GCC Tech Talks is a Dubai-based podcast where the operators behind the GCC’s biggest tech and innovation moves share how they really do it. We cut through the hype to talk about what works, what doesn’t, and everything in between.
GCC Tech Talks
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11 episodes
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Podcast Overview
GCC Tech Talks is a Dubai-based podcast where the operators behind the GCC’s biggest tech and innovation moves share how they really do it. We cut through the hype to talk about what works, what doesn’t, and everything in between.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
12/16/2025
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Recent Episodes
May 7, 2026
Operational Leadership in Retail: Culture, Data, and AI Adoption with Taiyab Ghafoor
<p>What’s in this episode?</p><p>In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-stroud2/">Tom Stroud</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedor/">Sye Rahman</a> sit down with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/taiyab-ghafoor-0543671a/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taiyab Ghafoor </a>— a people-first operator with a background spanning the UK and the Gulf, from retail and leadership roles to now running an e-commerce toys startup as COO.</p><p>This one is a deep dive into operational leadership, culture, and what it really takes to build teams that thrive plus where AI is already making a real difference (including recruitment and customer experience).</p><p><strong>We cover:</strong></p><p>• Why “a leader’s job is to make your people better” <br>• Culture vs performance and why toxic environments kill outcomes <br>• Hiring smart people (and letting them tell you what to do) <br>• Practical AI use cases that actually work: recruitment scoring + faster shortlisting <br>• Data visibility in sales businesses: dashboards over “email reporting” <br>• UAE e-commerce realities: trust, convenience, delivery, and reducing friction <br>• What leaders should focus on next: adoption culture, transparency, and change readiness</p><p>Join us to listen about operational leadership through a retail lens: building culture, developing people, using data properly, and where AI is already delivering value (especially in hiring).</p><p>Check out what Taiyab is building at <a href="https://www.marahkids.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marah Kids</a>.</p>
April 21, 2026
Leading AI in Healthcare: Data, Regulation & Real Use Cases with Leina Essakalli
<p>What’s in this episode?</p><p>In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-stroud2/">Tom Stroud</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedor/">Sye Rahman</a> chat with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/leina-essakalli-a0020b140/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Leina Essakalli</a> — a data scientist and AI transformation leader with a rare background spanning biomedical engineering , bioinformatics at Harvard, and scaling AI across healthcare in the UAE.</p><p>Leina shares what it really takes to make AI work in high-stakes environments: data quality, trust, regulation, and starting from business pain instead of vendor buzzwords.</p><p><strong>We cover:</strong><br>• Why data work is mostly cleaning + standardisation (especially in healthcare) <br>• What it takes to meet the bar for regulated environments (and why it matters) <br>• How the UAE is investing in genomics and preventative health at scale <br>• A practical framework for AI use cases: where you lose money, where you can gain, and how to build the business case <br>• When you don’t need AI (and it’s just automation)</p><p>Join us to listen to Leina Essakalli's journey and a practical approach to deploying AI responsibly at scale in the UAE.</p>
April 7, 2026
How CIOs Should Lead AI Adoption with Faisal Ali
<p><strong>What’s in this episode?</strong></p><p>In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-stroud2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Tom Stroud</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/syedor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Sye Rahman</a> sit down with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fhjaffarali/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>Faisal Ali</strong></a>, an Emirati Group CIO with a career spanning IBM/Microsoft, government, and the private sector. </p><p>We talk about how tech leadership has evolved from the early days of infrastructure (yes, physical firewalls and dot-matrix printers) to today’s reality: <strong>AI moving at a pace that punishes slow decisions</strong>. Faisal shares practical leadership principles, how to introduce AI responsibly, and one unforgettable “go-live” story where a patch nearly derailed a major launch. </p><p><strong>We cover:</strong><br>• The CIO journey: tech-first roots, infrastructure, and leading transformation </p><p>• Why decision cycles of “weeks” don’t work in the AI era <br>• “Eat your own dog food”: adopt internally before scaling across the business <br>• AI ROI reality: why you don’t jump from 0 → 50x (and how to build momentum)</p><p>• “Automation without oversight is negligence” — governance and accountability <br>• A war story: Patch Tuesday, a broken release, and the fastest contingency plan ever <br>• Advice for the next generation: passion, risk-taking, and owning mistakes </p><p><br></p><p>This episode is a discussion about leading in the AI era - decision speed, responsible automation, real ROI expectations, and hard-earned project lessons.</p><p><br></p>
11 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is GCC Tech Talks?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
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This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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