chatGRG

chatGRG

chatGRG explores how careers are built, shaped, and evolved in an AI-driven world. In a region where opportunity moves fast, careers are rarely linear. Being skilled is not enough. How you position yourself, how you show up, and how your experience translates into opportunity matter. chatGRG brings together leaders, founders, hiring managers, and regional influencers to share honest perspectives on building careers in the Gulf. We speak openly about getting hired, navigating multiple career moves, and understanding how decisions are made behind closed doors. Across these conversations, we also explore how personal brand and career visibility influence hiring outcomes, progression, and long-term credibility, especially in a market where reputation travels quickly. Produced through GRG, the region’s largest independently owned recruitment firm, the discussions are shaped by real access to senior hiring environments and market insight. This is not theory or motivation. It is experience-led discussion on careers, visibility, hiring dynamics, and what it takes to build long-term momentum. If you are building yourself or navigating your next move, this is the insight most people only gain after years in the market.

  1. Your 9-5 Won’t Make You Rich. Only Entrepreneurship Will | Omar Gull, Founder of CLÉDOR

    26 FEB

    Your 9-5 Won’t Make You Rich. Only Entrepreneurship Will | Omar Gull, Founder of CLÉDOR

    He pitched his idea to 200 people. Most said no, some didn’t even reply, and only a few entertained the meeting and walked away. Despite this, he kept going. Before CLÉDOR, the $120M in funding, and the $250M returns, Omar Gull was climbing fast inside some of Dubai’s biggest real estate names. Promotions came quickly. The titles grew. On paper, his career looked perfect. But he knew something wasn’t right. He didn’t want to spend the next 30 years building someone else’s vision. In this episode of Above C-Level, Omar Gull, Founder of CLÉDOR, and Mohammad Osama have an honest conversation about ambition, rejection, risk, and why he hates the 9-5 mindset that kills careers more than people realise. He shares what it really felt like to hear “no” again and again, how he raised $120M in under two months, and how one handshake changed everything. He explains why hard work is not optional, why credibility matters more than charisma, and why he believes knowledge today is fully democratised. Omar speaks about:↳ Leaving a high-growth corporate career to bet on himself.↳ Pitching to investors and refusing to take rejection personally.↳ Building a development-as-a-service model in a saturated Dubai market.↳ His controversial stance on 9–5 culture and work-life balance.↳ What he looks for when hiring sales leaders and the red flags he spots instantly.↳ Whether Dubai’s real estate boom can really continue. If you have ever thought about creating and leading something of your own, this episode is one you don’t want to miss! (00:00:00) Opening: Dubai's Dream Career That Wasn't Enough(00:00:32) The Dubai Real Estate Phenomenon: 120 Billion in Off-Plan Sales(00:04:21) Why Hard Work Corrupted Me: The Job That Kept Promoting(00:06:10) The 9-to-5 Mindset I Hate: Why Work-Life Balance Won't Make You Rich(00:07:30) Building CLÉDOR: The First Development-as-a-Service Company in Dubai(00:09:19) Pitching to 200 People: The Six-Month Fundraising Journey(00:08:47) From 425 Million Project to Billion-Dollar Vision in Five Years(00:20:56) What I Look for in Salespeople: Credibility, Hard Work, and the God-Given Face(00:06:39) The 70-Day Office Marathon and Why 14-Hour Days Are Normal(00:28:43) AI Won't Take Your Job: It'll Just Make You Better at It(00:30:15) The Future of Dubai Real Estate: Housing Shortage Now, Surplus in 2027(00:32:49) Why Most People Succeed in Dubai: Willingness to Work Hard Beats Everything Listen on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvOd8oh5WPk Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-9-5-wont-make-you-rich-only-entrepreneurship-will/id1781880969?i=1000751723407 Connect with Omar:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omargull/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omar.gull/  Website: https://cledor.com/  Follow Our Host: Mohammad Osama: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-osama-8395b88/

    36 min
  2. Gen Z Will Outgrow Your Company Fast | Preeti Bahuguna - Senior HR Director at The First Group

    18 FEB

    Gen Z Will Outgrow Your Company Fast | Preeti Bahuguna - Senior HR Director at The First Group

    Gen Z aren’t “difficult”. They’re just done accepting what previous generations tolerated. In this week’s episode of Out of Office, Preeti Bahuguna, Senior HR Director at The First Group, challenges the way organisations are thinking about the next generation of talent. From mental health and setting boundaries to employer branding and why culture is now a deal breaker, this is a conversation both leaders and candidates needs to hear. Preeti shares what she’s seeing first hand in the Middle East job market and why Gen Z won’t wait years to feel respected or valued, but demand it from day one. And if your workplace doesn’t align with their values, they will not hesitate to leave. Mark and Preeti chat about:↳ Why mental health at work is not a buzzword↳ What Gen Z actually expects from employers↳ Why culture fit now outweighs pure technical experience↳ How employer branding on LinkedIn directly impacts hiring↳ The role of AI and ATS in modern day recruitment↳ Why companies must meet Gen Z halfway, not dismiss them This isn’t a conversation about “kids these days”. It’s about a workforce shift that is already happening. Catch the must listen episode now! (00:00:00) Opening: The Middle East Hiring Paradox - Vibrant Yet Competitive (00:01:33) The Diversity Revolution: From Tick-Box to Real Value (00:02:27) AI in Recruitment: Augmented Intelligence Over Automation (00:04:51) Emiratisation and Cultural Constraints: Talking to Parents About Hotel Jobs (00:08:03) The Biggest Recruitment Challenges: Competition, Culture, and Gen Z (00:10:02) What Makes Good Talent Today: Easy to Work With Over Perfect Skills (00:11:22) Employer Branding That Works: The Karaoke Night That Got a Hire (00:13:18) I Was Gen Z Before Gen Z Existed: Mental Health, Tech, and No Power Distance (00:14:28) The Gen Z Reality: Purpose, Boundaries, and Holding Hands (00:16:27) Meeting in the Middle: Educating Stakeholders and Setting Realistic Expectations (00:18:12) ATS Systems and Candidate Experience: Rejections, Timelines, and Human Review (00:19:51) Closing: Hire for What's Missing, Not What's Been Done Before Listen on: YouTube: https://youtu.be/JWRlkAkpR7c Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gen-z-will-outgrow-your-company-fast-preeti-bahuguna/id1781880969?i=1000750313481 Connect with Preeti:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/preeti-bahuguna-23350914/ Follow Our Host: Mark Timms: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktimmsgrg/

    22 min
  3. I Was a 3x Winter Olympian, But I Felt Like I Failed | Sarah Lindsay Founder of ROAR

    11 FEB

    I Was a 3x Winter Olympian, But I Felt Like I Failed | Sarah Lindsay Founder of ROAR

    For most of her life, Sarah Lindsay was known for one thing. Olympian.Three times over. But when her athletic career ended, she did something unexpected. She stopped talking about it altogether. She didn’t introduce herself as an Olympian. She didn’t use it in business. She didn’t even want to be associated with it. What the outside world saw as success, she carried as shame. In this episode of The Brand of YOU, Sarah Lindsay, 3x Olympian and Founder of ROAR, opens up to Robyn Abou Chedid about the identity shift that followed elite sport and the quiet emotional fallout no one prepares you for when the competitions stop. Sarah talks about:↳ Growing up believing the Olympics were “normal” and what happens when that world ends.↳ The emotional reality of retiring from elite sport and grieving an identity.↳ Why she didn’t want to be known as an Olympian while building her business.↳ How mindset, not talent or hard work, separates the best at world level.↳ Turning personal disappointment into the foundation of a powerful personal brand.↳ What elite sport taught her about discipline, resilience, and entrepreneurship.↳ Why she chose to speak openly about IVF, identity, and the pressure placed on women as life stages evolve. This is not a story about medals or winning. It is about identity, reinvention, and learning how to own your story, even when it does not end the way you planned. This conversation is a must listen. (00:00:00) Opening: The 3x Olympian Who Felt Like She Failed(00:04:00) The Psychology of Winning: Why Mindset Beats Hard Work(00:05:14) The Retirement Crisis: Losing Your Identity After the Olympics(00:07:25) Bringing the Olympian Back to Life: When Business Needs Your Story(00:08:34) Building ROAR: From London Celebrity to Dubai Expansion(00:10:10) The Walking Billboard: Pressure, Physique, and Eating Cake(00:14:10) Performance Over Aesthetics: The ROAR Philosophy(00:19:43) The IVF Journey: Five Years of Trying and What She Wishes She Knew(00:24:08) Identity Beyond Motherhood: Finding Pride in ROAR(00:25:57) The Secret Behind ROAR: Positivity, No Ego, and the Comeback Story Listen on: YouTube: https://youtu.be/rtPLTLi93Ik Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-was-a-3x-winter-olympian-but-i-felt-like-i-failed/id1781880969?i=1000749305833 Connect with Sarah:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lindsay-oly-06561984/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roarfitnessgirl/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@roarfitnessdubai Website: https://www.roar-fitness.com/ Follow Our Host - Robyn Abou Chedid:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynabouchedid/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlnamedrobyn/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@girlnamedrobyn

    28 min
  4. From Kidnapping Survivor to C-Level Leader | Loubna Imenchal, MD at Axis Communication

    9 FEB

    From Kidnapping Survivor to C-Level Leader | Loubna Imenchal, MD at Axis Communication

    She was kidnapped as a child. When she returned, everything had changed. The world she came back to no longer felt familiar, and she struggled with a deep sense of not belonging, even among her own family. That feeling stayed with her, shaping her independence, her mindset, and her drive to carve out her own place through her career. In this episode of Above C-Level, Axis Communications Executive Leader and Judge of The Final Pitch Loubna Imenchal shares a raw and deeply personal conversation about how those early experiences became the foundation of her mindset. She reflects on how feeling rejected and out of place pushed her to build certainty, structure, and purpose through her work, long before leadership titles followed. Loubna opens up about how these experiences shaped the way she approaches life, career, and responsibility today. What once made her feel like an outsider became the foundation of a mindset built on resilience, solutions, and self-belief. She talks about:↳ Being kidnapped and the emotional reality of returning to a life that felt changed.↳ Feeling like she did not belong, and how that shaped her independence and work ethic.↳ The mindset that fuelled her career progression and leadership journey.↳ Operating at C-level in male-dominated industries where trust and credibility must be earned.↳ Why she hires for mindset over experience and looks beyond perfect CVs.↳ How personal adversity shapes the way she builds trust, teams, and leaders. This is not a story about moving on. It is about surviving adversity without letting it close you off. If you have ever felt like you had something to prove, this episode offers a powerful perspective on how lived experience can shape exceptional leadership. (00:00:00) Opening: Kidnapped at Six Months - The Childhood That Shaped a C-Level Leader(00:05:22) The Labeling Years: From Street Kid to French-Speaking Family(00:09:43) Stop Being the Victim: The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything(00:12:15) Breaking Into FedEx: When Mindset Beats Experience Every Time(00:13:04) The French Company Warning: Predicting Nokia's Fall Before Apple Arrived(00:15:08) People Buy From People: The Iraq War Pitch That Won Honeywell(00:19:33) The Honeywell Gamble: When Everyone Voted No Except One Leader(00:28:22) Logitech and COVID: Doubling Growth When Offices Were Closing(00:32:10) The Female Leadership Reality: 0% to 7% in Two Decades(00:37:49) The Education Gap: Why Men Think They're Perfect and Women Never Feel Enough(00:40:27) Connect to Elevate: Building a Free Platform for Women in Tech(00:45:20) Hiring for Leadership: Why Technical Skills Don't Matter in Her Interviews(00:48:08) The Authenticity Test: Reading Between the Lines in Leadership Hiring(00:52:05) Gen Z Won't Adapt: Why Companies Must Change or Die(00:56:47) The Lost Generation: Teaching Gen Z What They're Missing Listen on: YouTube: https://youtu.be/5ymcb8ARSKU Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-kidnapping-survivor-to-c-level-leader-loubna-imenchal/id1781880969?i=1000748862198 Connect with Loubna:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loubnaimenchal/ Follow Our Host: Mohammad Osama: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-osama-8395b88/

    59 min
  5. How to Pass a Job Interview in Dubai (What HR Actually Wants) | Jihan ElSaghir - HRBP, Bayer MENA

    29 JAN

    How to Pass a Job Interview in Dubai (What HR Actually Wants) | Jihan ElSaghir - HRBP, Bayer MENA

    Hiring for diversity is often misunderstood. It’s not about ticking boxes or lowering standards. It’s about building a fair process that still hires the best person for the job. In this episode of Out of Office, Jihan ElSaghir, Regional HRBP - Bayer Middle East, shares an honest perspective on how diversity and inclusion actually play out in hiring decisions across the Middle East. From unconscious bias and skills-based hiring to why structure matters more than good intentions, Jihan breaks down what fair hiring really looks like and where organisations often get it wrong. Mark and Jihan talk about: ↳ Why fair and inclusive hiring is harder than most organisations admit ↳ How bias shows up long before candidates even reach interview stage ↳ Why HR insists on diverse shortlists and panel interviews ↳ The tension between diversity targets and hiring quality ↳ Why “gut feel” is one of the most expensive hiring tools ↳ The interview question candidates struggle with most and why honesty matters If you’ve ever questioned why you didn’t make it past an interview or wondered whether you were being considered as a diversity quota, this conversation will change how you think about hiring in the Middle East. (00:00:00) Opening: The Skills Revolution - How Middle East Hiring Escaped Stereotypes (00:04:00) The DNI Evolution: From Gender Quotas to Industry Diversity(00:06:20) The Diversified Pool Mandate: Starting Right to End Right (00:10:17) Beyond the CV: The Three-Person Panel That Eliminates Bias (00:14:22) The I vs We Problem: When Team Players Can't Show Individual Value (00:16:34) The New Skills Checklist: AI Fluency and Change Resilience (00:18:16) The Compromise Trap: When Desperation Leads to Bad Hires (00:19:11) AI in Recruitment: Human Judgment Over Robotic Screening (00:21:07) The Gen Z Challenge: Purpose, Flexibility, and 10,000 Euro Education Budgets (00:25:26) Closing: The Professionalism Surprise - When Gen Z Outperforms Millennials Listen on: YouTube: https://youtu.be/9dIuoSP7G3I Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-pass-a-job-interview-in-dubai-what-hr/id1781880969?i=1000747175158 Connect with Jihan:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jihan-elsaghir-76a40139/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jihan_elsaghir/ Follow Our Host: Mark Timms: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktimmsgrg/

    26 min
  6. What Childhood Trauma and Two Heart Attacks Taught Dariush Soudi About Success

    26 JAN

    What Childhood Trauma and Two Heart Attacks Taught Dariush Soudi About Success

    Some people build success once. Others have to rebuild themselves along the way, shaped by circumstances that force them to grow up early and carry weight long before they are ready. This conversation with Dariush Soudi is about the second path.  Long before founding the Gladiator Summit, becoming an investor, author, and speaker, Dariush’s life was shaped by loss, responsibility, and the instinct to survive. Those early experiences created the drive that would later fuel his career, but also laid the foundation for challenges he would have to confront much later in life. In this episode of The Brand of YOU, Dariush sits down with Robyn Abou Chedid for a deeply honest conversation that goes beyond entrepreneurship and public success, and instead explores the experiences, pressures, and decisions that shaped who he became as a man and a leader. They talk about:↳ Becoming the man of the house at just four years old and how carrying responsibility so early shaped his mindset and resilience.↳ How desperation, rather than confidence or education, led him into sales and became the catalyst for his career.↳ The heart attacks that forced him to confront the physical cost of sustained high performance.↳ The gladiator mindset, and what discipline, values, and commitment really look like in modern careers and long-term leadership.↳ Why trust, not pitching, is what ultimately makes people want to work with you and build lasting business relationships. This episode looks past surface-level success and into the realities of building a life and career through pressure, ambition, and repeated reinvention, offering a more grounded perspective on what it actually takes to sustain success over time. If you’ve ever felt driven yet quietly questioned the cost of always pushing forward, this conversation will feel familiar. (00:00:00) Opening: The Master of Selling Who Doesn't Feel Successful (00:05:42) Childhood Trauma: When Your Mum Says You're Not Good Enough (00:06:51) The Vacuum Cleaner Years: Learning Sales in the Rain (00:09:12) Top to Bottom: Why You Should Never Start with the Gatekeeper (00:11:12) The Entitlement Problem: Why Dubai's Job Market Is Broken (00:12:11) Uncertainty and Risk: The Real Quality of Life Formula (00:04:28) Two Heart Attacks and the Stress That Nearly Killed Him (00:15:41) Building Your Value System: The Six Principles That Define You (00:26:23) Sales Is Not a Dirty Word: Redefining What It Means to Sell (00:29:32) The Closing Technique: Investment, Not Expense (00:17:23) Happy Money: The $400K Passive Income Lesson from Ken Honda (00:23:40) Pain vs Pleasure: Why Avoiding Pain Is a Stronger Motivator Than Goals (00:38:50) Rejection Is Never Personal: The Model Casting Mindset (00:41:29) The Gladiator Philosophy: Dying with an Open Heart Listen on: YouTube: https://youtu.be/NCDmJbGmuDQ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-childhood-trauma-and-two-heart-attacks-taught/id1781880969?i=1000746651785 Connect with Dariush Soudi:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariushsoudi/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dariushsoudiofficial/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DariushSoudi Website: https://dariushsoudi.com/ Follow Our Host - Robyn Abou Chedid:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynabouchedid/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlnamedrobyn/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@girlnamedrobyn

    44 min
  7. How Leadership Hiring Really Works in 2026 (It’s Not What Your CV Shows) | Fareeseh Chaudhry, Haleon

    20 JAN

    How Leadership Hiring Really Works in 2026 (It’s Not What Your CV Shows) | Fareeseh Chaudhry, Haleon

    Being confident isn’t what’s getting leaders hired anymore. In fact, it might be doing the opposite. In this episode of Out of Office, Fareeseh Chaudhry, HR Business Lead at Haleon, gets real about how leadership hiring really works in the Middle East, and why polished CVs, big titles, and scripted answers are no longer enough.  We talk about:↳ Why leadership hiring in the Middle East feels harder and more unforgiving than ever↳ The real reason internal talent keeps losing out to external hires in Dubai jobs↳ When “fresh perspective” becomes a lazy hiring shortcut↳ The red flags HR notices immediately when interviewing leaders↳ Why vulnerability and self-awareness are becoming hiring advantages↳ How overselling confidence can stall your career without you realising If you’re wondering why doing everything “right” still isn’t working, this episode will make you rethink what success in hiring actually looks like in 2026. (00:00:00) Opening: The High Stakes of Leadership Hiring - Why One Mistake Costs Years (00:00:59) The Middle East Job Market Paradox: Aspirational Yet Saturated (00:02:40) Internal Mobility vs External Talent: The Strategic Balance (00:05:56) The Leadership Skills Evolution: From Command to Flexibility (00:09:12) Beyond the CV: Reading Between the Lines in Interviews (00:11:21) The Middle East Vulnerability Problem: Cultural Barriers to Self-Awareness (00:12:45) Survival Mode: The Transient Nature of Middle East Careers (00:14:31) AI in Recruitment: Automation vs The Human Touch (00:18:03) The Four-Hour X-Ray: Leadership Assessment That Sees Everything (00:23:11) The Inverted Triangle: Why Dubai Lacks Junior Talent and What It Costs Listen on: Spotify: Apple:  Connect with Fareeseh:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fareeseh-chaudhry/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fareesehchaudhry/ Follow Our Host: Mark Timms: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marktimmsgrg/

    27 min
  8. Why Top CEOs Think Like Athletes | James Lafferty – 4x Forbes CEO, Powerlifting Olympian

    7 JAN

    Why Top CEOs Think Like Athletes | James Lafferty – 4x Forbes CEO, Powerlifting Olympian

    James Lafferty did not reach the top by blending in. As a 4x Forbes CEO and Powerlifting Olympian, he learned early that the gap between the top 1% and everyone else has very little to do with talent and everything to do with how you train, think, and show up under pressure. In the first episode of Above C-Level, James sits down with Mohammad Osama for a honest conversation on why the best CEOs think like athletes. From boardrooms to the weight room, this episode looks at the habits, discipline, and mental standards that separate high performers from those who never quite make it past potential. He talks about: ↳ How sport and powerlifting transformed his confidence, mindset, and leadership style.↳ Why desire, discipline, and persistence matter more than talent in business and life.↳ What getting fired as a CEO revealed about leadership and integrity.↳ Why hunger matters more than polish when hiring.↳ How the athlete mindset changes how you lead, perform, and stay in the game If you lead at the top, or are working towards it, this conversation will challenge how you think about ambition, leadership, and what it really takes to stay there. If you’re serious about reaching the top in your career and achieving the ultimate success, this conversation is a must listen. (00:00:00) Opening: From Bullied Kid to Four-Time Forbes CEO - The Transformation Story (00:01:02) The Defining Moments at Age 13: When Everything Changed (00:07:40) The Power of Persistence: Why Last Man Standing Wins (00:11:32) Success Isn't Perfect: Getting Fired from P&G After 25 Years (00:15:19) The Three Guiding Principles: Doing Right, Consumer Value, and People First (00:19:25) The Fitness Center Philosophy: Creating Environments People Love to Join and Hate to Leave (00:20:51) Strategy vs Execution: Why Chief Strategy Officers Miss the Point (00:25:05) The Single Mom Secret: Why 16% of His Organization Were Superhuman (00:24:39) The Only Thing You Can't Coach: Interviewing for Desire Over Credentials (00:43:23) Running From vs Running To: The Career Decision Framework (00:28:23) The Generational Debate is BS: Why Gen Z Isn't That Different (00:33:15) Why Senior Executives Get Fired: The Sisyphus Principle (00:40:08) The Gaza Entrepreneur Who Defines Best of Humanity (00:47:24) AI Revolution: Embracing Change Like the Dot-Com Era Listen on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7uYfjx0NLpVTqH6WC2NuSm?si=eQazp3z9RKupSQUzDqcR6A Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-top-ceos-think-like-athletes-james-lafferty-4x/id1781880969?i=1000744143828 Connect with James:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-michael-lafferty-2737071/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesmichaellafferty/ Follow Our Host: Mohammad Osama: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammad-osama-8395b88/

    50 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

chatGRG explores how careers are built, shaped, and evolved in an AI-driven world. In a region where opportunity moves fast, careers are rarely linear. Being skilled is not enough. How you position yourself, how you show up, and how your experience translates into opportunity matter. chatGRG brings together leaders, founders, hiring managers, and regional influencers to share honest perspectives on building careers in the Gulf. We speak openly about getting hired, navigating multiple career moves, and understanding how decisions are made behind closed doors. Across these conversations, we also explore how personal brand and career visibility influence hiring outcomes, progression, and long-term credibility, especially in a market where reputation travels quickly. Produced through GRG, the region’s largest independently owned recruitment firm, the discussions are shaped by real access to senior hiring environments and market insight. This is not theory or motivation. It is experience-led discussion on careers, visibility, hiring dynamics, and what it takes to build long-term momentum. If you are building yourself or navigating your next move, this is the insight most people only gain after years in the market.