Kalidou Koulibaly: The Man Behind the Defender | Al-Hilal, Racism, Leadership & Legacy

Al-Hilal and Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly opens up about his remarkable football journey from Metz and Genk to becoming one of Serie A’s top defenders with Napoli, playing for Chelsea in the Premier League, and finding a new home in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.  Kouli reflects on how Maurizio Sarri transformed his game, facing racism in European football, the mentality and leadership required at the highest level, and what it really takes to become an elite defender.  He also takes us inside Al Hilal’s historic Club World Cup run, including the unforgettable victory over Manchester City, while sharing his perspective on the growth of the Saudi Pro League, the future of Saudi football, and the next generation of Saudi players.  The conversation goes beyond club football as Koulibaly discusses captaining Senegal, AFCON, mental health, pressure, his relationship with Al Hilal fans, life in Saudi Arabia, his father’s influence, and the legacy he hopes to leave behind when his playing career comes to an end.  0:00 Intro4:53 The Sacrifices of Professional Football6:14 Rediscovering the Joy of Football9:44 Thriving Under Pressure at the Biggest Clubs12:20 Napoli: The Turning Point17:09 How Sarri Changed the Way He Sees Football19:14 Facing Racism in Football24:16 Why Become a Defender28:57 Communication, Leadership Defending as a Team33:45 Performing When You’re Not at 100%35:21 Playing in Saudi Arabia’s Extreme Heat38:45 The Penalty That Taught Koulibaly a New Rule41:03 Al Hilal: From an Unbeaten Season to No Trophies44:13 Representing Saudi Football at the Club World Cup46:20 The Historic Victory Against Manchester City51:34 Changing the Perception of Saudi Football53:37 Al Hilal’s Most Underrated Players59:07 Developing the Next Generation of Saudi Talent1:05:30 The Real Salem Al-Dawsari1:09:24 Mental Health, Motivation Enjoying Football1:12:47 Koulibaly’s Message to Al Hilal Supporters1:16:00 The Red Card in the 2024 King’s Cup Final1:19:34 Captaining Senegal Representing a Nation1:24:36 The AFCON Controversy1:28:26 Investing in Saudi Arabia Life Beyond Football1:30:28 How Football and Defending Has Changed1:33:22 Greatest Idol1:34:35 Closing Thoughts Presented by BSFInstagram https://bit.ly/47XvqjvX https://bit.ly/4vkYICNLinkedIn https://bit.ly/4c7CsooWebsite https://bit.ly/4tBULI0 Noon Instagram https://bit.ly/3XRScUYWebsite https://bit.ly/44lnA1S AlmosaferInstagram https://bit.ly/4xOCwkxX https://bit.ly/4xZo0ahWebsite https://bit.ly/3TcXZFoApp Download https://bit.ly/4Amy4vO Brew 92Instagram http://bit.ly/3VN6MeILinkedIn https://bit.ly/42kN65EWebsite https://bit.ly/4grbAjK IWC Instagram https://bit.ly/44dxbFWWebsite https://bit.ly/43K8JMk Lexus Instagram https://bit.ly/4tRXzS6X https://bit.ly/4cDZ4gIWebsite https://bit.ly/4kTlTz6 The Mo ShowYoutube https://bit.ly/3nDwsZvApple Podcast https://apple.co/3J9ScX4Spotify https://spoti.fi/33dzsC2Anghami https://bit.ly/3mRo1uyInstagram https://bit.ly/2KAwq5vX https://bit.ly/3KanEnJTikTok https://bit.ly/43L92poLinkedIn https://bit.ly/3NkxZoeSnapchat https://bit.ly/3NM3LKQWebsite https://bit.ly/3H2DhMMEmail [email protected]

Abdulaziz is the CEO and Secretary General of the Saudi Olympic Paralympic Committee, and one of the key figures shaping the Kingdom’s sporting future. With a career spanning leadership roles at the Ministry of Sport, Saudi Sports Company, the Saudi Sailing Federation and Saudi Esports Federation, Abdulaziz brings a unique perspective on how Saudi sport has evolved and where it is heading next.The conversation explores what it really takes to build Olympic champions from grassroots participation, scholarships and elite training centers to selecting podium-potential sports, funding federations and making difficult decisions around athletes and resources.They also discuss the rapid rise of Saudi women in sport, why Abdulaziz believes the Kingdom’s first Olympic gold could come from a female athlete, the integration of Olympic and Paralympic sport, naturalization and international talent, the future of the Saudi Games, and the long-term road toward Riyadh 2034. It’s a conversation about ambition, patience, leadership and what it takes to build a sporting nation capable of competing with the best in the world.0:00 Intro3:31 Building Saudi Arabia into an Olympic Competitor6:30 The Biggest Challenge in Developing Saudi Sports9:41 Inside Saudi Arabia’s Elite Training Centers12:37 Discovering Saudi Talent the Athlete Scholarship Program17:42 Building a Nationwide Network of Training Centers21:44 Building Saudi Arabia’s Olympic Talent Pipeline23:06 Which Sports Could Win Saudi Arabia Olympic Medals?27:18 What Saudi Arabia Can Learn from Olympic Powerhouses32:23 What Saudi Sports Still Needs to Improve34:53 How Young Should Children Start Playing Sports?38:46 How Saudi Sports Federations Are Funded42:13 Planning for Los Angeles, Brisbane Beyond44:27 Saudi Arabia’s Road to the 2034 Asian Games49:11 The Rise of Women’s Sports in Saudi Arabia53:07 Why Saudi Arabia Invests So Heavily in Sports57:09 Why Competing Against Asia Makes Saudi Arabia Stronger58:08 Leadership Lessons from Saudi Sports1:00:42 The Legacy Abdulaziz Baeshen Wants to Leave1:02:13 Closing Thoughts

Jeff Hoffman is an award-winning global entrepreneur, proven CEO, bestselling author and speaker who has played a role in some of the world’s best-known startups, including Priceline.com/Booking.com and uBid.com.  Over his career, he has founded multiple companies, led both public and private businesses, and worked across industries ranging from technology and entertainment to gaming. His work has also earned recognition beyond business, including producing a Grammy Award-winning jazz album and executive producing an Emmy Award-winning television show.  Today, Jeff is Chairman of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, which supports entrepreneurs across 200 countries, and serves as Chairman of the Global Gaming League. He has advised entrepreneurs, corporations and governments around the world, working with organizations including the White House, U.S. State Department and United Nations on entrepreneurship and economic growth initiatives. He has spoken in more than 70 countries and is the author of SCALE, a guide to growing businesses.  Beyond business, Jeff is the founder and CEO of World Youth Horizons, a nonprofit providing homes, education, food and healthcare to children in need around the world. His career has increasingly focused on using entrepreneurship not simply to build successful companies, but as a tool to create opportunity and positive impact at scale. 0:00 Introduction5:30 From My First Startup to Transforming the Travel Industry8:20 Challenging the Status Quo and Rethinking Travel13:57 The Secret to Innovation and Building Disruptive Companies17:49 From Priceline to Booking.com: Transforming Online Travel20:10 How the Internet Revolutionized the Travel Industry23:40 Legacy, Impact, and the Difference We Leave Behind27:01 Redefining Success Beyond Money, Fame, and Status32:43 What Do You Want People to Say About You?35:02 What Separates Global Companies From Small Businesses?37:05 Why Great Teams Matter More Than a Star CEO42:30 Why You Should Hire People Smarter Than You45:04 Which Industries Will Be Transformed in the Next Few Years?49:50 AI and the Future of Education52:36 Experiential Learning vs. Memorization: How We Should Learn56:19 Saudi Arabia’s Transformation and Vision for the Future57:45 The Future of Tourism and the Red Sea59:10 Final Thoughts: Innovation, Leadership, and Legacy

Jeff Hoffman is an award-winning global entrepreneur, proven CEO, bestselling author and speaker who has played a role in some of the world’s best-known startups, including Priceline.com/Booking.com and uBid.com.Over his career, he has founded multiple companies, led both public and private businesses, and worked across industries ranging from technology and entertainment to gaming. His work has also earned recognition beyond business, including producing a Grammy Award-winning jazz album and executive producing an Emmy Award-winning television show.Today, Jeff is Chairman of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, which supports entrepreneurs across 200 countries, and serves as Chairman of the Global Gaming League. He has advised entrepreneurs, corporations and governments around the world, working with organizations including the White House, U.S. State Department and United Nations on entrepreneurship and economic growth initiatives. He has spoken in more than 70 countries and is the author of SCALE, a guide to growing businesses.Beyond business, Jeff is the founder and CEO of World Youth Horizons, a nonprofit providing homes, education, food and healthcare to children in need around the world. His career has increasingly focused on using entrepreneurship not simply to build successful companies, but as a tool to create opportunity and positive impact at scale.

Margery Kraus is the Founder and Executive Chairman of APCO Worldwide, a company she started in 1984 as a small subsidiary of a Washington, D.C. law firm and built into a global consultancy with roughly 1,200 people across 35 locations.Her story, though, starts much earlier. The child of immigrants whose family fled Nazi Europe, passed through Cuba and eventually rebuilt their lives in America, Margery grew up around resilience, risk and starting again.We talk about how that shaped the entrepreneur she became, why she refused to listen when people told her “you can’t do that,” and what it was really like building a global company while raising a family.We also get into the 2004 management buyout that helped make APCO one of the world’s largest majority women-owned consulting firms, how you step back from leading a company you built without really letting go, and what four decades advising some of the world’s most influential leaders have taught her about who thrives under pressure and who doesn’t.Recorded in Dalian, China, during the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, we also look at the world right now: China’s place in the global economy, shifting trade relationships and what the rest of the world may be getting wrong about this moment.And then there’s AI. Margery says it’s the thing that keeps her up at night. For someone who has built a career and a business around human trust, judgment and relationships, I wanted to know why.A fascinating conversation with someone who has spent more than 40 years building, adapting and refusing to stand still.Special thanks to the World Economic Forum for bringing us together in Dalian.

Margery Kraus is the Founder and Executive Chairman of APCO Worldwide, a company she started in 1984 as a small subsidiary of a Washington, D.C. law firm and built into a global consultancy with roughly 1,200 people across 35 locations. Her story, though, starts much earlier. The child of immigrants whose family fled Nazi Europe, passed through Cuba and eventually rebuilt their lives in America, Margery grew up around resilience, risk and starting again. We talk about how that shaped the entrepreneur she became, why she refused to listen when people told her “you can’t do that,” and what it was really like building a global company while raising a family. We also get into the 2004 management buyout that helped make APCO one of the world’s largest majority women-owned consulting firms, how you step back from leading a company you built without really letting go, and what four decades advising some of the world’s most influential leaders have taught her about who thrives under pressure and who doesn’t. Recorded in Dalian, China, during the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, we also look at the world right now: China’s place in the global economy, shifting trade relationships and what the rest of the world may be getting wrong about this moment.

Mazen S. Darwazeh is the Executive Chairman and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Hikma Pharmaceuticals, and a Jordanian senator currently serving his fifth term.His journey with Hikma began in 1985 as a medical representative.Over the next four decades, he rose through the company to lead its MENA business and help shape Hikma into the largest pharmaceutical company by sales in the region and a FTSE 100 multinational employing around 9,500 people across three continents.Recorded in Dalian, China, this conversation was made possible thanks to the World Economic Forum, who facilitated the episode during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions.On this episode, we talk about what it takes to preserve the values of a family-built company as it becomes a global institution, Hikma’s ambitions for healthcare in the Middle East, the growing role of biosimilars and biotechnology, and the challenge of ensuring access to essential medicines in a region shaped by geopolitical uncertainty.We also discuss China’s evolving role in the pharmaceutical industry, Mazen’s perspective from both business and public service, and what four decades in healthcare have taught him about leadership, longevity and building something that lasts.

Armz is a British-Ghanaian bodybuilder, combat sports athlete and social media personality who rose to prominence through his fitness content and motivational message. Known for his imposing physique and unapologetic honesty, he’s built a career spanning bodybuilding, influencer boxing, music, and online content while openly discussing the triumphs, setbacks, and controversies that have shaped his life. Armz spent some time in Saudi Arabia, where he worked with the local fitness community, coaching aspiring bodybuilders and immersing himself in the Kingdom’s rapidly growing health and fitness scene. On this episode, we explore what it was really like growing up on the streets of London, the discipline it took to avoid the traps that surrounded him, and the mindset that helped him forge a different path. We also discuss his rise to fame, the highs and lows of living life in the public eye, the lessons he’s learned from failure and adversity, and why resilience has become the defining characteristic of his journey. This is a conversation about hardship, accountability, reinvention, and what it truly takes to build yourself both physically and mentally. 00:00 Intro3:36 Social Media and Comparison7:19 Embracing Saudi Culture9:12 Meditation and Self-Awareness11:07 Honest Friends, Loneliness and Community16:36 Living Without Regret20:01 Losing His Father and Struggling at School24:38 How Combat Sports Changed Armz30:55 Seven Months of Injuries and Adversity41:53 Everything Is Rigged in My Favour50:29 Strength Is Built Through the Fire53:48 No One Is Coming to Save You56:37 How London Shaped Armz Korleone1:03:05 His Mother’s Sacrifices1:09:04 Surviving London and Guiding the Youth1:12:21 The Discipline Behind His Success1:15:22 Finding Purpose Beyond Social Media1:17:27 Returning to Ghana and Giving Back1:23:01 His Honest Experience Living in Saudi1:27:32 Exploring Islam and Spirituality1:30:31 Final Reflections

What does it take to dive more than 70 meters beneath the surface on a single breath?In this episode, we sit down with Salma Shaker, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading freedivers, whose journey has taken her from the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea to the world’s most prestigious freediving competitions. Salma shares the mindset required to push the limits of human performance, explaining why freediving is far more about mental strength than physical ability. She opens up about overcoming fear, dealing with grief, building discipline, and the life lessons she’s learned from spending countless hours beneath the surface. We also explore the remarkable underwater world of the Red Sea, the future of freediving in Saudi Arabia, shark misconceptions, marine conservation, and Salma’s work with Red Sea Global and Coralium to help protect one of the planet’s most extraordinary marine ecosystems. 0:00 Intro2:46 What a 70-Meter Dive Really Feels Like4:57 Growing Up on the Red Sea7:08 How Salma Discovered Freediving9:11 Friendship, Rivalry & Miriam’s Influence10:48 Why Freediving Became an Obsession12:25 The Journey from 20 to 70 Meters17:07 Training, Breathwork & Mental Preparation21:51 Managing Fear and Anxiety Underwater24:44 How the Ocean Changed Her Life27:35 Knowing Your Limits: Awareness & Self-Control32:42 The Incident That Changed Everything38:44 Grief, Family & Finding Perspective43:05 The Future of Freediving in Saudi Arabia47:27 What Makes the Red Sea So Special56:38 Red Sea Global, Coralium & Marine Conservation1:04:44 IWC Minutes1:07:21 Shark Encounters & Ocean Myths1:15:56 The Hardest Part: Going Down or Coming Back Up?1:22:55 Control, Patience, Courage & Knowing Your Limits1:24:37 Final Reflections

H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah on The Kingdom's Untold Humanitarian Story | 185  Dr. Abdullah is an Advisor to the Royal Court and the Supervisor General of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) as well as the pioneering surgeon who has led the separation of more than 70 conjoined twins since 1991. We explore his remarkable journey from his early days as a surgeon and the stories behind some of his most complex operations, to his conversations with the late King Abdullah during his final days. We wrap up with his decade-long role at the helm of Saudi Arabia’s humanitarian arm, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, exploring its global mission and the impact it has had in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.  0:00 Intro3:10 How Medicine Shaped His Life6:35 Saudi Arabia’s Conjoined Twins Program10:28 The Most Difficult Operation of His Career15:07 Enduring 23-Hour Surgeries16:33 How Technology Changed Modern Surgery18:01 Medicine as a Humanitarian Mission19:17 From Treating Children to Helping Millions27:32 The Global Impact of KS Relief30:32 Saudi Humanitarian Work35:09 A Personal Story About King Abdullah42:32 Leadership, Vision 2030, and Saudi Arabia’s Global Role47:36 Motivation, Pressure, and a Life of Service56:03 Closing