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Forward_Moves

Forward_Moves

Written by: Raja Haddad
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Forward_Moves is a podcast hosted by Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad, that shares lived experiences and stories of successful personalities in the Middle East from the creative world of art, design, entertainment, hospitality, business, and other disciplines.

© 2025 Forward_Moves
Art Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Creativity, Advocacy and Legacy: How identities are preserved
    Jul 11 2025

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    What role does art and creativity play in advocacy and forging an identity? How to valance passion and entrepreneurship , and how important are communities in transmitting stories within cultures? 🙌🏽


    🎙️ The season 2 final episode wraps up the diverse themes shared by the 12 wonderful guests over the past 3 months, with Lina Nahhas and Raja Haddad picking up cards and reflecting on these different topics:



    • Identity & Cultural Reclamation


    • Creativity as Advocacy


    • Mentorship & Community


    • Spirituality & Sacred Practice


    • Passion vs Profession


    • Legacy & the Future


    • Emotional Resilience and Inner Work



    🎧Whether you downloaded all episodes and want to revisit them, or simply catch up on episodes past and join the conversation, this season finale promises to connect all the dots and bring you up to date with what’s on the minds of the creative community though leaders. 📍


    Follow us:


    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forward_moves/

    X: https://x.com/forward_moovz

    Lina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lina_movements/

    Raja’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/octoraj/

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    43 mins
  • Turning Passion into Purpose: Chef Bader’s Recipe for Success
    Jun 27 2025

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    What do chocolate, culture, and choosing your own path have in common? One Emirati chef.

    In this episode of Forward_Moves, host Raja Haddad sits down with Chef Bader Najeeb, pastry chef, chocolatier, and founder of Burnt Orange, for a deliciously honest conversation about baking, identity, and doing what truly moves you.

    From making fondant in his childhood kitchen to opening one of Dubai’s most soulful cafés, Bader shares how desserts became his language for storytelling, for self-expression, and for staying true to his roots.

    In this episode:
    - From home baker to Swiss culinary school
    - Chocolate as an emotional, cultural connector
    - Managing pressure, perfectionism & online noise
    - Building Burnt Orange with soul, not trends
    - Embracing Emirati identity while thinking globally

    📌 Whether you're a foodie, creative, or founder, this is your reminder that the best things come when you follow what actually matters to you.

    🎧 Watch now on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

    #Forward_Moves #ChefBaderNajeeb #BurntOrangeDXB #CulinaryCreativity #EmiratiVoices #Chocolatier #Foody #Chef #EmiratiChef #DubaiCafes #MiddleEastCreatives #dubai #abudhabi #mydubai #dubailife #inspiration #uaefood #followforfollow #chocolatechefb #burntorangechocolatier


    Follow us:
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forward_moves/
    X: https://x.com/forward_moovz
    Lina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lina_movements/
    Raja’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/octoraj/
    Follow Chef Bader: https://www.instagram.com/chef.b/?hl=en
    Follow Burnt Orange: https://www.instagram.com/burntorangechocolatier/?hl=en


    Chapters:
    00:00 Introduction
    00:24 Meet Chef Bader
    02:23 Early Inspirations and Family Influence
    04:13 Challenges of Being a Self-Taught Chef
    06:02 Discovering Fondant and the Path to Pastry
    09:42 Balancing Passion and Practicality
    14:10 Pursuing Culinary Dreams
    15:03 From Accounting to Culinary Arts
    17:46 The Scholarship Dilemma
    21:55 Embracing Social Media and TV Experiences
    24:16 Opening Burnt Orange Cafe
    24:35 The Courage to Quit
    25:18 Support from Friends and Family
    27:23 Handling Feedback and Criticism
    35:30 Innovations in the Culinary World
    43:59 Future Aspirations and Advice
    49:10 Final Thoughts

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    49 mins
  • Designing Belonging: Gardens as Living Poems with Zain Masud
    Jun 19 2025

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    What does it mean to build beauty with purpose?
    In this episode of Forward_Moves, host Raja Haddad is joined by Zain Masud, a London-trained art world professional turned landscape designer, who is reshaping how we experience space, memory, and nature in the Middle East.

    🎙️ In this episode, we explore:
    - Zain’s journey from the global art scene to land-based design in the Arab world
    - Why she views nature as storytelling—and gardens as living archives
    - How beauty, emotion, and identity are layered into space
    - Designing spaces that heal, include, and speak to a deeper sense of belonging
    - Letting go of perfection and trusting the process of reinvention

    Zain’s gardens are not just visual—they’re emotional, ancestral, and bold in their quiet defiance.

    🌱 This is an episode about starting over, looking inward, and designing spaces that feel like home.

    👉 Watch the full episode now on YouTube, or tune in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.


    Follow us:
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forward_moves/
    X: https://x.com/forward_moovz
    Lina’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lina_movements/
    Raja’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/octoraj/

    Follow Zain: https://www.instagram.com/zainmasud/?hl=en
    Follow Zain’s Studio: https://www.instagram.com/studiozainmasud/


    Chapters:
    00:00 Introduction and Song Choice
    00:19 Personal Connection to The Beatles
    01:17 Life Advice and Personal Growth
    02:22 Welcome to the Show
    02:40 Guest Introduction: Zain Maud
    04:13 Early Influences and Love for Nature
    08:52 Career Transition and New Beginnings
    18:14 The Art of Garden Making
    28:27 Exploring the Urgency of Climate Change
    29:32 The Invitation to Learn and Discover
    30:37 Earliest Memories of Gardens
    33:10 Navigating Career Challenges
    37:06 Creating Poetic Spaces
    41:04 Sources of Inspiration
    50:13 Imagining the Inner Garden
    53:25 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

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    53 mins

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