When Women Win Rana Nawas

Nadine Mezher is the Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Sarwa, the first automated investment advisory platform in the Middle East and award-winning fintech start-up that's raised 3 rounds of funding in just 2 years.

We talked about trees! Then we got into investing: the mistakes that people typically make, and how we can avoid them using the 4 rules of investing. We discussed her experience as an entrepreneur and the challenges she faces every day, both in business and as a mom.

We talked about the fundamentals of corporate life, and the way women’s challenges change over time as you rise in the pyramid and become more senior. We discussed managing the Imposter Syndrome and navigating the sensitivities of self-promotion. We talked about mentorship and sponsorship, the myth of women “opting out” and the role of a D&I leader. Finally, we got technical as I wanted to learn from the ultimate industry expert what the retail trends are globally and how they compare in the Middle Ea

Arlan is the Founder and Managing Partner of Backstage Capital, a fund that invests in underrepresented and underestimated founders. She built it while homeless, and since 2015 Backstage has invested nearly $7m into 130 startups.

We talked about Arlan’s journey, the founders she invests in and what she's learnt from them. We discussed self-care, Arlan’s podcast “Your First Million”, her upcoming book “It’s About Damn Time”, the meaning of failure and the impact of success.

Rwanda, 1994. Marie-Christine was an accountant and a young mother of a 2yr-old daughter, when the genocide came to her doorstep. She escaped: carrying her daughter on her back, Marie-Christine crossed four African countries on foot, experiencing poverty, starvation and many human rights abuses. Shethen studied trauma and resilience, and uses her skills to help other genocide survivors and refugees to get on their feet again, through her organisation “Safe Refuge Rwanda”.

We talked about Kristin's path from aspiring novelist to CMO, managing a $5B budget at a $400B bank. And got practical advice on a range of subjects, from dealing with the Imposter Syndrome to sourcing feedback to promoting other women.

Zoe is Associate Professor of Organisational Behavior at INSEAD, and is Academic Director of INSEAD's Gender Initiative.

This episode is a manual for CEOs, managers and male allies on how to support the advancement of women in the workplace.