Shows
Change is possible: Your Career Transformation GuideEpisode #15 Career Pivot with Rana Nawas: How to manage a full circle from corporate to entrepreneur and backEpisode 15 of the “Change is possible podcast” is out!
My guest is Rana Nawas. She is a 22-year corporate veteran who built her successful career around problem-solving, driving growth and building relationships.
After graduating from Oxford with an Engineering degree, she worked in McKinsey & Company’s London Office, the Dubai Government, and GE Capital in a variety of strategy and sales roles.
Then she left the corporate world to found her hugely successful podcast "When women win", and become a keynote speaker, advisor, and board chair.
Recently, she made another career change and joined Oliver Wyman in Dubai as a partner...2022-09-1335 min
Women Power Podcast with Wafa AlobaidatPresenting Yourself With Opportunities With Rana NawasRana Nawas is a corporate veteran turned podcaster on a mission to help women, which she achieves by being a public speaker, strategic consultant and an incredible founder and host to When Women Win, a show listened to in over 183 countries, where female role models from diverse backgrounds share their inspirational achievements and success stories. Her 17 years of corporate life encompasses a variety of experiences including starting at McKinsey & Company London, to working with the government in Dubai and later on in GE Capital. From being a president of Ellevate Dubai to being featured in some of the biggest...2021-09-2340 min
Working Wife, Happy Life!Ep 36 - When Women Win w/ Rana NawasToday’s conversation will bring you so much joy and hope through the pragmatic assessments and optimistic mindsets shared by one woman whose singular mission is to help other women. Rana Nawas is an entrepreneur, a keynote speaker, a strategic advisor and the host of iTunes’ number one podcast in the Middle East, When Women Win. Prior to this, she was the youngest sales executive globally, at GE Capital and the president of the Ellevate Network chapter in Dubai. With justice as her #1 value, this cancer-surviving, no-BS Mama shares how she remains focused and intentional amidst chaos. Addi...2021-05-2553 min
When Women WinDr. Nadine Hachach-Haram: How to Build a Business That Saves LivesOn the 100th episode of When Women Win Nadine and I talked about inspiration, resilience, and boundaries that need breaking. As a teenager in Lebanon, Nadine saw how access to quality healthcare changed people's lives. While Proximie started out as an experiment to create positive impact, it has become a global company that epitomizes “the future of surgery.” Nadine discussed her solution-based thinking processes and how that mindset helped her become an entrepreneur. You can connect with Nadine on LinkedIn and check out the Proximie website here. ************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of b...2021-05-0338 minWhen Women WinDoing Business With Diversity - Sebnem Avsar TunaI talked to Sebnem about leading a culturally diverse team – and doing it remotely. We discussed how to flex your leadership style to ensure that all your employees feel like they’re treated with respect. We also talked about the importance of leading by example, how to handle disappointments that inevitably arise while doing business, and how to shift your work energy towards what really matters. Sebnem encouraged us to do it with an enterprising mentality and a positive attitude. You can learn more about Sebnem on LinkedIn. ************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list...2021-04-2631 minWhen Women WinRebecca Minkoff: Be Fearless & Follow Your PassionIn this episode Rebecca and I talked about designing your life according to your passions.` Rebecca also shared the inspiration behind her new book, Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage and Success. I love the structure of the book: 21 rules we should all break if we want to achieve success. We dived into 7 of them, so you have another 14 to discover in the book! My favorite quote of the episode was, “Never not use your womanhood to your advantage.” You can learn more about Rebecca by checking out rebeccaminkoff.com. Her book Fearless drops...2021-04-1937 minWhen Women WinBola Adesola: Charting Your Own Path Through CorporateSo what did we talk about? Value alignment, purposefulness and being discerning about where you work. We also discussed key leadership traits such as introspection and reflection, and Bola gave practical tips for carving out your own path. You can learn more about Bola and connect with her on LinkedIn. ************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to the When Women Win website. While there, you can also sign up to our newsletter that – just once a month – sends behind the scene...2021-04-1235 minWhen Women WinCatriona Wallace: Artificial Intelligence 101 and The Heroine’s JourneyCatriona demystified artificial intelligence, making it easy to understand for someone like me, who has no background in AI. We examined ethical AI, how machines are set to change the world, and her role in ensuring diversity and inclusion is programmed into the future. Catriona shared how the trauma she faced as a child shaped her as a businesswoman, and how mindfulness has helped her get through life’s greatest obstacles. The Heroine’s Journey is a 7-part journey that all women take, and Catriona invites you to find out where you are on that journey. My favo...2021-04-0541 minWhen Women WinElif Shafak: Why Storytelling MattersWhat did we discuss? Literature, discrimination and emotional intelligence. Elif & I talked about why storytelling matters in the fight for just and equality. And Elif shared some tips on how YOU can become a writer, as everyone has a story to tell. My favorite quote of the episode was, “When we travel into someone else's truth, it connects us with our fellow human beings and makes us realize that the truth can change.” You can find Elif on Instagram @shafakelif and at her website. **************************************************** Want detail...2021-03-2934 minWhen Women WinFarah Foustok: Invest in Yourself Farah & I talked about investing in yourself, taking risks, losing it all, cultivating grit and rebuilding from scratch. Farah shared how working in the male-dominated world of Middle Eastern finance fueled her desire to help more women rise to leadership positions. My favorite quote of the episode was, “I learned to lose everything and then find a way to rebuild.” You can find Farah at https://poweroftara.net/tara-team/. ***************************************************** Would you like detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? To jo...2021-03-2236 minWhen Women WinRana and Zélika García: The Business & Pleasure of ArtWe discussed Zélika’s passion for art and how she built a business to boost Latin America’s art industry, despite facing hundreds of "no"s. Zélika stressed the importance of patience and focus, and talked about how to build credibility as a young woman. Though Covid has thrown a wrench in her plans, she’s excited by the opportunity to innovate the fair and keep growing in new ways. My favorite quote of the episode was: “Everything is negotiable. Everything.” You can find Zélika at https://zsonamaco.com. ******************************************************* Want detail...2021-03-1538 minWhen Women WinRana and Hoda Mansour: How Challenges Drive SuccessWe discussed the challenges Hoda faced throughout her corporate career, and in particular her original doubts about taking on her latest role as the Managing Director of SAP Egypt. Hoda was apprehensive at first because she was leaving a highly profitable business unit to lead a much less successful one – it did not feel like progress. We talked about how Hoda rose to the occasion, listened to her team and turned this challenge into a massive opportunity. You can find Hoda Mansour on LinkedIn at Hoda Mansour | LinkedIn ***************************************************** Want deta...2021-03-0832 minWhen Women WinRana and Ibtihaj Muhammad: Persevering in the Face of AdversityWhat did we discuss? How to persevere through life’s most challenging moments. Ibtihaj talked about her evolution as an athlete - why she picked the sport of fencing and what it was like competing and medalling at the 2016 Rio Olympics. We discussed the physical, mental and emotional adversity she’s had to overcome as a Black and Muslim and female athlete, and Ibtihaj talked about how her faith and her support network helped her through it all. You can find Ibtihaj at her website: https://www.ibtihajmuhammad.com ***************************************************** Want detailed show notes? A li...2021-03-0134 minWhen Women WinRana’s 5-minute POV on How to Network RemotelyI'd love to hear what you think of this format and content... Could you send a message through the website or via my LinkedIn? Thank you!2021-02-2504 minWhen Women WinRana & Nathalie Haddad: How to Build a Business That Just Keeps on GrowingWhat did we talk about? We talked mostly about the business process, like how to achieve consistent growth, and how to navigate challenges along the way. We discussed the difference between starting up and scaling up, responding to customer feedback, building the right team, being a mompreneur and of course we touched on nutritional advice. My favorite quote of the episode was Nathalie’s advice on balancing work and family: “Whenever you’re at work, try to be at work; whenever you’re with the kids, try to be with the kids.” You can find Nathalie a...2021-02-2226 minWhen Women WinRana & Silvia Davila: How to Evolve Your Leadership & ConfidenceWhat did we talk about? We talked about the dance that we do at work every day - having fun and also taking difficult decisions; being a committed professional while also being a full-time mom, wife and daughter. We discussed networking, confidence and not settling for the status quo. You can find Silvia on LinkedIn. ****************************************************** Would you like a free invite to join When Women Win's monthly Ask Me Anything session? Head to our website and sign up for our monthly newsletter for details. While at the website, you can find s...2021-02-1536 minWhen Women WinRana & Jennifer Petriglieri: How Dual Career Couples Can Make it WorkWhat did we talk about? The 3 major transitions in a working couple’s life and how to navigate them. This episode is FULL of practical advice. My favorite quote was “Desire doesn’t come when you’re sat next to someone and they’re in their pyjamas with their laptop on their knee!" You can find out more about Jennifer and her work at her website: https://www.jpetriglieri.com/. or head here to watch Jennifer's recent TED talk on the subject. ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recomme...2021-02-0844 minWhen Women WinRana’s 5-minute POV on Gifting & Receiving FeedbackMy formal bio! Rana Nawas is a corporate veteran turned speaker and podcaster, on a mission to help women win. She does this through inspiring keynotes, strategic advisory and her podcast, When Women Win - a show where female role models from diverse backgrounds share inspirational stories and practical tools for success. Rana spent 17 years in the corporate world, at McKinsey & Company's London Office, the Dubai Government, and GE Capital in a variety of strategy and sales roles. Whilst at GE, she co-led the Women’s Network for the Middle East, Africa & Turkey and led...2021-02-0405 minWhen Women WinRana & Dina El-Shenoufy: How to Get Your Start-up Funded + Entrepreneurship in EgyptWe focused on two things: the Egyptian entrepreneurial scene and entrepreneurship in general. Dina shared advice for entrepreneurs but also for people like you and I who may one day become angel investors - how to do it and what to look out for. I always ask seed investors who come on When Women Win about what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur - they all say the same two things... listen on! My favorite quote of the episode was “I can only love the numbers when they reflect a story.” You can find Dina...2021-02-0126 minWhen Women WinRana & Mariate Arnal: Moving Between Corporate and Entrepreneurial CareersWhat did we talk about? Failure, success & alignment. We talked about getting help when you need it - from a therapist, friend or mentor, and Mariate gave advice on networking and job hunting – listen closely for that 2x2 matrix tool… Finally, we discussed her uncomfortable reality of starting a new job right at the beginning of COVID - and she shared some practical tips on leading a remote team that you’ve never met! My favorite quote of the episode was “The worst enemy of an entrepreneur is a good salary!" You can find Maria Teresa A...2021-01-2545 minWhen Women WinRana & Amy Edmondson: How to Boost Team Performance Using Psychological SafetyMy favorite quote of the episode was “Psychological safety is not at odds with having tough conversations – it is what allows us to have tough conversations." You can find Amy on LinkedIn and Twitter. ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to our website. While there, you can also sign up to our newsletter that – just once a month – sends behind the scenes goodies to your inbox. Have you found us on social media yet? Pick your poison: Instagram, Twitter or...2021-01-1851 minWhen Women WinRana & Dominique Crenn: From Abandoned Child To World-Famous Michelin Starred ChefMy favorite quotes of the episode were: “I didn’t let anyone tell me I had to change my vision to be successful.” “A leader inspires the team, but also allows her team to inspire her.” You can find Dominique Crenn here on Instagram, and her restaurant website is: https://www.ateliercrenn.com/ I also highly recommend you check out Chef’s Table, a Netflix documentary about the world’s biggest chefs. Season 2, episode 3 is on Dominique Crenn – and her food philosophy. ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some...2021-01-1157 minWhen Women WinRana & Ann Cairns: Personal Disruption, Networking & Being The Only Woman In The RoomMy favorite quote of the episode was “Don't be a lady in waiting!” You can find Ann on Twitter as @AnnMCairns and LinkedIn @AnnCairns. ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com If you’re on iTunes, would you kindly take half a minute to subscribe to, rate & review the podcast? It would help tremendously. Thank you, Rana2021-01-0458 minWhen Women WinRewind to Rana & Lily Kandalaft: How Corporate Experience Can Help You Build A BusinessWelcome to episode 3 of the Rewind, as we count down to the launch of Season 4 on Jan 4th. During our conversation, Lily shared valuable lessons she learned in the corporate world that have served her well in entrepreneurship, as well as how she has navigated challenges along her journey - not least of them, Covid. While this is a Rewind episode, Lily kindly provided an update last week on how things are going in a Covid world. I was curious because 100% of her business was in-person contact with medical staff... Listen on for her learnings...2020-12-2944 minWhen Women WinRewind to Rana & Bozoma Saint John: How to Build Your Personal BrandWelcome to episode 2 of the Rewind, as we count down to the launch of Season 4 on Jan 4th. There are many reasons that this is one of the world's favorite podcasts: we talked about confidence, authenticity, stereotype threat and self-promotion. We explored faith, being human and how to move on after the loss of a loved one. You can find Boz on Instagram @badassboz. ********************************** Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to the When Women Win website. While there, y...2020-12-2243 min
When Women WinRewind to Rana & Caroline Miller: How to Find Happiness Through Goal-setting & GritAs we count down to the launch of Season 4 on Jan 4th, we are running a When Women Win "Rewind" to your favorite past episodes. This is the first of three Rewind episodes... During our chat, we discussed how to set goals correctly and how grit helped Caroline overcome bulimia at the age of 22. We defined happiness and I learned the happiest people are the people who wake up to hard goals – people who have “ikigai”, a Japanese word that means “reason for being”. You can find Caroline on LinkedIn and Instagram. ******************************************************* Want detail...2020-12-1543 min
When Women Win10-minute Update on When Women Win & More...Hi Everyone, This is an unusual episode... I wanted to reconnect with you because it has been way too long since COVID cramped our style! When Women Win is coming back with a vengeance, and I think it's our most important season yet because of the crazy "shecession" we're in that is burning women out. During this short episode, I mention some entities: Elaa Beirut provides free online mental healthcare to people in Lebanon suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD). On October 18th, I'll be doing a mentoring session for Ellevate Dubai and...2020-10-1409 minWhen Women WinBernadette Abraham: Stress! And How to Unjunk Your DietMy favorite quote of the episode was “It’s common – it’s not normal”. You can find Bernadette at her website or on Instagram. The business highlighted on this episode is Women @Work, a company that helps corporate find the right female talent, and helps women get back into the workforce. ******************************************************* To get notified of the release of Bernadette’s book – and for other top tips & free livestreams – subscribe to the When Women Win newsletter at whenwomenwinpodcast.com. If you’re on iTunes, would you kindly take half a minute to rat...2020-03-3138 minWhen Women WinRana Dajani: Stem Cells, Success & Reading For PleasureMy two favorite quotes were: “Who do you think you are, you’re just a drop in the ocean…”. Her reply: “what is the ocean but millions of drops?” “Reading for fun is so important…. For the development of cognitive skills, for the imagination, for learning about other people, so that you’re more empathetic and better at communication” You can find Rana at her website https://welovereading.org/ or on Twitter as @Prof_RanaDajani or @welovereading. And this is Rana’s book Five Scarves: Doing the Impossible - If We Can Reverse Cell Fate, Why Can't We Redefine S...2020-03-2338 minWhen Women WinNisreen Shocair, Serial CEO: Leading Teams, Loyal Customers & IVFMy favorite quote of the episode is right at the end, so listen on for it... Here are two other quotes whose juxtaposition I loved: “That kind of loyalty, you get from managing with love” “Any decision that I make has never been at the cost of the P&L” You can find Nisreen on LinkedIn. PLEASE do reach out to her if you have any questions on IVF, adoption or surrogacy. The Marketing business I mentioned in Segment U is http://www.itaniandcompany.com/ ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of...2020-03-1748 minWhen Women WinBlockchain 101 - Plus Entrepreneurship & ZebrasFriends - this episode is for people who have felt intimidated or excluded by Blockchain conversations and want to understand its basics. We then get into Leanne and her entrepreneurial journey. My favorite quote of the episode was one that captured a huge advantage of the Blockchain: “In future, you’ll be able to check social media posts & news articles and know whether it is fake news”. I also loved Leanne's take on start-ups: “we don’t like [to talk about mythical] unicorns but we like to talk about zebras”. You can find Leanne on Twit...2020-03-0931 minWhen Women WinCarla Harris: Navigating Wall Street Through Sponsorship & AuthenticityMy favorite quotes of the episode were: “Nobody can be you the way that you can be you”, and “I demonstrated that I was listening – and everybody values being heard” You can find Carla on social media at @carlaspearls or at her website www.carlaspearls.com A huge thank you to the 2020 Global Women's Forum Dubai for making this interview possible. ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com If you’re on iTunes, would you kindly take...2020-03-0332 minWhen Women WinKristalina Georgieva: Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)My favorite quotes of the episode were: “We gain nothing from anxiety… And a smile opens more doors than a shout” "I saw what real tragedy is, and I saw how people who have nothing can be generous and kind and supportive to each other… I learn from them” I'd also like to flag the call to action: the IMF is looking to hire women from the MENA Region with a strong background in economic policy. To quote Kristalina: "Don't be shy; please apply!" Do it, do it, do it!!! You can find Kristalina o...2020-02-2422 minWhen Women WinElissa Freiha: An Entrepreneurial Pivot That Brought Success To PurposeMy favorite quote of the episode was: “What’s interesting about success is, when it’s perceived it often manifests.” And Elissa's book recommendation was The Greater Freedom by Alya Mooro. You can find Elissa on Twitter and Instagram ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn. If you’re on iTunes, would you kindly take half a minute to rate & re...2020-02-1035 minWhen Women WinProf Deborah Kolb: How to Negotiate Better at WorkMy favorite quote of the episode was "I always used to think that if someone asked you to do something, your answer was either a yes or a no..." You can find Deborah at her website deborahmkolb.com and on LinkedIn. ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Subscribing to our podcast will notify you when new episodes drop. And if you happen to be on iOS, a rating & review would be gr...2020-02-0436 minWhen Women WinDame Helena Morrissey: Veteran Financier & Mother of 9My favorite quote of the episode was “Actions speak louder than words, but results speak louder than actions". You can find Helena on Twitter and LinkedIn. ******************************************************* Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com If you’re on iTunes, would you kindly take half a minute to rate & review the podcast? It would help tremendously. Thank you, Rana2020-01-2641 minWhen Women WinNadine Mezher: Owning Your Financial IndependenceThis episode is for people who want to learn more about investing cheaply, and those interested in entrepreneurship. My favorite quote was “You only incur the loss when you pull out of the market”. You can find Nadine on LinkedIn or at www.sarwa.co ***************************************************** Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn. If you’re on iTunes, would you kind...2019-12-1637 minWhen Women WinNorma Taki, Partner at PwC: Winning in the Corporate WorldMy favorite quote of the episode was “you’re in year 1, I’m in year 35 – if at year 35 I don’t have the success that I do, then I’ve failed.” Too often we compare our results with those of someone who's been on the journey for much longer! You can find Norma on LinkedIn and Twitter. ************************************************************ Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter...2019-12-0838 minWhen Women WinArlan Hamilton: Built a Venture Capital Fund While HomelessMy favorite quote of the episode was “The seed doesn’t see the petal….” You'll have to listen for context! You can find Arlan on Twitter and Instagram @arlanwashere. A huge thank you to the 2019 Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival – where this episode was recorded on the Main Stage in front of a live audience. ***************************************************************** Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com or go straight to our web contact form. Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenw...2019-12-0232 minWhen Women WinResilience & Surviving Genocide: Marie-Christine NibagwireMy favorite quote was “Before I became a refugee, I was not a sporty person!” If you would like to learn more about Marie-Christine's work and / or support her organization “Safe Refuge Rwanda”, do feel free to email her at: saferefugerwanda@gmail.com A huge thank you to naseba and their 2019 Women in Leadership Economic Forum for making this interview possible. ****************************************************** Want detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! W...2019-11-2541 min
When Women WinKristin Lemkau: Chief Marketing Officer of JP Morgan ChaseMy favorite quotes of the episode were Kristin's take on: Hiring: “Look for people who know what to do when they don’t know what to do” How to support the advancement other women: “When a woman’s name comes up who’s amazing, you just say “oh my God, that Kristin, she really needs a bigger job”. Then stop. The seed’s been planted.” You can find Kristin on Twitter and Instagram. **************************************************** Would you like detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwin...2019-11-1844 min
When Women WinZoe Kinias: How to Engage Men & Women to Help Women RiseWant detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn. Would you kindly take half a minute to support our work by subscribing to, rating & reviewing the podcast? It would help tremendously. Thank you, Rana2019-11-1139 min
When Women WinDima Ayad on Building a Business & Inclusive FashionWant detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn. Would you kindly take half a minute to support our work by subscribing to, rating & reviewing the podcast? It would help tremendously. Thank you, Rana2019-11-0435 min
When Women WinAnne-Marie Slaughter on the Journey to ParityWant detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn. Would you kindly take half a minute to support our work by subscribing to, rating & reviewing the podcast? It would help tremendously. Thank you, Rana2019-10-2823 min
When Women WinSupercar Blondie: the World's #1 Reviewer of SupercarsWant detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn. Would you kindly take half a minute to support our work by subscribing to, rating & reviewing the podcast? It would help tremendously. Thank you, Rana2019-10-2148 min
When Women WinElissar Farah Antonios - CEO of Citi UAE & LevantWant detailed show notes? A list of book recommendations? To send us some love? To nominate a guest? Head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn. Would you kindly take half a minute to support our work by subscribing to, rating & reviewing the podcast? It would help tremendously. Thank you, Rana2019-10-1440 minWhen Women WinJessica Matthews on her Unlikely Path to Solving Energy PovertyFor detailed show notes and book recommendations, please head to whenwomenwinpodcast.com Let’s get social! When Women Win is @whenwomenwinpodcast on Instagram, Twitter & LinkedIn. Please send us feedback and guest recommendations! Would you kindly take half a minute to support our work by subscribing to, rating & reviewing the podcast? Thank you! Rana2019-10-0752 min
When Women WinSeason 2 Finale with Marketing Guru Bozoma Saint John - Building Your Personal BrandWelcome to episode 60, the final episode of Season 2. Bozoma Saint John is the Chief Marketing Officer at Endeavor, a global leader in entertainment, sports and fashion with a portfolio of companies including WME, IMG, and UFC. Before joining Endeavor, Saint John served as Chief Brand Officer at Uber, Head of Global Consumer Marketing at Apple Music & iTunes and Head of Music and Entertainment Marketing at PepsiCo. While at PepsiCo, where she signed their first ever deal with Beyonce. Boz was inducted into Billboard’s Women in Music Hall of Fame in 2018, and the American Advertising Fede...2019-07-1544 min
When Women WinPurpose, Execution and Building a Successful Business - Ghizlan GuenezGhizlan Guenez is the Founder and CEO of The Modist, the world's first global e-commerce platform where luxury fashion brands are curated for women who dress modestly. The need to empower women through choice of attire stemmed from Ghizlan's own needs: working 14 years in private equity, she had to dress conservatively for years, but often struggled to find clothing that was also fashionable and contemporary. A market estimated at $260B. Enter The Modist. Originally from Algeria, Ghizlan lived most of her life in Dubai and the Middle East and holds first-class degree from the London School of...2019-07-0825 min
When Women WinTop Business Tip: Tell A Good Story - Noor SweidNoor Sweid started her professional life as a strategy consultant in biotech and pharma; she then moved back to Dubai where she joined her family business, Depa, an interior contracting company. She helped grow it from $60M in revenue to $600M over 8 years. When it became the biggest such company in the world, Noor led its IPO on the London Stock Exchange. In parallel, Noor founded ZenYoga, the first yoga and pilates studio in the MENA region. It grew to become the largest chain of wellness studios in the Middle East and was sold to a private...2019-06-2418 min
When Women WinDr. Nicola Tallis on Queen Elizabeth's Surprise RivalAs a lover of history, I was delighted to catch up with Nicola at this year's Emirates Literature Festival. We talked about the Tudor period in general, and then dived deeper into various pivotal characters of the era... Did you know that Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England for 13 days and then executed at the age of 17? Shocking stuff. Nicola’s first book, Crown of Blood: The Deadly Inheritance of Lady Jane Grey, was published in 2016 after five years of research. Her more recent book, Elizabeth’s Rival: The Tumultuous Tale of Lettice Knollys, Countes...2019-06-1726 minWhen Women WinDeveloping the Workforce of the Future - Manale El KarehManale focuses on the large transformation of Middle East governmental institutions, in particular the defence and education sectors. She also drives A.T. Kearney’s diversity and inclusion initiative for the Middle East, and heads the firm’s sustainability (social, economic and environmental) efforts in the region. Manale is an engineer by training and had a full professional career as a fintech entrepreneur before moving into the consulting industry. We talked about the workforce of the future – what are those skills we have to develop in ourselves and our children to be “future-proofed”. We discussed the impact...2019-06-1026 minWhen Women WinHow Women Rise - Sally HelgesenSally Helgesen is a best-selling author, speaker and women leadership expert. Over the last 30 years she has worked with women leaders to recognize and act on their greatest strengths. Her most recent book, How Women Rise, became the top-selling title in its field within only a week of publication. In this episode Sally shared a lot of valuable insights on the impediments preventing women from moving up and the behaviours and steps women need to take. We talked about several of the key habits from her book as well as dealing with different expectations, self-promotion...2019-05-2737 min
When Women WinHatoon Kadi on Reinventing Yourself, Getting Grit and Creating ContentHatoon Kadi is a Saudi Arabian comedienne, best known for her YouTube show Noon Alniswa, where she has over 355,000 subscribers. Hatoon uses satire to present social phenomena from a woman's perspective, and is one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Perfectly bilingual in Arabic and English, she also teaches Research Methodology at a private university. Hatoon started her career as IT support – that person you call if you’re computer gives you blue screen of death, or your hard drive self-combusts. Cables and mouses were not her end game and she pursued her PhD in social science & inform...2019-05-1333 min
When Women WinHow to Make the Most out of LinkedIn - Michaela Alexis Michaela is a Canadian Millennial and a LinkedIn expert, having written dozens of articles that have received millions of reads. Her LinkedIn journey started in March 2016 when an article that she wrote about landing her dream job went viral. Over the past decade, Michaela has managed the online presence of more than 100 high-profile brands and built her own personal brand to over 140,000 followers on LinkedIn. Michaela was one of the first people on LinkedIn to openly discuss mental health, self-esteem, and reporting harassment in the workplace. After her father passed away, she started a discussion...2019-04-2944 min
When Women WinThe Hilarious Melltoo Co-Founders on their Marriage and Serial EntrepreneurshipWhen Apple invited me to do a live podcast in their Dubai Mall store for International Women’s Day, I immediately thought of bringing Sharene and Morrad on the show. I love that this couple defies numerous stereotypes, and that their values seemed aligned with those of Apple: innovation and execution. This husband and wife team have together started and sold multiple businesses from the US to Dubai to Malaysia… All while raising 6 children. Sharene Lee is a Singaporean Chinese who I KNOW is always smiling under her niqab. She had founded and sold 2 businesses in Los...2019-04-1541 min
When Women WinThe Untold Story of Women & Space History - Sue NelsonThis show is about women in space, in science and in history. It’s only becoming mainstream knowledge now that there were many women involved in global space programs in the 1960s. As part of the Mercury 13, Wally Funk was one of the pioneering women of space travel who often outperformed male astronaut candidates in tests of endurance. But just one week before the final phase of training, the programme was abruptly cancelled. Politics and prejudice meant Wally never flew into space. Undeterred, she went on to become an accomplished pilot and America's first female aviation safety inspector. ...2019-04-0134 minWhen Women WinRana Salhab on the Skills, Policies & Practices of TomorrowMy guest on today’s show was ranked by the Financial Times as one of the Top 5 “Global Champions of Women in Business” in 2017 and 2018. Rana Ghandour Salhab is the Talent and Communications partner at Deloitte, Middle East, covering 16 countries in the region and with numerous responsibilities, from building strategies in the field of human capital to overseeing Deloitte ME’s media, communications and CSR activity. Rana also advises governments across the Middle East on gender equality laws and practices, and serves on the advisory boards of multiple organizations such as Reach Mentoring and the 30% Club. We tal...2019-03-1833 min
When Women WinBe Brave, Not Perfect - Reshma Saujani Reshma Saujani committed her first act of bravery at the age of 33 when she ran for political office in New York. She lost – badly. Instead of being defeated by it, she was set free… she discovered her bravery muscle and started to exercise it more. For example, she set up an NGO about coding when she knew nothing about start-ups – or coding. Girls Who Code is a US non-profit organization working to close the gender gap in technology and change the image of what a programmer looks like. Reshma’s TED talk, "Teach girls, bravery not perfe...2019-03-0427 minWhen Women WinCultivating Resilience, Cultivating Entrepreneurship - Najla Al MidfaToday’s show is about cultivating resilience. But before we get into Najla’s own path of navigating social norms and obstacles, we talk about her unusual job. Najla is the CEO of Sheraa, a government entity that has been tasked to turn a cultural city into a bustling entrepreneurship hub. We discussed why Sharjah has chosen this strategy and what the critical elements are to create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Culture plays a huge role here, at a micro and macro level, as does the word “failure”. We talked about the different needs that entrepren...2019-02-1836 minWhen Women WinHow to Engage Men to Advance Women - Jeffery HalterJeffery Tobias Halter is a thought-leader on how companies can recruit, retain and advance women in the workplace. He is the President of YWomen, a consulting firm focused on engaging men in women’s leadership issues. Prior to creating YWomen, Jeffery spent over 20 years in various sales roles at the Coca Cola Company, and was later appointed their Director of Diversity Strategy. We had a deep discussion about what male allies and advocates can do to support women in the workplace. We talked about the four barriers that men face in demonstrating their support and how they ca...2019-02-0435 minWhen Women WinLinda Rottenberg On Scaling Up High-Impact Entrepreneurs In Emerging Markets Linda was named one of TIME’s “Innovators for the 21st century” and “the Entrepreneur Whisperer”. Linda Rottenberg is an expert on entrepreneurship and leadership. For years she was known as "La Chica Loca” (the crazy girl) for insisting that high-impact entrepreneurs exist in emerging and developing markets. And in 2014, she published her best-selling book, Crazy is a Compliment. As co-founder and CEO of Endeavor, Linda has led the global entrepreneurship movement for over two decades. With 60 offices spanning the world, Endeavor rigorously selects, mentors, and invests in high-impact...2019-01-2140 min
Basel MeetsRana Nawas: A Winning WomanRana Nawas is the host of one of the strongest original podcasts to come out of the Middle East region. In this conversation, she shares her journey of leaving the corporate world, becoming a mom, facing a serious diagnosis and being an outspoken women activist.
RANA – 1:17:19, 1.15 PMDownloadSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2019-01-181h 06
Basel MeetsRana Nawas: A Winning Woman
Rana Nawas is the host of one of the strongest original podcasts to come out of the Middle East region. In this conversation, she shares her journey of leaving the corporate world, becoming a mom, facing a serious diagnosis and being an outspoken women activist.
RANA – 1:17:19, 1.15 PMDownload
2019-01-181h 06
When Women WinThe Future of Food - Seta TutundjianSeta Tutundjian is the Director of Programs at the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), a non-profit joint venture between the UAE Govt and the Islamic Development Bank. She had spent 15 years working with USAID in Jordan, strengthening institutions and working on policy reform. During her last 4 years at ICBA, Seta has focused on breeding crops in the world’s most challenging environments. I was shocked to learn how few crops are being farmed commercially relative to the huge variety of palatable species available on our planet: do you know that of a possible 30,000 palatable species, we cu...2019-01-1523 min
When Women WinStep Up and Transform Your Fitness Routine - Shona Vertue Shona Vertue is a personal trainer and yoga teacher whose clients include David Beckham. She has over 300,000 followers on Instagram and one of the most popular YouTube yoga channels in the UK. Shona was a trainer on the cast of Warner Brother’s Wonder Woman 2, scheduled for release this autumn. She spends her time between London and Sydney where she surfs and skateboards - and I think Shona is one of the funniest people on Instagram! Her program, “The Vertue Method”, combines resistance training and cardio with yoga and meditation, and places as much importance on rest and recovery as...2019-01-0636 min
When Women WinCNN's Hala Gorani Flips the Script on Rana NawasThe When Women Win Podcast has featured over 40 boss ladies and we've covered everything about them and their lives. In this episode, however, we are going to do something different. I've asked someone very special to take over the podcast: Hala Gorani. Hala needs no introduction - she is the legendary anchor on CNN, where she has her own nightly news show, Hala Gorani Tonight. She was also the final guest on Season 1 of When Women Win. And on this episode, Hala will be interviewing... ME. A little about me in the third pe...2018-12-2957 min
When Women WinApplying Corporate Lessons to Your Start-Up - Amira RashadA working mum, Amira felt like there were not enough hours in the day - and grocery shopping was the last thing she wanted to do in her precious time. So she built an online platform to order groceries in bulk. Prior to starting BulkWhiz, Amira had 25 years’ experience in leadership, strategy, operations and marketing across a variety of sectors - having worked at Yahoo, Pepsico and Booz Allen. Most recently she was the Head of Brand for Facebook Middle East & North Africa. Amira is a Harvard Business School Graduate and sits on the board of Tech Wadi...2018-12-1734 min
When Women WinChief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia - Claude SilverClaude Silver is the Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia the advertising company co-founded by Gary Vaynerchuk in 2009. Prior to joining GaryVee, Claude spent 20 years in the top tiers of the advertising world, working for Publicis and J Walter Thompson, building global brand strategies for Fortune 50 companies. Her current role is to connect with every employee at Vayner Media, inspire, mentor and lead the team, and infuse the company with empathy. We started our chat with Claude's move from advertising strategy to becoming the heart of the VaynerMedia. She told me about the differences and similarities between different ge...2018-12-1039 minWhen Women WinHow to Invest in Start-Ups - Viktoriya TigipkoViktoriya Tigipko is a hugely successful venture capitalist from the Ukraine. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of TA Ventures, an international early-stage VC fund primarily focusing on Transportation and Digital Health. A Tech Crunch report put TA Ventures in the top 4 of European funds – they currently have 135 investments in their portfolio and have already had 45 exits. Viktoriya also founded iClub, an angel investing network, and started Code Club UA, an initiative that uses gamification to train young children to code. Viktoriya is also President of the Odesa International Film Festival, and Chair of the Ukrainian Fi...2018-12-0330 min
When Women WinHaving Impact the "Multi-Potential" Way - Rozan AhmedRozan Ahmed is a “multi-potentialite” – someone who has multiple passions and takes pride in working across all of them, rather than having a single track. She is known affectionately as “Renaissance Woman” and her vision is to solve world problems through a combination of entrepreneurial, philanthropic and curatorial activity. Rozan is a champion of the arts for social exchange, youth development, and mental well-being, and believes that local creativity is the currency which will spur Africa’s return to economic growth and continental pride. We discussed Rozan’s diverse experiences such as her most recent project, the Magic Drive, w...2018-11-2633 min
When Women WinTwitter Head of Marketing and People - Leslie Berland My guest on today’s show has one of the most fast-paced jobs on the planet. Leslie Berland is both the Chief Marketing Officer and the Head of People at Twitter, known affectionately in the company as "tweeps". She joined the company in 2016 amid a huge drive to sustain existing followers and attract new ones. Prior to joining Twitter, Leslie was Executive Vice President of Global Advertising, Marketing & Digital Partnerships at American Express. Having joined American Express in 2005, Leslie led a team responsible for creating marketplace demand and customer experiences globally. Our conversation teased out s...2018-11-1935 min
When Women WinCheryl Strayed - Author of Best-Selling Memoir, WildCheryl Strayed is the award-winning author of Wild, the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir that was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Reese Witherspoon. Cheryl has written several New York Times bestsellers and her books have been translated into forty languages around the world. Her memoir Wild chronicled her 1,100 mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, the despair that drove her to it, the challenges she faced along the way and the profound reset that ensued. Cheryl's essays have been published in too many publications to list including the Washington Post and Vogue. Until recently, she...2018-11-1239 min
When Women WinPassion, Parkour and Societal Expectations - Amal MuradParkour is "the activity or sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing." Amal Murad spent her childhood barefoot, jumping up walls, climbing trees and running around outdoors. She didn’t realise at the time that she was in training to become the first female Emirati to coach and compete in parkour. After university, Amal got a design job that had her sitting at a desk for twelve hours a day. In her mid-twenties she started to attend a local parkour group run by her cousin...2018-11-0544 min
When Women WinMichelle Peluso - How Blockchain and AI Are Transforming Marketing Michelle Peluso is the Chief Marketing Officer at IBM, a 107 year-old company that employs over 380,000 people. Michelle reports to Ginni Rometty, the Chairman and CEO, and oversees the company's global marketing and brand initiatives, strategy and execution. She also runs IBM's global women's network. All this and a long-term commitment to leaving the office at 5pm. Michelle has had an illustrious career with entrepreneurial beginnings and a history of working at the very top of large corporations. From 2009 to 2013 Michelle was the Consumer Chief Marketing and Internet Officer of Citigroup, where she was responsible for the digital...2018-10-2933 minWhen Women WinSurviving Hijab: challenges, opportunities and cyber-bullying - Manal RostomIn 2014 Manal Rostom wrote to Nike to ask why none of their ads featured women who looked or dressed like her: Arab women who wear the hijab. Nike got in touch and Manal not only ended up featuring in their international advertising campaign, but also became involved in developing Nike’s Pro Hijab, a head scarf designed for veiled women who participate in sports. But growing up Manal didn’t plan on wearing the hijab: her attitude towards covering was negative due to the stereotypes of veiled women being timid or uneducated. Manal talked about these perceptions she once...2018-10-2200 min
When Women WinThe Science of Goal-Setting, Grit & Happiness - Caroline MillerCaroline Miller is one of the world’s leading experts on the science of goal setting and grit. She’s spent more than 30 years helping individuals, leaders and companies to cultivate grit to achieve their goals and find personal and professional success. Caroline is the author of six books, including Getting Grit and Creating Your Best Life. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC and CNN. During our chat we discussed the two kinds of goals – learning goals and performance goals – and how grit helped Caroline overcome bulimia at the age of 2...2018-10-1442 min
When Women WinSara Al Madani – How To Succeed In The Face of Demoralizing Adversity Sara Al Madani is a well-known Emirati fashion designer, partner in a tech company and owner of a creative consultancy. She is the youngest board member at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry and also sits on the board of the UAE SME Council. Sara has won numerous awards and is a passionate advocate for women in business. We met at Dubai’s bustling Youth Hub for this recording. Sara started her first business at the age of 15 after declaring financial independence from her bewildered parents. She amassed enough money to start a fashion label by doing odd jobs and sellin...2018-10-0837 minWhen Women WinCourage, Creativity, and the Power of Change - Beth ComstockWelcome to Season 2 of When Women Win Podcast! Before we dive in, I would like to take a moment and acknowledge you for making When Women Win the number 1 podcast in the Middle East. To all of you who subscribed and listened to the podcast, to all who reviewed and shared it... A million thanks. For the opening episode of Season 2 we are fortunate to have an international powerhouse in the world of marketing. Beth Comstock spent 25 years at GE where she led efforts to accelerate new growth and was named GE’s first Chief Mark...2018-10-0148 min
When Women WinSeason Finale with CNN Anchor Hala Gorani – Her Story, Parity In Media, and Patterns In PoliticsToday’s special guest is one of CNN’s most experienced journalists. She anchors HALA GORANI TONIGHT, a show that brings viewers into the heart of CNN's International operation and immerses them in the latest stories of the day. In addition to her anchoring duties, Hala often goes into the field to report on major breaking news stories like the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon in 2014 and the 2012 Egyptian Elections. We had a wide ranging discussion about careers, politics, and social norms. We talked about how CNN has managed to keep Hala for 20 years... We discussed unconscious bias...2018-06-2556 min
When Women WinThe Power of Networking and Owning Your Personal Brand - Kristy WallaceKristy is responsible for executing Ellevate Network’s mission to close the gender achievement gap in business by providing professional women with a global community to lean on and learn from. Kristy is also host of the Ellevate Podcast. We dived deep into the power of networking – and how to network effectively. Your tribe, your squad! We discussed the concept of a personal brand and how important it is to cultivate one intentionally, noting that one’s brand must change over time. I asked Kristy about recent guests on the very popular Ellevate Podcast and what we can ex...2018-06-1233 min
When Women WinDr. Marshall Goldsmith on Breaking the 12 Habits Holding Women BackThis episode is packed full of actionable tips and truth bombs. Marshall has coached over 150 major CEOs, is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers and has decades of experience helping men and women win. Marshall is the first male guest on When Women Win! He has recently co-written with Sally Helgesen an incredibly powerful book called "How Women Rise", which breaks down the 12 habits holding professional women back in the workplace. While structural and systemic changes must be made to the workplace to give women equal opportunity to rise, this book rather focuses...2018-06-0542 min
When Women WinMaking Work More Accessible For Women - Helen McGuireHelen McGuire launched Hopscotch in March 2016 whilst seven months pregnant with a mission to enable professional women to play a part in the workplace in the Middle East, no matter what their personal commitments. The company now employs a strong team across its three tenets of Work, Learn and Connect; has grown a community of over 50,000 women in the region and works with multinationals to SMEs in order to spearhead initiatives, skills sessions, events and training for women and companies. Helen is also a lead member of the UN Women’s Empowerment Taskforce in the UAE, speaks re...2018-05-3041 min
When Women WinKaren Wazen on The Life of an InfluencerWe got into Karen's life story and her fascinating journey to this point. She also shared some great advice for anyone interested in growing their social media presence. As a result, this episode is a little longer than usual. Karen is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle influencer whose followers are mostly women aged 18-34 located in the USA, UAE and KSA. She has worked with numerous, diverse brands including Dior Beauty, Louis Vuitton, Apple, Jo Malone and Cadillac. Karen is busy! She has a husband, three children under the age of four and a hectic work travel...2018-05-2244 min
When Women WinHow to Have Difficult Conversations in the Workplace - Dawn MetcalfeSince leaving her native Ireland, Dawn Metcalfe has worked in seven countries including China and Japan, and now calls Dubai her home. Known for her straight-talking truth-telling and powerful insights, Dawn has worked with leaders around the world to change their perspective, their behavior and their impact on others. Dawn’s inspiration behind the book was being hired on eight different occasions to tell an employee that they smelt bad! We discussed how to approach difficult conversations in every day circumstances, such as a corporate employee wanting to give a peer feedback, or an entrepreneur disa...2018-05-1536 min
When Women WinThe Art and Science of Public Speaking – Saana AzzamA talented speaker herself and a trainer of public speakers, Saana’s core business is managing over 200 speakers globally and matching them to the right events. Her clients include Ericsson, Spotify, and Del Monte as well as numerous royals and dignitaries. Trained by international journalists and media experts from CNBC and MBC amongst others, Saana has undertaken public speaking assignments in Europe on leadership and leading Generation Y. She was recognized as one of Sweden’s 101 Super talents in 2012, and a “Top 30 Under 30 influencers” in 2015. Her speaking engagements have covered audience sizes up to 1000 people, all across Europe a...2018-05-0838 min
When Women WinLeaving a Successful Corporate Career to Start Your Own Business – Lily KandalaftLily Kandalaft is the founder of Malaak Mama & Baby Care, the UAE’s first maternity focused childcare agency providing prenatal classes, maternity nurses, babysitters, sleep trainers, breastfeeding support as well as other pre- and postnatal services to support families in the UAE. A passionate supporter of working moms, Lily tries to be for others what she needed herself. In our conversation Lily shared valuable lessons she learned in the corporate world that have served her well in entrepreneurship. We also talked about the challenges on her journey as an entrepreneur: the burden of constant decision-making, how she’s ha...2018-05-0139 min
When Women WinMuna Al Gurg on Leadership in a Large Family BusinessMuna sits on too many boards to list here so I’ll just mention a few: Along with her two sisters, Muna sits on the board of the family business founded by their father; she is the Chair of ìYoung Arab Leaders – a non-profit organisation that promotes education, entrepreneurship and youth development; and she is a founding board member and Co-Chair of Endeavor UAE, a non-profit organisation that promotes high-impact entrepreneurship in emerging and growth markets. Her first seat on a board of directors was in the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre, where she served from 2004 to 2009, helping build...2018-04-2641 min
When Women WinManika Kaur on Philanthropy and SikhismSikhism is a Punjabi (Indian) religion that goes back some 500 years, and as a devotional singer/ songwriter Manika's goal is to modernize the context and of the old religious texts so that young Sikhs all over the world can connect to and benefit from their messages. Manika won the 2016 Sikh Award for Sikhs in Entertainment and has amassed over 10,000,000 views on YouTube. Manika's other passion is her philanthropic work. She tirelessly campaigns for the eradication of poverty in rural Punjab via her work with the organisation Kirtan for Causes. All profits from sales of her albums and...2018-04-1138 min
When Women WinMona Ataya on Building Two Hugely Successful BusinessesMona Ataya founded Mumzworld in 2011 to fill a void for mothers that she herself faced twice: firstly while preparing to become a mother of twins and couldn't find local resources, and then later in trying to buy her children quality, affordable toys. Prior to Mumzworld, Mona co-founded Bayt, the first online search engine for jobs in the Middle East. Mona actually started out in the corporate world and spent 10 years working for FMCG giants Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. We discussed Mona's career drivers and how her desire for social impact shaped her path. We talked about...2018-04-0440 min
Ellevate Network: Conversations With Women Changing the Face of BusinessEpisode 104: Advocating for Women in the Workplace, with Rana NawasRana Nawas has spent her professional life standing up for women’s rights in the workplace in Dubai. As SVP of Capital Markets for GE, Rana pushed for better maternity leave policy and advocated for women at her company. As President of the Ellevate Dubai chapter, Rana creates opportunities for professional women to develop their careers and support one another. Rana’s next endeavor is her podcast, “When Women Win,” which highlights formidable women of the past and present. On this episode of the Ellevate Podcast, we talk to Rana about changing workplace policy and culture, how she manages her busy...2018-04-0327 min
Streams of ProgressEp011 - Rana Nawas, When Women WinRana Nawas is a published writer, corporate warrior and sought-after speaker on a mission to inspire women of all backgrounds to shine. Born in England to a Palestinian father and Lebanese mother, Rana grew up like many Western-educated Arabs facing the dichotomy of liberal and traditional values.Rana’s education at Oxford University and Harvard Business School gave her a strong foundation to solve problems and negotiate effectively, but nothing could have prepared her for the tough reality that women face as they rise through the corporate world.Over the course of her 17-ye...2018-03-3150 min
When Women WinElizabeth Macbride on Women in Journalism & BusinessElizabeth MacBride is a freelance writer, editor and media consultant. She is an entrepreneur who writes about entrepreneurs and her expertise lie in business, finance and technology. Elizabeth's clients include Abigail Disney and Stanford University Graduate School of Business. We had a wide-ranging conversation that covered everything from entrepreneurship in Gaza's fisherwoman to actionable tips for investing your wealth. We discussed how to be a good interviewer, the power of vulnerability and how it changes with age. I asked about women in business generally, but also specifically in media - we ended up "taking breasts to work!"...2018-03-2633 min
When Women WinDonna Benton on Building and Scaling A Global BusinessDonna Benton started the Entertainer in Dubai in 2001 after identifying a market gap in both providing consumers with dining incentives and enabling restaurants to reach new customers. Starting with just $3,000 Donna built the business alone from the ground up, from set-up legalities to eventually selling half the company to Abraaj, a private equity firm. Today, the Entertainer offers 38 products across 15 countries, and has over 10,000 merchant partners globally. We talked about the challenges starting up - and it wasn't just the usual ones: for example, Donna had to educate consumers who thought her product was too good to...2018-03-1935 min
When Women WinHow to Keep a Corporate Career Fulfilling - Maysoun RamadanDuring our conversation, we discussed Maysoun's attitude towards diversity, which includes looking well beyond gender, to age, expertise, ethnicity and also ability. I was keen to learn how she went about hiring a lady with a disability onto her team and what the impact on the organization was. We talked about the biggest challenge she faced in life, and how she overcame it. And we also discussed the many exciting people-facing jobs that exist for women who study science subjects. I enjoyed listening to hearing Maysoun's tips for women in the corporate world... Know your strengths and...2018-03-1241 min
When Women WinMyrna Ayad on Dubai's Art Scene & Art Dubai 2018We talked about Myrna's interest in art, how it was born and what it has taught her about history. We discussed Dubai's young art scene, how it came about and why it's grown so fast. She also gave an interesting perspective on the word pairs: writer vs journalist, collector vs patron. I asked Myrna how to buy art , which for many people is a really intimidating process. Finally, Myrna gave us the scoop on Art Dubai 2018, which is happening March 21-24. Lots of exciting new things are planned this year so be sure to get your tickets...2018-03-0537 min
When Women WinAfra Atiq on Finding Your VoiceAfra Atiq was named Best Performer for 2015-16 by Rooftop Rhythms, and won the 2017 ADMAF Creativity Awards. She proudly gives back to her community through mentorships and workshops with Untitled Chapters (a thriving hub for Emirati women writers). As a scholar, Afra has recently been published in the International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences and conducted social research pertaining to literature and education. During our conversation we discussed the challenges of public speaking and practical tips to overcome them (spoiler alert: "winging it" doesn't work). We looked at the creative process and how living...2018-02-2640 min
When Women WinIsobel Abuhoul on Literacy Activism & Serial EntrepreneurshipIsobel Abuhoul left Cambridge for Dubai in 1968 and has been here ever since. In 1975, Isobel set up Al Ittehad Private School and Magrudy's bookshop - both of which are still thriving today. In 2008 Isobel founded the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Arab Worldís largest celebration of the written and spoken word, bringing people of all ages together with authors from across the world to promote education, debate and reading. The festival won the Best Festival title at the Middle East Event Awards in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In this episode we explored Isobel's "why?", what drove her to e...2018-02-1940 min
When Women WinMaysa Jalbout on The Future of Education & PhilanthropyMaysa Jalbout is the founding CEO of the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education - a landmark philanthropic initiative with a budget of $1 billion and an ambitious goal of educating 15,000 youth within 10 years. Forbes recognized her as one of the 100 most powerful businesswomen in the Arab world in 2016 and 2017. In her capacity as Non-resident Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC, Jalbout's extensive regional and international experience has also allowed her to produce highly visible research and thought leadership strategies in several fields of education. In this episode we tackled several big questions around...2018-02-0548 min
When Women WinLina Khalife on Building Confidence & Fighting BackLina Khalifeh has more than 17 years experience practicing martial arts like Taekwondo, Kick-boxing, Kung Fu & Boxing. She is a 3Dan black belt in Taekwondo and has represented Jordan in many international tournaments. Appalled by violence against women, especially domestic violence, Lina decided to train women in self-defense. She started in her parents' basement, and in 2012 set up her first SheFighter training studio, the Middle East's first self-defense studio to empower women both mentally and physically. Lina is also an international businesswoman and is growing the SheFighter brand globally. In this episode we discussed how training...2018-01-2236 min