The 966
The 966
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Top 10 The 966 Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The 966 episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The 966 for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The 966 episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
William Greene, MD, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of the Hevolution Foundation, joins The 966 to talk about Hevolution's investment strategy and role as an investor in the emerging field of Healthspan Science. As CIO, Dr. Greene oversees all aspects of Hevolution Foundation’s investment strategy, planning, analysis, and execution.
The Hevolution Foundation, based in Riyadh, is a non-profit organization that provides grants and early-stage investments to incentivize research and entrepreneurship in healthspan science.
Last month, Hevolution announced its first ever impact investment to catalyze the healthspan and geroscience ecosystem and drive transformative breakthroughs in healthy aging.
Dr. William Greene’s leadership positions have included founder, biotechnology executive, investor, and clinician. As CEO, he built Iconic Therapeutics through discovery, clinical development and venture financing, leading to a successful sale of the company. He later helmed longevity biotech company Fountain Therapeutics and co-founded digital therapeutics startup Pear Therapeutics.
Dr. Greene spent 12 years at MPM Capital where he was a Managing Director and member of its Investment Committee, responsible for biotechnology and medical technology investments worldwide. He was also founding Chairman and head of the Investment Committee at the Global Health Investment Fund, a groundbreaking impact-oriented venture fund in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, which successfully scaled both investment returns and health impact simultaneously.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Greene was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) and led clinical trials and strategy for a variety of therapeutic areas at Genentech.
Dr. Greene earned his BA from Wesleyan University and his MD from UCSF. He was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at Yale and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Scholar at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
07/09/24 • 33 min
In Episode #133 of The 966 podcast, Dr. Jennifer Peck, Swarthmore College, expands on her excellent article in Foreign Affairs magazine (Working Women are Changing Saudi Arabia: Reforms Have Made the Economy More Productive, Families More Resilient, and Saudis More Tolerant) where she writes, "This economic transformation has also raised women’s visible participation in public life, made families more financially resilient, and boosted businesses’ productivity by increasing their access to talent. These shifts, in turn, appear to be driving a feedback loop: the more Saudi society embraces women in the workplace, the more the government is encouraged to pursue ambitious reforms."
In this episode Dr. Peck also discusses the evolution of women's participation in the Saudi labor force and the impact of reforms on the economy and society. She highlights key historical timeframes, such as the 60s, 80s, Arab Spring, and Vision 2030, that have shaped women's access to and impact on the workforce.
She also discusses the challenges and opportunities that remain, including cultural adaptation, mentorship programs, and the long-term effects of labor quotas on firms.
On the ground the latest Gaza war has caused untold human carnage and massive damage to buildings and infrastructure. It has also severely damaged the reputation of the United States in the region as well as negatively impacted US company brands. Stefanie Hausheer Ali, senior director at international affairs consulting firm Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC and Atlantic Council nonresident fellow joins host Richard Wilson on The 966 for a deeply informative Episode #132 in which she discusses five impacts of the Gaza war to watch.
1. The reputation of the United States and US company brands have taken a major hit in the region.
2. Boycotts of certain US brands are occurring and will continue to flare up periodically.
3. Israel’s ability to bring in foreign direct investment may be diminished.
4. Arab states are pulling away publicly from the United States in some ways, but still desire close ties.
5. The potential for destabilizing regional protests and lone-wolf attacks has increased.
To read more about this topic please see Ms. Ali's excellent article published by The Atlantic Council.
Rami Shabaneh, Senior Fellow, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) joins host Richard Wilson and The 966 for Episode #135.
Rami is a senior fellow with KAPSARC’s Oil and Gas program, with a focus on global gas and hydrogen markets. He has nearly 15 years of research and industry experience analyzing energy markets and energy policy.
Rami also co-edited the recently published, Clean Hydrogen Economy in Saudi Arabia, Domestic Developments and International Opportunitiesavailable for purchase on Amazon or Routledge as well as Taylor & Francis.
Spanning 28 chapters the book is a first-of-its-kind analysis of the emerging global hydrogen economy from the vantage point of one of the world’s biggest energy providers: Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is optimally situated geographically between the major demand markets in Europe and North Asia, from where it can leverage clean hydrogen exports as a potential tool to become a player of strategic importance and successfully diversify its economy under its Vision 2030 program.
In his discussion with Richard and The 966 Rami Shabaneh provides informed analysis of the "who," "what," "where," and "why" related to clean hydrogen development within and beyond Saudi Arabia.
Coincidentally, this past week NEOM Green Hydrogen Company (NGHC) initiated a major recruitment campaign for its world-leading green hydrogen plant as the project moves closer to its operational phase.
The $8.4 billion facility, set to be the world’s largest green hydrogen production plant, is targeting full operations by the end of 2026 and aims to produce up to 600 tonnes of carbon-free hydrogen daily, potentially eliminating five million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
Rami Shabaneh is the second KAPSARC expert to join The 966. In January 2022, for Episode #22, Adam Sieminski, who had just finished serving as President of KAPSARC talked renewable energy and the Circular Carbon Economy. Another terrific conversation you can listen to here.
05/19/24 • 46 min
Saudi cinema re-opened six years ago in April 2018 after a 35-year hiatus. The sector has exploded with revenue during that period close to $1b, over 61 million tickets sold, 1,971 films screened including 45 local productions. Saudi-based director, producer and actor Todd Albert Nims joins The 966 to discuss the origins of the Saudi film sector, how it has transformed and what remains to be done. In addition to the recent 10th showing of the Saudi Film Festival, Todd examines other ongoing events (Cannes Film Festival, Red Sea International Film Festival, etc.) including the 2nd U.S.-Saudi Film Forum happening later this month. The 2023 US-Saudi Film Forum Industry Report, is available here https://www.amchamksa.com/us-saudi-industry-film-forum-report.
11/24/23 • 49 min
Amit Sharma, CEO and Founder of FinClusive Capital, a hybrid fin-/reg-tech company based in the United States, joins The 966 to talk digital banking, fintech and more. Finclusive, headquartered in New York, New York, is a global compliance, digital identity and payments platform for a new era of financial services.
The 966 talks about the sector, FinClusive's approach to streamline services for clients, and the rise of the sector in Saudi Arabia.
10/13/23 • 60 min
Hamas' horrific and stunning attack in Israel last week has upended the status quo in the region. With Israel now retaliating in Gaza, bombing an already desperate populace in the Gaza strip, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless there, and with thousands dead and injured on both sides, the war has thrown the Levant into crisis and threatens to spillover into a wider conflict in the Middle East. The deal that was reportedly close to completion between Saudi Arabia and Israel, brokered by the United States, is now all but dead. Israel appears poised for a ground invasion that may leave even more dead and displaced. The internet, meanwhile, is dangerously divided and chronically misinformed, with the general discourse lacking nuance and with the ignorant empowered by a short-sighted view of the centuries-old conflict for supremacy in the region with peace perpetually elusive.
The 966 hosts discuss the situation, some of the meaning for Saudi Arabia and the region, and what might happen next.
After that, the hosts discuss an interesting quote from Karim Benzema on his participation in the Saudi Pro League. Karim Benzema joined Al Ittihad this summer because he always wanted to live in Saudi Arabia and "help Saudi football grow."
The hosts finish the episode as always with Yallah! 6 top storylines to get you up to speed headed into the weekend.
Dr. Robert Mogielnicki, Senior Resident Scholar at The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and professorial lecturer at George Washington University joins The 966 to discuss the growing size and role of the Kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Robert has previously characterized the PIF as, “screaming onto the scene” with an “everything, everywhere, all-at-once investment approach.” The 966 hosts dive into that, and many other PIF related topics and questions. Before that, the hosts discuss Richard's One Big Thing, the Saudi bid for the World Cup in 2034. Then, the hosts discuss Lucien's One Big Thing, the upcoming 7th FII Initiative in Riyadh in just a few weeks.
Richard's One Big Thing is Saudi Arabia's bid for the World Cup in 2034. The Saudi announcement came shortly after FIFA named Morocco, Spain and Portugal as hosts of the 2030 World Cup, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting the opening matches to mark the tournament's centenary, per Reuters. "Saudi Arabia’s inaugural FIFA World Cup bid is backed by the country’s growing experience of hosting world-class football events and its ongoing plans to welcome fans across the world to the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup."
Lucien's One Big Thing is the upcoming 7th Future Investment Initiative which will take place in Riyadh in just a few weeks. The new theme and slogan (which it rolled out earlier this year) is “The New Compass." Lucien notes that in recent years, the FII conference in Riyadh was a truly massive and frankly an impressive sight to be seen, but that might change slightly in coming years as the FII Institute becomes established and serializes the event in different formats around the world throughout the year.
Dr. Robert Mogielnicki, Senior Resident Scholar at The Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and professorial lecturer at George Washington University joins The 966 to discuss the growing size and role of the Kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Robert has previously characterized the PIF as, “screaming onto the scene” with an “everything, everywhere, all-at-once investment approach.” The 966 hosts dive into that, and many other PIF related topics and questions.
The 966 Episode 85! The 966 hosts speak with Norah Ortiz, founder of the first authentic Mexican restaurant in Riyadh, Don Reuben's, which is located in the Diplomatic Quarter. Ortiz tells us her story as an American born in San Diego to Mexican parents and her journey to owning and operating the first authentic Mexican restaurant in a city increasingly becoming a hot spot for foodies. Before that discussion, the hosts talk about Richard's One Big Thing: a growing Captagon crisis in the Middle East and Syria's fall into becoming a narco state. Lucien's One Big Thing is Lionel Messi's long relationship with Saudi Arabia as rumors and reports swirl that he might be heading to Saudi Arabia to play for Al Hilal. The hosts then conclude as always with Yallah! 6 top storylines to keep you up to date heading into the weekend.
9:11 - Richard's one big thing is a growing Captagon crisis in the Middle East and Syria's fall into becoming a narco state. Captagon is a synthetic amphetamine-type stimulant, fenethylline and has become the center of an increasing number of drug busts across the Middle East. The vast majority of global captagon production occurs in Syria, with the Gulf region being its primary destination.
24:24 - MESSI TO SAUDI? Lucien's one big thing is what is dominating the headlines this week for the Kingdom. There are reports now, not just rumors, that it’s going to happen... Messi to Saudi Arabia and probably to Al Hilal. Messi was officially unveiled as a brand ambassador for the Saudi Tourism Authority last year, and rumors swirled about him playing in Saudi Arabia eventually. Lucien provides a timeline of Messi's experiences and relationship with Saudi Arabia and some thoughts on what this might mean for the Saudi Professional League.
40:10 - Riyadh-based restaurateur Norah Ortiz, who is founder of the popular authentic Mexican restaurant Don Reuben’s, located in the diplomatic quarter. Don Reuben’s is the first authentic taco shop in the Kingdom and recently won the “highly commended” Riyadh Time out awards for best Latin American restaurant in the capital city. Ortiz tells us her story as an American born in San Diego to Mexican parents and her journey to owning and operating the first authentic Mexican restaurant in a city increasingly becoming a hot spot for foodies.
1:08:44 - Yallah!
MENA startups Raised $7 Million in April 2023, a 93 Percent Decline Year-on-Year – WAMDA Report
In April 2023, startups based in the Middle East and North Africa raised roughly $7 million, a drop of 97 per cent compared to March 2023 and a 99 per cent drop compared to April 2022, according to a report in Wamda, which we shared on SUSTG.com today.
Banker Pay Surges For Those Willing to Work in Saudi Arabia
According to Bloomberg, banking jobs remain plentiful and salaries are surging in one unexpected corner of the world: Saudi Arabia.
Aramco In Talks With Sinopec and Total on $10 Billion Saudi Gas Deal
According to Bloomberg, Sinopec and TotalEnergies SE are among companies holding talks to invest in the Jafurah development in Saudi Arabia, according to people familiar with the matter, as the kingdom seeks to exploit one of the world’s largest untapped gas fields.
Saudi economy edging closer to reducing dependence on oil, IMF official says
According to Reuters, Government-led reforms and the growth of private investment in new sectors will help support non-oil economic growth in Saudi Arabia amid an expected sharp slowdown in overall growth this year, a senior IMF official said.
Asset Management Firm Tiger Global, Visa Invest in UAE Fintech Company Tarabut Gateway for Saudi Expansion – Report
Payments giant Visa Inc. has made its first open banking investment in the Middle East, joining Tiger Global Management in backing UAE-based fintech firm Tarabut Gateway’s latest fundraising which outlines an expansion to Saudi Arabia, according to Bloomberg.
Middle East Set to Outpace Other Regions in Growth of Travel Demand: Rategain
The Middle East region is expected to outpace all other travel markets in its rate of recovery for travel demand in the April-June quarter, according to India-headquartered travel technology firm Rategain.
Saudi Arabia’s Booming Construction Sector with Laura Morgan, Market Intelligence Lead, MEA, JLL
The 966
07/30/24 • 32 min
The 966 and host, Richard Wilson welcome to Episode #134 Laura Morgan, Market Intelligence Lead, MEA, JLL to discuss Saudi Arabia’s Booming Construction Sector. Ms. Morgan expands on JLL's Q1 2024 KSA Construction Market Intelligence Report which noted that with $1.5 trillion in the Saudi pipeline of unawarded construction projects, Saudi Arabia accounts for almost 40% of the total MENA pipeline value. Within that pipeline the construction sector represents $950 billion (62% of the total $1.5 trillion), while transportation, infrastructure, and other utilities account for $582 billion (38%).
According to MEED Projects, the thriving KSA construction sector reported the highest value of awarded projects in 2023, reaching USD97 billion compared to USD60 billion in 2022. Aligning with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic diversification and investment goals, this value represents only 6% of the potential pipeline, highlighting substantial opportunities within the sector.
Join us for another timely and informative episode of The 966.
Summary
Laura Morgan, Market Intelligence Lead Middle East, and Africa for JLL, discusses JLL's latest KSA Construction Market Intelligence Report and the construction market in Saudi Arabia. The report highlights the potential for GDP growth in Saudi Arabia, driven by Vision 2030 giga projects and infrastructure developments. The report also examines the construction pipeline, awarded and unawarded projects, and the challenges faced by the sector. Laura emphasizes the importance of data and transparency in understanding market trends and risks. She also discusses the progress of economic diversification in Saudi Arabia and the impact of rationalization efforts on the contracting sector.
Keywords JLL, KSA Construction Market Intelligence Report, Saudi Arabia, construction market, Vision 2030, infrastructure developments, GDP growth, construction pipeline, awarded projects, unawarded projects, challenges, data, transparency, economic diversification, rationalization, contracting sector.
Takeaways
- Saudi Arabia's construction market is experiencing significant growth, driven by Vision 2030 projects and infrastructure developments.
- The construction pipeline in Saudi Arabia is substantial, with a value of around $1.5 trillion, and there is still a large portion of projects in the design and pre-qualification phases.
- Data and transparency are crucial in understanding market trends and risks in the construction sector.
- The efforts to build up local contracting capability in Saudi Arabia are progressing, but there is still a need for skilled labor, particularly in the MEP sector.
- Despite challenges such as inflation and geopolitical tensions, Saudi Arabia remains committed to its Vision 2030 goals and the construction projects associated with it.
Titles
- Data and Transparency: Understanding Market Trends and Risks
- The Construction Pipeline: A Look at the Projects in Saudi Arabia
Sound Bites
"Saudi Arabia's progress on numerous Vision 2030 giga projects and infrastructure developments has cemented the kingdom's position as a leader in construction activity regionally and globally."
- "Around 5% of the pipeline projects in Saudi Arabia are under a main contract, while the remaining 94-95% are in the design and pre-qualification phases."
- "Despite challenges such as inflation and geopolitical tensions, Saudi Arabia remains committed to what they've announced and what they've said they want to achieve by 2030."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview of JLL and the Construction Market in Saudi Arabia
03:11 Vision 2030 and Infrastructure Developments Driving Growth
08:11 The Construction Pipeline: Overview and Status of Projects
13:12 Data and Transparency: Understanding Market Trends and Risks
15:57 Building Local Capability: Challenges and Progress in the Contracting Sector
23:14 Commitment to Vision 2030: Overcoming Challenges in Saudi Arabia's Construction Market
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FAQ
How many episodes does The 966 have?
The 966 currently has 135 episodes available.
What topics does The 966 cover?
The podcast is about News, Middle East, Energy, News Commentary, Investment, Podcasts, Oil and Business.
What is the most popular episode on The 966?
The episode title 'Saudi Arabia’s Booming Construction Sector with Laura Morgan, Market Intelligence Lead, MEA, JLL' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The 966?
The average episode length on The 966 is 72 minutes.
How often are episodes of The 966 released?
Episodes of The 966 are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of The 966?
The first episode of The 966 was released on Oct 5, 2021.
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