PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ARE IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES for realigning the country’s interests, but all too often the opportunities are missed. The locus of attention becomes the horse race rather than critical policy differences among contenders. This cycle is certainly no exception. That’s a shame because the next administration will face daunting choices that are bound to…
Continue Reading →“Dubai is where the Iranian private sector breathes and prospers.”¹ –Vali Nasr, 2009 __________ The UAE has a well-earned reputation as a world-class center for commerce, finance, logistics and more. By modernizing its infrastructure and reforming regulations to draw foreign investors, the Gulf nation is better equipped to withstand slumping oil prices than its neighbors….
Continue Reading →Headlines focus on conflict and tension in the Arab world, but the rapid growth of broadband is important news that’s been under the radar. The mobile revolution is transforming the way people live and do business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and that development merits attention. The growth of broadband at about…
Continue Reading →A founder with a great idea and the will to see it through can move mountains. But even the most capable founders often need a helping hand to overcome barriers to building a business. THE MOST SATISFYING PART OF MY JOB IS MENTORING the next generation of entrepreneurs as they build tomorrow’s great companies. Working…
Continue Reading →This is one of those “what I’ve learned” essays. It’s not meant to sound preachy. Helping emerging entrepreneurs in their early/growth stages informs the way I advise corporate clients at every stage of development. This is about the “gestalt” of what I tell clients rather than the methodology or process. From designing, building and marketing…
Continue Reading →_________ BEFORE THE INK DRIED on the nuclear accord last month, governments and multinationals had already queued up to strike commercial deals with Iran. Within days of the P5+1 pact, German vice-chancellor Sigmar Gabriel arrived in Teheran on a junket with German business executives intent on forging ties. French, Italian and Japanese delegations announced…
Continue Reading →“2500 years of civilization assures us Iran will change. Thirty-six years of the Islamic Republic cautions us it won’t be soon, or easy.” — Karim Sadjadpour __________ THE IRAN NUCLEAR ACCORD (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, summarized) is a Herculean feat for the P5+1 nations, led by the U.S., after 20 months of negotiations. The…
Continue Reading →Aqaba, Jordan Another narrative At a time when the dominant narrative about the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) reflects conflict and instability, it’s important to view the region from a more balanced perspective. Consider an alternative narrative — one that hinges on the region’s technology entrepreneurs. Their story is about building products for one…
Continue Reading →Satellite view of Dubai’s iconic shoreline Which Markets Are A Good Fit? Many of the questions that my colleagues and I often get from enterprise clients about to expand internationally concern how to evaluate which prospective market(s) to choose. Clients’ primary concerns are typically about market economics — demand and size/growth rates followed by regulatory…
Continue Reading →Southbound Is this a good time to tap new markets in the Global South? Broadly speaking, the answer is yes. Despite slower growth in many economies including China’s, consumer markets across the Global South are, by and large, flourishing due to a confluence of advanced technology, urbanization and regulatory reforms in many countries. Greater demand…
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