Shows / The Smashi Business Show
The Smashi Business Show
The Smashi Business Show tells AI, tech, startup and business stories from the Arab world. For the driven, the dreamers and the doers. Hosted by Abdul Majid Awan, Ward Ahmed, and Wael Hossam El Din.
Episodes
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi PIF Reveals $26.3B SpaceX Stake, DP World Plans $3B Investment and Kushner Heads to Israel and Egypt
Saudi PIF Reveals $26.3B SpaceX Stake, DP World Plans $3B Investment and Kushner Heads to Israel and Egypt
The Smashi Business ShowADNOC Hormuz Attacks & CFI’s $5.34 Trillion Trading Record
HEADLINES:• Two UAE Operated ADNOC Vessels Attacked in Strait of Hormuz; No Injuries • CFI CEO Ziad Melhem on Record $5.34 Trillion Trading Volume and the…
The Smashi Business ShowSephora Israel, Lakers Abu Dhabi Tie-Up & Mubadala’s Aldar Stake
HEADLINES:• Sephora Denies Israel Store Launch, Confirms Products Will Be Sold Through Glam42• The Surprising Abu Dhabi Tie-Up in the $12.5 Billion Lakers…
The Smashi Business ShowTurki Al-Sheikh, UAE Music Fees & DMCC CEO Ahmed Bin Sulayem
HEADLINES:• ADNOC Gas Eyes LNG Export Hub Beyond Strait of Hormuz• Lebanese-Founded Kalshi Adopts Nasdaq Surveillance Platform• DP World Expands Western Europe…
The Smashi Business ShowADNOC Gas, Kalshi Nasdaq & DP World
HEADLINES:• ADNOC Gas Eyes LNG Export Hub Beyond Strait of Hormuz • Lebanese-Founded Kalshi Adopts Nasdaq Surveillance Platform • DP World Expands Western…
The Smashi Business ShowNetanyahu, Gaza Plan, Sydney Near-Crash & Madinah Retail Boom
HEADLINES:• Netanyahu Rejects Trump’s Gaza Plan as Israel Faces Pressure to Withdraw • A Jetstar and Qatar Airways plane nearly collided on the ground at…
The Smashi Business ShowHormuz Deal, Aramco Fire and Syria’s $100M World Bank Grant
In this episode of The Smashi Business Show, we look at Iran’s talks with Oman over a temporary maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran sets…
The Smashi Business ShowUS Sanctions Iran Crypto Network; Peekabox Hits No. 1; Kalanick Unveils NAMAA
The US tightens sanctions on an alleged Iranian crypto network, Dubai startup Peekabox reaches the top of the UAE App Store without paid advertising, and…
The Smashi Business ShowTrump Tower, Paramount Deal & Arsenal Emirates
HEADLINES:• UK Clears Gulf Backed Paramount's $111 Billion Warner Bros. Discovery Deal• Dubai's $1 Billion Trump Tower Moves Forward With Major Construction…
The Smashi Business ShowMubadala in Africa, Syria Tourism & IHC Profits
HEADLINES:• Moove Hits $2.1 Billion Valuation in Mubadala-Led Fundraising• Syria's Tourism Boom Could Generate Up to $10 Billion in 2026• IHC Profit Triples as…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi Arabia Buys EA, Telegram Row & Satish Sanpal
HEADLINES:• Saudi Arabia just completed its $55 billion purchase of gaming giant EA.• Pavel Durov Blames 'Extortionists' After Apple Removes Telegram From App…
The Smashi Business ShowTelegram Ban, Careem Losses & $36B Kalshi Lawsuit
HEADLINES:• Apple Briefly Removes Telegram From App Store Over Abuse Content • Careem's Losses Widen as e& Hands Control Back to Uber • New York Seeks $36…
The Smashi Business ShowOil Prices, EA Saudi Deal & Red Sea Shipping Crisis
HEADLINES:• Oil Prices Slide As US-Iran Peace Talks Raise Hopes For Hormuz Reopening • Saudi Arabia Set To Take Majority Control Of Gaming Giant Electronic…
The Smashi Business ShowLebanon's Banking Shake-Up, Kuwait's Freelance Pause & Dubai's Wealth Boom
the arrest of former Lebanon central bank governor Riad Salameh, Kuwait's temporary suspension of new freelance business licenses, and Dubai's rise to more…
The Smashi Business ShowInfantino Retreats, Iran's $4B Crypto Network & Kalshi's Legal Showdown
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has abandoned a controversial $20 billion World Cup investment plan after a revolt led by football's biggest governing bodies…
The Smashi Business ShowPavel Durov, Trump's Gaza Plan & Saudi Vision 2030
HEADLINES:• ‘Who Can Ban Whom?’: Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Hits Back at Russia's 'Terrorist' Label• Jared Kushner Says 'More Work Remains' After Trump's Gaza…
The Smashi Business ShowTelegram Terror Charges, Lebanon Lawsuit & Zamalek Investment
HEADLINES:• Russia Just Filed Terrorism-Related Charges Against Telegram Founder Pavel Durov• Lebanese Lawyers Sue Banker Antoun Sehnaoui After Dinner With…
The Smashi Business ShowLucid Investment, Netflix Six Kings Slam & G42-Nvidia Alliance
HEADLINES:• Saudi Prince Alwaleed Just Bought a 5% Stake in EV Maker Lucid for $129.5 Million • Netflix Will Stream Saudi Arabia's Richest Tennis Tournament…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi Football, Blackstone Kuwait & the $58M Bar Works Scandal
HEADLINES:• PIF Moves to Tackle Al-Nassr's $213 Million Debt Crisis • Blackstone Opens Kuwait Office After $16 Billion Infrastructure Deal • Bar Works…
The Smashi Business ShowTrump's Nuclear Deal Twist, UAE-Canada CEPA & Mohamed Alabbar
HEADLINES:• Riyadh Stays Silent as Trump Adds Last-Minute Condition to Nuclear Deal • Kalshi Threatens Netflix Over 'Misleading' Prediction Market Documentary…
The Smashi Business ShowTrump’s Saudi Nuclear Conditions, Kuwait’s $16B Pipeline Deal, and Iraq-Syria Energy Corridors
In this episode of the Smashi Business Show, we examine President Donald Trump tying a civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia directly to the Abraham Accords. We…
The Smashi Business ShowJeddah Tower, Kuwait's $16B Deal & Kalshi vs Netflix
Saudi Arabia's tallest ambition is rising again as Prince Alwaleed bin Talal confirms Jeddah Tower has reached another major construction milestone. Kuwait…
The Smashi Business ShowIran Warning, DP World Expansion & Lebanon Golden Visa
HEADLINES:• UAE Billionaire Al Habtoor Urges Iran to Apologise, Warns Gulf Will Bear Cost of War • DP World to Build Two New UAE Terminals Outside Strait of…
The Smashi Business ShowIraq $200B Energy Deals, Pakistan Aid, Emirates Boeing & Elon Musk Warning
HEADLINES:• Iraq Secures $200 Billion in Energy Deals, Seeks Higher OPEC Oil Quota • Pakistan Seeks $10 Billion US Lifeline After Saudi Rescue Replenished Its…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi Nuclear Deal, Bab al Mandab & MGX's $40B AI Bet
HEADLINES:• Trump Approves 30 Year Saudi Nuclear Deal Worth Tens of Billions• After Hormuz, the US Iran Conflict Shifts to Bab al Mandab • Abu Dhabi's MGX…
The Smashi Business Show$110B Paramount Deal, PIF TAWAL & Dubai Airports
HEADLINES:• US Judge Pauses Gulf Backed $110 Billion Paramount Warner Bros. Deal • PIF Backed TAWAL Eyes Multibillion Dollar Mobily Towers Deal • Dubai…
The Smashi Business ShowSpain's World Cup Glory, Saudi Football & UAE Economy Explained
HEADLINES:• Spain Are World Champions Again: Yamal Makes History as FIFA’s $13B Tournament Delivers• Saudi Football’s Billion-Dollar Gamble Faces a New Test…
The Smashi Business ShowUAE Trade Hits Record High | Dubai's Transport Expansion | Iraq Reshapes Oil Export Routes
The UAE's non-oil foreign trade reaches a record AED 1.937 trillion as exports continue to climb. We also look at Dubai's ambitious plans to expand public…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi’s $55B EA Bet, Iraq’s Starlink Deal & Bin Sulayem’s Malaysia Move
Saudi Arabia moves closer to a $55 billion takeover of gaming giant Electronic Arts, Iraq signs a landmark agreement with Starlink as part of a broader…
The Smashi Business ShowUber Talabat Deal, G42 US Investors & EDGE Brazil Acquisition
HEADLINES:• Uber to buy Talabat owner Delivery Hero in $14.8 billion deal• WSJ: G42 Considers Selling Stake to US Investors• EDGE to acquire 100% stake in…
The Smashi Business ShowUAE Business: Bin Sulayem, Alabbar & AI
HEADLINES:• Former DP World Chairman Bin Sulayem Takes Over Malaysia Port Giant• Alabbar Says New Syria Development Company Will Be Majority-Owned by Syrians•…
The Smashi Business ShowLucid Bankruptcy Claims; Abu Dhabi $300B Fund; Hormuz Fee
HEADLINES:• Saudi PIF-Backed Lucid Denies Bankruptcy Report, Issues Cease-and-Desist• Abu Dhabi Revamps $300 Billion L'imad Fund to Drive Global Dealmaking•…
The Smashi Business ShowIran Hormuz Attack, Dubai Port & Egypt World Cup Bonus
HEADLINES:• Iranian missiles strike 2 UAE tankers in Hormuz, killing one crew member: MOD• Dubai plans new port to bypass Strait of Hormuz• Naguib Sawiris…
The Smashi Business ShowStrait of Hormuz Tensions, UAE Investment & Yusuff Ali
HEADLINES:• Ships Cross Strait of Hormuz in Secret as US-Iran Conflict Escalates• Abu Dhabi Investment Council Reportedly Commits $1 Billion to Deem Global•…
The Smashi Business ShowQatar Blocks VW-Israel Deal, US-Iran Escalation in the Gulf, and Iraq’s OPEC Stance
In this episode of the Smashi Business Show, we investigate Qatar's sovereign wealth fund vetoing a Volkswagen defense joint venture with Israel's Rafael. We…
The Smashi Business ShowRecord UAE Oil, e&'s Vodafone Exit, US AI Chip Deal & Egypt's World Cup Reward
On today's episode of The Smashi Business Show, Abdul Majid Awan breaks down the biggest stories shaping the UAE and the region. Abu Dhabi's oil production…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi-UAE Border Trade, Dubai Chocolate & Abu Dhabi Studio Deal
HEADLINES:• Saudi Arabia Denies UAE Border Trade Delays Amid Reports of Growing Disruption • Dubai Chocolate' Creators Say They Never Named the Global Food…
The Smashi Business ShowOil Prices Surge, Iran Strikes, Saudi Gaming Boom & Deutsche Bank
HEADLINES:• Oil Prices Rise As Fresh US Strikes On Iran Raise Strait Of Hormuz Fears • Deutsche Bank Secures Saudi Regional HQ Licence To Expand Riyadh…
The Smashi Business ShowADNOC $1BN Deal, Canada-UAE Investment & QIA vs Byju's
HEADLINES:• Adnoc Distribution to acquire Shell South Africa’s downstream business • Canada tells UAE it is not ready for its $70 billion investment • QIA's…
The Smashi Business ShowEmaar's $54B Dubai Project, Mubadala Credit Business & OCI Buyout
HEADLINES:• Emaar's Unnamed $54 Billion Mega Project Likely to Be Dubai Estate: AGBI • Mubadala Opens $25 Billion Credit Business to Outside Investors • Nassef…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi's $135M Hijaz Eye, Iran-Qatar Trade & OSN's Anghami Buyout
HEADLINES:• Saudi Arabia Seeks Private Investors For Medina’s $135 Million Hijaz Eye Project • Iran, Qatar Resume Maritime Trade After Five-Month Suspension •…
The Smashi Business ShowFanatics Enters Abu Dhabi, Tabby’s New SAMA Licences, and OSN’s Move to Take Anghami Private
In this episode of the Smashi Business Show, we analyze Michael Rubin’s Fanatics making its first international bet via a joint venture with Abu Dhabi's…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi Backed Lucid Shakeup, Qatar Pursues Byju Founder and Emaar $54bn Mega Project Takes Shape
Saudi backed Lucid Motors continues its executive overhaul under new CEO Silvio Napoli, Qatar Investment Authority doubles down on its legal battle with Byju…
The Smashi Business Show$11.5B Adani-UAE Deal, $7B JPMorgan Funding & FIFA World Cup Ads
HEADLINES:• Kalshi Just Joined FIFA World Cup Ads After ADI Predictstreet Deal at a Discount • Qatari Syrian Billionaires Just Secured $7 Billion From JPMorgan…
The Smashi Business ShowMGX AI Fund, Prada and Saint Levant, Gulf Sovereign Wealth Funds
HEADLINES:• Abu Dhabi AI Giant MGX Just Closed a $49 Billion Fund • Dubai Beauty Billionaire Huda Kattan Backs Saint Levant After Prada Appointment• Gulf…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi PIF Profit Soars, Emirates NBD-HSBC Deal & ADNOC’s $1B Acquisition
HEADLINES:• Saudi PIF More Than Doubles 2025 Net Profit To $17.3 Billion • Kuwait's Zain To Invest $1.5 Billion In Syria Telecom Expansion • Emirates NBD in…
The Smashi Business ShowMubadala Disneyland Bid; Trump Jr Kalshi; Syria Reconstruction
HEADLINES:• Qatari Syrian Billionaire Unveils Long Planned Return to Syria• Mubadala Capital Bids $1.1 Billion For Disneyland Paris Resort Operator• Donald…
The Smashi Business ShowOil Prices, Iran-US Truce, UAE Trade Push & Saudi Aramco Helicopter Crash
HEADLINES:• Oil pares gains as US and Iran pause attacks ahead of Hormuz talks • PIF strategy shifts sentiment as coverage turns more positive after rollout•…
The Smashi Business ShowGCC Clarifies Iran Reconstruction Rumors, PIF Seeks EU Nod for EA, and Newcastle’s Stadium Funding Quest
In this episode of the Smashi Business Show, we address the GCC's official stance denying rumors of a $300 billion Iran reconstruction fund. We then shift to…
The Smashi Business ShowBurjeel $500M Sukuk | Uber Egypt | Iraq vs OPEC
HEADLINES:• Royal Backed Burjeel Just Raised $500 Million in the First UAE Sukuk Since the Iran War• Uber Egypt Was Just Ordered to Pay EGP 10 Million to the…
The Smashi Business ShowGEMS India Push; Al-Futtaim Saudi Overhaul; UAE Oil Recovery
HEADLINES:• GEMS Education to Invest $30 Million Expanding Across India• UAE's Al-Futtaim Overhauls Saudi Retail Giant After Corruption Probe• UAE Oil Exports…
The Smashi Business ShowMGX $50BN Raise; Foodics Norma Deal; Dubai Flexi Rents
HEADLINES:• MGX Led by HH Sheikh Tahnoon Just Raised $50 Billion as Abu Dhabi Courts Global Investors• Saudi Foodtech Giant Foodics Acquires Greek AI Startup…
The Smashi Business ShowIran Can Sell Oil in Dollars Again; Saudi Pulls Funds; Meta Leak
HEADLINES:• US partially lifts Iran oil sanctions as peace talks gain momentum• Saudi Central Bank Said to Pull Money From at Least Two Managers• Leaked…
The Smashi Business ShowSaudi Spending Cuts, Atoms IPO Plans & MGX’s Billion-Dollar AI Bet
HEADLINES:• Saudi Pullback Hits BCG as PIF Cuts Consulting Spend • Uber co-founder Kalanick’s Atoms eyes Saudi IPO as market waits for stability • MGX explores…
The Smashi Business ShowProptech Rewards, Trade Shield Restructuring, and Travis Kalanick’s Saudi Ambitions
In this episode of the Smashi Business Show, we explore Dubizzle Group’s strategic investment in Tern, a pioneer in the UAE rental rewards landscape that…
The Smashi Business ShowHormuz Closure Returns; UAE Royal Steers Iran Ties; Saudis Eye Newcastle Stake Sale
Iran has once again declared the Strait of Hormuz closed as peace talks with the United States prepare to begin in Switzerland. We break down what the move…
The Smashi Business ShowIran $6B Funds; Syria Gas Deal; Emirates–Etihad Insurance
HEADLINES:• Iran to get access to $6 billion of frozen funds held in Qatar to buy US goods: FT • Syria signs deal with ConocoPhillips to revive gas production…
The Smashi Business ShowUAE Hormuz Strategy; Revolut UAE Launch; Telegram vs Reliance
HEADLINES:• UAE aims to cut dependency on Strait of Hormuz to 'zero' • Revolut gets UAE Central Bank licences ahead of full launch • Reliance and WhatsApp…
The Smashi Business ShowJD Vance Iran Deal; Abu Dhabi Knicks; Sawiris Mykonos
HEADLINES:• JD Vance says Gulf states could fund a $300 billion rebuilding of Iran under proposed deal • The Knicks title run was also a win for Abu Dhabi •…
The Smashi Business ShowAl Habtoor IPO; Paramount Warner Bros; Kuwait Nvidia AI
HEADLINES:• Al Habtoor Group will not go for IPO for now • Gulf backed Paramount just won approval for its $111 billion Warner Bros takeover• Kuwait's…