Special Podcast Interview

We often think of conflict in terms of oil, geopolitics, and military strategy.But the real crisis may be unfolding somewhere far more personal: our food.Sheikh Dr. Majid Sultan Al Qassimi breaks down how the Iran crisis is quietly disrupting the global food system – through energy, fertilizers, and fragile supply chains that feed billions.From the hidden lag in supply chains that masks the true impact, to the heavy reliance of industrial food systems on fossil fuels, he reveals a crisis that hasn’t fully hit yet, but is already in motion.We also explore why some nations are far more exposed than others, and how the UAE has built a model of resilience that others can learn from.

The Anatomy of Resilience: Leadership When It Actually Matters with Tariq Chauhan Resilience is often talked about, but rarely understood. Tariq Chauhan, Vice Chairman of EFS Facilities Services Group, breaks down what resilience actually looks like when it is tested in real time, across three defining moments: the 2008 global financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and today’s geopolitical uncertainty. From facing near bankruptcy to protecting a 25,000-strong workforce without layoffs during a global shutdown, this is a conversation grounded not in theory — but in decisions made under pressure. He reveals: -Why resilience is not a trait, but a system built on people, structure, and discipline -How leaders make high-stakes decisions when the facts are unclear and the pressure is immediate -What it takes to protect both people and performance at scale -And why values – not strategy – ultimately determine whether a leader holds or breaks At a time when disruption is constant and uncertainty is accelerating, Chauhan shows us what it takes to lead when it matters most.

The War You Can’t See: Inside The UAE’s Cyber Battlefield With Dr. Al Kuwaiti While missiles and drones dominate the headlines, a second battlefield is expanding quietly, and at an unprecedented scale. In this special episode, Sally Mousa sits down with H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, inside the National Security Operations Center, to reveal what modern conflict really looks like. At the height of geopolitical tension, the UAE is facing up to 750,000 cyber attacks a day – targeted, coordinated, and increasingly tied to global escalation. But these attacks are not always visible. Many are designed to infiltrate systems silently, remain undetected, and activate at what experts call “zero hour.” This conversation takes you inside the reality of hybrid warfare, where cyber and physical attacks happen in tandem, where organised groups operate across borders, and where artificial intelligence is accelerating both the threat and the response. From energy and financial systems to government infrastructure, this episode explores what is truly at stake, and whether any nation can stay ahead of a war that is no longer fought on a single front.

Hamda AlShamali, Group Chief People & Intellectual Capital Officer at Mashreq, shares how the bank is reimagining people strategy at the heart of its transformation, from AI-driven learning and innovative HR initiatives to women in leadership, future

Inside Mashreq’s CX Transformation: Building Banks People Actually Love with Rania Nerhal Banking is no longer about transactions—it’s about trust, personalization, and experience. In this Special Podcast, Rania Nerhal, Group Chief Client Experience & Conduct Officer at Mashreq, reveals how one of the region’s most innovative banks is transforming from a financial institution into a lifestyle enabler. From AI-powered personalization to human-first service design, Rania shares how Mashreq is: • Embedding banking seamlessly into people’s everyday lives • Striking the balance between AI and the human touch across generations and why Mashreq’s diversity is its greatest asset • Building lifetime customer relationships based on trust and transparency • Elevating wholesale and retail banking to new levels of loyalty and engagement Rania takes us into the future of customer experience—and why banks that don’t innovate risk being left behind. Speaking to Sally Mousa, Senior Presenter at Forbes Middle East.

د. فوزية آل جارالله: إعادة رسم ملامح الرعاية الصحية وتمكين المرأةما السياسات التي تصنع تجربة مميزة للمريض؟ كيف تحافظ المؤسسات الصحية على قيمها وسط سوق مزدحم بالمنافسين؟ وما دور القيادة في تمكين المرأة داخل هذا القطاع الحيوي؟في هذا البودكاست الخاص، تشاركنا د. فوزية آل جارالله، الرئيس التنفيذي لمستشفيات الحياة الوطني، رؤيتها حول التحول الصحي، ديناميكيات المنافسة، وتمكين الكوادر النسائية في المملكة العربية السعودية

هل تستطيع التكنولوجيا أن تجعل الرعاية الصحية أكثر إنسانية؟ ولماذا أصبح تبنّي الذكاء الاصطناعي ضرورة لا خيارًا؟ في هذا البودكاست الخاص على “فوربس الشرق الأوسط”، نناقش مع الدكتور أحمد عيسى، الرئيس التنفيذي لمجموعة السعودي الألماني الصحية، كيف تقود المؤسسات الصحية تحوّلها، والتحديات التي تواجهها في تغيير ثقافة العمل، إضافة للمعايير التي تعتمدها لاختيار التقنيات الحديثة.