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Bruce Talley is an American entrepreneur and frontier market strategist who has spent decades operating in opaque, rapidly changing environments from Russia’s Black Sea coast to Brazil and now Ukraine. He built the largest destination services company at the Sochi Olympics, navigated direct FSB scrutiny, and today is helping global investors access deeply discounted Ukrainian residential markets through the Ukraine Prime Property Fund. In this episode, Bruce shares hard earned lessons on operating in post Soviet systems, spotting opportunity in chaos, and why he believes Ukraine is one of the most compelling markets of the next decade.

In this episode we cover:

• (00:00:00) Bruce’s path from US capital markets to frontier markets
• (00:10:40) Life under the FSB and the moment he knew he had to leave Russia
• (00:22:48) Building Destination Sochi from zero to the largest Olympic services provider
• (00:26:52) Why he reoriented to Ukraine and the thesis behind the Ukraine Prime Property Fund
• (00:40:29) Kyiv as the next great European city and advice for young MBAs

Link to Ukraine Property Fund: www.ukraine-capital.com

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Victor Abou Rahal is a veteran digital transformation and tech leader in the GCC, with more than 25 years helping traditional industries go digital. He is now CEO of Narovate, a Saudi based startup focused on digital water solutions, after leading Boxit For Me through a successful exit and building the digital arm at ADNOC Distribution. In this conversation, Victor shares what he has learned about leadership, exits, and entrepreneurship across oil and gas, logistics, and now water in one of the fastest changing regions in the world.

In this episode we cover:

(00:01:59) How Victor went from computer science student and a night support at an Internet Service Provider to launching his first web development company baddak.com, inheriting 80 clients overnight, then moving to Dubai to lead regional digital transformation projects

(00:03:36) The Boxit4Me journey, using the people, process, platform framework to stabilise a COVID boosted logistics startup, clean up operations, and successfully prepare it for a strategic exit

(00:06:47) Why being a startup CEO felt like a second MBA, constantly switching hats between HR, operations, finance, legal, shareholders, and M&A, and what he now tells first time CEOs about the reality of the role

(00:11:10) How his leadership style evolved through INSEAD’s Global Executive MBA, two decades in the Boy Scouts, and hard lessons about empathy and communication in the tough leadership culture of parts of the Arab world

(00:16:38) The most common founder blind spots he sees when mentoring startups, from hiding in their comfort zone and over focusing on product to underestimating market fit, scalability, competition, mental health, and the choice between lifestyle business and scale up

(00:21:28) His advice for moving from corporate to entrepreneurship in the GCC, why investors prefer 2 or 3 complementary cofounders, how to test yourself as an intrapreneur first, and why resilience and health are non-negotiable

(00:29:16) Why he chose to lead Nerovate in Saudi, how Vision 2030 is reshaping the startup ecosystem, and his belief that sustainability and profitability can reinforce each other when you build the right digital water solutions for the region

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Kevin Carter is the founder of EMQQ Global and a leading voice in emerging markets investing. In his first appearance, he broke down the investment case for digital consumption in emerging markets. In this follow-up episode, Kevin returns fresh from a month-long trip to India, where he went beyond the usual business hubs to explore tier 2 and tier 3 cities, the infrastructure transformation, and why India might be the most compelling EM story of the next two decades.

In this episode we cover:

• (00:01:30) What Kevin saw firsthand in Uttar Pradesh and Ahmedabad that made him more bullish on India’s tier 2 and 3 cities
• (00:06:52) The rise of entrepreneurship in smaller cities and why the next unicorns may come from beyond IITs and IIMs
• (00:12:41) How India Stack digitized over a billion lives and added trillions in hidden infrastructure value
• (00:24:42) The explosion of quick commerce in India and why it may disrupt not only kirana stores but also Flipkart and Amazon
• (00:36:46) Why Mumbai’s infrastructure boom rivals what Kevin saw in China 20 years ago
• (00:41:59) Why you need to visit India to understand its transformation and how old stereotypes are holding back global perception

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Djasur Djumaev, Founder and CEO, and Nikolay Seleznev, Co-founder and Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer of Uzum, Uzbekistan’s first tech unicorn, joined us for this episode. Uzum became a unicorn in just two years, and now serves as the country’s leading e-commerce and fintech ecosystem. In this episode, they share how they built a household name in a largely offline market, their strategy for leapfrogging infrastructure gaps, and why Uzbekistan is one of the most exciting frontier markets today.

In this episode we cover:

• (00:01:11) Why Uzbekistan had almost no e-commerce before Uzum, and how they built everything from scratch, including last-mile logistics
• (00:07:50) How they scaled to 12,000 employees in under two years and blended expat and local talent to build a winning culture
• (00:10:33) The macro case for Uzbekistan: 6.5% GDP growth, 99% literacy, 87% smartphone penetration forecast by 2027
• (00:15:27) How 50% of adults were unbanked just four years ago — and how Uzum onboarded millions to financial services
• (00:22:57) Jasur’s fundraising journey: starting with his own capital, then attracting top U.S. and MENA investors despite skepticism about Uzbekistan
• (00:28:20) Where they plan to IPO, and what’s next for Uzum as they prepare for a dual listing and regional expansion

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Jan Riehle is the CEO of B4A, a leading Brazilian beauty marketplace with over 700,000 active users. An INSEAD ’09D, Jan began his career in M&A and private equity in Switzerland before joining Springstar, a German-Swiss venture builder, to manage their Brazil operations.

In this episode we cover:

• How he acquired and merged two struggling beauty companies (Glambox and Men’s Market) into what is now B4A (00:00:24; 00:05:28)
• His approach to restructuring and achieving breakeven in just four months by integrating company cultures and cutting fixed costs (00:11:39; 00:12:21)
• How B4A grew 10x in size and revenue, leveraging subscriptions, micro-influencers, and B2B services (00:19:41; 00:28:02)
• His thoughts on AI’s impact on labor, business efficiency, and why every employee at B4A is expected to use AI tools (00:28:02)
• His long-term vision for B4A, including potential international expansion, IPO, or SPAC exit (00:36:18)

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In this episode, I speak with Amr Habis, a transformational leader with expertise in engineering, project management, and business strategy, who has played a key role in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. With experience spanning organizations like Aramco, OEM Group, and the Saudi National Guard, Amr provides deep insights into Saudi’s economic shift, infrastructure boom, and cultural transformation.

We discuss:

• Amr’s career journey – from engineering and construction to oil & gas and eventually entrepreneurship, and how he finds fulfillment in constant learning and transformation.
• Saudi’s Vision 2030 at two levels – the "hardware" changes (megaprojects like NEOM and Riyadh Metro) and "software" changes (cultural and societal shifts).
• The cultural evolution – how Saudis are embracing uncertainty, breaking from traditional career paths, and seeking more personal fulfillment.
• The “New Unknowns” – how the younger generation is redefining ambition, financial stability, and career choices in response to the rapid changes in Saudi Arabia.
• Challenges for business owners – how SMEs and long-established companies are adapting to regulatory overhauls and a fast-changing market.
• Why Saudi shouldn’t be judged by global benchmarks – how cultural uniqueness shapes policy, business, and urban development differently than in the West.
• The rise of the Saudi entrepreneurial ecosystem – why businesses in Saudi are creating their own "Blue Ocean" strategies to differentiate and innovate.
• Leadership and mindset transformation – the most critical factor in successfully navigating change, both for individuals and companies.
• His passion for Arabic calligraphy – preserving and modernizing Saudi culture through an upcoming podcast dedicated to this historic art form.

A fascinating conversation for entrepreneurs, investors, and anyone interested in Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented transformation under Vision 2030.

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In this episode, we are joined by Waleed AlBanawi, an INSEAD 05D, Executive Chairman & CEO of Banvest Group, and former chairman of Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) MENA. Waleed has deep experience in traditional industries, venture capital, and regional economic transformation.

We discuss:

• His father’s entrepreneurial journey – pioneering industrial business in Saudi Arabia before the oil boom, securing funding when banks wouldn’t lend to industry, and overcoming regulatory and workforce challenges.
• Lessons in resilience – how early exposure to adversity through boarding school, competitive sports, and business challenges shaped Walid’s leadership style.
• Transitioning from family business to venture capital – after 26 years in manufacturing, Walid moved into VC to support tech entrepreneurs and invest in disruptive businesses across MENA.
• Challenges for startups in the GCC – why many founders fail due to a lack of market fit, the importance of adaptability, and how capital mismanagement affects long-term success.
• Investment philosophy – key criteria he looks for in startups: sector growth potential, path to profitability, strong governance, and building scalable teams.
• Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – how government reforms, digital transformation, and policies are accelerating private-sector growth and attracting investment.
• Future opportunities in MENA – why fintech, health tech, tourism, and entertainment are among the region’s most promising sectors for entrepreneurs.
• Advice for young entrepreneurs – the importance of lifelong learning, stepping out of comfort zones, and innovating rather than just renovating.

A must-listen for investors, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in business transformation in the Gulf region.

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Zaid Mosawy, an INSEAD 10D, joined us to discuss his experience as a key figure behind the delivery of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

We explore how his background in civil engineering, experience with the London Olympics, and INSEAD MBA positioned him to lead one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the region’s history.

Zaid shares lessons from a decade of planning and executing the World Cup—from cultural diplomacy and labor reforms to navigating geopolitical crises and creating lasting legacy programs.

We also look ahead to Saudi Arabia 2034 and discuss how mega-events can catalyze social, economic, and regional transformation.

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