Send us a text Every chapter needs space to breathe — and this one earned it. In this paused episode of Forward Moves, host Raja Haddad steps back from the past 2 episodes to reflect on four truths from his exchanges with Ricardo Karam and Natalya Urmanova. This isn’t a recap. It’s a reckoning. Raja explores the tension many leaders quietly live with: the gap between who you are and who you’ve become in the pursuit of success. He reflects on leaving comfort behind, on ...

Send us a text In this episode of Forward Moves, host Raja Haddad sits down with Dubai-based portrait photographer Natalya Urmanova inside her exhibition Whimsical World for a deeply personal conversation about fear, reinvention, and the art of seeing beyond the surface. Raised around her father’s darkroom and shaped by 15 years in luxury fashion, Natalya shares how she walked away from the corporate world with “shaking legs,” only to discover photography as a portal into a parall...

Send us a text � In this powerful episode of Forward Moves, host Raja Haddad sits down with renowned Lebanese media personality, entrepreneur, and TAKREEM Foundation founder Ricardo Karam for an unfiltered conversation about dignity, identity, and the power of human connection. 🇱 � Taped in Beirut, Ricardo reflects on decades of interviewing world leaders, artists, and everyday people — not as a collector of names, but as a listener driven by curiosity and purpose. He ...

Send us a text In this in-between-episodes reflection, host Raja Haddad unpacks the first conversations of Chapter Three with Basil Yassin and Anthony Maalouf. Instead of recapping, Raja dives into four reflections: heritage as creative fuel, innovation as adaptation, human connection as the real metric, and the power of owning your story before someone else writes it for you. This episode is a breath, a reset, and a reminder that moving forward starts with knowing where you come from. 🔥 Re...

Send us a text What does it mean to preserve culture through cuisine? In this candid conversation, host Raja Haddad sits down with Basil Yassin — the culinary creator behind Yava and Tonton Bakes, two of Dubai’s most talked-about dining concepts. From Musakhan Pretzel to caramel-dipped mini croissant pops, Basil blends Palestinian heritage, creative experimentation and bold entrepreneurship to build food experiences that are anything but traditional. 🤟 Basil opens up about: ...

Send us a text Chapter 3 is finally here, and with it the deep personal conversations with thought leaders of the creative community in the Middle East continue to share lived experiences and life hacks to move forward. In this episode host Raja Haddad sits with architect Anthony Maalouf—the mind behind iconic Lebanese spaces like Dar Zefta and Salon Beyrouth—for a heartfelt conversation about design, heritage, and the stories that architecture carries. Anthony reflects on his early in...

Send us a text The journey toward the 3rd chapter of Forward_Moves has been a thoughtful one, in true fashion of any movement… forward. In this transition episode, Raja Haddad distills the key themes from the past 25 episodes, sharing his insights on: Identity as action, transmission, and habitatCreativity as storytelling, and balancing the flow with the chaseThe common misunderstandings of resilienceTune in, reflect, and join Raja as he paves the way for what’s next. Don’t forget to subscrib...

Send us a text What role does art and creativity play in advocacy and forging an identity? How to valance passion and entrepreneurship , and how important are communities in transmitting stories within cultures? 🙌🏽 🎙️ The season 2 final episode wraps up the diverse themes shared by the 12 wonderful guests over the past 3 months, with Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad picking up cards and reflecting on these different topics: Identity & Cultural Reclamation Creativity as Advoc...

Send us a text What do chocolate, culture, and choosing your own path have in common? One Emirati chef. In this episode of Forward_Moves, host Raja Haddad sits down with Chef Bader Najeeb, pastry chef, chocolatier, and founder of Burnt Orange, for a deliciously honest conversation about baking, identity, and doing what truly moves you. From making fondant in his childhood kitchen to opening one of Dubai’s most soulful cafés, Bader shares how desserts became his language for storytelli...

Send us a text What does it mean to build beauty with purpose? In this episode of Forward_Moves, host Raja Haddad is joined by Zain Masud, a London-trained art world professional turned landscape designer, who is reshaping how we experience space, memory, and nature in the Middle East. 🎙️ In this episode, we explore: - Zain’s journey from the global art scene to land-based design in the Arab world - Why she views nature as storytelling—and gardens as living archives - How beauty, emotion, an...

Send us a text Can a room tell a story? In this episode of Forward_Moves, hosts Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad sit down with Meshary Al Nassar—renowned Interior Architect & Cultural Storyteller—to explore how space, memory, and identity intertwine. From rearranging furniture at age 12 to leading his own interior design studio, Meshary opens up about his career and personal journey. 📍 Highlights include: – Designing for emotion, not prestige – Reclaiming Arab identity through stor...

Send us a text Can a single dish carry the weight of heritage, memory, and identity? In this episode of Forward_Moves, host Raja Haddad sits down with Chef Ahmad Halawa, the Palestinian culinary artist bringing people together—one plate at a time. From childhood memories in his family kitchen to launching a supper club in Dubai, Ahmad shares how food became his way of preserving culture, connecting communities, and telling stories that words sometimes can’t. Plus, a special scoop: Ahmad annou...

Send us a text 🎙 How do you honour your purpose and find joy in the process? In this heartfelt episode of Forward_Moves, hosts Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad sit down with multidisciplinary musical artist Fadi Rifai to explore the power of creativity, community, and self-discovery. From Sufi sound journeys and musical theatre to letting go of labels, Fadi shares how he moved from self-doubt to full-time artistry—turning personal healing into soulful expression. 💡 If you're navigat...

Send us a text From rebranding Victoria Beckham to redefining Arab identity! Welcome back to Forward_moves! In this bold and thought-provoking episode, Nez Gebreel, Creative Luxury Strategist, joins Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad to unpack what it means to reclaim Arab identity, challenge cultural stereotypes, and lead with curiosity and creativity. 🔍 You’ll hear about: Her journey from London to Dubai and beyondWhy grassroots craftsmanship matters more than everPersonal stories of trauma,...

Send us a text Silence, sound, and the soul of a region. In this powerful episode of Forward_Moves, hosts Raja Haddad and Lina Nahhas sit down with Shelley Frost—harpist, entrepreneur, and founder of The Fridge—to explore the art of listening, the magic of mentorship, and the evolution of the Middle East’s grassroots music scene. 🎧 In this episode: - Building The Fridge and Dubai’s independent music ecosystem - What Icelandic silence revealed about creativity - Artistic self-worth vs....

Send us a text What does it take to build billion-dollar businesses and empower the next generation of founders across MENA? In this episode, Raja Haddad sits down with Noor Sweid, VC powerhouse, author, and Shark Tank judge. Noor shares her journey from scaling IPOs to reshaping the region’s entrepreneurial future. 🔍 What to expect: The story behind Coming of Age, her bestselling book on MENA startupsHow Zen Yoga taught her more than a billion-dollar IPOBuilding a VC firm that backs 68+ star...

Send us a text What does it mean to truly belong, and can design help us find our way home? In this episode of Forward_Moves, hosts Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad sit down with pioneering designer Nada Debs, whose work blends heritage and modernity, craft and culture, East and East. Born in Lebanon, raised in Japan, and shaped by a global perspective, Nada opens up about her journey of reconciling identity and how it shaped her powerful design philosophy—handmade & heartmade. She shares ho...

Send us a text What happens when tradition meets bold vision in the world of design? In this episode of Forward_Moves, hosts Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad sit down with Mohammad Maktabi, the creative force behind Iwan Maktabi, to explore the powerful intersections of heritage, innovation, and personal transformation. From a family of renowned carpet merchants to a design visionary, Mohamed’s story blends tradition, bold reinvention, and timeless craft. 🌱 Discover how the self-proclaimed ...

Send us a text Welcome back to Season 2 of Forward_Moves! Hosts Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad sit down for a raw, face-to-face conversation with Sunny Rahbar, co-founder of The Third Line gallery in Dubai. Together, they trace Sunny’s journey from post-9/11 New York to pioneering one of the region’s most impactful contemporary art spaces. 🎨 What You'll Hear • How a personal crisis after 9/11 became a catalyst for cultural change • Founding Bidoun magazine and The Third Line &...

Send us a text Season 2 kicks off with an inspiring conversation between hosts Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad and special guest Asmaa Al Shabibi, co-founder of Lawrie Shabibi Gallery and a key figure in Dubai’s evolving art scene. What’s Inside This Episode? 🏛️ How Asmaa transitioned from corporate law to curating groundbreaking art exhibitions. 🖼️ The early days of the Dubai Art movement & how it became a global hub. 🎨 Challenges Middle Eastern artists face & how galleries help s...