empowerME Conversations

empowerME Conversations is a podcast created by the Atlantic Council’s empowerME, which features conversations with business and government leaders shaping the Middle East. The podcast highlights significant policy issues, economic opportunities, and challenges for organizations and governments through interviews with influential entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and economic policymakers.

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Season 3

Focuses on top government officials driving regional economic growth, featuring corporate guest co-hosts. Subscribe to empowerME Conversations on your favorite podcast platform to hear the latest episodes.

Season 2

Focuses on CEOs leading top corporations in the Middle East and features their insights on promoting regional economic prosperity. Subscribe to empowerME Conversations on your favorite podcast platform to hear the latest episodes.

Season 1

Focuses on top regional entrepreneurs and their path to success as well as struggles they faced along the way. Subscribe to empowerME Conversations on your favorite podcast platform to listen to the complete season.

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Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East

The Atlantic Council’s work on social, economic and human development issues in the Middle East honors the legacy of Rafik Hariri and his life’s mission to unlock the human and economic potential of the Arab world.

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The Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative (SMESI) provides policymakers fresh insights into core US national security interests by leveraging its expertise, networks, and on-the-ground programs to develop unique and holistic assessments on the future of the most pressing strategic, political, and security challenges and opportunities in the Middle East. 

Content

empowerME Conversations

Oct 11, 2022

Economies in Transition: Middle East

By Atlantic Council

In Season 3, Episode 4 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Chairman Amjad Ahmad speaks with International Monetary Fund's Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department Jihad Azour and guest co-host Atlantic Council's empowerME Director Racha Helwa to discuss the economy and market opportunities of the MENA region, women and youth empowerment, and the development of differing entrepreneurial ecosystems within the region.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Oct 4, 2022

Economies in Transition: Jordan

By Atlantic Council

In Season 3, Episode 3 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Chairman Amjad Ahmad speaks with Jordan's Minister of Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship H.E. Ahmad Al-Hanandeh and guest co-host BeyondCapital Managing Director Tamer Al-Salah to discuss Jordan’s current economic situation, the pivotal role investors play in growing their entrepreneurial ecosystem, and the increasing involvement of women in the Jordanian economy.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Sep 27, 2022

Economies in Transition: Egypt

By Atlantic Council

In Season 3, Episode 2 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Chairman Amjad Ahmad speaks with Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation H.E. Rania Al-Mashat and guest co-host UPS President of International Public Affairs and Sustainability Penelope Naas to discuss Egypt hosting COP 27, increasing women in leadership positions, promoting inclusivity in the economy, energy transitions, and the continued development of Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Sep 20, 2022

Economies in Transition: Palestine

By Atlantic Council

In Season 3, Episode 1 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Chairman Amjad Ahmad speaks with Palestine Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Empowerment H.E. Osama Al Saadawi and guest co-host Ibtikar Fund Managing General Partner Habib Hazzan about the challenges facing Palestine's entrepreneurial ecosystem, the private sector's role in promoting economic growth, and strategies to expose local entrepreneurs to global markets.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Nov 2, 2021

The evolution of the food and beverage sector in MENA

By Atlantic Council

In Season 2, Episode 6 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Director Amjad Ahmad speaks with PepsiCo Vice President and General Manager for GCC and the Levant Tamer Mosalam about innovation and emerging opportunities for the food and beverage sector, the increase in women’s employment in Saudi Arabia, and ways governments and corporates can support entrepreneurs.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Oct 26, 2021

Building growth: The future of MENA’s construction sector

By Atlantic Council

In Season 2, Episode 5 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Director Amjad Ahmad speaks with Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) Chairman Samer Khoury about the future of the construction industry, how companies can partner with and support startups, policies needed to boost the region’s economic growth, and ways to improve the talent pipeline and bring more women into the workforce.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Oct 19, 2021

Rejuvenating retail

By Atlantic Council

In Season 2, Episode 4 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Director Amjad Ahmad speaks with Majid Al Futtaim CEO Alain Bejjani about the future of retail in the Middle East, consumer desires for more modern and fulfilling experiences, and policies that will promote talent from the inside and economic growth.

Economy & Business

empowerME Conversations

Oct 12, 2021

The path to 25 healthcare breakthroughs by 2025

By Atlantic Council

In Season 2, Episode 3 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Director Amjad Ahmad speaks with Pfizer Regional President for Africa and Middle East Patrick van der Loo about the COVID vaccine rollout in the region, prospects for machine learning and AI to revolutionize healthcare, policies that will promote innovation, and ways companies can nurture women leaders in the workplace.

Economy & Business Entrepreneurship

empowerME Conversations

Oct 5, 2021

Democratizing commerce

By Atlantic Council

In Season 2, Episode 2 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Director Amjad Ahmad speaks with Facebook Managing Director for the Middle East and North Africa Ramez Shehadi on digitization, the future of e-commerce, supporting SMEs, and changes needed to improve the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Sep 28, 2021

Transforming logistics

By Atlantic Council

In Season 2, Episode 1 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host and Atlantic Council empowerME Director Amjad Ahmad speaks with UPS President for Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, and Africa Jean-Francois Condamine about the e-commerce boom in the Middle East, promoting sustainability in the logistics industry, and empowering small and medium enterprises to become regional and global exporters.

Economy & Business Middle East