rowlands, Owner & Chief Storyteller at Retold, about how her own wardrobe dilemma formed the basis of her business and how broken the fashion industry really is today. Retold is a boutique store in Dubai dealing exclusively in pre-owned fashion.

The Love Academy, with Zimmy Khan

Sometimes, all you need is a great idea that you just run with, and Zimmy Khan had one such idea. If you take one thing away from today's episode (outside of how you could help Zimmy), let it be that you decide today to take that idea you've just been

Introducing: KarāmaSūtra

Launching 8 October 2019.

Sustainability vs CSR, with Monaem Ben Lellahom

Our talk with Founder Partner & Group CEO of Sustainable Square, Monaem Ben Lellahom about how they got started, and how he views the regional landscape of sustainability compared to CSR. On Part 2, also available now, we discuss the 2018 State of Sustainability & CSR Report published by Sustainable Square earlier

Mothers without Borders, with Dominica Drazal

Dominica's run in with Mothers without Borders was entirely serendipitous. And in 2019, her family—along with a number of families and their kids—flew down to Zambia to help build an expansion that will increase a local school's capacity by 150 kids. Find out how you can get involved.

Boomerang Bags, with Lisa Petersson & Masha Ruig

Welcome to Season 2! Boomerang Bags comprises a group of volunteers recycling waste fabric--clothes, sheets, curtains--into reusable cloth bags to help combat waste and the use of single-use plastic bags. On this episode, we chat with Lisa Petersson & Masha Ruig about how they got involved. We'd love to hear what

Crossover episode, with Tatiana Antonelli

A special crossover episode with a sister podcast from the Amaeya Media Network, Forward Talks by Goumbook. Host of the show Tatiana Antonelli joins us to talk about why they started the region's first podcast on sustainability, and the impact our shows have seen so far. Forward Talks is available

Soothing the Soothsayers

Since late July, Alserkal Avenue has been hosting its summer programme under the theme Foretold Now. Curated by arts writer Kevin Jones, who describes himself as someone who is obsessed with studying the human desire to speculate, Foretold Now comprises talks, reading groups, and performances that explore the insatiable human

Building a sustainable future, with Sabrin Rahman

On this episode, we’re joined by Sabrin Rahman, Head of Sustainability at HSBC talking about her own journey & how the bank is looking to shape sustainability for the region.

The region’s telecom man, Osman Sultan

Osman was the founding CEO of Mobinil, and then became the founding CEO of Du in 2007.

Amaeya Media is the UAE’s podcast hub

This post was originally published by Mark Steadman, on the Podiant Blog. Founded in 2017 by Chirag Desai, Amaeya Media is not only the first podcast network to come out of the UAE, but a mini creative powerhouse, producing podcasts for brands, under the Amaeya Creative banner. Dubai’s podcasting

‘Adults are like big children,’ with Anas Bukhash

Anas Bukhash is an Emirati serial entrepreneur.

The other side of landfills, with Anita Nouri

This week, we’re joined by Anita Nouri, co-founder of Green Energy Solutions, discussing waste management and landfills, gas-to-energy benefits, transitioning to renewable energy and other sources of sustainable energy in the Middle East.

The tale of two pop ups

Season 2 • Episode 3

The artist entrepreneur, with Janan Shihadeh

Janan is a self-confessed art-a-holic who found a way to make her passion work for her customers.

Marine innovations, with Dana Liparts

On this episode, we’re joined by Dana Liparts, co-founder of EcoCoast, a marine protection company about the work they’re doing to protect our coastlines & tackling plastic waste in the ocean at a large scale.

Qafila: Atif Rafiq & Jithin Manoharan

Season 2 • Episode 2

Moving forward, with Courtney Brandt

Last week, we published episode 10 and so we wanted to take you guys a little behind the scenes with Forward Talks. So on this special episode, we’re by joined by CSR of One, another podcast from the production house behind Forward Talks, Amaeya Media. Host of the show

Crank: Nuno Costa Fernandes

Two’s a company, three’s a crowd but four ... is a party. Pull up a chair & join our conversation with Nuno Costa Fernandes, one of the founders of Crank, a boutique fitness studio looking to turn the indoor cycling workout into a party on a bike. Credits Special thanks

Go for it at 70%, with Ghizlan Guenez

Ghizlan Guenez pivoted her career from finance to a fashion entrepreneur.

Chirag Desai on the Own The Future Podcast

Chirag Desai, Founder of Amaeya Media, sat down Own The Future's Lucas Skrobot to talk about media, content, monetisation and the truths behind the podcasting business. Part 1: Part 2:

Season 2 drops July 2!

Tales of the Trade is back with a special summer season in July. Over the course of 3 episodes, you’ll hear from startups making a mark in health & fitness, logistics & art. So pull up a chair & join our conversation, starting with Nuno Fernandes of Crank on July 2.

PSDi MEA: Dawn Metcalfe

Dawn Metcalfe is the founder of PDSi MEA [http://pds-i.com], and the author of Managing the Matrix & The HardTalk Handbook, which now forms the basis of their extremely popular HardTalk Programme. Dawn’s tale is one of the power of networking with a healthy side-serving of humour and straight

Sustainable fine dining, with Luca Gagliardi

This week, we’re talking with Luca Gagliardi, General Manager at PierChic, one of Dubai’s most iconic restaurants, on how he started out as a sommerlier in Italy, and how PierChic’s incorporates sustainability into their operations. There's also a bonus episode with Luca Gagliardi about the chefs who

Highlights from the season

A special episode where we review our first season and give you some info on what’s next! We also wanted to say thank you to everyone for being a part of our journey and coming out to our first #enoughAboutMe event. Credits Hosted by Courtney Brandt, produced by Chirag

Building solar capacity, with Jeremy Crane

This week, we talk to Jeremy Crane, founder of Yellow Door Energy, about solar energy in the region, their operating model and how they are growing towards their 300 megawatts solar capacity target by 2020.

Euan Megson & Action Communications

As we come up to the end of our season, we wanted to highlight a slightly different initiative and see what happens when the energy of an entire team behind a project. This week, we speak with Euan Megson, Regional Manager of Action Communications and their work with the Al

Oceans first, with Paul Holthus

Oceans flow over nearly three-quarters of Earth, carry 97% of its water, and produce 70% of our oxygen. For every 10 breaths we take, seven of them come from the ocean. It is the true lifeblood of our planet. To help us understand what is being done to help protect

Sarah Christensen

This week, we sit down with Sarah Christensen, who tells us about her involvement with Evolvin Women, an organization that creates and manages initiatives in developing countries to offer skill development placements to unemployed women in Dubai. Credits Hosted by Courtney Brandt, produced by Chirag Desai. Editing help from Abhishek

Organic farming in the UAE, with Elena Kinane

This week, we chat with Elena Kinane, founder of Greenheart Farms on the importance of ‘clean food’ and how to grow it. She also shares their expansion plans into other sustainable initiatives around their makeup and cleaning products. There's also a short bonus episode from our chat with Elena:

Joseph Swords

Over the last few years, plastic—especially single-use plastic—has been a focus in our region. Join us this week as we chat with Joe Swords, a recent expat & diver, who spends his time helping free Dubai’s waters from plastic left behind. Credits Hosted by Courtney Brandt, produced by

Saving the Planet & Making a Profit, with Karl Feilder

We live in an era where social responsibility and profit are no longer disconnected. More and more companies are adopting sustainability as a way of doing good while making a profit. One such company is Neutral Fuels. This week, their founder & CEO Karl Feilder chats with us about their work

Georgie Bradley

On today’s episode, we speak with Georgie Bradley who worked closely with the Women’s Crisis Care International (WCCI) in Bahrain to provide crisis response and emotional support to victims of domestic violence. Credits Hosted by Courtney Brandt, produced by Chirag Desai. Editing help from Abhishek Venkatasubramanian.

Rethinking food waste as a resource, with Ryan Ingram

1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every single year. For every person who is malnourished, there are two who are overweight or obese. How do you go about dealing with the growing food needs of the world and balancing that out with the continuing amount of waste generated?

Una

Our youngest guest of the season! This week, we chat with Una, who tells us all about how she’s helping spread awareness about autism, not just in Dubai but around the world.

Data for Good, with Ayla Bajwa

On this episode, we talk to Ayla Bajwa, founder of Ampuz and Board Member at the United National Global Compact UAE. Ayla shares her drive to measure the impact of sustainability which led her to found Ampuz and the current challenges faced in operationalizing the UNGA Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Danielle Naqvi

What do you do when you learn that your daughter wasn’t given a newborn screening test standardized across the rest of the world? How do you go about changing the circumstances that could have saved her? This week, we chat with Danielle Naqvi, founder of the ZB Foundation, on

#54: Prepping your kitchen for Ramadan

Ramadan Kareem to you all! Although there are many hours of fasting, there is a huge focus on cooking and eating with family and friends. The kitchen sees more activity during these four weeks than any other time of the year. To prepare for this time in the kitchen, I

Reflect & Reconnect: Ramadan at Alserkal Avenue

Ramadan Kareem. Pause, reflect, and reconnect. As part of Alserkal’s annual thematic on Maintenance, Ramadan at Alserkal Avenue [http://www.alserkalavenue.ae/en/alserkal-programmes-2018/project/annual-thematic.php?utm_source=amaeya-media&utm_medium=podcast] encourages us to shift our focus towards discourses around maintenance, urging us to reconsider our present

Sustainability is a collective responsibility, with Alex Malhouf

This week, we talk to Alex Malhouf, Corporate Communications Manager at Procter & Gamble and a fellow podcaster. Alex shares his thoughts on how P&G views sustainability as being a collective responsibility, and how they’re doing more to educate as well as designing products to make it easier for

Ramadan is Coming

Savvy Talk: Ramadan is Coming 0:00  /0:00 1× With Ramadan around the corner, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish you Ramadan Kareem! This week, Maha shares her tips on how to use this period to launchpad initiatives that give back to the community, your customers

Kelly Harvarde

An initiative that is truly Dubai-born and showcasing the power of the community, most of us have heard of, and seen the Ramadan Fridges that pop up all over the city during the Holy Month. This week, we chat with Kelly Harvarde who recounts how they set up their community

Sustainable landscaping, with Kamelia Zaal

This week, we talk to Kamelia Zaal, the first Arab landscape designer to participate at the Chelsea flower show and best known for her landscape design at Al Barari. Kamelia shares numerous sustainability initiatives taken up at Al Barari—the greens, the water and the waste, how she hopes to

Reif Othman

Welcome to the first season of CSR of One, a podcast & social initiative. On today’s episode, we chat with Reif Othman, an award-winning chef who has been working diligantly on a project far away from his current abode in Dubai, in Zanzibar. Listen to how Reif got started with

Amaeya announces new podcast, CSR of One

CSR of One: Individuals using their platforms to drive real change

The YouTube for sustainable innovations, with Stefanie Schachtschabel

On our inaugural episode, we talk to Stefanie Schachtschabel, founder of Globally Connected Companies: Stefanie pivoted her media company in 2014 to focus on sustainability and has since launched a video platform to serve all sustainable innovations in our region.

Goumbook launches Forward Talks in partnership with Amaeya Media

Forward Talks: Inspirational Stories on the Sustainability Journey in the UAE.

Introducing: CSR of One

We’re excited to bring you CSR of One, a podcast & a social initiative. The first season begins April 22, with new episodes every Monday.

Humanity as Refuge

Fabric(ated) Fractures, a collaboration between Samdani Art Foundation and Alserkal at Concrete, Dubai, ran from 9-30 March 2019. The seminal exhibition featured works by 15 artists from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Thailand, and Pakistan, who were also part of the foundation’s Dhaka Art Summit initiative. In this two-part series

Khaleej Times: The rise of UAE Podcast culture

Amaeya Media founder & CEO Chirag Desai was featured in an article covering the rise of podcasting as a medium in the UAE. We’re all listening: the rise of UAE Podcast cultureTHERE WAS A time when radio listeners in the UAE didn’t have much choice about who and what

Introducing: Forward Talks

Welcome to Forward Talks, a new podcast by Goumbook, bringing you weekly conversations with leaders & professionals who, through their work, entrepreneurship & commitment, promote positive impact and sustainability in the UAE and beyond.

Anghami on audio and podcasts

Anghami's Rami Zeidan talks about their podcast product within their music streaming platform, along with Amaeya Media one of their launch partners. EXCLUSIVE: Anghami’s Rami Zeidan on podcasts and audio

Audio ads generated $1.6 billion in the US in 2017 – a 39 percent jump from the year before

The art of storytelling

Savvy Talk: The art of storytelling 0:00  /0:00 1× As a brand, how you convey your brand message matters. This week, Maha shares how storytelling leads to communication that is both effective and impactful, and how to tell a great story in the age of speed & noise.

The power of audio

This week, Maha shares more about why she believes ‘audio is the new video,’ and everything you need to know about how you can leverage voice for your brand. Plus, some quick tips on how to get started with podcasting. You can subscribe in your favourite podcast player by looking

PR for Startups

How do you leverage PR as a start-up without an agency or an in-house team? This week, Maha gives you the tips to be a PR Ninja — from preparing your assets, to working with media and leveraging events. We’ll be talking a lot more about PR on a shoe-string

Handling a crisis

The absolute worst time to prepare for a crisis is when you’re in one! This week, Maha shares her insights on how to be better prepared to meet a crisis head on, what your brand should do in the face of a PR crisis and some tips on making

Building a personal brand

Should you build a personal brand? How do you go about defining it and where do you start? On this episode, Maha tells you the lowdown on personal branding, defining a brand message and some tips on getting started & some key advice you haven’t heard before. You can subscribe

Maha’s top 5 for 2019

As we kick off 2019 let's think about how you can grow and evolve. I don’t really believe in new year's resolutions, but I do believe in reflecting and pausing as its about growing! This episode is based on an article I wrote where I ask 5 questions you

Frying Pan Adventures: Arva & Farida Ahmed

How do you go about carving a brand new facet for yourself in a tourism industry saturated by desert safaris? Pull up a chair and join the conversation with Arva & Farida Ahmed of Frying Pan Adventures. Credits Original music composed by Reiner Erlings. Our thanks to HardTalk for their support

Highlights of the season

A few highlights of the season gone by, and our end of the year giveaways! Listen in for how to enter. A special thanks to our giveaway partners this week: * HardTalk * Common Grounds * CherryPix Credits Hosted by Chirag & Gaya. Special thanks to Podraig Downey & Ronan Dennehey. Original music composed by

Courtyard Playhouse: Kemsley Dickinson

How do you go about creating a local arts & culture scene in a city often criticized for not having enough of it? Pull up a chair and join the conversation with Kemsley Dickinson, founder of The Courtyard Playhouse. There are also some fun extras on this bonus episode: Credits Special

Wildpeeta: Mohamed & Peyman Al Awadhi

How do you from realizing your business isn’t working to actually learning from its failure? Pull up a chair and join the conversation with Mohamed & Peyman Al Awadhi, founders of WildPeeta. Credits Special thanks to Ian Ohan, Paul Castle & Shelina Jokhiya. This episode was hosted by Chirag Desai & produced

My Custard Pie: Sally Prosser

How do you go about maintaining consistent quality and impeccable credibility as a brand owner in an age of surface social media where trendy trumps timeless? Do pull up a chair and join our conversation with Sally Prosser, founder of My Custard Pie. There's also a bonus episode with some

Bull & Roo: Tom Arnel

What if laser-sharp focus on your long-term vision is the one thing you need to realize all your dreams? Do pull up a chair and join our conversation with Tom Arnel, founder of Bull & Roo. There's also a bonus episode with some extras: Credits This episode was hosted by Chirag

Surf House: Scott Chambers

How do you find that sustainable passion to keep going when everything seems to be going against you? Do pull up a chair and join our conversation with Scott Chambers, founder of Surf House Dubai. There's also a bonus episode with a few extras from the surfing community. Credits This

Socialize: Akanksha Goel

From happenstance to getting acquired by the largest socially-led creative agency in the world.

First ME Podcast Forum to be held September 29

Amaeya is proud to be participating at the first Middle East podcast forum in Dubai on 29 September. The ME Podcast Forum is an opportunity for podcasters & listeners alike to meet peers, exchange best practices and help grow the podcast ecosystem in the region. Amaeya FM founder & host of Tales

“Playing catch-up”

Everything you should know about Drones/UAVs

Season 1 Trailer

Our new show launches September 25. We hope you pull up a chair and join the conversation!

Tales of the Trade launches September 25

The show will focus on Dubai’s pioneers & the stories behind the ideas they brought to life. We’ve just launched a video teaser [https://talesofthe.trade/teaser] for the season, along with an ongoing behind-the-scenes series which covers the production of the show available in the feed. The first

BTS 2: Music identity, with Reiner Erlings

On this behind the scenes episode, a chat with our show’s composer Reiner Erlings, on what goes into creating a music theme & how the show’s concepts and motifs influenced its sonic identity. ICYMI, do catch our first behind the scenes [https://amaeya.media/tales-of-the-trade/bts-1-what-does-a-producer-do/] about the role

BTS 1: What does a producer do?

The countdown to our first season has begun! Join us for the first behind the scenes look at the Tales of the Trade production. On this bonus episode, we get our producer Gaya in front of a mic talking about her role, the power of audio, and what’s coming

Get your DeCluttr Me fix via Alexa

If you use Alexa, DeCluttr Me is now available as a flash briefing. Just add the briefing to Alexa by looking for DeCluttr Me in the Lifestyle category or visiting our skill page [https://www.amazon.com/Amaeya-FM-DeCluttr-Me-briefing/dp/B07F39V27K/ref=amaeya.fm] and you’ll be able to hear

Genesis

We’re going retro!

“Why are you doing my job?”

Google I/O and the Duplex Call

“Did you say washing machine?”

Careem Security Breach & Password Management

#5: Ramadan decluttering

Ramadan Kareem! On this week’s episode, Shelina shares her tips for some Ramadan decluttering — get started now and enjoy an excess-free month.

#1: FAT (File, Act, Toss)

On the inaugural episode of DeCluttr Me, Shelina shares her FAT philosophy for helping you stay organized.

It’s time to DeCluttr!

Excited to announce a brand new show — The DeCluttr Me podcast — on organizing and decluttering your physical space & your digital life. The show will be hosted by professional organizer Shelina Jokhia, Managing Director of DeCluttr Me, Dubai’s first professional organizing service, and produced by Amaeya, the UAE's first and

“Think of business as kung-fu”

Grassroots Innovation, Mentorship, TiECon 2018

“Don’t look for me on Facebook”

Facebook, Privacy & Our Tips

Custom-izable

OS, Battery, Camera, Durability & A new Q&A Segment!

“Peaches & cream”

Breaking down 3-D printing.

“Let’s say it’s a honey cake” (Blockchain & smart homes)

Blockchain, smart homes & 5 year olds.

“We’re calling everything smart these days”

Drones for traffic, headphone jack, smart homes