Business Extra

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Start-up Striver, which has football as its focus, is hoping to leave its mark as the world’s first abuse-free social media platform.

 

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs sits down with Tim Chase, co-founder of Striver, and Gilberto Silva, a former footballer also and co-founder of the app.

 

They look at how social media has mirrored the enthusiasm of sport, while also, inadvertently sometimes enabling hostile environments for athletes and fans online.

 

Mr Silva said that he is optimistic that artificial intelligence can help make social media a more civil place for football fans and players, especially through his company's app.

 

Striver, which was launched in November at Qatar’s Web Summit, seeks to create a respectful space for football fans and allows photos and videos to be posted, along with interaction with current and former football players who use the platform.

In today's fast-paced world, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives, and religious rituals are no different. And in Ramadan, Muslims around the world increase their engagement with faith through fasting, performing prayers at mosques and reading the Quran.

From checking Iftar, Suhoor and daily prayer timings, to recitations, and remembrances, Muslims now depend on many apps to assist them in their rituals and worshipping habits.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Cody Combs delves into the intersection of technology and spirituality, and explore how Muslims are utilizing various apps to enrich their Ramadan experience. He interviews Nafees Khundker, the group managing director of Bitsmedia, the company that owns Muslim Pro app and Muslim streaming service Qalbox with over 2.1 million downloads in the UAE and 150 million downloads worldwide.