What does it take to stay relevant for over a century—without selling out or falling behind?

In this episode of Challenger Brands, we go deep into the story of the Jashanmal Group—one of the Middle East’s most iconic retail and distribution brands—with Group CEO Shuja Jashanmal.

Founded in 1919 with a £75 loan and a single bookstore in Basra, Jashanmal has grown into a regional powerhouse with over 150 stores. But what’s more impressive is how it has remained strategically relevant through massive geopolitical shifts, generational transitions, and the evolution of modern retail.

In this rare and insightful conversation, Shuja unpacks the philosophy, business discipline, and cultural foresight that have powered Jashanmal’s growth for over 100 years.

This is Challenger Brands -

Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.

Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.

In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.

Hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.

Visit our website to learn more: https://bit.ly/IllustradoWebsite

What’s really costing you growth? Spoiler: It’s not your logo.

In this bold and eye-opening episode of Challenger Brands, host Lalaine Chu-Benitez (Founder & MD, Illustrado) sits down with Arshie Ahmed, executive coach and founder of Flying Hedgehogs, to unpack a powerful truth most businesses ignore: burnt-out leadership bleeds into your brand.

🔥 You’ll discover:

Why performance is NOT the same as presence
How misaligned leadership sabotages branding, team culture, and sales
The truth about corporate burnout—and why it’s become the “acceptable norm”
How generational differences shape work culture and what it means for leaders
Why internal alignment isn’t a “nice-to-have”—it’s a branding necessity

This conversation is a masterclass in holistic branding and modern leadership, challenging old-school corporate mindsets and offering a radically human, business-smart way to lead.

Whether you're a founder, CMO, or senior executive, this episode will help you:

✅ Lead without burnout
✅ Build brand trust from the inside out
✅ Create a culture of authenticity, alignment, and performance

👉 If you're still relying on pretty campaigns while ignoring your leadership culture, this is your wake-up call.
🎧 Watch now and rethink what it really takes to build a brand that performs.

This is Challenger Brands -

Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.

Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.

In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.

Hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.

Visit our website to learn more: https://bit.ly/IllustradoWebsite

Why do so many real estate brands in the UAE blur into one another—with the same “luxury” promises, generic visuals, and forgettable campaigns?

In this hard-hitting episode of Challenger Brands, we speak with powerhouse marketer Nathalie Nasr, whose work across Aurora Prime and Amwaj has helped position one of Dubai’s fastest-growing developers in 2025.

We dive into:
✅ The real reasons behind the “luxury sameness” plaguing the UAE real estate market
✅ The biggest mistakes developers make in brand messaging
✅ What it takes to differentiate in a sea of sameness—especially as a new or mid-sized player
✅ Why being operations-led instead of brand-led is holding developers back
✅ Practical strategies to infuse brand personality, build trust, and drive serious buyer connection

If you're a marketer, brand leader, or developer looking to cut through the noise, this is a must-listen masterclass on breaking the copy-paste mold and standing out where it matters most.

This is Challenger Brands -

Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.

Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.

In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.

Hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.

Visit our website to learn more: https://bit.ly/IllustradoWebsite

Real estate in the UAE is often a story of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. But today, we’re talking about the emirate rewriting that story - Ras Al Khaimah, and the company shaping its rise: RAK Properties. And with us is the leader at the helm of this transformation - Sameh Muhtadi, CEO of RAK Properties.

Sameh Muhtadi is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of global experience in real estate, infrastructure, and investment. Before stepping in as CEO of RAK Properties, he held leadership senior roles at Abu Dhabi Capital Group, Bloom Holding, and Orascom Development, where he drove large-scale developments across the MENA region. He also served as CEO of Emaar Misr (Cairo). He is recognized for his ability to transform organizations, align them with global standards, and deliver growth in highly competitive markets. Today, he stands at the forefront of Ras Al Khaimah’s rise as a real estate and investment hub, steering RAK Properties to play a pivotal role in shaping the emirate’s economic future.

Follow Sameh and RAK Properties
Sameh Muhtadi: / sameh-muhtadi-0b1549166
RAK Properties: / rak-properties

This is Challenger Brands -

Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.

Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.

In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.

Hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.

Visit our website to learn more: https://bit.ly/IllustradoWebsite

Welcome to Challenger Brands, the podcast where we explore how exceptional brands redefine customer engagement and innovation to lead in a competitive market. In this episode, we’re diving deep into customer centricity—the art of putting customers at the heart of your business strategy—with insights from Mark Hamill, CEO and Co-Founder of ARCET Global.

As a trailblazer in consumer-centric innovation and the architect of the Customer Centricity World Series—the world's premier CX awards program—Mark has helped businesses transform their customer lifecycle journeys into powerful tools for loyalty and growth. With over 15 years of experience in customer engagement strategies and business excellence, he’s a global leader in fostering a customer-centric culture.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
The true meaning of customer experience and why it’s vital for business sustainability. How to craft a customer-centric strategy that drives lasting success. Actionable tips to avoid common mistakes in customer-centric marketing. The role of cutting-edge technology like AI and automation in shaping customer-centric design. How businesses can adapt to the customer-centric mindset demanded in a post-pandemic world.

Mark also shares customer success stories and practical insights on embedding a customer-centric culture into your brand’s DNA. Whether you’re a startup or an established business, this episode is packed with strategies to help you become a customer centricity leader in 2025.

Don’t miss this chance to elevate your brand with proven customer engagement strategies and unlock the power of a consumer-centric marketing approach.

This is Challenger Brands -

Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.

Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.

In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.

Hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.

Visit our website to learn more: https://bit.ly/IllustradoWebsite

What if we told you that sales, as we know it, isn’t about closing deals? Our guest today believes that 80% of sales is actually the brand, and success is built on trust rather than just technique.

Learn all about the future of sales in 2025 with Illustrado.co's Challenger Brands series. Get ahead of the game and stay informed on the latest trends in the sales industry!

Joining us today is Mamoun Alamouri, a seasoned entrepreneur, strategic investor, and an experienced sales professional. With a mission to help startups and SMEs achieve product-market fit, Mamoun specializes in guiding companies with proven marketing and sales strategies. His career began in the corporate world with leadership roles at Uniphore, Cisco, and Avaya, but his entrepreneurial spirit has led him into the startup ecosystem where he focuses on sectors like SaaS, future tech, and social media marketing

Mamoun is also a passionate advocate for lean startup methodologies, helping entrepreneurs validate their ideas and find product-market fit with minimal risk.

Today, he’s here to talk about his revolutionary approach to sales—a trust-based model that flips the traditional sales funnel on its head.

This is Challenger Brands -

Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.

Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.

In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.

Hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.

Visit our website to learn more: https://bit.ly/IllustradoWebsite

In this episode, we dive into the high-stakes world of startup funding with Anna Arzua MacMillan, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Venture FactorE. With over 15 years of global expertise and a history of guiding ventures to new heights, Anna shares the essential roadmap for entrepreneurs looking to secure funding and scale sustainably. From understanding market timing to building investor trust, Anna's insights provide a powerful playbook for founders.

Our guest today is a powerhouse in industries like Healthcare, Defense, AI, Sustainability, and Tech, with a track record of attracting transformative investments across the GCC region. Based in Dubai, with operations in UAE, Riyadh, Singapore, and India, Anna is not only a leader but a visionary committed to empowering female entrepreneurs and building businesses that drive meaningful social impact. As a co-founder and board member of numerous high-impact ventures, Anna bridges cultures, sectors, and technologies to create sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact.

In today’s episode, we’ll cover:
Startup Health Essentials: The key factors that make a startup attractive to investors.
Perfect Timing for Funding: When founders should take the plunge into seeking funding.
Building a Winning Pitch: The must-haves for a pitch that captures investor attention.
Investor Relations 101: How to build trust and maintain connections with potential investors.
Valuation Myths, Debunked: Get clarity on the truth behind startup valuations.
Future Trends: What lies ahead for startup funding and innovation.

Whether you’re a startup founder or a seasoned business leader, Anna's expertise will guide you through the funding journey and help you avoid common pitfalls.

This is Challenger Brands -

Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.

Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.

In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.

Hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.

Visit our website to learn more: https://bit.ly/IllustradoWebsite

Welcome to the world of Dubai's viral chocolate! In this episode, we unravel the magic behind the famous Kunafa Chocolate, a dessert that has captured hearts and taste buds alike. Join Chef Nouel Catis as he guides you through the step-by-step process of making this delightful treat, highlighting the unique ingredients that elevate it to a multi-million dollar sensation.

Our guest today is Chef Nouel Catis, an internationally acclaimed pastry consultant whose culinary artistry has taken the food industry by storm. Chef Nouel’s unique approach to flavor alchemy and deep understanding of regional palates has helped him create iconic dessert experiences and pastry menus that have generated incredible returns. One of his most notable creations, the Dubai Chocolate, became a global viral sensation, further solidifying his reputation for developing products that transcend the ordinary.

In today’s episode, we’ll dive into the formula behind Chef Nouel’s success in creating million-dollar products, and more importantly, what entrepreneurs in any industry can learn from his approach. Whether you’re in the food business or building a tech startup, there are valuable insights here for anyone looking to craft winning products.

Join us and witness how a simple chocolate bar can turn into a viral sensation!

This is Challenger Brands -

Where we talk about brand development, marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, and a whole lot of other things to help entrepreneurs and brand custodians build competitive brands and better businesses.

Not the biggest player in your sector? Make an impact by challenging the status quo.

In each episode, we talk to inspiring industry professionals and entrepreneurs to gain useful and actionable insights for empowering challenger brands.

Hosted by Illustrado - The Brand Development & Creative Agency for ambitious and audacious challenger brands.

Visit our website to learn more: https://bit.ly/IllustradoWebsite