Reimagining our Region

In this special LEAP 2026 edition of our podcast, Faisal Al Sarraj, our Country Senior Partner for Saudi Arabia, and Bivek Sharma, our Chief Technology & AI Officer, discuss what it could take for Saudi Arabia to become an AI superpower, from infrastructure and sovereignty to AI industrialisation, agentic AI and measurable business outcomes.

What’s changed in the CEO agenda?  Reflecting on insights from the 28th PwC CEO Survey, Faisal AlOmran, CEO of Saudi Investment Bank, joins Faisal Al-Sarraj, KSA Deputy Country Leader at PwC Middle East, to discuss how leaders viewed AI, sustainability and people.  With the 29th PwC CEO Survey launching tomorrow, the conversation offers an early view of how CEO priorities are evolving.  

The World Economic Forum describes the circular economy as “an industrial system that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design.” Unlike the linear model that creates waste and drains resources, circular systems return materials to the production cycle. Products and by-products are reused, recycled or repurposed — ideally powered by renewables. In this episode, Amal Larhlid speaks with Melissa MacEwen, PwC’s Resource Use and Circular Economy Lead, and Jeremy Prepscius, Sustainable Supply Chains Lead in Asia Pacific. They talk about how circular models are being applied in the real world, where the barriers still lie, and why this shift matters for the Middle East. More businesses and governments are adopting this model. As climate risks, supply disruptions and resource scarcity grow, circular systems offer a more stable path. It’s a chance to build resilience while cutting environmental harm. 

The construction sector makes up to 12% of GDP across the Middle East, yet digital adoption remains relatively limited.  This episode focuses on how to close that gap. Amal Larlhid speaks with Le Tilahun and Ahmed Khafagy to explore the structural blockers, the role of external players and how Agentic AI changes the game. Agentic AI is not another dashboard, it takes action, reduces rework and improves decision-making at every level. This conversation is for anyone who wants their projects to run better, faster and smarter. 

Can tech grow without increasing its carbon footprint?In this episode, Amal Larhlid speaks with Ahmed Ameen Ashour from Microsoft about the path to a greener tech sector. They cover Microsoft’s carbon negative goal, the role of sustainable data centres, and how AI is improving energy efficiency. The discussion also highlights the challenges of legacy systems and the value of partnerships in driving meaningful change.

What does effective ESG implementation look like in today’s business environment? In this episode, our host Patricia Keating is joined by Vijaypal Singh Bains, Chief Sustainability Officer and Group Head of ESG at Emirates NBD. Together, they explore how companies are aligning sustainability targets with long-term business planning, and the role finance, policy, and technology are playing in achieving the region’s climate goals. 

What’s driving GCC CEOs’ confidence amid global uncertainty? In this episode, we break down why 90% expect revenue growth in the next year and how resilience, digital transformation, and economic diversification are shaping the region’s business momentum. Stephen Anderson, PwC Middle East’s Strategy Leader, unpacks bold growth forecasts, evolving workforce challenges, cybersecurity threats, and shifting investment priorities.Note: insights in this episode reflect the pre-tariffs context at the time of recording

The retail landscape in the Middle East is evolving rapidly as consumer demands shift.  Hosted by Patricia Keating, episode 1 of Reimagining our region, looks into the key forces driving this transformation: trust, data security, sustainability, and AI. Our guests, Roy Hintze, Partner at PwC Middle East and Ayman Beydoun, CEO of Brands for Less (BFL), explore how brands are adapting to the growing demand for personalised experiences, responsible data usage, and environmentally sustainable practices. With trust at the heart of consumer loyalty, our guests discuss which brands are setting the standard and which ones risk falling behind in this rapidly evolving marketplace.