Beyond Transactions: The BNPL Journey & Start-up Insights with Ibtissam Ouassif from Cashew Payments
Release Date: 12/07/2023
The CEO Journey: Leadership and Transformation with Hani Weiss
Steering Success
Hani Weiss shares his rise from trainee section manager to CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Retail, emphasizing the value of perseverance and learning from both great and challenging leaders. He highlights the importance of humility, accountability, and fostering a people-centric culture where trust and team empowerment drive success. Hani reflects on leading Carrefour's e-commerce journey, integrating online and offline operations, and overcoming resistance to change, especially during the pandemic. We discuss building career pathways, creating training programs, and empowering employees to explore...
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Remote Work Unlocked:Culture, Challenges, Visa Hurdles & Startup Success with Karim Nadi
Steering Success
Karim shares how RemotePass enables businesses to manage global teams seamlessly, offering services like onboarding, payroll, tax compliance, and perks in over 150 countries. Hear the inspiring story of how RemotePass pivoted from a travel industry solution to a remote workforce enabler during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. We discusses the importance of trust, commitment, and due diligence in building successful remote teams and the hurdles businesses face in adopting remote work. Learn how a customer-centric approach drives RemotePass’s growth, with Karim emphasizing the...
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Coaching, Culture & Conflict: Navigating Self Worth in a Complex World with Esther-Supriya Iyer
Steering Success
Esther, a seasoned HR leader, shares her transformative journey through coaching, self-discovery, and personal growth. We explore the critical distinction between self-worth and self-esteem, emphasizing that self-worth is intrinsic and not reliant on external validation. Esther delves into the parallels between parenting and leadership, highlighting the importance of nurturing others while also focusing on self-improvement. Our conversation touches on cultural influences, conflict resolution, and the power of choice in overcoming adversity. Throughout, Esther advocates for intentional living,...
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From Corporate to Entrepreneurship: Building Culture, Leadership, and Success with Hussein Wehbe
Steering Success
Hussein Wehbe discusses his transition from corporate to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of first building a solid foundation in the corporate world. He highlights the value of learning from multinational corporations to shape successful startup practices. The conversation explores the startup ecosystem's challenges, stressing the need for greater support and collaboration. People-centric leadership, driven by empathy and accountability, plays a central role in motivating high-performing teams. Shared values are critical to building and sustaining strong corporate cultures and...
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Building Tomorrow: Leadership, Innovation, and the Middle East's Startup Revolution with Muhammad Chbib
Steering Success
Muhammad Chbib reflects on his journey from childhood ventures in Germany to success in the Middle East tech scene. He highlights the impact of McKinsey’s structured problem-solving and mentorship on his entrepreneurial approach. Chbib stresses continuous learning, humility, and learning from failure as keys to success. He notes the Middle East's growing startup ecosystem, driven by increased capital, talent, and market maturity. He underscores the government's role in fostering innovation, particularly in AI and space. Chbib advocates for heart-centric leadership, strong team cultures, and...
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Leading by Example: Marketing, Leadership, and Brand Equity with Hanan Eissa
Steering Success
Hanan takes us through her extensive 25-year career covering marketing roles in consumer insights, advertising, and strategic planning, with key positions at McCann, Nielsen, and Schweppes, before transitioning to hospitality at Atlantis Dubai. We delve into her shift from FMCG to lead marketing for Atlantis Dubai and her role as VP of Marketing for Atlantis The Royal and Atlantis The Palm, embracing the unique challenges of Dubai's market. Hanan advocates for hiring talent from diverse industries, prioritizing potential and attitude to infuse fresh perspectives and drive innovation. Hanan...
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Unlocking Consulting Success: Navigating Risks and Digital Transformation with Mohammed Dhedhi
Steering Success
Mohammed shares his career journey and insights into the consulting industry. We explore how taking risks and making career pivots lead to broader impact and growth, highlighting stepping out of comfort zones. The conversation highlights digital transformation revolutionizing the customer journey in consumer and retail, stressing the need for technological advancements. We examine growth opportunities in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, noting the region's economic potential. Mohammed highlights that providing impactful advice and being open to feedback are crucial for consulting...
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An Advisor's Journey: Leadership and Innovation in Digital & FinTech with Karl Tlais
Steering Success
Karl Tlais' career journey highlights the importance of pivoting, innovation, and building strategic partnerships, emphasizing their role in achieving professional success. We discuss the significance of reflecting on failures and learning from them, underscoring their crucial role in personal and professional growth. The conversation stresses the necessity of staying aware of industry changes and trends, recognizing this awareness as essential for success in a rapidly evolving market. We explore the region's significant leadership and innovation in the digital and fintech sectors,...
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From Corporate to Startup: Navigating People & Culture Leadership with Kelly Luker
Steering Success
Kelly's career journey from corporate to startup reveals the challenges and rewards of transitioning between different business environments and the importance of adaptability in professional growth. We discuss the importance of empathy in the relocation process for employees moving to a new region, highlighting the need for supportive practices to ease their transition. Kelly shares the challenges of working with founders in a startup environment, emphasizing the necessity of understanding the founder's mindset to foster effective collaboration. We explore the pivotal role of HR in bridging...
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Empowering Career Paths: Diversity, Inclusion, and Talent Growth with Jennifer Hamdan
Steering Success
Jennifer's diverse career journey, spanning marketing, communications, HR, and coaching, highlights the value of unconventional paths in professional development. We elaborate on our advocacy for broadening diversity and inclusion efforts, especially regarding disability inclusion, recognizing their transformative impact on organizational culture and success. Jennifer takes us through her experience and reflects on the challenges women face re-entering the workforce after a career break, emphasizing the significance of supportive initiatives like "returnships" to combat biases and foster...
info_outlineOn today’s episode, we are joined by Ibtissam Ouassif, Co-Founder and CPO of Cashew Payments.
Ibtissam speaks about her initial career efforts in the financial services industry, focused on partnerships and outreach, which led to the fascination with buy now pay later (BNPL) in fintech.
She talks about the inspiration behind the launch of Cashew, a pioneering BNPL company in the UAE. Overcoming the regulatory concerns, proving BNPL safety, supported by an open-minded UAE regulatory environment. Despite initial reservations, BNPL gained substantial adoption.
We discussed transitioning from a product-centric to a team-focused mindset, and acknowledged the human side of hiring and managing, emphasizing the importance of creating conducive environments.
We explored the intricate payments infrastructure and proposed a BNPL product to a financial institution, facing challenges due to a credit card-centric focus.
We discussed personal growth through managing mistakes in a startup, and transitioning from a small to a diverse team, as well as highlighted the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship.
Ibtissam advocates for gender-neutral labels, questioning the necessity of specifying gender or race in achievements, and comparing support for female entrepreneurs in the UAE to Western experiences, noting positive initiatives and a more equal representation in private and governmental entities.