empowerME Conversations

Feb 9, 2021

Transforming homz

By Atlantic Council

In episode 5 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host Amjad Ahmad interviews Homzmart Co-Founder and CEO Mahmoud Ibrahim about his multiple entrepreneurial ventures, the growth in e-commerce in the Middle East, proactive changes governments are making to laws and regulations (and changes that are still needed), the importance of developing talent through mentoring, women’s economic inclusion in his businesses, and the need for the region to go beyond digitization and create change through innovation.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Feb 2, 2021

From Fashion to Fintech

By Atlantic Council

In Season 1, Episode 4 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host Amjad Ahmad interviews Tabby Co-Founder and CEO Hosam Arab about why he became an entrepreneur and what it takes to succeed, the customer needs his companies have met, how he scaled his businesses across regional borders, the changes in e-commerce and payment options in recent years in the Middle East, and changes to laws and regulations that would boost business.

Economy & Business Iran

empowerME Conversations

Jan 26, 2021

Double Vision

By Atlantic Council

In Season 1, Episode 3 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host Amjad Ahmad interviews eyewa Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Anass Boumediene and Mehdi Oudghiri about the mindset that will create more entrepreneurs in the Middle East, policy changes that will lead to more unicorns, the acceleration of online payments and e-commerce, and new technologies that will soon replace in-person fitting rooms and eye tests.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Jan 19, 2021

It’s a mumz world

By Atlantic Council

In Season 1, Episode 2 of empowerME Conversations podcast, host Amjad Ahmad interviews Mumzworld Founder and CEO Mona Ataya about what it takes to be an entrepreneur, how the Middle East’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is radically changing, her company’s biggest policy pain points, and the future of customer personalization to the power of one.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Jan 12, 2021

Translating Business

By Atlantic Council

In Season 1, Episode 1, Tarjama Founder and CEO Nour Al Hassan discusses what drove her to become an entrepreneur, her company’s prescient flexible work model that has promoted women’s economic inclusion as well as resilience, and her policy wish list to help more endeavors like hers succeed in the Middle East.

Economy & Business Middle East

empowerME Conversations

Dec 11, 2020

EmpowerME Conversations Pilot

By Atlantic Council

The empowerME conversations podcast features conversations with business and government leaders shaping the Middle East. The podcast sheds light on key opportunities and challenges for companies and governments, and Season 1 will focus on top regional entrepreneurs and their path to success as well as struggles they faced along the way.

Middle East Resilience & Society

Report

Dec 11, 2020

The politics of pandemics: Evolving regime-opposition dynamics in the MENA region

By Frederick Kempe, Giampiero Massolo, Karim Mezran, Annalisa Perteghella, Emadeddin Badi, Yahia Mohamed Lamine Mestek, Hafsa Halawa, Abbas Kadhim, Gawdat Bahgat, Nadereh Chamlou

The politics of pandemics: Evolving regime-opposition dynamics in the MENA region.

Coronavirus Iran
An elevated view of Saudi Arabia

In-Depth Research & Reports

Jun 17, 2020

Assessing Saudi Vision 2030: A 2020 review

By Stephen Grand, Katherine Wolff

Executive summary When global oil prices collapsed in summer 2014, Saudi Arabia confronted one of the most daunting economic challenges of its modern history. Upon ascending to the throne the following year, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his son Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (now the crown prince) responded by developing an ambitious […]

Economy & Business Energy Transitions
2009 Iranian Protests

Report

Feb 11, 2020

Iranian digital influence efforts: Guerrilla broadcasting for the twenty-first century

By Emerson T. Brooking, Suzanne Kianpour

This brief begins with a discussion of the modern Iranian state’s approach to information and information control. It proceeds to a history of the Iranian Internet. Next, it examines the evolution of Iranian digital influence operations, followed by a discussion of the broader information conflict in which they take place. The brief concludes by considering the future nature and intent of Iran’s clandestine digital activities.

Conflict Disinformation

Report

Oct 8, 2019

The MENA region: A great power competition

By Karim Mezran and Arturo Varvelli

The idea of a ‘Russian resurgence’ in the Middle East set against a perceived American withdrawal has captured the attention of policymakers and scholars alike, warranting further examination.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy