Telling Saudi Arabia’s story: A conversation with Yasmin Khowaiter

Yasmin Khowaiter (founder and host of The Majlis Podcast) has become a distinctive voice explaining Saudi Arabia’s transformation to a global audience. With a background spanning history, strategy consulting, and now podcasting, she has built a platform centred on nuance – speaking to the founders, investors, historians, creatives and policymakers who are writing the country’s next chapter.

Before she heads to Riyadh to speak at LEAP 2026, we caught up with Khowaiter to ask about the moment The Majlis Podcast began, how she chooses her guests, and why independent media now plays such a critical role in cross-border understanding.

Here’s what she told us. 

Where did the very first spark of an idea come from – what inspired you to start The Majlis? 

“The Majlis was born at a sunny February brunch with Professor Bernard Haykel and Ali Shihabi at the Bateel Café in the Diplomatic Quarters. I was expressing frustration to them that Western media outlets seemed to have very little awareness of the changes happening in Saudi Arabia, and whatever they did cover lacked a great deal of context and nuance.

“As two established thought leaders in Saudi Arabia, I implored them to do something about it. The lack of English content on the economic transformation of the Kingdom, of the once-in-a-lifetime changes taking place, seemed to me a grave gap. They agreed with me, but they joked they were too old and too busy to lead the charge. 

“They did promise, however, to support me if I decided to do something about it. That was when the idea was planted in my mind, and a few months later I entered the recording studio to set the record straight. They were true to their word – both of them were my first guests.” 

How do you decide which guests or topics best illustrate Saudi’s economic transformation for an international audience?

“While some are sceptical of a strategy consultant with a history degree, I believe that the different stages of my life are connected very strongly by my passion: storytelling. With history, consulting, and podcasting, you're trying to do the same thing; tell a clear, convincing story by pulling together seemingly disconnected threads to bring to light one strong narrative.

“With my guests, I look for people who are good storytellers. After many interviews, I have boiled good storytellers down to two key traits: having something to say and saying it well. 

“There are a lot of people who can talk for a very long time and say nothing of substance. I look for guests who have sharpened their opinions through lived experience, who do not state the obvious but dive a layer deeper. At the same time, these guests need to be able to communicate their thoughts well – an incredibly smart guest who cannot frame their thoughts coherently, who cannot bring together their insights into a structured narrative, will not resonate.” 

You’ve hosted founders, investors, creatives – are there recurring themes that surprise you, or myths you often find yourself debunking?

“One myth to debunk is that Saudi Arabia did not appear on the global map overnight. It's really important to me to host speakers who have been involved in the landscape for decades, and their episodes often do quite well – which reflects the audience's thirst for more historical context. 

“Our previous leaders have laid the groundwork for the change happening today, whether it is investing in infrastructure after the oil boom, the early iterations in the 90s of what is now known as the Ministry of Investment, or the push to educate students at top global universities from the 2000s. The leadership we see in Saudi Arabia today is a reflection of those early investments… whether it’s Ivy League educated CEOs or ex-Aramcon ministers.

“There also has to be an understanding that we are moving fast and adjusting as we go. It's significant, and I am thankful, that we do not have a government that doubles down on an idea if it becomes clear that there are other, better avenues to explore. To the untrained eye it may look like a misstep, but the ability to pivot is what will make the Kingdom successful.” 

When it comes to the intersection of Saudi enterprises and global capital flow, how do you see the role of media – especially independent English-language platforms like yours – evolving?

“Globally, mistrust of large media brands is growing. In a way, this is a shame, because they’re backed by a great deal of resources and experience that independent players do not possess. However, they are also burdened by biases and politics that independent players like myself are free from.

“Increasingly, people are turning to podcasts, to individual thought leaders, to gain information from and ultimately shape their opinions on topics. I see it as a serious responsibility, one that I am honoured to have. I recognise that for many folks globally, my podcast episodes are their first exposure to the happenings in Saudi, and the pressure is on to paint an accurate picture.

“As Saudi Arabia becomes a more prominent player on the global map, the need for this information grows. Providing unbiased, nuanced, and accessible news on the transformation here is more integral than ever, and independent outlets play an increasingly large role in that. No one can afford to dismiss the impact of podcasts today.” 

If you had complete freedom to feature any guest or topic (and they’d definitely say yes), who or what would you choose?

“The dream would be to host any of our most senior leadership in Saudi today, such as our ministers of information and tech or economic planning, for the chance to dive deep into the translation of vision into reality.” 

Thanks to Yasmin Khowaiter at The Majlis Podcast – listen on Apple or Spotify. 

Want to meet the founders, creators, and communicators who are enabling transformation and recognition in Saudi Arabia’s tech industry? Get your pass now for LEAP 2026.