Creator Sessions

He's the UAE's first pitmaster and one of our favourite people to talk to, it's Hattem Mattar! We had an awesome time catching up with Hattem in this episode, tune in for some good laughs and inspiration as Hattem shares more about his story and how he's built such a beloved and authentic brand, centered around community, friendship and family while cooking a BBQ in his backyard. Hattem shares the important life lessons and work ethic that have helped him embody his personal brand - and that's when business really started to grow. We also talk about some of the effects the pandemic has had and learn that some things, like a BBQ brisket, really can't be shared online and shouldn't be.  Join the conversation and let us know what you think! 

Tune in with us as we sit down with Victor Dalmau, Managing Director of Volkswagen Middle East, in this episode Tom & Dia ask questions about the adoption of Electric Vehicles in the region and the direction that the automobile industry is moving in, how organisations can lead the way and take responsibility for the impact on our planet. Swapping stories in growth & leadership along the way.

Tom and Dia discuss the biases that hinder effective decision making and why identifying them within ourselves is key to sustainable growth, both personally and professionally.

It’s always a good chat when Tom & Dia get together and start talking about mindset, building resilience, setting goals, and finding support structures as they both embark on some exciting/ difficult / maybe crazy challenges in the months ahead. If you’re interested in personal development, performance & growth in general, this one is for you!

Listen in as we learn from Liliane Assaf (Business Product Marketing Manager at Facebook MENA), a fellow tech-lover, marketing guru, and an all-around fantastic guest, we hope you get as much value from this conversation as we did! Here's what you can expect from this episode: We learn more about Discovery Commerce and how it works How SME's can leverage automation provides to maximize their Return on Ad Spend AR & Try Before You Buy, and how it's potentially saving the planet (well maybe not exactly, but it makes you think about it). Instagram announces Ads in Reels   And what to keep in mind before jumping on new trends and platforms If you enjoyed the show, connect with us on social media to keep the conversation going. 

Tune in with Ahmed Younis (aka Fizo), Head of Facebook Creative Shop MENA, and explore some exciting trends & technology with us. We talk about Fizo's team, how they can support agencies in the region, future content creation with AR & VR, audio-first content, and more. More about Fizo: Fizo has left his mark on some of the Middle East’s biggest brand names with local and international agencies. He co-founded the FC studio, joined Cairo Elephant - the 1st creative hub/independent agency in Egypt, and became the Executive Creative Director in FP7 Cairo/McCann’s world group and head of McCann’s Creative leadership Council for MEA, all the while, orchestrating a plethora of award-winning campaigns for the likes of Coco-Cola, Nestle, Mini Cooper, Fanta, McDonald’s and Orange at Cannes Lions, D&AD and LIA. In 2017, he joined the tech giant, Facebook, as head of Creative Shop for MENA.

We're talking to Vishal Badiani, Creative Strategy Lead at Snapchat MENA, for first-hand insights to keep up with shifting consumer behaviors and trends through creative activations and AR experiences. We asked Vishal about: - the ‘Try before you buy’ trends in online shopping - how brands can build a camera strategy, - the AR lens studio and more Tune in for the full scoop!

Tune into this episode with Dr. Alan Goldhamer, as we dig into the topic of medically supervised, water-only fasting. Learn what it's all about, and how it works. Dr. Goldhamer share's how this work has helped thousands of patients to overcome chronic disease and transform physiology and psychology to live a healthier, happier, and longer life. This episode has some eye-opening facts and takeaways for anyone who wants to learn more about the effects of fasting. With Ramadan approaching soon, it's a good time to learn more about all the positive effects it can have on the mind and body too. Tune in to join the conversation and let us know if you found this episode helpful. About: Dr. Alan Goldhamer is one of the world’s leading experts on medically supervised, water-only fasting. Articulate, inspiring, and energetic, he is a frequent lecturer and speaker on fasting, diet, and treatment of chronic diseases to achieve optimum health. Dr. Goldhamer is the founder of True North Health Center, one of the first

Get the full scoop on what it takes to create such an immense show, 212m in the sky, with a world-famous DJ. In this episode, Matt (3DB), Tom, Dia & Shona share how the team made it work, the highlights, the challenges & what this means to the entertainment industry. Check out the incredible performance by David Guetta and the team here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaurMcGqZHU&feature=youtu.be 

Step back for a moment and see the world through a lens of gratitude and higher self-esteem with our next guest Brian Bogert.  In this episode, Brian share's his inspiring story with us including his mission to help people unlock their highest potential and flourish in personal and professional life. Tune in now and let us know your thoughts about it.  About: Brian helps executives, entrepreneurs and athletes learn this transformative approach that cultivates perspective, motivation, and direction to align their life with their true purpose and exceed their own expectations. He teaches not just to accept change, but to embrace pain in order to avoid suffering. Before becoming a full-time performance coach, Brian and his business partners successfully grew their office (in a global insurance brokerage firm) into a $15 million revenue business.

In 2020 we learned a lot from staying home and being connected to people primarily through technology. Connectivity is more blended with our everyday lives than ever before. In this session, we talk to Peter DeBenedictis (CMO Microsoft, Middle East & Africa) to discuss how this affects marketers and all business operations moving forward. Exploring all the opportunities and innovations we might see down the line. Peter describes Microsoft's role in enabling organisations and schools to shift their operations online, enabling people to adopt the technology available and achieve the most out of it. We also talk about how to avoid digital burnout, sharing some key productivity hacks for a more balanced, healthy, and efficient remote working environment. We hope you enjoy the discussion as much as we did!

Surviving racism, harmful stereotypes, discrimination, and fighting all of these things with grace and a positive attitude takes a true fighter. This guest is at the helm of building the @survivinghijab community - almost a million members and counting in a private FB group, one that's taken her to stand on stage at the FB HQ in front of 5000 people as well as championing the cause as a global brand ambassador for Nike. If you haven’t guessed by now, we can only be talking about the highly admirable Manal Rostom. We didn’t sit down to discuss her numerous achievements: her marathons, the Everest trek, or her insta-fame. This was a genuine conversation about how things are slowly changing, coupled with the clear realization that there is a whole lot more that needs to be done. Tune in and help us push that change forward by joining us in conversation with the one and only Manal Rostom.

Navigating the Industry cycles, the pandemic, and much more in 2020 brands and agencies are having to redefine their identities and discover what it really means to be digital. Tune into this episode with the Editor of Campaign Middle East, Austyn Allison, discussing all things marketing and advertising in the current environment: - How the Campaign publication has adapted to a growing digital audience - Advertising on the side of caution, sensitivity, and authenticity - How some brands have found a way into the conversation - We discuss what a new model of agency might look like in a few years There are definitely some thought-provoking points that resonate with us. We hope you enjoy the conversation! Let us know in the comments if you have any questions! 

In this episode, Tom joins Spencer on the Spencer Lodge Podcast to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on the SME sector In the Middle East. Tune in to hear their advice on how brands can enhance their communications strategy during a pandemic, how organizations can add value to their communities, and ways of giving back in times of crisis.

We have a very special guest in this episode, it's Rami Zeidan, Head of Video and Creative at TikTok in the region. Rami (thankfully) agreed to join us on zoom so we could record this talk, safely from our homes. Tune in for a first-hand view of how the platform has been adapting to the changes of COVID, helping communities to feel more connected and helping organizations like WHO and UNICEF to connect with a younger audience in a meaningful way. We also talk through his perspectives on: - TikTok usage and trends since COVID-19 quarantine started - working from home, while running a team, enjoying family time and connecting with new and old hobbies - dive into how, in this situation, Digital/ Tech companies might be more positively affected right now - and the outcomes that we, as communities, might see as a positive impact after COVID-19 If you're listening to this and feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or anxious about where we are heading, we hope you find as much joy and inspiration in this episode a

Dirk Stevens, CEO of TaskSpotting joins Daly in our studio to share his journey from FinTech to starting his business. TaskSpotting (recently acquired by Crowd Analyzer) works with brands to activate consumer-created content, at scale. It’s cool. - Dirk compares entrepreneurship to Breaking Bad (surprising, yet accurate) - We find out how brands can activate "everyday influencers" to test their products in new markets These startup stories are absolute fuel for the brain, tune in and let us know what YOU think!

Uncovering key strategies to become future-ready in business and all areas of life with John Sanei. John is a best-selling author and Singularity University faculty member, with insights that stem from a deep understanding in psychology, tech and disruption. In this episode, we explore how to follow our curiosity and approach the future with all the creativity, flexibility and optimism that it deserves. His latest book is called FOREsight, check it out here: How do we thrive in a fast-changing world in which we are torn between the rigid rules of industrial society and the flexible creativity that the future demands, between the certainty and safety of yesterday and the freedom and anxiety of tomorrow? FOREsight is a collection of 20 scenarios that combine human psychology and futurism to help you connect the invisible dots between the reality we perceive and the abundant, optimistic future we can create. His unlimited fascination with the future has seen him become Africa’s first faculty member at

Catching up with Omar Tom, the brilliant, storyteller, founder, and co-host of the Dukkan Show.  In this episode we talked about the intersectionality of culture and the youth. We tapped into some insightful content creation tips for brands aiming to speak to the varied subcultures across the city. This episode speaks to brands, artists, marketers, influencers and anyone in the creative space. Ideas have been sparked! We can’t wait for you to tune in and listen to these pioneers in their element!   About: The Dukkan Show is a podcast that delivers a sonic experience, showcasing the great conversations friends have when they hang out at their respective dukkan stoop. Dukkan Show is the voice of Neo-Bedouins and the home of the others. The term Dukkan literally means shop in Arabic.

When we heard our friend Brian Keane was in town we couldn’t just let him pass by without sharing some mind-bending stories with Tom and Dia. In this special episode, we talk about the upcoming release of his new book 'Rewire Your Mindset', how to quit self-sabotaging and hit your goals in business and life.  As always the guys some epic adventures and mindset hacks. This episode got us thinking about mental endurance and pushing through our own perceived limits. Please enjoy! If you want to hear more, here are the links to previous episodes with Brian and Tom: Don't let your excuses today become your regrets tomorrow - BKF Podcast UTMB Ultra Marathon Running for 42hrs straight and developing a f*** it mindset - BKF Podcast 

Our Head of Social Media, Daly taking over the podcast this week to sit down with Ahmed Saad, CEO, and co-founder of Crowd Analyzer, the leading Arabic social media listening platform in the Region. This session was extra special being that it’s our first podcast episode in Arabic! Hear how Ahmed quit his job and started his entrepreneurial journey with his business partner Bahaa Galal There were some ups, some downs and funny stories along the way Ahmed and Daly share their thoughts on how company culture is formed And an exclusive scoop on some exciting news for the Crowd Analyzer team! Crowd Analyzer has skyrocketed since it launched, evolving into the first Arabic-focused social media monitoring tool, serving top-notch firms and companies such as Mckinsey & Co., UBER, PWC, and many more. If you're tuning in, please hit us up and let us know if you want more episodes in Arabic!