What does it mean to lead when everything around you is shifting, and not everyone is experiencing it the same way?

In this episode, Marilyn Zakhour is joined by Ghida Barakat to explore how leaders in the GCC are navigating layered and often conflicting realities.

From geopolitical tension to internal team dynamics, this conversation unpacks the complexity leaders are holding today, across both self and system.

They discuss how different experiences of the same moment can create invisible tension within teams, why leaders often default to reactive patterns under pressure, and what it takes to stay grounded while leading others through uncertainty.

This is a practical and reflective conversation for leaders working across diverse teams, where clarity is not always shared, but leadership is still required.

If you’re navigating complexity that doesn’t have a single narrative or clear answer, this episode offers a way to think about holding it, rather than resolving it too quickly.

What does leadership look like when crisis is not an exception, but a constant?

In this episode, Aline Kamakian, Founder of Mayrig and Batchig, joins us to share her experience leading through decades of instability in Lebanon—where crises are layered, ongoing, and deeply human.

This is a conversation about:

• Leading when there is no stability to rely on
• Making decisions grounded in values, not fear
• Acting fast while thinking long-term
• Holding teams, communities, and ecosystems together

We also explore the creation of Sofra, a platform that channels donations directly to restaurants to produce and distribute meals—supporting both displaced individuals and the wider food ecosystem.

At its core, this episode is a reminder that leadership, in moments like these, is not just about sustaining performance—but about sustaining people.

About the Series
This episode is part of the Cosmic Conference 2026: Grounded & Limitless — Leading Organizations that Survive & Thrive, a 3-week series exploring how leaders endure, adapt, and grow through uncertainty.

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.