logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
1 h

#305: Inside the Mind of Raki Phillips, ...

SPENCER LODGE
About this episode

Securing a groundbreaking $3.9 billion deal with Wynn Resorts and recording over 1.13 million visitors in Ras Al Khaimah, Raki Phillips is the mastermind who is helping the UAE’s tourism sector shatter records. 

As a natural risk-taker and the CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), Raki boasts an impressive background with Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont Hotels. He’s named one of Forbes Middle East’s ‘Top 100 Travel & Tourism Leaders’ and ‘Businessperson of the Year’ at the Arabian Business Achievement Awards 2023.

Raki’s bold vision for turning the UAE into a global tourist hotspot will force you to think bigger. Tune in to hear his journey, his risk-taking strategies, and why Ras Al Khaimah should be your top choice for business. Grab your headphones and listen now!

0:09:26 – What makes Ras Al Khaimah so special

0:17:55 – Will Ras Al Khaimah introduce casinos?

0:24:40 – Raki’s fascinating career backstory

0:34:43 – The impact of the UAE’s changing landscape

0:39:26 – Raki’s source of motivation

0:45:25 – Assessing risk as a CEO

0:48:24 – Thoughts on the UAE’s governance

0:50:56 – The work culture at RAKTDA

0:56:48 – Raki’s leadership style

0:59:20 – Why to choose Ras Al Khaimah as your base

Show Sponsors:

Megavrse: Dive into immersive environments in the Metaverse that redefine the future of retail, art, and workhttps://www.megavrse.xyz/#/

Socials:

Spencer Lodgehttps://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/?hl=en https://www.tiktok.com/@spencer.lodge https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/ 

Raki Phillipshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rakiphillips/ https://www.instagram.com/rakiphillips/

Up next
Oct 6
The Man Who Redefined Resilience By Winning Gold After Two Kidney Transplants - Omar Tom
#366: The Man Who Redefined Resilience By Winning Gold After Two Kidney Transplants - Omar Tom This week’s guest is Omar “OT” Tom, a double kidney transplant recipient and inspirational athlete who won gold in the 200m sprint for Team UAE at the World Transplant Games Despite bei ... Show More
1h 22m
Sep 29
#365: Elie Khouri Reveals How He Landed Shark Tank Dubai, What It Means To Be An Entrepreneur & The One Skill You Need In Life To Succeed
This week’s guest is Elie Khouri, a Lebanese-French businessman, entrepreneur, art patron and media leader. Best known as the founder and chairman of Vivium, a Dubai-based single-family office. A driving force in the communications industry, he has served as chairman of Omnicom M ... Show More
1h 5m
Sep 22
#364: Carl Allsopp on Building The Largest Real Estate Brokerage in the region, Why People Fail In Dubai And Lack Of Patience Amongst Young People
This week’s guest is a leader in Dubai’s property market and an entrepreneur who turned ambition into one of the region’s greatest real estate success stories. Seventeen years ago Carl Allsopp, CEO of Allsopp & Allsopp, arrived in Dubai with little more than a dream and an unshak ... Show More
1h 13m
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2024
INSIDE Forbes | MENA’s Top 100 Listed Companies 2024 | Forbes ME June 2024
This month on Inside Forbes, Sally Mousa and Claudine Coletti take a look at the MENA region’s top 100 listed companies: who’s at the top, the new-comers, and the challenges that they’ve seen this past year. We have the latest on our cover stars: Group CEO of NMDC, Engineer Yasse ... Show More
13m 51s
May 2021
EP 117 Mark Willis, CEO of Turkey, India, Middle East and Africa at Accor
In today's episode of Dubai Works we are joined by Mark Willis, the CEO of Accor for Turkey, India, Middle East and Africa. Pprevious to Mark's appointment, he was the President for the Asia region with Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, a very dynamic area with a robust expansion st ... Show More
40 m
Jul 14
Special: Doing it differently | Marakez Exec Vice Chairman Dasha Badrawi
For the last few decades, Sahel has cemented its place as a go-to summer destination for many. Clear waters. Crisp weather. Buzzing nightlife. Last year, the Ras El-Hekma deal swung the spotlight on the potential of Sahel as a regional investment hub. But what exactly are we buil ... Show More
1h 4m
Jun 2025
Built 200 Hotels, Ran a Nation’s Tourism, Still Washes His Own Dishes — Haitham Mattar
What does it take to turn a nation into a world-class destination — and still lead with humility, heart, and hustle? In this episode of Luca’s Insight Track, host Luca Allam sits down with Haitham Mattar — the dynamic CEO of IHG for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, and a ... Show More
1h 11m
Apr 2025
Rawya Mansour
This week, I’m joined by Rawya Mansour, Chairwoman of RAMSCO Egypt and Oasis Technologies Monaco, for a special episode as part of our collaboration with The Narrative Summit 2025. Rawya is a pioneer of sustainable development and regenerative agriculture, including shifting away ... Show More
43m 22s
Jun 2022
SPOTLIGHT: How to make Somabay a first-home destination with ASDC CEO Ibrahim El Messiri
How ASDC is transforming Somabay to a first-home destination: When Somabay first emerged as a tourist destination over two decades ago, it had little to offer other than its gorgeous 11-km coastline with a five-and-a-half km sandy beach. Fast forward to today and developer Abu So ... Show More
48m 49s
Oct 2020
Debating bricks or clicks with Majid Al Futtaim Properties CEO Ahmed Galal Ismail
With brick and mortar retail seeing declining growth in developed markets fueled by competition from e-commerce, Majid Al Futtaim tells a story that might look a little different in emerging markets. Malls here still see growing popularity and Majid Al Futtaim’s retail brands are ... Show More
42m 45s
Oct 2022
On education and CIRA’s evolution into CIRA Education with CEO Mohamed El Kalla
How CIRA evolved into a fully vertically-integrated, multifaceted, education platform and became CIRA Education: Since its founding in 1993, Egypt’s largest listed private sector education company, CIRA Education (formerly just CIRA), weathered many storms and challenges to the s ... Show More
44m 44s
Apr 2025
Neom, Pt 1: Skiing in the Desert
In 2017, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious, young leader, Mohammed bin Salman, unveiled Neom: a futuristic new city Saudi Arabia would build in the desert. Neom would be a hotspot for tourism like the French Riviera, a center of innovation like Silicon Valley, and a global melting pot lik ... Show More
34m 44s
Oct 2020
Breaking baladi bread with Zooba CEO Chris Khalifa
Zooba sells taamiya, not falafel. When Chris Khalifa launched Zooba in 2012, the goal was to elevate Egyptian street food from cheap, delicious, everyday sustenance to a global brand. By 2020, Zooba’s value proposition had already shaped a loyal following at home and abroad with ... Show More
44m 11s