On this episode of Ready to Launch: A MENA Entrepreneurship Podcast, co-hosts Merissa Khurma and Rajae Sahouri interviewed Reem al-Smeirat, a pioneer in automotive design. Reem’s passion for automobiles dates to age five when her father gifted her a BMW catalogue. Since then, she founded the first transportation studio in the Middle East and hails as the region’s first female car designer. This accolade does not come without challenge, though, as women entrepreneurs still face discrimination and pushback from society.
This podcast was funded by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.
The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program serves as a crucial resource for the policymaking community and beyond, providing analyses and research that helps inform US foreign policymaking, stimulates public debate, and expands knowledge about issues in the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Read more
The Middle East and North Africa Workforce Development Initiative (MENA-WDI) aims to assess both current and projected challenges facing the region in developing the workforce and the implications for peace and stability. Read more
