For any tech start-up the aim is reaching a $1 billion valuation - but how do you get there and how hard is the path to unicorn status? We find out from someone who has done it. Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by Ankur Shah, who was formerly the chief financial officer of ride-sharing company Careem and departed this year once the $3.1 billion sale of the company to Uber had been completed. In this episode: Ankur Shah on Careem (0m 35s) What can start-ups do today? (14m 09s) He...
Mar 10, 2020•28 min
The future of work, trade and commerce is in sharp focus as the implications of the global effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus shows how we are falling short of being digitally equipped enough to keep regular levels of activity going through crises – health or otherwise - which we should expect to happen regularly in a more interconnected world. We should potentially expect a surge in investment in digital capabilities and technologies that will make every company resilient and nimbl...
Mar 03, 2020•19 min
Host Kelsey Warner, future editor at The National talks to Dr Rakesh Suri, chief executive of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi about the future of medicine, robotics and open-heart surgery. Later on, they talk about the global response to the Coronavirus and why there is no reason for paranoia. In this episode: Open-heart surgery and robotics (0m 37s) The impact of 5G in hospitals (5m 59s) The Coronavirus scare (11m 26s) Read more on our website: • How robots will change the world of work • Coronaviru...
Feb 25, 2020•15 min
Parent company Port and Free Zone World has offered to acquire the 19.55 per cent of DP World's shares traded on Nasdaq Dubai, returning the company to private ownership. It is going to give shareholders an almost 30 per cent premium on the share price before the announcement as a sweetener. This week, Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief at The National , and Kelsey Warner, future editor, talk about DP World's decision to delist and Jeff Bezos's $ 10 billion Earth Fund. In this episode: DP...
Feb 18, 2020•19 min
Bill and Melinda Gates have spent tens of billions of dollars over two decades to support efforts to improve global health, education, gender equality and fight climate change. They say the experience has made them optimists. This week, host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief at The National , and Kelsey Warner, future editor, are at the Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit. We also hear from Nora Super, senior director of the Milken Institute Centre, who talks to us about the f...
Feb 11, 2020•16 min
A new source of energy discovered in the UAE on 5,000 square kilometres of land on the border between Dubai and Abu Dhabi will support the country's aim to be totally self-sufficient and also provide additional power capacity to boost broader economic diversification efforts. This week, host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor of The National, talk to energy correspondent Jennifer Gnana about the new discovery and the factors weighing on oil prices. Joinin...
Feb 04, 2020•19 min
We are at peak hysteria over the coronavirus outbreak in China with equity and commodity markets reacting to fears it could impact economic growth in the world’s second largest economy. This week from The National ’s newsroom in Abu Dhabi host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and future editor, Kelsey Warner are joined by Phil Bahoshy, chief executive of Magnitt, which describes itself as MENA's most powerful start-up platform. In this episode: The Coronavirus effect (0m 29s) Sharjah t...
Jan 28, 2020•23 min
The World Economic Forum's 50th Annual Meeting is underway in the Swiss ski resort of Davos-Klosters in the Alps. This year's theme: 'Stakeholders for a sustainable and cohesive world'. Kelsey Warner, future editor and assistant editor-in-chief Mustafa Alrawi discuss US president Donald Trump's speech on the opening day, the meaning of this year's theme and who the most talked-about guests are, as well as what to expect from the rest of the week ahead. In this episode: The Trump Speech (0m 39s) ...
Jan 21, 2020•21 min
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week kicks off and it has been a pretty big week for the champions of sustainability as investors and companies show they are becoming more climate conscious. A very public mea culpa from Siemens chief executive Joe Kaeser in an exclusive interview with The National’s energy correspondent Jennifer Gnana. Siemens' involvement in an Australian coal mining project involving India's Adani Group was a "mistake", but the company needs to complete the work to fulfil its contrac...
Jan 14, 2020•22 min
Uncertainty over US-Iran tensions have led investors to take - at least for the moment - a risk-off stance. Stock markets are volatile and gold is at a six-year high while US treasury yields are rising. Meanwhile, oil prices have spiked amid concerns over the potential disruption to Middle East supply. All in all, it is a delicate time for local, regional and global economies. Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor-in-chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor of The National, talk to Robin Mills, c...
Jan 08, 2020•28 min
Expectations of a pickup in the global economy, a recovery for aviation following the 737 Max crisis and the continued consequences for private equity in the region from Abraaj’s collapse will all likely be features of the business landscape in 2020. The National's Assistant Editor-in-Chief Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi about some of the biggest business news stories from 2019 and what might be intriguing and significant developments in the coming year.
Dec 31, 2019•29 min
Streaming wars. Tiktok. Billie Eilish. EDM concerts in Saudi Arabia. What do these things all have in common? Business Extra is recapping the year in the business of entertainment and pop culture. Host and The National’s Future Editor Kelsey Warner is joined by colleagues Nyree McFarlane, Head of Arts and Lifestyle and Jason Von Berg, Head of Audience Growth to discuss the biggest business news from the entertainment industry in 2019. In this episode: Netflix vs. Everybody (0m 35m) Entertainment...
Dec 23, 2019•20 min
In this week's podcast, host Kelsey Warner is joined by John Garvey, the global financial services industry leader at PwC. They discuss a new phase of the US-China tariff war and an underwhelming end to the United Nations' climate change summit, COP25. Are signs of action from the private sector cause for optimism? Also discussed: the future of work in the financial services industry and why productivity tracking is a game-changer. In this episode: US-China 'Phase One' deal (0m 27m) Why COP25 dr...
Dec 17, 2019•22 min
Hosts Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner are joined by David Young, CEO of Oxford Analytica, a strategic consulting and advisory firm. They discuss Google rolling out its digital assistant in Arabic across the MENA region, Saudi Arabia's 1.02 trillion riyal budget for 2020 and how Oxford Analytica started 45 years ago to provide daily briefs inspired by the White House. In this episode: Google's virtual assistant in arabic (0m 34s) US vs China (5m 34s) Saudi Arabia's 2020 budget (10m 35s) David Yo...
Dec 11, 2019•26 min
Egypt wants at least one person in each household to work in tourism as part of wider plans to develop a resilient and sustainable sector through structural reforms that will boost its competitiveness globally. In this week's Business Extra, Mina Al-Oraibi, The National's editor in chief, and Mustafa Alrawi, The National' s assistant editor in chief, speak exclusively to Dr Rania Al Mashat, Egypt's tourism minister, on the country's plan to create a resilient sector and how it intends to take ad...
Dec 04, 2019•25 min
Tesla’s launch of its cybertruck has sent the hype around electric vehicles into a frenzy – where are we in reality in terms of the mass take up of electric vehicles – but one thing is certain - Elon Musk has radically changed our perceptions of the future of transport. Hosts Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and The National’s future editor, Kelsey Warner talk to Yunshi Wang (Director of China Centre for Energy and Transportation, UC Davis). They discuss about the EV industry and the Te...
Nov 25, 2019•29 min
Billions of dollars of aircraft orders, manufacturing and maintenance tie ups, advancements on how to make aviation more sustainable – it must be the Dubai Airshow which is proving to be another blockbuster week for the industry. Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner, The National's future editor talk about the Mubadala Aerospace merger of its three aerospace and industrial companies, Tawazun Economic Council, the Etihad Greenliner and so much more. We also talk to Bad...
Nov 19, 2019•27 min
The world’s biggest crude oil producer, Saudi Aramco launches the subscription period for its much-anticipated IPO as it rolls on with its ambitions to become the globe’s pre-eminent integrated energy and chemicals company. This week host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner, The National's future editor talk with Dr. Nasser Saidi, regular contributor to The National and president of the economic advisory and business consultancy Nasser Saidi & Associates about the Ara...
Nov 12, 2019•28 min
It’s been a busy week for the Business Extra team as the cooler weather kicks off the UAE conference season. The World Economic Forum has been in town, it is Dubai Future Week, the world’s largest oil and gas exhibition is set for Abu Dhabi in a few days’ time and we have the air show coming up before the end of this month. Those are only a handful of the things going on in November. Amid the action Mustafa Alrawi and Kelsey Warner welcome guest host Clemence Dutertre, CEO at Careem-RTA JV Hala ...
Nov 05, 2019•31 min
The world’s most powerful investors, heads of state, former leaders, entrepreneurs and government ministers are gathering in the Saudi Arabian capital this week to discuss the future of technology, sustainable development, capital markets, infrastructure financing, energy – old and new – gene editing and cellular therapies. Host Mustafa Alrawi talks to Kelsey Warner, future editor of The National who is attending the Future Investment Initiative held in Riyadh. In this episode: Kelsey on FII (1m...
Oct 29, 2019•28 min
After flight software aboard its 737Max jet was found to be the culprit of two airline crashes within the last 12 months, Boeing was forced to ground all 387 of the aircraft worldwide; impacting 8600 weekly flights and forcing 59 airlines to come up with alternatives. It is the world's largest manufacturer of commercial aircraft. But a fall from grace has Boeing facing regulators and customers demanding answers and a scramble to return its best-selling 737 Max aircraft to the skies. Host Kelsey ...
Oct 23, 2019•24 min
Boeing and Porsche are working together to develop the concept and test the prototype for and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) car. The National’s Mustafa Alrawi Assistant Editor in Chief and Future Editor Kelsey Warner discuss their enthusiasm or skepticisms about the announcements before taking a look at the WeWork. WeWork promised to change the way people work and eventually how they live. Somewhat unconventional co-founders at the company charted meteoric growth that wowed inve...
Oct 16, 2019•29 min
HSBC may cut as many as 10 thousand jobs worldwide as part of its latest cost cutting drive but where next for the bank that was at one time the poster child of globalisation? Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, takes a look at how banks in Europe are looking to make savings. In a world where the US-China trade war, Brexit, a weak European economy, lower interest rates and the resulting uncertainty is affecting growth, how is the financial sector coping? Also, in this episode Mustafa...
Oct 09, 2019•19 min
Saudi Arabia’s opens up and begins to issue tourist visas for the first time. Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and future editor Kelsey Warner, speak to The National’s Ashleigh Stewart who is in Saudi Arabia as they launch their latest tourism industry initiative. People from 49 countries are able to obtain a 90 day, multiple entry tourist visa for the kingdom. Tourism is a key component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme with expectations to boost international and domestic v...
Oct 01, 2019•32 min
In 1841, 500 passengers took a 24-mile round-trip by train from Leicester in central England to the neighbouring town of Loughborough. This was the first excursion organised by a Mr Thomas Cook 178 years later his eponymous company announces it has ceased trading disrupting the travel plans of some 600,000 people from Goa to Gambia to Greece and threatening tens of thousands of jobs worldwide. This week, Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner, future editor, are joined by Ha...
Sep 24, 2019•27 min
Early on Saturday morning, attacks on Saudi Aramco’s giant oil plant caused major fires, disrupting about half of the kingdom’s crude production. From a record spike in oil prices to an escalation of tensions in the region after the US blamed Iran for being behind the strikes. The fallout has everyone inside the region and around the world on tenterhooks for what it could mean for global energy markets and Middle East stability. Host Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief and Kelsey Warner, a...
Sep 17, 2019•27 min
Developers Miral in Abu Dhabi and Neom in Saudi Arabia have made big announcements on new construction projects. Miral has secured investment from a Singapore-based company for its 108,600 square metre Yas Village development on Yas Island and Saudi Arabia’s Neom has awarded contracts to two companies to build a village that will accommodate up to 30,000 workers who will build the futuristic city of the same name. Host and Assistant Editor in Chief at The National, Mustafa Alrawi speaks to Assis...
Sep 11, 2019•25 min
Most millennials expect to be more financially stable than their parents but almost half feel they are failing or off to a slow start on that goal. Host Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National, speaks to Kelsey Warner, resident millennial and The National’s Assistant Business Editor, about why so many of her generation feel the burden of financial pressures and “adulting”. Also in this episode we take a look at how Elon Musk and Jack Ma have very different opinions on the futur...
Sep 04, 2019•16 min
A survey of thousands of professionals and employers in the region shows that almost all are optimistic about their careers amid shifts in technology and types of jobs Nine out of ten 10 professionals in the UAE feel upbeat about the future of work but how optimistic should you be about your own career prospects in a fast changing world? Mustafa Alrawi, Assistant Editor in Chief, and Kelsey Warner and Chris Nelson, Assistant Business Editors discuss the state of the workplace and how technologic...
Aug 28, 2019•24 min
In the episode, host Chris Nelson is joined by fellow Assistant Business Editor Michael Fahy and The National 's personal finance correspondent Nada El Sawy to talk about the company, what its plans are and the growth of the sector both here and abroad. Also, we take a look at the strange goings-on at last week's major classic car auction in Monteray, California. Auction goers consisting of aficiandos and collectors at the much-anticipated sale of rare vehicles were left open-mouthed after an ap...
Aug 21, 2019•22 min
