Who Run the World
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© 2025 Who Run the World
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Award-winning podcast where two Arab women and best friends come together to talk about what's on their mind and the mind of their peers today. Join co-hosts Marilyn Zakhour and Rhea Chedid as they unpack their multifaceted identities through conversations between themselves and with other (wo)men from across the region and the world. Gold winner of the "Acast Moment of Comedy" at the 2021 International Women's Podcast Awards.
132 Episodes
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3 months into her new gig as a team manager, Rhea sits down with Marilyn to reflect on what she’s learned about herself and her managerial style throughout her leadership journey. Our best friends then take your most burning questions about becoming a new manager. Not sure how to be assertive? Worried about micromanaging? Afraid you’ll lose steam and burnout? Marilyn and Rhea got the answers for you! Who Run the World is a production of Reyzin Media. Hosted by Rhea Chedid and Marilyn Zakhour....
Things get real and personal for our dynamic duo this week as Marilyn shares with Rhea her recent feelings of burnout and exhaustion. Together, our best friends share what a burnout has looked like for them, how they’ve dealt with it, and what they need from each other and from their community as they work their way through a burnout episode. Went through a really tough burnout or currently going through one? Write to us @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram or email us on sayhi@whoruntheworl...
You have a great job doing something you’re passionate about. It pays great. You live in a bustling city with an active social life. You’re also overworked, burnt out, and something about your life just doesn’t feel right. What do you do next? In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea invite friend of the pod and sports consultant Elise Kossaifi to share stories of experiencing existential crises and changing career paths. What does an existential crisis look like? Can you see it coming and prepare f...
People of all ages – including Marilyn, Rhea, and Marilyn’s daughter Gabi – know what it’s like to wake up cranky and moody from a bad night’s sleep. For parents and caregivers, that issue is compounded by having children who are challenging sleepers. While some might choose to let their children establish their own sleeping habits, others might choose sleep training or working with a trainer who can help everyone involved have a better night’s sleep. In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea sit dow...
Ramadan Kareem, WRTW fam! To celebrate the holy month, Marilyn and Rhea invite WRTW’s producer and resident Muslim Ahmed Ashour to reflect on what Ramadan means, share memories, and exchange favorite traditions. Then, Marilyn and Rhea compete for the title of “The Queen of Ramadan” by solving fawazeer/riddles, guessing at the plots of Ramadan shows, and putting together the perfect iftar. Of course, no Ramadan is complete without Sherihan, and you bet she makes an appearance here. It’s the pe...
Ever tried picking out a book for a child to read? Marilyn and Rhea can confirm: it’s not easy, nor is it easy to get the child to actually read the book and enjoy it. In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with the founder of Oh The Books Deema Al Alami to understand how we can get children to love reading outside the classroom. They share tips for picking out new books and rotating the books on your child’s bookshelf, as well as recommend bookstores for caregivers to check out in Dubai....
Ramadan Kareem, WRTW family! To kick off a month of reflection and introspection, Marilyn and Rhea have a very real and honest conversation about how they’ve seen their friendship change after Marilyn became a mother. What are their pet peeves when it comes to friends treating each other differently post-motherhood? What advice would they give themselves and their friends as they enter new stages in their lives? And, of course, what is it about Marilyn and Rhea’s friendship that allows it to ...
Lots happening this week in WRTW Land (which is about 25.6km away from Barbie Land). March is Women’s History Month. March 8th is International Women’s Day. Marilyn and Rhea both finally watched Barbie (yes, THAT Barbie, which is up for some Oscars later this week). They also just finished watching season 2 of the hit Netflix show AlRawabi School for Girls. They have so many thoughts on all of the above (especially Rhea)...but can they share them all in one episode? Well folks, they do it, be...
In an October 2023 episode with OB/GYN and fertility specialist Dr. Gaël Abou Ghannam, Marilyn and Dr. Gaël encouraged Rhea to freeze her eggs. Well, listeners…drum roll, please…she did it! Not only did she do it – she’s also ready to tell you all about it. In this episode, Marilyn sits down with Rhea to understand what led to her making this decision, as well as break down the egg freezing process from A to Z. Of course, our best friends share (often funny) stories and anecdotes from the jou...
Choosing to pursue a career as an actor and media personality is hard. Choosing to pursue such a career as someone of South Asian or SWANA descent is hard. Becoming a mother is…you guessed it, also hard. Doing all three? That’s just awe-inspiring. In this episode, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with Dubai-based Pakistani actor and media personality Rabab Hashim. Rabab shares how she fell in love with the stage and screen at a young age, her experience navigating motherhood in the entertainment ind...
On Valentine’s Day 2019, a little show by the name Who Run the World was released into the world. 5 years later, that little show is thriving! Who would’ve thought? Marilyn and Rhea certainly did. In this 5th anniversary special, Marilyn and Rhea look back at the show and its (humble) beginnings, before sharing their favorite episodes. But what about Valentine’s Day? No worries, our girls got you. In classic WRTW fashion, our best friends completely dismantle the capitalist celebration that i...
In the wake of the International Court of Justice's ruling on January 26th, 2024 stating that Israel must do all it can to prevent genocide, Marilyn and Rhea sit down with the Israel and Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch Omar Shakir to understand the dimensions of South Africa’s landmark case. What are the provisional measures that the world’s highest court ruled on? What does the ruling mean for the international community grappling with the efficacy of international law, especially g...
WRTW is back! As the show approaches its fifth birthday (stay tuned), Marilyn and Rhea sit down to reflect on the year that was and the year to come. How did they do when it came to their 2023 words of the year? What words did they select for 2024? And how can you, our dear listener, choose your own word of the year instead of new year's resolutions? This episode was recorded in January, so you cannot argue that it’s too late to wish everyone a happy new year! Have you selected a 2024 word of...
What are the holidays if not the most magical time of the year? After a few months that lacked magic (to say the least), Rhea and Marilyn take the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9-3/4 towards Hogwarts (duh) for a bit of Christmas (and other non-secular holiday) cheer. Along for the scenic trip is their producer Ahmed Ashour, a notable HP-films-over-books advocate and sworn enemy of the dark witch named J.K. Rowling. Together, they share their favorite HP memories, discuss the 4 houses, and ha...
Marilyn and her husband Hadi recently decided to buy a new car, a decision that turned out to be an 8-month ordeal. Making big financial decisions as a couple can be quite daunting, but that doesn’t mean that spending your money individually is a walk in the park. In this episode, Rhea and Marilyn invite Marilyn’s financial advisor Sharon Calderini to share tips with listeners for better financial planning in 2024. What are the pillars of wealth you should consider? Why should you be saving f...
As the Israeli occupation’s brutal operation in Palestine enters its third month, Rhea and Marilyn take a moment to take stock of how they and the people around them have processed recent events. In what ways have we felt helpless, hopeful, and activated? Rhea and Marilyn then go on to highlight concrete ways in which we can make our actions for Palestine count as individuals, communities, and organizations. Got any tips or strategies for taking action and making your contribution towards Pal...
What do we know about the history of Zionism, colonialism, and occupation in Palestine? More importantly, what do we not know? To mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Marilyn and Rhea invite Palestinian-American professor, lawyer, and writer Tamara Reem to provide listeners with an overview of significant events in Palestinian history and how they inform our understanding of the past few weeks. Tamara also uses her expertise in international law to answer two ...
In 2023, Rhea and Marilyn experienced loss in more ways than one. They both lost their dear friend Dounya, and Marilyn lost her beloved father-in-law Noor. On top of all that, recent events in Palestine have been weighing heavy on their minds and hearts. How can they process all of this personal and collective loss of life? How can they grieve? Siira’s Sandra Salame joins WRTW this week to discuss grief, its stages, and why grieving and accepting loss can never be selfish acts. Instead of thi...
In October 2020 (deep pandemic era WRTW), we released an episode titled “Let’s Talk About Our Periods” with Dr. Gaël Abou Ghannam that broached all sorts of taboo topics for Arab women, like taking the birth control pill and experiencing period pain. 3 years later, we’re back for round 2. Returning guest (and friend of the pod) Dr. Gaël helps Rhea and Marilyn understand the world of (in)fertility: the science, the myths, the social implications, and everything in between. As they exchange per...
WRTW is back next week with its regular biweekly episode, but in the meantime, Marilyn and Rhea wanted to give you a little something extra to tide you over - Who Run the Time style. The 2023 Cosmic Conference is upon us, organized by Marilyn’s very own company Cosmic Centaurs. To mark the occasion, Rhea just had to sit down with Marilyn to get all the deets on this year’s conference and its theme: “Leading Organizations That Deliver,” or strategy execution. So many golden nuggets of organiza...
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