E87: What It Takes to Win Big (in MENA): Insights from a $35B Founder and Global Investor

Episode notes

Chris Rogers is a global entrepreneur who co-founded Nextel Communications, a wireless connectivity company, in 1987 and sold it for $35B in 2005. In the early 2000s, Chris came to Saudi Arabia to launch Nextel as a joint venture with Saudi Telecom. His deep connection to the region brought him back as an investor in Careem, Kitopi, and several other startups. In this episode, Chris shares what it takes to build and lead billion-dollar businesses, his perspective on Sovereign Wealth Fund initiatives shaping the MENA startup ecosystem, the challenges Venture Capital firms face in the region, and what it truly means to exit successfully. Chris also offers timeless lessons on resilience, attracting global investors, and balancing ambition with wellness. Whether you’re a founder, VC, or someone with big dreams, this episode is packed with insights to help you scale your next big thing. Support for the show comes from Capital.com , a global investment company with offices in Dubai. Click here for a chance to win AED 1m. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Related episodes across the Index

Other episodes covering the same guests and topics, from across The B2B Podcast Index.

• Win the AI Answer, Not Just the Citations with Tim Sanders, Chief Innovation Officer at G2 - Ep 85The Transaction · on Founder100 / 100
• The Race to Build the Next Trillion-Dollar AI Chip CompanyTechSurge: Deep Tech Podcast · on Venture capital90 / 100
• The Best of Series Six: The Professional Investment PodcastThe Professional Investment Podcast · on Venture capital81 / 100
• He Made It To The NFL. Now He Wants To Prove Himself All Over Again.Catalyst by Camber Creek · on Venture capital74 / 100
• Edward Robson - Capital Allocation in TechnologyCloud Returns · on Venture capital68 / 100
• Tesla’s Roadster, Car Week Takes, Unwell Beverages Shuts Down | Diet TBPNTBPN · on Venture capital52 / 100

• Peter Middlebrook on Dubai as the New New York and the Return of the Golden Age67 / 100
• Jayesh Patel (Wio Bank): The Playbook Behind the UAE's Fastest-Growing Digital Bank
• Ahmad AlZaini on Building a $13B Restaurant Operating System From Al Khobar
• AI, Jobs and the Side Door: A Top MENA Recruiter on Surviving 2026
• HE Faisal Belhoul on the UAE That Came Out of the War: Capital, the World Cup and the IPO