Unplugged with iSolution

iSolution
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

"Unplugged with iSolution" offers listeners a rare glimpse into the minds of the Middle East and North Africa's most influential business leaders. Go beyond the polished facades and corporate speak as iSolution sits down with key figures across diverse industries for intimate, unscripted conversations. Each episode dives deep into the personal journeys, strategic thinking, and unique perspectives of these prominent individuals, providing listeners with: Invaluable insights: Learn from the successes and challenges of those who have shaped the MENA business landscape.Fresh perspectives: Discover innovative ideas and groundbreaking approaches to navigating today's ever-evolving market.Authentic stories: Hear candid reflections and valuable lessons rarely shared in public forums.Tune in to "Unplugged with iSolution" for a refreshing and insightful look at the driving forces behind the MENA region's dynamic business world.

  1. Sep 27

    When Everyone Uses AI Who Owns The Outcome

    Reach out! A smart city sounds like shiny apps and seamless services, but the real work is the unglamorous grind of standards, support, and people who have to deliver under pressure. We talk with Dr. Tamir Al-Khadi, Director of Information Technology, about leading IT in Qatar and building systems that hold up in the real world, especially when teams are multicultural and expectations are high. If you’ve ever tried to scale “good vibes” into repeatable execution, this conversation is for you.  We get into what makes an IT team effective across different backgrounds: clear procedures, shared definitions of quality, and a culture where knowledge doesn’t stay stuck with one person. Dr. Tamir shares how workshops, documentation, and consistent communication habits reduce friction and keep projects moving. We also touch the practical side of digital transformation: cloud upgrades, office tech, and why basics like network reliability and even printers can still make or break trust in IT.  Then we go deeper on artificial intelligence. AI is becoming a new kind of search engine and a new default for learning, but it raises hard questions about sources, accuracy, and responsibility. When an AI tool recommends something harmful or incorrect, who owns the outcome: the user, the organization, or the vendor? We explore the need for AI governance, verification habits, and data privacy thinking that matches the risk of the work.  If you enjoy grounded conversations about IT leadership, cloud computing, AI ethics, smart city technology, and building teams that actually ship, subscribe to Unplugged with iSolution, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

    When Everyone Uses AI Who Owns The Outcome

  2. Sep 14

    From Full Stack To VP: Building Platforms That Survive Traffic Spikes

    Reach out! If you have ever watched a platform fall over during a big campaign and thought, “There has to be a better way,” this conversation is for you. We sit down with Hosamin Marzuk, VP of Engineering at Zid, to unpack what it actually takes to run an e-commerce platform that merchants can trust during peak seasons like Ramadan and Green Friday. We start with the messy reality of engineering careers: hardware, software, and the painful lessons that come from debugging the real world. From there, we move into startup life, funding paradoxes, and what changes when you are forced to rebuild mobile apps fast while hiring at the same time. The theme that keeps returning is simple: good engineering is less about perfection and more about making smart choices you can live with later. Then we get practical about reliability engineering, DevOps, and uptime. Hussam  explains the “nines,” why 99.98% uptime demands discipline, and how Zid approaches deployments, autoscaling, and seasonal preparation. We also dive into Zid Ship, logistics APIs, integrating carriers through a unified interface, and why system boundaries matter when you expand beyond core e-commerce. Along the way, you will hear his rapid fire takes on monoliths vs microservices, technical debt, AI in e-commerce, and balancing data security with user convenience. If you care about engineering leadership, platform stability, and building products that survive real traffic, listen through to the end, then subscribe, share this with your team, and leave a review with the biggest reliability lesson you are taking into your next release.

    From Full Stack To VP: Building Platforms That Survive Traffic Spikes

  3. Jun 17

    Why Don't Great Products Always get funding? Unplugged with iSolution with Stuart bateman

    Reach out! AI can feel like a toy right up until it starts outperforming your process. We talk with Stuart Bateman, VP of Technology and Marketing at 1957 Ventures, about what “bank-grade AI” really means when you’re building in fintech where speed, regulation, and security all collide. From his career digitalizing major organizations in Saudi Arabia to helping a venture arm invest in fintech startups, Stuart brings a pragmatic view of what actually works when the stakes are high. We get specific about the investing and product side: why traction is the new entry ticket for funding, how onboarding and customer acquisition break at scale, and why technical details become the failures you worry about at night. Stuart also shares how generative AI changes building itself, from shipping mobile apps in days to improving UI and UX that many teams neglect because it takes too long by hand. Along the way, we dig into public domain content, monetizing niche test prep apps, and why a focused simulator can beat a general chatbot when you need fast, repeatable learning. Then we zoom out to infrastructure and governance in the region: cloud platforms like Google Cloud, Saudi data residency requirements, and the checks and balances you need so AI doesn’t quietly introduce insecure code. We also explore AI-driven recruitment funnels, the tradeoffs of automation in hiring, and what it takes to unlock more MENA talent on global freelance platforms. If you care about fintech innovation, AI governance, cybersecurity, cloud strategy, and building products that ship, hit subscribe, share this with a builder friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

    Why Don't Great Products Always get funding? Unplugged with iSolution with Stuart bateman

  4. Jun 9

    Why "Superhero" Employees Are Ruining Your Company's Growth

    Reach out! Relying on "superhero" tech talent isn't a strategy—because superheroes don't scale. ❌ In this clip from Unplugged with iSolution, we dive into the operational realities of modern tech leadership. From the fallacy of thinking AI implementation is as simple as "installing ChatGPT" to building truly scalable, secure systems that don't depend on a single person to survive.  We also explore the incredible momentum in Saudi Arabia, discussing how Riyadh has rapidly transformed into a global magnet for top-tier engineering talent, moving forward like a high-speed train toward Vision 2030, Vision 2040, and beyond. 👉 Subscribe to Unplugged with iSolution for more unscripted tech & leadership insights! #iSolution #GoogleCloud #TechLeadership #Scalability #AIIntegration #RiyadhTech #Vision2030 #UnpluggedPodcast

    Why "Superhero" Employees Are Ruining Your Company's Growth

  5. Jun 2

    The Light Bulb Paradox: Why Great Teams Adapt to the Dark

    Reach out! Why do brilliant teams choose to adapt to darkness instead of changing the light bulb? 💡  In this episode of Unplugged with iSolution, Wessam Fawzy (Elsewedy) shares a powerful, real-life anecdote about how easily organizations grow complacent with outdated legacy technology.  When a system is broken for long enough, teams stop complaining and adapt to the friction—mistaking stagnation for stability. Wessam breaks down how leaders can challenge the "we've always done it this way" mindset, push for continuous improvement (POCs), and keep their teams constantly evolving. 👉 Subscribe to Unplugged with iSolution for more raw, unscripted leadership insights! #iSolution #Elsewedy #WessamFawzy #DigitalTransformation #LeadershipInsights #ChangeManagement #GoogleCloud #PodcastMENA

    The Light Bulb Paradox: Why Great Teams Adapt to the Dark

  6. Jan 29

    From Paper Trails To Peace Of Mind: How Tech, Analytics, And UX Are Reshaping Insurance

    Reach out! Peace of mind doesn’t come from a thicker policy packet; it comes from a cleaner journey and a fair claim. We sit down with a seasoned insurance and technology leader to map the shift from dot‑matrix paperwork and multi-copy forms to a digital experience built on UX clarity, analytics, and AI. The conversation starts with first principles—how loss ratio and experience drive pricing—and moves into practical levers that reduce friction, improve conversion, and keep customers loyal at renewal. We dig into what makes a modern journey work: minimal fields, smart defaults, calm interfaces, and predictable steps that match how people actually buy. Then we go deeper on machine intelligence. From parsing doctors’ notes and lab results to cross-checking repair histories, AI fraud detection turns slow manual reviews into actionable signals, while human oversight keeps decisions fair and credible. Alongside, we look at portfolio strategy across motor, medical, fire, and marine, and how inflation and trend factors shape sustainable rates rather than race-to-the-bottom pricing. Security and trust anchor everything. In Saudi Arabia, strict data residency and cyber frameworks demand local storage, encryption, audits, and disciplined data retention. That rigor doesn’t just protect customers—it unlocks new value with cyber insurance, where coverage blends with real risk services. On the leadership front, we talk hiring for curiosity over checklists, measuring productivity by outcomes, and choosing vendors who protect brand reputation by delivering reliably. The throughline is simple: technology serves the business, and the customer feels the benefit in fewer clicks, faster claims, and clearer answers. If this conversation helps you rethink your insurance stack or sharpen your customer journey, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a review with your favorite takeaway.

    From Paper Trails To Peace Of Mind: How Tech, Analytics, And UX Are Reshaping Insurance

  7. Jan 14

    What Every Founder Learns After Nine Years And A Hard Exit

    Reach out! What actually keeps a company alive when markets shift, timelines slip, and the hype fades? We get honest about the unglamorous decisions that turn fragile ideas into durable operations: cutting wait times with clever logistics, stabilizing systems before scaling, and choosing focus over vanity metrics when money and time run thin. We walk through the scrappy solutions that started it all—AM radio channels for truckers, early bets on RFID—and how those experiments grew into real throughput gains at ports. From there, we zoom out to the founder mindset: cash flow as the non-negotiable, patience as a strategy, and the discipline to double down when the curve climbs or relaunch when it dips. We get specific about failure too—shipping too late into crowded markets, arriving a decade early when regulation wasn’t ready—and how to spot a dead horse before it drains your runway. Self-awareness sits at the center. Not every entrepreneur should manage a large org, and that’s fine. Pair the innovator with an operator, hire for speed and judgment, and set crisp rules that keep the team moving. We also tackle the enduring pendulum of tech architecture—centralize, decentralize, and back again—along with the practical power of cloud platforms and the real-world use of AI for documents, analysis, and prompts that actually work. The goal isn’t hype; it’s leverage. Think deeply for ten minutes, then use the tools to multiply your judgment. If you’re weighing a pivot, wondering whether to shut a product, or trying to choose between execution and exploration, this conversation gives you field-tested heuristics you can use today. Subscribe, share this with a founder who needs clarity, and leave a review to tell us your hardest timing call and how you handled it.

    What Every Founder Learns After Nine Years And A Hard Exit

  8. 12/22/2025

    From Finance To Fleet: Building A Smarter, Safer Ride Service

    Reach out! What if a ride could be cleaner, safer, and still fairly priced? We pull back the curtain with a regional financial controller at Jeenu to show how disciplined leadership and practical technology can outmaneuver bigger ride-hailing brands. From FMCG and retail finance roots to mobility operations, the through line is simple: build systems that make great service repeatable, then let people do their best work. We start with the market problem: riders want reliability and safety without price games, and drivers need better margins to stay. That sets the agenda tight operational loops, clear delegation, and reporting that actually informs decisions. You’ll hear how raw trip data turns into daily “ready reports,” how Google Workspace and integrated maps reduce friction, and why naming owners for each metric keeps teams accountable. We dig into hiring, too: behavioral signals over buzzwords, practical case tasks over trick questions, and the kind of interview that reveals curiosity, humility, and real problem-solving. The episode also charts Jeeny's technology and sustainability path. We connect fleet choices to Vision 2030, explain the business math behind EV adoption, and outline how lower energy and maintenance costs translate into healthier driver income and better rider experience. Pricing fairness ties it together when you control quality and cost, you don’t need gimmicks. Looking ahead, we touch on smart city integration and readiness for autonomous features once policy and infrastructure align, while staying grounded in today’s execution: faster pickups, safer vehicles, and consistent service. If you care about the future of mobility, team leadership, or building data-driven operations that customers actually feel, this conversation brings the playbook. Subscribe for more candid breakdowns, share with someone in transport or tech, and leave a review with the one feature you wish every ride app had.

    From Finance To Fleet: Building A Smarter, Safer Ride Service
See All (17)

About

"Unplugged with iSolution" offers listeners a rare glimpse into the minds of the Middle East and North Africa's most influential business leaders. Go beyond the polished facades and corporate speak as iSolution sits down with key figures across diverse industries for intimate, unscripted conversations. Each episode dives deep into the personal journeys, strategic thinking, and unique perspectives of these prominent individuals, providing listeners with: Invaluable insights: Learn from the successes and challenges of those who have shaped the MENA business landscape.Fresh perspectives: Discover innovative ideas and groundbreaking approaches to navigating today's ever-evolving market.Authentic stories: Hear candid reflections and valuable lessons rarely shared in public forums.Tune in to "Unplugged with iSolution" for a refreshing and insightful look at the driving forces behind the MENA region's dynamic business world.

Information

  • Creator
    iSolution
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Unplugged with iSolution
  • Show Website
    Unplugged with iSolution