Building Through Regional Conflict: Scaling Middle East Startups with Chris Purdie

Join Chris Purdie, Founder and CEO of Receiptable, for a masterclass in anti-fragile leadership. With 16 years of experience spanning the 2008 financial crisis to scaling ventures across the GCC, Europe, and Africa, Chris has built a career on finding growth where others see risk. In this episode, we discuss the realities of launching and scaling in the Middle East during times of geopolitical tension, and how to build a business that doesn't just survive volatility, but leverages it to build deeper sovereign resilience.🎯 Insights You’ll Learn:The Middle East Playbook: How to navigate the GCC market when regional conflicts disrupt traditional trade and sentiment.Scaling Under Fire: Lessons from growing a team from 15 to 65+ and hitting $25M ARR across multiple continents.Rebalancing the Footprint: Strategy for shifting from domestic reliance to a 60% international revenue stream.The PE Perspective: Navigating a minority sale and an $80M valuation in a high-stakes environment.Post-Crisis Graduation: How starting a career during the 2008 crash shapes a founder's approach to risk and DIY problem-solving.Omnichannel Evolution: Moving from bricks and mortar to digital-first payments and social media peak adoption.Telco Partnerships: The art of closing enterprise deals with giants like Orange, Vodafone, and E& across emerging markets.🌍 Why This Matters:In 2026, stability is no longer a guaranteed prerequisite for business success. Chris Purdie, currently based in Bahrain, understands that the Middle East is a high-growth frontier that requires a specific kind of operational grit. From launching $1M AUD MRR businesses in 90 days to managing the daily operations of multi-national scale-ups, Chris provides the blueprint for founders who want to build high-impact tech in regions where the news cycle moves as fast as the market.👤 Expert Background:Founder & CEO of Receiptable, pioneering the future of digital retail and payments.Former CCO of PM Connect, driving revenue from $10M to $25M ARR and leading an $80M PE exit.Global GTM Specialist with experience launching entities in Australia, Africa, and the Middle East.Retail Innovator who implemented some of the first corporate social media and e-commerce strategies in the UK.Veteran Leader of the Lagardère group, serving as the youngest member of the executive committee.🎙️ Hosted by Gary Fowler, CEO of GSD Venture Studios — global AI entrepreneur, investor, and innovation leader spotlighting founders navigating the realities of building in the AI era.💡 Perfect For:Founders in the GCC, FinTech investors, international business development leads, and entrepreneurs building in high-risk emerging markets.🚀 Timely Topic:The Middle East remains a cornerstone of the 2026 global economy. Understanding how to maintain continuity, protect teams, and drive growth during regional shifts is the ultimate skill set for the modern global CEO.Subscribe for more global founder conversations from GSD Venture Studios:https://gsdvs.com#MiddleEastTech #FinTech #Receiptable #GCCStartups #ResilientLeadership #ScaleUpStrategy #ChrisPurdie #GaryFowler #GSDVentureStudios