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Business Extra

The National News
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Middle East
Artificial Intelligence
Social Media
Sustainability
Jordan
Tiktok
Syria
Electric Vehicles
Climate Change
Donald Trump
Lyvely
Danube Group
Foreign Investment
Business Economy
Energy Security
Oil Prices
Syrian Pound
Dubai

As one of the world’s most influential business hubs, the Middle East requires expert attention. Business Extra provides those experts, as well as news and insights from The National’s esteemed team of business editors and reporters, who are on top of the markets, technology, the energy sector and more.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes438Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
InvestingBusinessEntrepreneurship

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Latest Episodes

The 2026 Fifa World Cup was supposed to be a record-breaking economic windfall for the United States. But as the tournament gets under way, the numbers reveal a more complicated story.

Top-tier tickets for the final are going for more than $10,000, ... more

Small and middle-sized companies (SMEs) make up more than 95 per cent of businesses in the UAE and contribute more than 60 per cent of the country’s non-oil GDP. But despite that, the UAE still has relatively few SMEs growing up to become large priva... more

Syria is becoming part of the economic conversation again.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a lot of talk about investment and reconstruction, from the first Syrian-Emirati Investment Forum to upcoming business events in Damascus for the priv... more

YouTube

The UAE's decision to leave Opec is the biggest exit the organisation has faced since 1960.

As the group's third-largest producer and one of the few members with real spare capacity, the departure of the Emirates raises urgent questions about the fu... more

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Recent Guests

Jamal Almahamid
CEO of Palmira Software House
Palmira Software House
Episode: Syria’s investment boom: Real opportunity or political mirage?
Amena Bakr
Head of Middle East and Opec Plus Insights at Kepler
Kepler
Episode: Is the UAE's exit the beginning of the end for Opec?
Marc Domenech
VP of Enterprise at Nvidia, Middle East, North Africa and South Europe
Nvidia
Episode: How the UAE's Aleria is partnering with Nvidia to own its AI future
Paul Bloch
Co-founder of data intelligence platform DDN
DDN
Episode: How the UAE's Aleria is partnering with Nvidia to own its AI future
Eric Leandri
CEO of Aleria
Aleria
Episode: How the UAE's Aleria is partnering with Nvidia to own its AI future
Robbie Orvis
Senior Director of Modeling and Analysis at Energy Innovation
Energy Innovation
Episode: What the energy crisis reveals about how we power world
Mary Rose de Valladares
Clean energy expert working across renewables, hydrogen and international energy products
Atome PLC (non-executive director)
Episode: What the energy crisis reveals about how we power world
Mohamed Soliman
Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington
Middle East Institute
Episode: Uncertainty is certain: Inside the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings
Kyle Fitzgerald
Washington Business Correspondent for The National
The National
Episode: Uncertainty is certain: Inside the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings

Host

Salim A. Essaid
Host and producer; long-standing lead voice on energy, policy, and macro topics.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 36 ratings
  • How to get in touch?

    Hey guys, big fan here. How do I get in touch with the podcast team for a chance to get featured?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Raha.mhjr
    United Arab Emirates6 years ago
  • Keep it up 👍

    Great topics.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MajidTarish
    United States9 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some episodes balance on-the-ground reporting with macroanalysis.
Guests are typically leading voices in energy, policy, and tech.
Listeners appreciate the practical market context and expert guest lineup.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Syria’s investment boom: Real opportunity or political mirage?
Q: What needs to happen for a wider set of foreign investors to trust the market beyond a few big players?
A sustained cadence of visits, visible regulatory clarity, and ongoing reform in banking and digital services will help demonstrate credibility and reduce perceived risk.
Syria’s investment boom: Real opportunity or political mirage?
Q: Which sectors look most investible right now, and what timelines are realistic for seeing returns?
Sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and education show quicker visibility (months to a few years), while industrial and large-scale infrastructure will take longer (two to five years).
Syria’s investment boom: Real opportunity or political mirage?
Q: What was the vibe like on the ground at the forum, and did it feel like genuine momentum or political optimism?
There is real energy and serious intent among investors, with concrete projects already starting, though expectations remain tempered by ongoing reforms and the need for clearer regulations.
How the UAE's Aleria is partnering with Nvidia to own its AI future
Q: Do you agree that AI investments slow down in times of geopolitical tension, or do they accelerate?
The stance in the episode is that investment accelerates, with sovereignty and local control becoming even more critical as data and workloads are kept in country.
Uncertainty is certain: Inside the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings
Q: What do the IMF/WB recommend governments do in the short term?
Keep an orderly financial system, avoid inward-looking protections, support central banks with prudent rate decisions, and focus on diversified energy and renewables to build resilience.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Business Extra

What is Business Extra about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A business-focused dialogue hub that features energy markets, macroeconomics, technology adoption, and regional Gulf dynamics. Episodes frequently dissect OPEC, sovereign AI initiatives, UAE property and job markets, energy security, and global policy shocks, often with guests from energy firms, think tanks, and major media outlets. Notable strengths include a steady stream of high-profile regional voices, practical use-case discussions of AI and energy transition, and real-time market context from on-the-ground reporters. The format tends to balance macro analysis with actionable insights for professionals in investment, corporate strategy, and policy, making it a compelling listen for executives and analysts tracking the Middle East's inf... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Business Extra?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Business Extra:

1. World Business Report
2. Trending Middle East
3. The Foreign Affairs Interview
4. FT News Briefing
5. Economist Podcasts

How many episodes of Business Extra are there?

Business Extra launched 10 years ago and published 438 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Business Extra?

Recent guests on Business Extra include:

1. Jamal Almahamid
2. Amena Bakr
3. Marc Domenech
4. Paul Bloch
5. Eric Leandri
6. Robbie Orvis
7. Mary Rose de Valladares
8. Mohamed Soliman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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