What I Did Next

Thank you for joining me on an incredible season 5 of What I Did Next, and for your feedback and comments. This week, I’m joined by our producer Chirag Desai to talk about my own life’s pivots and a few highlights from our season.We’ll be back with new episodes in early September. Until then, you can catch up on our previous episodes, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn for updates.Thanks to our partners EFG Hermes for their support of this season, and to Egypt Fashion Week for a lovely collaboration.Links: Frontlines of Journalism by BBC Radio 4 The Lost Manuscript by Cathy Bonidan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m joined on the show this week by the talented Lebanese/Iraqi chef, Hussein Hadid. If you’ve been lucky enough to attend his unique kitchen table experience in Beirut, you'll know that Chef Hussein conjures up magic not just for your taste buds, but also by giving a lot of thought to the atmosphere and decor. He actually started out working in finance, quickly discarding that career in favour of a chef's jacket and hat. Our conversation took many twists and turns, with amazing anecdotes from his time working for a top New York restaurant to his more difficult experiences in Lebanon over the last few years. Chef Hussein also told me how his business has weathered these storms, and what's to come.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m joined this week by poet, author and radio host, Salma El-Wardany. Salma is the author of These Impossible Things, a best-selling novel that that breaks down barriers by looking at how a group of muslim girlfriends navigate love, friendship & sex. She also currently hosts The Breakfast Show on BBC Radio London, which reaches over half a million listeners daily. Salma is of Irish and Egyptian descent, combined with influences from the Pakistani community of Northern England and her current home in multi-cultural London. Questions of identity are at the core of who Salma is, and this is at the heart of much of her writing, public speaking and poetry. Salma has given voice to what many modern young women from Jakarta to Jeddah talk about behind closed doors. I find Salma's story fascinating, uplifting and hopeful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm joined on the show this week by Fares Akkad. Fares is currently Regional Director for Meta and has a long track record with the company formerly known as Facebook. Over the course of his career, Fares has had stints at KPMG, Booz Allen and media giant MBC, as well as going it alone as an entrepreneur. As a son of a Syrian diplomat, Fares grew up in South America and Europe, before moving to the US for university. We talk about how being exposed to so many different cultures has solidified his sense of self. We also dig into the future of technology, the metaverse, and where Meta sees itself in that equation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mounaz and Aya Abdel Raouf are the sisters behind the global luxury brand, Okhtein. They have always had a love for fashion and accessories, and day-dreamed about working in the industry from when they were children. In 2014, they turned their fantasy into a reality, launching Okhtein. Since then, they’ve had celebrities like Beyoncé, Emma Watson, Cardi B and Gigi Hadid photographed with their accessories. Their brother, Mohamed Abdel Raouf, joined the company as CEO in 2018.Today, Okhtein continues to expand its retail footprint, widening their distribution network to new markets, and exploring new product ranges, including a collaboration with Balmain which was unveiled during Paris Fashion Week in October last year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramy started out as a stand-up comedian, and is the star of the eponymous hit show, Ramy, which has won Golden Globes and Peabodies, as well as Emmy nominations. He's also the co-creator of Mo with Mo Amer, and can be seen later this year in Poor Things with Emma Stone, William Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo among other big wigs of the industry.I binged watched all 3 seasons of Ramy and am so happy we are finally seeing a show that potrays the Arab immigrant experience as more than a 2D cliché. The show is part comedy, part drama and part spiritual quest, raising questions and making you keel over laughing at the same time. As writer, actor, director and producer of the show, Ramy brings nuance and subtlety to what are, on the surface, extremely difficult issues to broach on US TV and he does so with the one tool that always breaks down prejudices—humour.We talk about growing up in New Jersey, the show, and whether his life has changed before and after the show's global success.This episode is brought to you by EFG Hermes One: Your one-stop gateway to investment Egypt Fashion Week, May 12-15, 2023: The past, present & future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This season we've partnered with the Egypt Fashion & Design Council, which is launching the first edition of Egypt Fashion Week from May 12 to May 15. I’m joined on this bonus episode by two of the Council’s co-founders, Paul Antaki & Susan Sabet. We talk about the mission behind the EFDC and what they’re hoping to achieve with the first Egypt Fashion Week.You can find out more on their website, and also follow Egypt Fashion Week on Instagram and on TikTok. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Omniya is an architect and a specialist in cultural heritage conservation, working between Cairo and London. She has worked on some landmark projects in the region, and now divides her time between the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation (EHRF) in Cairo and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. Omniya was also one of four co-curators of the Islamic Art Biennale in Jeddah. Omniya talks about the effort that goes into maintaining our historical sites, including raising funds from across the region’s benefactors and institutions. My conversation with Omniya is a reminder that cultural heritage is as important to a nation’s foundation and economy as tangible industries like manufacturing or oil.As always, we'll have a bonus episode with a few more details about her projects and what's in her cultural inbox. That'll be out for members next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm joined on this episode by Ali Shihabi. Ali is a businessman, an investor, a scholar, a writer, and a pundit. A few years ago, Ali left the management of his company, Rasmala Investment Bank, to focus on his passion for writing and commentary. Ali has published two books — Arabian War Games and The Saudi Kingdom — and also writes for outlets like The New York Times, The Atlantic and Foreign Policy.We dig into his life's pivots, from being at the center of one of the biggest reshuffles in the Saudi banking sector, to becoming an entrepreneur, and how he views the region against the world at large.We'll have a bonus episode with Ali for our members out next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Season 6!We're kicking off with a powerhouse broadcaster and journalist, Hala Gorani. Over a career spanning 25 years, Hala has covered natural disasters, wars, elections and interview key global leaders. Last year, Hala took a sabbatical from CNN and is currently working on her first book—a memoir that explores the subject of identity—which will be out in Spring 2024.We dig into her life’s pivotal moments, growing up in the US and France, how and why she chose to become a journalist, and how she’s working to better understand her multicultural identity in a increasingly complex world.LinksVogue Arabia: Ex-CNN News Anchor Hala Gorani on Taking a Sabbatical Year, and Why the Risk Has Been More Than Worth It Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices