Episode 105! Amjad Ahmad, a leading venture capitalist and seasoned investment professional with extensive experience in VC and private equity in emerging markets, joins The 966. Amjad discusses the VC ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, the MENA region, and globally today. In addition to over two decades of experience investing in the region, Amjad is also chairman and founding director of the EmpowerME initiative at the Atlantic Council, a program which empowers entrepreneurs, women, and the private se...
Sep 29, 2023•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 105
Gautam Sashittal, the CEO of Riyadh's financial district that has redefined Riyadh’s skyline and is the city’s most sought-after business address and lifestyle destination, joins The 966 podcast. The district is home to many of Saudi Arabia’s largest companies and regional headquarters of international corporations doing business in the region, as well as the Kingdom’s finest restaurants and real estate. KAFD is now owned by Saudi Arabia’s PIF whose headquarters, the PIF tower, is now located in...
Sep 22, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 104
Author David Rundell joins to discuss King Salman's incredible impact on Saudi Arabia. King Salman has played an enormously pivotal role for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the development of the modern Saudi state. Before the conversation, the hosts discuss an archaeology summit taking place in Al Ula this week, an interesting and exciting new investment made by Saudi Aramco's VC arm, Wa'ed, into a company that is building new homes using 3D printing, and much more as always in the program's Ya...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 103
Episode 102! Rawan Hashem from the data insights firm Carma joins The 966 to discuss evolving media perspectives of Saudi Arabia and Vision 2030. Before the conversation, the hosts discuss the new organization in Saudi Arabia, called Hevolution, and its $1 billion mission to advance humanity's fight against aging based on a recent Wall Street Journal article from this week. Then the hosts discuss the recent data out on Saudi Arabia's tourism industry which show the Kingdom's important new sector...
Sep 08, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 102
Colin Foreman, journalist and editor for the Middle East Economic Digest (MEED), joins The 966 to talk about construction, giga-projects, and Saudi Arabia's economic development. MEED is a leading resource for executives with a highly-respected publication for the MENA region. Before the conversation with Colin, the hosts discuss the latest with the Saudi Pro League and dispelling some myths and facts about the growing football league in the Kingdom, an update on the New Murraba project in Riyad...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 101
Nadia Maqbool Al-Lawatiya, a leading Riyadh-based architect and urban designer who is closely familiar with Salmani architecture, joins The 966 to share her journey and discuss some of the themes and thinking behind the new style emerging from Saudi Arabia. Nadia listened to a previous episode of The 966 on Salmani architecture and joins for this episode to discuss the style and answer some questions from the hosts. We learn about the underlying thinking and strategic vision behind the style, an...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr 57 min•Ep. 102
Episode 99! Princess Mashael bint Saud Al-Shalan, Founding Partner, Aeon Strategy, joins The 966 to discuss her work heading one of the leading consultancies in Saudi Arabia in the field of sustainability. Aeon Strategy played a key role in support of the Kingdom's Net-Zero targets under the Saudi Green Initiative and the Circular Carbon Economy Framework. The company aims to lead Saudi Arabia towards a sustainable future by designing and scaling pioneering, science-backed, researched based busi...
Aug 18, 2023•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 101
Episode 98! Dr. Bader Al-Saif, founding President at Al-Saif Consulting and Assistant Professor at Kuwait University joins The 966 to talk about Saudi Arabia as an emerging economic and diplomatic power in a changing region. Al-Saif is also a visiting researcher at Georgetown University, where he completed his PHD in history, and a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGISW). Al-Saif is frequently quoted in the largest publications and media outlets around the wor...
Aug 11, 2023•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 100
American journalist, author, media executive, and pulitzer prize winner Karen Elliott House joins The 966. Elliott House discusses her recent work, a paper entitled 'Saudi First', for the Belfer Center at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government , as well as her experiences traveling to and from Saudi Arabia for decades and her views on Saudi Arabia as an emerging regional power. Elliott House has served as publisher of The Wall Street Journal , former senior vice president of Dow Jones, and on th...
Aug 04, 2023•2 hr 2 min•Ep. 99
Episode 96! The 966 speaks with PepsiCo Middle East CEO Aamer Sheikh for a conversation about the company's strategy to plug into Vision 2030's opportunities and continue to stay on top as the number one food and beverage brand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Sheikh, who is Pakistani-American and grew up in the United States, shares his story and how he rose to the top position for the company in the Middle East region. The PepsiCo MENA CEO also discusses how he works to position PepsiCo's p...
Jul 28, 2023•1 hr 50 min•Ep. 98
Episode 95! Following several weeks of amazing special guests on the program (with many more to come in the weeks and months ahead) the hosts fly solo this week and discuss some of the biggest storylines and topics on Saudi Arabia this week. First, the hosts discuss Richard's one big thing this week, the Islamic new year. Muslims around the world observe and celebrate the Islamic New Year, also called the Hijri New Year, which marks the beginning of a new lunar Hijri year. The Islamic year is se...
Jul 21, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 97
Physician, non-fiction author, and broadcast media commentator and writer Dr. Qanta Ahmed joins The 966 from New York to discuss the “colossal” changes in Saudi Arabia since Vision 2030 was launched and her view that Saudi Arabia has emerged as an increasingly important and influential global power. Dr. Qanta is an Academic Pulmonologist and Sleep Disorder Specialist at NYU Langone and has lived in and visited Saudi Arabia now over a period spanning 3 decades. She first visited Saudi Arabia as a...
Jul 14, 2023•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 96
Saudi businesswoman Dana Alajlani, Head of Public Affairs for the GCC at Sanofi, the French multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company headquartered in Paris, joins The 966 to share her professional journey and story. Dana is also Co-Chairwoman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia (AmChamKSA) and is involved there with the Women in Business committee. Before that conversation, Richard and Lucien discuss a recent survey which examines the conversations and sentiments surro...
Jul 07, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 95
Episode 92! Saudi Arabia’s sporting ambitions and investments have been dominating global coverage of the Kingdom in recent months. The 966 speaks with Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy, SKEMMA Business School, Paris, about all of the interest and investments by Saudi Arabia and Gulf nations into global sports. Professor Chadwick has consulted for and advised some of the biggest names in sport, such as FC Barcelona, UEFA, Adidas, the Association of Tennis Professionals ...
Jun 30, 2023•2 hr 6 min•Ep. 94
The 966 speaks with Dr. Mohanad AlSheikh, CEO of Johnson Controls Arabia, a leading player in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region’s growing HVAC and smart building market. The 966 hosts ask Dr. Mohanad about the growing business opportunities in the HVAC and smart buildings space in the Kingdom and the wider region, the company’s focus on sustainability, and the importance of being a leading local content provider for Saudi Arabia. They also discuss how Johnson Controls Arabia is proving to be a tr...
Jun 16, 2023•55 min•Ep. 93
Saudi entrepreneurs Sara Bin Laden and Renad Aljefri, recent WIN fellows, join The 966 from Jeddah to discuss their experiences and journeys to-date. Renad and Sara recently took part in the second cohort of the Atlantic Council’s Women Innovators Fellowship, known as the WIN fellowship - a program launched by the empowerME initiative of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, by venture capitalist Amjad Ahmad. Before the conversation with Sara and Renad, the hosts discuss Richard's One Big...
Jun 09, 2023•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 92
It's a story The 966 has covered in almost every one of its 90 podcasts in one form or another: the PIF-backed LIV Golf tour's founding and rise. So the news breaking today that the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf are combining in a shocking, earth-shattering merger, ending a dispute between the two, is worthy of a special emergency edition of The 966. Lucien, fresh off the plane and joining from Riyadh, and Richard talk about this seismic event and react to the incredible news of the m...
Jun 06, 2023•24 min•Ep. 91
The 966 talks about the state of business dispute resolution in Saudi Arabia with the CEO of the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration, Dr. Hamed Merah, who joins from Riyadh. The 966 talks with Dr. Merah about the SCCA’s rise as a leading dispute resolution body in the region and increasingly, globally. As Saudi Arabia targets attracting foreign investors and companies looking to do business in the Kingdom, having a reputable and professional commercial arbitration center is important for gro...
Jun 02, 2023•2 hr 8 min•Ep. 90
Episode 88! Venture capitalist Eyad Albayouk returns to The 966 to talk about the latest developments in the VC sector in Saudi Arabia as well as the closing of his new startup seed fund with Flat6Labs in Saudi Arabia. The hosts discuss with Eyad the rocky start for new funding rounds in the Kingdom after a red hot 2022. Before that conversation, the host discuss Richard's one big thing - a new report from the Saudi consultancy Mukatafa and Kearney on e-commerce in Saudi Arabia. Then the hosts t...
May 26, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 89
Episode 87! The hosts explore overlapping topics in Salmani architecture and an evolving Riyadh city under King Salman for decades. Kicking things off, Richard's One Big Thing is the rise of Salmani Architecture - a term the hosts have come across in recent months that is important in understanding the current and new face of a changing Saudi capital. Salmani architecture combines traditional Saudi design elements with the new, while remaining distinctive, functional, and aesthetically pleasing....
May 19, 2023•58 min•Ep. 88
Episode 86! The hosts fly solo today with lots to discuss from a busy week in Saudi Arabia. Richard's One Big Thing is the recent developments on Saudi-Syria relations. Syria has come in from the cold in recent days as the Arab League and Saudi Arabia in particular prioritize engagement with Assad regime to solve growing regional challenges - a departure from a decade of isolating the country which has descended into becoming a narco state under Assad. Lucien's One Big Thing is NEOM, which in ju...
May 11, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 87
The 966 Episode 85! The 966 hosts speak with Norah Ortiz, founder of the first authentic Mexican restaurant in Riyadh, Don Reuben's, which is located in the Diplomatic Quarter. Ortiz tells us her story as an American born in San Diego to Mexican parents and her journey to owning and operating the first authentic Mexican restaurant in a city increasingly becoming a hot spot for foodies. Before that discussion, the hosts talk about Richard's One Big Thing: a growing Captagon crisis in the Middle E...
May 05, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 86
In Episode 84, The 966 speaks with Faisal Durrani, partner and head of Middle East research for the global real estate company Knight Frank. Mr. Durrani shares some of the highlights and key information from Knight Frank’s recently-released 2023 report on real estate in Saudi Arabia, The Saudi Report 2023 , a publication which touches on many subjects beyond real estate, including hotels and tourism, travel preferences for Saudis domestically, and so much more. Before the conversation, the hosts...
Apr 28, 2023•1 hr 37 min•Ep. 85
Eid Fitr Mubarak! In Episode 83, Mohammed Soliman, the director of the Middle East Institute's Strategic Technologies and Cyber Security Program and a Manager at McLarty Associates’ Middle East and North Africa Practice, joins The 966. Mohammed's work focuses on the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Mohammed frequently appears on Arabic- and English-language television to provide commentary on unfolding events in the Middle East. Th...
Apr 21, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 84
In Episode 82, the 966 hosts fly solo and discuss some of the top developments of late on Saudi Arabia - and there are a lot of them. First, the hosts discuss Richard’s One Big Thing, which is the readout of the recent call between the U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. There were a lot of “Easter eggs” in that call’s readout from the U.S. side, especially the focus on new priorities and less on the traditional dynamics of U.S.-Sau...
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 83
The 966 welcomes back onto the program Bilal Saab, political-military analyst on the Middle East and U.S. policy toward the region and Senior Fellow and Director of the Defense and Security Program at the Middle East Institute . The hosts ask Bilal about his recent piece, entitled "After Oil-for-Security: A Blueprint for Resetting U.S.-Saudi Security Relations." Before that discussion, the hosts discuss fibre-optic cables and data centers in Saudi Arabia, how the Kingdom is doing on its efforts ...
Apr 07, 2023•1 hr 48 min•Ep. 82
Mr. James Golsen, Senior Commercial Officer for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, discusses his work building U.S.-Saudi trade and business relations and his journey to the important post. The 966 hosts talk with James about his role building U.S.-Saudi trade relations and enhancing investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia. They also discuss the recent Boeing deal with the newly-launched Riyadh Airlines, Richard's Al-Ula adventure, and much more. 1:32 - Richard discusses his recent adventure to Al Ula, ...
Mar 31, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 81
Saudi Arabia and Iran recently agreed to normalize ties between the two regional powers after seven years. The 966 speaks with three top voices to understand the deal and the potential road ahead for Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, the United States, and other regional and global players. First, the hosts speak with the top spokesperson for the Saudi embassy in Washington, Fahad Nazer , to discuss the recent announcement that the Kingdom and Iran would normalize relations after 7 years. The deal was ...
Mar 24, 2023•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 80
Episode 78! The 966 hosts fly solo this week ahead of a busy week of travel to Saudi Arabia and the region and an impressive slate of forthcoming guests in the coming weeks. Richard’s One Big Thing this week is a recent collection of articles and items in the media that paint a picture of a U.S.-Saudi relationship that is evolving as Saudi Arabia increasingly becomes an emerging power and global economic and diplomatic player. Lucien’s One Big Thing is highlighting the rapid progress at The Red ...
Mar 10, 2023•58 min•Ep. 79
Steve Lutes, Vice President, Middle East Affairs at U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has been active in his role expanding the program in service to the Chamber's membership and the broader U.S.-Saudi relationship. The 966 hosts discuss the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Business Program that Steve has grown over the years, his extensive travels to the region and Saudi Arabia, and much more.
Mar 03, 2023•45 min•Ep. 78
