with Loulou

Hosted by Loulou Khazen

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109

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Jul 2026

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About the show

What does it actually take to build, run, and scale a business in the Arab world and how do global events shape it? With Loulou is the only Arab business podcast hosted by an operator and investor with skin in the game. I share my take, and then invite the founders, investors, operators, and thinkers who are shaping the region. Featured 4× on Apple Podcasts Middle East.

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August 18, 20261 hr 0 min

Jayesh Patel (Wio Bank): The Playbook Behind the UAE's Fastest-Growing Digital Bank

Jayesh Patel is the CEO of Wio Bank, the digital bank that in less than four years has become the account 1 in 3 new UAE businesses choose and the fastest way to see how AI, ownership and the Gulf economy are actually changing on the ground. Before Wio, Jay built Liv. at Emirates NBD. Before that, he was a Deloitte and IBM consultant on the road to Fortune 500 clients, an MBA at Tuck, an engineer at three different universities. In this conversation with Loulou he opens the whole playbook: how he turned down a dream job offer for 12 months to close three skill gaps a mentor named, how he rebuilt Wio's org around AI so a lawyer could build an SMB onboarding platform on a weekend and a Chief Commercial Officer could vibe-code an auto loan product, and why he now describes himself as "a better founder than a CEO." For founders, operators, career changers and anyone deciding what to do next in the Gulf economy, this one is essential. Subscribe for weekly conversations on business, investing and what's really happening in the Arab world. Chapters 02:11 Inflection points: engineering, IBM, Deloitte, the road to Liv 11:45 The 12-month pause: turning down a dream job to close three skill gaps 16:33 "The loneliest job in the world", what CEO actually feels like 17:16 The AI bet: pushing an org that didn't want to be pushed 28:53 How Wio actually decides what to build (the five-question filter) 32:22 The 50/50 rule: consistent revenue and crazy ideas 35:13 Rebuilding the org around AI: the lawyer, the CCO and Claude 43:13 Middle managers, the education system and who is at risk 50:50 Employment to ownership: why Wio is optimistic on the SME shift 57:29 The magic wand question, going to Mars 59:01 Loulou's close: ownership, curiosity, why you have to adapt Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

July 16, 202656 min

Ahmad AlZaini on Building a $13B Restaurant Operating System From Al Khobar

Is the software business dying? Loulou sits down with Ahmad AlZaini, co-founder and CEO of Foodics, at the 11-year mark of the company for the operator's read on the biggest question in tech this year: what happens to software when AI agents replace the human at the login screen. Foodics is the restaurant operating system for the region: 40,000+ locations across the GCC, Egypt and Jordan, $13B in payments processed to date, on track for $14B by end of year, 700 people, licensed by the Saudi Central Bank, backed by a $198M capital raise including a record $170M Series C. Ahmad is a Forbes-recognized entrepreneur with executive credentials from Harvard, Stanford and MIT, and was appointed to the Endeavor Saudi board of directors in 2026. Subscribe for weekly conversations on business, investing, leadership and what is actually happening in the Arab world. Chapters 01:42 Foodics at 11: the top line, $13B GMV, 40,000 locations, 40% revenue outside Saudi 04:08 From Al Khobar to Aramco to Foodics: why the founder was never supposed to be a founder 09:43 Investor due diligence in reverse: not all money is equal, cap-table hygiene from an acquirer's chair 14:47 Growth capital advice: do not take from Saudi at growth stage, go global, come back with matched terms 18:36 40 SF VC meetings, 3 term sheets: how to raise when nobody knows where Riyadh is 21:04 Talent reverse migration: C-suite relocating from Boston, NY, SF, Paris and London to Riyadh 23:54 AI is out of the box: the Anthropic February 2026 SaaS selloff explained 31:15 The PhD intern: how a fresh graduate should show up with an AI use case, not a certificate 33:37 The pricing shift: nobody pays for logins in 2030, everyone pays for outcomes and usage 43:09 The exit conversation: if for one minute you decide you need to exit, you are not in the right business 48:45 Secondary markets, buybacks, and why every employee should have liquidity options 53:46 The under-30 Saudi generation: high-school AI hackathons, curiosity, and where they spend Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Follow the guests Ahmad AlZaini Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alzaini/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 30, 202651 min

Peter Middlebrook on Dubai as the New New York and the Return of the Golden Age

Is the Middle East entering a new golden age? Loulou sits down with one of the most well-connected geopolitical economists working today for a structural read on the region recorded as the US-Iran 60-day MOU process opened, Strait of Hormuz traffic restarted, the IMEC corridor returned to the working-group table and Saudi Arabia pivoted NEOM capital into AI infrastructure. The episode is built to hold whether the ceasefire holds or slips: Middlebrook's read is 10 to 20 years out, not week to week. Dr. Peter Middlebrook is the CEO of Geopolicity and has advised the World Bank, the European Union, the United Nations, the British Government, the Iraqi Prime Minister's office, and governments across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. He is the author of two new books in 2026: "How to Make Britain Great Again" and "Rich Student, Poor Student." Subscribe for weekly conversations on business, investing, leadership and what is actually happening in the Arab world. Chapters: 1:43 The US-Iran ceasefire, the Hormuz reopening and the return to business 3:58 Why Dubai is a replacement for New York 9:40 Why the Gulf is no longer a single bloc 16:34 IMEC explained: Mumbai to Jebel Ali to Piraeus 19:02 MENA youth unemployment: NEET and the 30% problem 21:20 White-collar work, debt, social protection and the climax of capitalism 25:20 Hybrid governance: phones, governments and the Sixth Estate 33:48 Saudi's pivot from megaprojects to AI data centers 36:41 Why society itself has to change 41:16 China, state capitalism and the West losing the critical raw materials race 46:15 Albania appointed an AI minister: why the Gulf is next 47:10 Closing: a long-term investor's case for the Middle East Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Follow the guest Dr. Peter Middlebrook Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-middlebrook-14477018/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 23, 20261 hr 2 min

AI, Jobs and the Side Door: A Top MENA Recruiter on Surviving 2026

What happens to your job when the most powerful companies in the world are laying off thousands of people not because they are failing, but because they are betting on AI instead, and your region is also in a war that is reshaping who can hire and who has to cut? In this episode of With Loulou, Loulou Khazen Baz sits down with Justin McGuire, Founder and CEO of MCG Talent, the Middle East's leading recruitment firm for marketing, communications, creative, product, data and digital talent. They get into the specific role Justin removed from his own firm and rebuilt with ChatGPT, why the people who feel safest in their seats are actually the most exposed, the one LinkedIn move that lands an offer, and the playbook he gives fresh graduates to land three offers in a market where 65% of UAE professionals now say finding a role has become harder. For students, fresh graduates and anyone navigating a redundancy in 2026, Loulou and Justin close with what AI-native actually means in the workplace, why "knowing how to prompt ChatGPT" is not enough, and which careers in MENA are still hiring at premium salaries this quarter. Subscribe for weekly conversations on business, investing, leadership and what is actually happening in the Arab world. Chapters: 05:10 The GCC is no longer a place of safety. It is still a place of opportunity. 08:43 The war pressed fast-forward on AI: how employers are actually responding 12:46 Where the marcom briefs are going: creative directors yes, graphic designers no 14:05 The fragile middle: 5 to 8 year managers under fire 17:34 Why the GCC is three years behind Silicon Valley on AI 23:04 The role Justin replaced with ChatGPT (and the lawyer he stopped using) 28:43 The micro-niche business: the winning shape for the AI era 33:28 The LinkedIn secret weapon: comment, do not just post 39:54 Don't apply for jobs on LinkedIn. Here is what to do instead. 42:13 Side projects: the AI portfolio that landed the hire 47:09 Antifragile: using the shock to come out stronger 53:40 The middle-management lifestyle trap 59:03 The 50+ side door: the access older candidates have that nobody else does Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Follow the guests Justin McGuire Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jumcguire/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 16, 202648 min

HE Faisal Belhoul on the UAE That Came Out of the War: Capital, the World Cup and the IPO

Where do you put your money in the Gulf right now? Loulou sits down with one of the UAE's most experienced investors to read the region as it actually is in June 2026: the regional war still the dominant story, the World Cup just under way and more. HE Faisal Belhoul is a veteran Emirati investor and entrepreneur, former Vice Chair of Dubai Chambers, and chairman of UAE second-division football club Fursan Hispania (co-built with Real Madrid legend Michel Salgado). He has been one of the most consistent backers of operators building global businesses out of Dubai for two decades. For students, fresh graduates and aspiring founders, Belhoul closes with the single quality he backs in founders, the apprentice model he believes in, and the line he was given by a founder he is mentoring: "I eat 'no' for breakfast." Chapters: 01:57 - The Three Big Stories of the Week 03:15 - Football as a Family Affair: 22 Years Waiting for Arsenal 5:28 - Mohamed Salah and Football's Soft Power 16:38 - Why Sport Survives the AI Era 20:52 - Dubai Chambers and the Private Sector's Role 26:29 - How Moove Grew From $10M to $400M Revenue 36:43 - Can Expats Still Build a Life Here at 60? 38:10 - Golden Visas and What Comes Next 43:01 - INJAZ and the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs 44:44 - The One Founder Trait Belhoul Backs: Perseverance Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Follow the guests HE Faisal Belhoul Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faisalbelhoul/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faisalbelhoulofficial/ Also available on Apple Podcasts https://bit.ly/3Stm32D Spotify https://bit.ly/3H1vzHO Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

June 2, 20261 hr 2 min

Two top angel investors are DOUBLING down on the GCC, but what are they investing in?

Abdullah Mutawi, Partner & Head of Corporate MENA at Taylor Wessing, and Kushal Shah, Private Markets Investor, join Loulou for a conversation (episode 103) on where opportunity really sits in the GCC today. They unpack angel investing, founder red flags, why many startups fail despite strong products, and the lessons that come from writing early-stage checks. The discussion also explores cash-generating businesses versus venture-backed startups, SME rollups, the impact of AI on investing, and why the region continues to attract founders, capital, and talent from around the world. Chapters 00:00 Three investors. One question: Where do you put your money? 03:24 Why angel investing is the highest-risk type of investing 06:23 The expensive lesson from a failed startup investment 09:41 What to look for in a founder before you write the cheque 20:15 Groupthink, red flags and why solo investors get burned 22:59 The pivot: why Kushal quit VC for SME roll-ups 30:30 1.2 million UAE SMEs: the opportunity hiding in plain sight 34:52 SaaS is dead. What's actually worth backing? 40:04 Angels: preference stacks, secondaries and knowing when to exit 57:28 AI, source of truth and the risk of outsourcing your thinking Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Follow the guests Abdullah Mutawi Partner & Head of Corporate MENA, Taylor Wessing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mutawi/ Kushal Shah Private Markets Investor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kushyahvi/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 19, 202652 min

The $240M startup trying to fix trade in the Strait of Hormuz

Gaurav Biswas, Founder & CEO of Trukker, joins Loulou for a timely conversation on what happens to GCC supply chains when the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted. They unpack how cargo was rerouted through alternate ports, land bridges, and trucking networks while food security, industrial supply, and construction materials came under pressure. Gaurav also breaks down Trukker’s 75,000+ driver network, the reality of building a $240M revenue logistics business, and why resilience is now a strategic priority for the region. Chapters 00:00 Why the Strait of Hormuz disruption matters 04:07 What happened on the ground when the crisis started 07:35 Food security, industrial pressure, and why trucking became critical 10:18 Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi ports, and the alternate route problem 17:28 How one truck went from moving 4 containers a day to 1 21:38 Why Trukker chose not to profiteer from war 31:01 Building a $240M logistics business with less than 1% market share 38:57 Venture debt, dilution, and the real cost of startup capital Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Follow the guest Gaurav Biswas, Founder & CEO of Trukker Website: https://trukker.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gauravbiswas/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 12, 202655 min

9 of 14 MENA Tech IPOs Are Underwater. Now What?

Philip Bahoshy, Founder & CEO of Magnitt, and Ziad Awad, Founder & CEO of Awad Capital, join Loulou for episode 100 of With Loulou. Recorded during a period of regional uncertainty, this conversation looks at what is really happening across MENA private markets, venture capital, M&A, IPOs, and the future of exits in the region. Chapters 00:00 Episode 100 and the first two-guest format 03:00 Public markets vs private markets 10:00 What Magnitt’s Q1 2026 VC data reveals 19:00 M&A activity across the UAE and Saudi Arabia 23:00 The exit problem for regional startups 33:00 Valuations, transparency, and ecosystem maturity 45:00 Why billion-dollar companies are harder to build in MENA 58:30 Rapid fire on IPOs, defense funds, and underpriced opportunities Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Follow the guest Philip Bahoshy, Founder & CEO of Magnitt Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipbahoshy/ Ziad Awad, Founder & CEO of Awad Capital Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziad-awad-4925a11/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 5, 202644 min

Here's why the UAE didn't collapse in the face of US/ Iran war

Day 56 of the Iran war. Most international press wrote Dubai's obituary in March. Predictions of a mass exodus, the end of the UAE story, a 15 year setback. None of it happened. 2,800 strikes were fired at this region. Almost nobody left. Trevor McFarlane, Founder and CEO of EMIR, advisor to GCC CEOs and government leaders, explains why. Recorded in Dubai, April 22, 2026. Day 56 of the Iran war. Chapters: 00:00 Reality TV geopolitics (cold open) 00:44 Day 56: where the UAE actually stands 01:48 Why this is a "coercive pause," not a resolution 03:43 Why Rory Stewart was wrong about Dubai 11:32 What systems thinking means for a country under attack 14:54 Which sectors hold up — and which don't 21:34 Tourism, luxury, and the floating population 24:09 The next phase: sovereign resiliency in the GCC 31:28 150 CEOs, 2,800 strikes, nobody left 36:54 The real story: sociological diversification 40:18 "A place you belong, not a place you use" 41:08 Rapid fire: GDP, levers, decisions in uncertainty Trevor McFarlane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormcfarlane-emir/ EMIR: https://www.emirintelligence.com/ Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X: /louloukhazen Also available on: Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3Stm32D Spotify: https://bit.ly/3H1vzHO Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

April 28, 202658 min

$212M Gone. Inside the Nana collapse with a Gulf VC

A Saudi quick-commerce startup raised $212 million and just collapsed. MENA VC funding fell 37% year-over-year. Late-stage debt is frozen. Khaled Talhouni — Managing Partner of Nuwa Capital, one of the most active GCC funds with 53 portfolio companies across Saudi, the UAE, and Egypt joins With Loulou to break down what's actually happening in the regional venture market right now. Recorded in Dubai, April 22, 2026. Chapters: 00:00 The state of MENA VC right now 02:35 What's actually happening in the Gulf 06:55 53 portfolio companies through the war 12:45 The Q1 numbers: $941M, -37% YoY, and the late-stage freeze 18:20 How to deploy capital when nothing is priced 24:35 The case for investing during downturns 28:05 IPOs, secondaries, and where MENA exits actually happen 33:20 Why Nana burned $212M (the dark store math) 47:30 The "Accenture for AI" thesis 54:20 Rapid fire: 2026's biggest MENA exit, deals he regrets, the underrated sector 57:15 What he'd do differently Khaled Talhouni: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaledtalhouni/ Nuwa Capital: https://www.nuwacapital.io Follow Loulou: Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X (Twitter): /louloukhazen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.