Decisive & Compassionate Leadership in Downsizing with Rabih Brair | 2026 Cosmic Conference

Decisive & Compassionate: Leadership in Downsizing

In times of uncertainty, leaders are often forced to make decisions they never hoped to face.

Reduce costs. Restructure teams. Protect the business.
All while recognizing that these choices impact people’s lives.

In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour speaks with Rabih Brair, Partner at Tandem, about what it truly means to lead through downsizing in today’s context.

Together, they unpack:

• Why many organizations move too quickly — and the risks of doing so
• How to “go back to basics” and quantify your financial reality
• The spectrum of responses leaders are taking across the GCC
• Alternatives to layoffs that preserve both cash and capability
• How to balance short-term survival with long-term sustainability
• What compassionate leadership actually looks like in practice

This is a conversation grounded in real decisions leaders are making today — and the trade-offs they must navigate.

Because in moments like these, leadership is not just about protecting the business.
It is about doing so without losing what makes it worth protecting.