The TWENTY30 Podcast
A biweekly podcast in English offering an expert, on-the-ground perspective on Saudi Arabia's rapid economic and social transformation.
A mix of co-hosted analysis and expert interviews providing an English-language window into modern Saudi Arabia. The hosts, an American male VC and a Saudi female academic, blend personal anecdotes from living in Riyadh with professional analysis of the Kingdom's 'Vision 2030' plan. After a brief hiatus, the show has pivoted from timely news commentary towards more evergreen topics about business, culture, and life in the changing Kingdom.
“The show's strength is its dual-host dynamic, pairing a Western business perspective with a Saudi academic lens. Broadcasting from Riyadh lends their conversations an on-the-ground immediacy that remote analysis lacks.”
Who hosts this show
The TWENTY30 Podcast is a biweekly English-language show covering Saudi Arabia's massive economic, social, and cultural transformation. It is hosted by Lucien Zeigler, an American venture capitalist based in Riyadh, and Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed, a Saudi academic and researcher. The show features a mix of co-host discussions on current events, deep dives into specific topics, and exclusive interviews with figures central to the Kingdom's changes.
Credentials & credits
- Lucien Zeigler: Venture Capitalist, Strategic Advisor, Public Speaker
- Lucien Zeigler: MA from George Mason University, BA from the University of Virginia
- Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed: PhD from UCL's Institute of Education
- Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed: MSc from London School of Economics and Political Science
- Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed: Associate Fellow, Chatham House
- Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed: Research Fellow, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies
Other ventures
- Lucien Zeigler: General Partner, MASNA Ventures
- Lucien Zeigler: Chairman & CEO, REDSALT Defense
- Lucien Zeigler: Co-Founder, The 966 Podcast
- Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed: Founder, new EdTech company (mentioned on podcast)
- Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed: Non-executive director, Rawabi Holding
- Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed: Visiting Research Fellow, London School of Economics
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Riyadh Air Is Coming (and the Year of 'Championship Hanaa')Jun 1, 2026 · 38 min
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01Saudi hip hop artist Saud Alturki on 'High Octane', Busta Rhymes and more
A deep dive into the burgeoning Saudi music scene with a producer who is bridging local culture and global hip-hop, featuring reveals about collaborations with major US artists.
- 02An inflection point in the region + a conversation on education, learning, and training in the AI...
The hosts transparently explain their recent hiatus and a strategic shift in the show's focus from news-driven topics to more evergreen cultural and business analysis.
- 03Riyadh Air Is Coming (and the Year of 'Championship Hanaa')
A representative example of the co-host chat format, blending personal life updates with a detailed discussion of a major Vision 2030 project, the new airline Riyadh Air.
What you'll be asked on this show
The show is not exclusively an interview format, but when guests are featured, it's a conversational two-on-one discussion. The hosts, Lucien and Hanaa, introduce the guest with a detailed biography before alternating questions. Their style is inquisitive and supportive, often building on the guest's previous statements to probe deeper rather than challenging them. The flow is more of a guided conversation than a formal interview, aimed at drawing out the guest's story and expertise.
The format alternates between conversational catch-ups between the two hosts and two-on-one interviews. Video episodes are recorded remotely with a professional split-screen setup. The hosts have a warm, friendly rapport, often opening episodes by checking in on each other's recent travels or family life before diving into the main topic.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
7 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Can you tell us your story, what you do, and how you got started?”
This is a standard opening question used to establish the guest's background and set the stage for the conversation.
culture
2- Q.01
“How is this type of [art, music, etc.] received in Saudi Arabia?”
A recurring question to gauge the cultural context and public reception of new or evolving creative fields within the Kingdom.
- Q.02
“Can you tell me more about [specific entity, e.g., MDLBEAST]?”
When a guest mentions a key local organization or platform, the hosts ask for a direct explanation for their international audience.
craft
2- Q.01
“Can you tell us more about the sounds/process you use to bridge traditional culture with modern forms?”
Used to explore the specific techniques guests use to blend Saudi heritage with global trends, particularly in creative fields.
- Q.02
“You mentioned collaborating with your idols. Can you tell us who they are?”
The hosts listen for name-drops or hints of collaboration and follow up for more specific details.
personal
1- Q.01
“You said this project is 'for you.' What does that mean personally?”
A follow-up question designed to probe the personal motivations and emotional drivers behind a guest's professional work.
advice
1- Q.01
“How does a young person in Saudi break into the music scene (or a similar industry)?”
This question seeks practical advice for aspiring local talent, leveraging the guest's experience.
Signature segments
- · Reading listener feedback
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically leaders, entrepreneurs, and cultural figures who are actively shaping or analyzing Saudi Arabia's transformation. This includes CEOs of major events, government advisors, and rising artists.
- Saud Alturkion Saudi hip hop artist Saud Alturki on 'High Octane', Busta Rhymes and more - full interview
- Andrew Pearceyon Andrew Pearcey, CEO of the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia, previews WDS 2026 in Riyadh
- Dr. Mansour Almarzoqion Part II: Saudi Arabia's Dr. Mansour Almarzoqi talks national pride after milestone summit
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Older episodes were presented by Bechtel Saudi Arabia, suggesting a model of corporate sponsorship or partnerships. However, the most recent episodes reviewed did not contain explicit sponsorships, indicating it may be project-based.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
People also ask
- Who are the hosts of The TWENTY30 Podcast?
- The podcast is co-hosted by Lucien Zeigler, an American venture capitalist in Riyadh, and Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed, a Saudi academic and researcher.
- What is the podcast's format?
- It's a mix of conversational discussions between the two co-hosts and two-on-one interviews with expert guests.
- What is The TWENTY30 Podcast about?
- It's an English-language show that explores the ongoing economic, social, and cultural transformations happening in Saudi Arabia.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, it is an active podcast that releases episodes on a biweekly basis.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and its official website.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Official Websitethetwenty30.com
- [02]Lucien Zeigler - Moderator Biohub.meed.com
- [03]Lucien Zeigler - MASNA Ventures Biomasnaventures.com
- [04]Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed - LSE Biolse.ac.uk
- [05]Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed - Chatham House Biochathamhouse.org
- [06]Dr. Hanaa Almoaibed - Arab News 'Who's Who'arabnews.com
- [07]The TWENTY30 on Podchaserpodchaser.com
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