Business Extra

Front Office Sports founder on the business of sport

There is more to sport than wins and losses, the sports business comprises many factors, including the athletes, their training methods, their agents, franchises, media coverage and the team owners as well.

So what’s the future of sports media coverage, the business of athletics, and what does the future hold for the fans for whom sport is so important?

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs is joined by Adam White, founder and chief executive of Front Office Sports to discuss this evolving landscape of sport, media and business.

In 2021 Front Office Sports was named as one of Fast Company’s most innovative groups. It also earned the title of AdWeek’s Hottest in Sports in 2022 and 2024, among other accolades.

How LinkedIn led growth, engagement and professionalism among social platforms

Founded in California in 2002, LinkedIn’s growth has been at a methodical pace. Slowly but surely, the CV-based, aspirational job platform gained momentum and now has more than one billion members around the world.

Its journey started from simply a place to look for jobs and post CVs, to become a knowledge bank where people can learn, write articles, take classes and even play games to keep the mind sharp.

In this episode of the social media edition of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs is joined by Najat Abdelhadi, head of communications and growth markets at LinkedIn, and Lynn Chouman, managing editor at LinkedIn News, to look at how the platform went from being a work-based social networking app to one of the major players in social media.

All about the UAE-based social media app that promises better monetisation

In the rapidly evolving world of social media, many new, innovative platforms are still trying to challenge the dominance of industry giants by promising better experience and – in some cases – better monetisation tools.

In this episode of Business Extra’s series looking at social media platforms, host Cody Combs is joined by Dave Catudal, founder of Lyvely, a UAE-based social media app that aims to revolutionise both user engagement and monetisation.

They discuss the potential for new social media platforms in a market saturated with established players, exploring how Lyvely aims to carve out its niche through prioritising user empowerment over traditional algorithm-driven content curation.

How did Snapchat win the GCC market?

In 2011, amid the Arab uprisings, other protests around the world and the rise of social media, Snapchat emerged with a unique concept.

 

The app pioneered by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown allowed images shared to disappear after a certain time.

 

This innovation reshaped the social media landscape.

 

Snapchat quickly became a pioneer in the concept of augmented reality by introducing the feature of “filters” that add real-time effects and animations to photos and videos. The same concept got later adopted by other giant platforms.

 

At a time when social media platforms are continually evolving, Business Extra host Cody Combs sits down with Hussein Freijeh, vice president and general manager of Snap Inc in the Middle East and North Africa.

 

Mr Freijeh speaks about Snapchat’s special features, sharing insights into the app’s growth plans in the Mena region.

 

You can listen to all previous episodes of Business Extra on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, or watch the full interviews on The National's YouTube channel.

Social Media Edition – Gary Vee on TikTokification and tech addiction

At a pivotal time when social media platforms are undergoing significant shifts, Business Extra host Cody Combs sat down with influential businessman Gary Vaynerchuk – known to millions as Gary Vee – who is chairman of communications company VaynerX and chief executive of its subsidiary VaynerMedia.

Starting out as a wine critic, Mr Vaynerchuk leveraged his knack for content creation and a deep understanding of social media to build a powerful personal brand with more than 44 million followers across his channels.

He joins this special social media-focused edition of Business Extra to discuss TikTok and the future of social media in general, sharing some unique approaches to engaging with audience.

Mr Vaynerchuk also discusses his new book, Day Trading Attention: How to Actually Build Brand and Sales in the New Social Media World, which provides readers with strategies to navigate the changes in the ever-evolving social media landscape.

You can listen to all previous episodes of Business Extra on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, or watch the full interviews on The National's YouTube channel.

Social Media Edition - History, hopes and hurdles

In this introductory episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs delves into the evolution of the internet from its early days, the rise of social media and future prospects of platforms.

For younger generations, the internet before the advent of social media is almost unimaginable. In contrast, older generations reminisce about the simpler times of the World Wide Web before the emergence of continuing debates around data privacy and the impact of social media on society.

This episode sets the stage for a special series on the business of social media, exploring its pervasive influence and the love-hate relationship many have with it.

Over the next few episodes, the series will explore various aspects of the social media industry, including its growth, influence and challenges. It will also focus on business dynamics, regulatory challenges and the evolving landscape of social media platforms.

Matt Dalio’s plan to improve education through gaming

As the saying goes, life isn’t all fun and games, or is it?

That’s part of the idea behind Endless Studios, a youth-focused game-making studio and learning hub, which is also on a mission to empower students all over the world by enhancing access to technology and education.

Endless also provides, devices, technology tools and even special operating systems to help children learn.

On this episode, host Cody Combs speaks to the founder of Endless, Matt Dalio, who is on a mission to improve how children are educated and expand access to technology.

They also talk about the UAE in particular as a great place to help make all these ambitious things happen and also reminisce about some classic computer games.

From World Economic Forum: Where will electric vehicles be in 2030?

More than 700 government officials, international organisations, politicians, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs have been gathering for two days in Riyadh for the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) special meeting to address the most important issues of the day and making an economy work for everyone.

One of the topics discussed during the event was transport and shipping at a time when stakeholders are trying to ensure climate issues are not overlooked.

In this special episode of Business Extra, recorded at the WEF, host Cody Combs sits down with Robert Falk, chief executive of Einride, one of the hottest start-ups that makes sustainable and autonomous electric vehicles that can transport lots of goods and services, usually carried by petrol-consuming lorries. Falk participated in the forum to talk about the future of EVs in 2030.

What is the role of AI in global sustainability?

How can environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility come together?

As the world commemorates the 54th Earth Day this week, host Cody Combs leads a discussion centred on the evolving role of an environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework in driving corporate strategies.

Amy Lehoczky, director of ESG at G42, Abu Dhabi's leading artificial intelligence and cloud computing company, joins Combs to talk about this in the context of G42's $1.5 billion investment from Microsoft.

During the conversation, Ms Lehoczky shares her journey into the ESG domain, the multifaceted role of its directors, the opportunities it presents and the potential to drive business growth while fostering a positive societal impact.

Driverless racing - what do we need to know about autonomous vehicles?

The Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi is no stranger to motorsport memories. At the heart of those memories are usually big names such as Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel. But now, a new type of race, without humans behind the wheel, is about to take place.

In this episode of the Business Extra podcast, host Cody Combs delves into the groundbreaking Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, set to take place at the Yas Marina Circuit on April 27. This unconventional race features autonomous vehicles, marking a significant moment in motorsport history and the advancement of autonomous technology.

The host is joined by Thomas McCarthy, executive director of Aspire, the technology transition pillar of Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council, which organised the race. They discuss the unique aspects of the event, including how the UAE's affinity for technological advances led to its creation.

They talk about the vehicles, the technology behind it, the teams and the role of AI in this race. They also touch on the ethical debates surrounding autonomous technology, including potential risks and the balance between innovation and safety.