It's a new milestone for our podcast - we've brought our first guest, ready to unravel more of a big news piece we discussed a few episodes ago (hint: iHeartMedia). Andy Kelly, the Senior Vice President of Ruby (iHeartMedia's branded content studio), joins us to discuss the vision behind their international expansion in partnership with the GCO of Qatar, the role of podcasting in the region, and the importance of creating localised content. The conversation also highlights the significance of human connection in audio, the challenges and opportunities in the MENA market, and the future of audio advertising with international expansion.As of the moment the episode was published, Andy Kelly has been promoted to EVP of Global Brand Partnerships at iHeartMedia.

- Chapters -

(00:00) Introduction to iHeartMedia and Podcasting in MENA(02:57) The Journey of iHeartMedia's International Expansion(06:21) The Vision for Podcasting in the MENA Region(09:07) Insights from Web Summit Qatar 2025(12:00) The Role of Audio in Advertising(15:19) Building a Podcasting Ecosystem in Qatar(18:08) Creating Localised Content for Diverse Audiences(21:11) Navigating Cultural Sensitivities in Content Creation(24:08) Live Events and Community Engagement(27:01) Future Plans for iHeartMedia in the MENA region(38:59) Building a Creative Hub in Doha, Qatar(42:03) The Future of Podcasting in MENA(45:04) Understanding the Podcast Audience(47:28) Collaborating with Regional Creators(52:16) Branded Content and Market Demand(53:52) Analytics and Support for Creators(56:00) The Importance of Storytelling in Podcasting

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If you're keen to suggest topics that you'd want to hear more about with a Middle East focus, follow us on our accounts below and drop us a message. You can also suggest it ⁠⁠⁠via Google Forms⁠⁠.

• Yasser Masood (⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠)
• Gazanfarulla Khan (⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠)
• The Geeky Nomads (⁠Threads⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠)

This episode takes us to new heights — literally in every possible sense — as we decided to try something new. Gazanfarulla Khan was travelling to Montreal, and we recorded our episode live while Yasser was at home.

The venue and occasion made it quite an ideal scenario to discuss something relevant to the Middle East region - airlines/aviation/airports with the intersection of technology and AI, particularly focused on the advancements in the Middle East.

Tapping into Starlink technology for the in-flight Wi-Fi to record the episode, we cover everything related to: the digitization of airlines and airports, innovations in air traffic control, and the importance of sustainability in aviation.

On a future note: the possible return of hypersonic travel and growth in space tourism, Middle East's role as a hub for aviation innovation, and the significance of personalization in enhancing customer experience to remove pain points in the journey.

Note: These are our individual opinions, as I used to work for an airline and Khan is still currently employed at an airline.

-- Chapters --

(00:00) Introduction and Unique Recording Setup

(03:50) Technology in Aviation: A New Era

(09:57) Innovations in Airport Experience

(17:32) Sustainability in Aviation

(23:19) Future Trends and Technologies in Aviation

(32:15) The Rise of Hyper-Personalization in Aviation

(33:42) Sustainability in Air Travel

(35:41) The Future of Autonomous Technology in Aviation

(38:03) Innovations in Space Travel and Hypersonic Flight

(42:15) The Evolution of Airport Infrastructure in the Middle East

(48:07) The Role of Innovation Hubs in Aviation

(52:54) The Impact of Technology on the Travel Experience

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If you're keen to suggest topics that you'd want to hear more about with a Middle East focus, follow us on our accounts below and drop us a message. You can also suggest it ⁠⁠via Google Forms⁠.

• Yasser Masood (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube)
• Gazanfarulla Khan (LinkedIn, Instagram)
• The Geeky Nomads (Threads, Instagram, YouTube)

We recap the highlights and insights from the Web Summit Qatar 2025, focusing on the growth compared to 2024, the dominance of AI in discussions, keynotes from notable figures, iHeartMedia's official international foray in partnership with the Government Communications Office of Qatar, and the evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Qatar.

Gazanfarulla Khan joined in on-site to share first-hand details starting from the opening night. Coming full circle as we mark one year since our podcast kick-off at the inaugural Web Summit Qatar 2024. Don't forget to participate in the episode poll on Spotify.

-- Chapters --

"(00:00) Opening and live from Web Summit Qatar 2025"

"(01:20) Web Summit Qatar 2025 Growth and Diversity"

"(05:17) AI: The Dominant Theme"

"(07:04) Opening Night"

"(09:00) Keynote Highlights and Innovations"

"(12:01) Networking and Community Engagement"

"(15:02) Podcasting Trends in Qatar"

"(15:59) iHeartMedia partnership with GCO Qatar"

"(18:07) Augmented Reality and Tech Partnerships"

"(20:58) The Future of Startups and Investments"

"(22:44) Startup deep dives"

"(26:31) Side Thoughts"

"(29:08) Web Summit Qatar 2026"

"(34:26) Final Thoughts on Web Summit Qatar 2025"

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If you're keen to suggest topics that you'd want to hear more about, follow us on our accounts below and drop us a message. You can also suggest it ⁠via Google Forms⁠.

• Yasser Masood (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠)
• Gazanfarulla Khan (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠)
• The Geeky Nomads (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Threads⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠)

China just pulled the rug and surprised everyone with DeepSeek, made with less-powerful NVIDIA AI chips even with export restrictions. Web Summit Qatar is just few weeks away, with a surprise announcement by iHeartMedia looking to go international. Lenovo is building a manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia, and some new features on Threads along with a major change to the Instagram profile grid. Plus, we decided to tease our plans for the next episode that is very LinkedIn-centric and requires input from our listeners. Please do check out the following form for details: LinkedIn etiqiuette across MENA region.

Chapters

"(00:00) AI's Global Landscape: China's DeepSeq R1"

"(11:55) Instagram's New Grid: A User's Dilemma"

"(21:56) The Rise of Video Editing Apps: CapCut vs Edits"

"(27:55) The Evolution of Video Editing Apps"

"(30:39) Tech Manufacturing in the Middle East"

"(34:43) Web Summit Qatar: Anticipations and Insights"

"(37:45) iHeartMedia partnership"

"(45:12) LinkedIn Etiquette in the MENA Region"

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If you're keen to suggest topics that you'd want to hear more about, follow us on our accounts below and drop us a message. You can also suggest it via Google Forms.

• Yasser Masood (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠)
• Gazanfarulla Khan (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠)
• The Geeky Nomads (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Threads⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠)

It's a new year and already it's been filled with some tech and social challenges. Starting off with the TikTok ban in the US also impacting people outside the country.

Is Dubai now looking to be the Creator Economy hub in the MENA region? Influencers in Qatar should prepare for new legislation that will impact them.

At CES 2025, Delta is bringing YouTube Premium to its in-flight entertainment. What about the possibilities of Netflix, Disney+, and other SVOD joining in? All this and more are covered in our latest episode.

Additional reference links during the episode

- TikTok STEM feed launches in Saudi Arabia

Chapters

"(00:00) Introduction and New Beginnings"

"(01:54) The TikTok Ban and Its Implications"

"(10:04) The Evolution of TikTok and Its Impact"

"(16:07) Educational Content and TikTok's STEM Feed"

"(21:02) Influencer Licensing in Qatar"

"(27:02) Regulating Influencers and Future Prospects"

"(27:14) Emerging Trends in the Digital Market"

"(30:15) The Rise of Creator Economies"

"(34:28) Monetization Strategies Across Platforms"

"(39:08) Innovations in In-Flight Entertainment"

"(45:28) The Future of Streaming Services"

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If you're keen to suggest topics that you'd want to hear more about, follow us on our accounts below and drop us a message.

• Yasser Masood (Instagram, LinkedIn)
• Gazanfarulla Khan (Instagram, LinkedIn)
• The Geeky Nomads (Instagram, Threads, YouTube)

After many months since our previous episode, Yasser Masood and Gazanfarulla Khan return for the next episode exploring some highlights of the year: recent developments in Qatar, including tech events focused on Web Summit Qatar 2025 and WSJ Tech Live, AI initiatives across the GCC region, Apple's expansion plans in Saudi Arabia, and Talabat's IPO.

Additional reference links during the episode:

1. Apple is expanding in Saudi Arabia
2. PWC report on AI in Middle East
3. Qatar unveils Fanar LLM
4. Dow Jones expansion in Middle East
5. Stolen AirPods recovered ​

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If you're keen to suggest topics that you'd want to hear more about, follow us on our accounts below and drop us a message.

• Yasser Masood (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠)
• Gazanfarulla Khan (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠)
• The Geeky Nomads (⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Threads⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠)

Picking up from our previous episode, Khan and I continue to recap our experience at the inaugural Web Summit Qatar 2024.

The last tech event I attended was CES 2019 (before everyone was locked in). The next best opportunity came with the inaugural Web Summit Qatar in February 2024. We managed to cover as much with a divide-and-conquer approach. With many interesting panels/sessions covering multiple conference tracks, there was plenty to cover and the onsite podcast booth setup was our way to crunch it all. Read all about Web Summit Qatar 2024 on the blog.

Prefer to watch as a video? ⁠⁠Watch the video version⁠⁠. Related videos to some of the discussions during the episode

• Conversation with TikTok on the Creative Studio in Qatar
• talabat usage habits in Qatar

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If you're keen to suggest topics that you'd want to hear more about, follow us on our accounts below and drop us a message

• ​Yasser Masood (⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠)
• ​Gazanfarulla Khan (⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠)
• ​The Geeky Nomads (⁠Instagram⁠)

After quite a long time, I got to attend a tech event since the last one was in 2019 (yes, before everyone was locked in). The opportunity came with the inaugural Web Summit Qatar in February 2024.

Hosted by Yasser Masood and Gazanfarulla Khan, we managed to cover as much with a divide-and-conquer approach given the scheduling of many interesting panels/sessions covering multiple conference tracks. The best thing was the onsite podcast booth setup, which allowed us to record onsite. This is Part 1 of our overview of the Web Summit Qatar, with Part 2 to follow. Read all about Web Summit Qatar 2024 on the ⁠blog⁠.

Prefer to watch as a video? ⁠Watch the video version⁠. ---

If you're keen to suggest topics that you'd want to hear more about, follow us on our accounts below and drop us a message

• ​Yasser Masood (⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠)
• ​Gazanfarulla Khan (⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠)
• ​The Geeky Nomads (⁠Instagram⁠)