Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2025 explores the DNA of billionaire founders

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) 2025 on Saturday delivered powerful insights into the mindset and strategies of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in history, offering aspiring entrepreneurs a blueprint for building game-changing businesses.

During her The DNA of Billionaire Founders keynote at the Founders Stage, executive consultant and investor Ann Hiatt – who in a career spanning close to two decades worked directly with powerful business leaders while at global companies like Amazon and Google – unravelled key characteristics that set visionary CEOs like Jeff Bezos and Eric Schmidt apart.

“One such characteristic is disagreeableness,” she said, drawing from her extensive experience working alongside tech giants like Bezos and Schmidt.

“The most successful CEOs have an unshakable willingness to be misunderstood for long periods of time. They challenge conventional wisdom, make bold decisions that may seem irrational to others including their own families, and stay committed to their vision even in the face of scepticism.

“Jeff often spoke about the importance of long-term thinking – being willing to endure criticism and doubt while staying focused on innovation.

Executive consultant and investor Ann Hiatt during her session.

True leadership isn’t about seeking immediate validation; it’s about having the conviction to pursue ideas that may only make sense to the world years down the line," she added while citing the example of Andy Jassy who – before becoming the CEO of Amazon – was Bezos' 'shadow' for 18 months.

“The first part of his assignment was to absorb all the information to get the umbrella perspective of things at Jeff’s level but one of his key jobs was to challenge Jeff’s decisions, play devil’s advocate.”

Another key highlight of her keynote was low neuroticism — how great leaders absorb stress without letting it ripple through their teams. “Instead of reacting emotionally, they provide clarity, stability, and a sense of direction. In high-pressure environments, the ability to remain calm and composed is what sets extraordinary CEOs apart,” she said.

Investor roundtable at SEF 2025

Earlier, the Founders Stage saw four influential investors from the region – Noor Sweid (Global Ventures), Amal Dokhan (500 Global), Ibrahim Almojel (Khwarizmi Holding), and Venture Capital investor Tala Al Jabri, get together for The Investors Roundtable.

The panel discussion moderated by Jamil Shinawi, Founder of deep tech company Ahoy, shed light on what investors look for in founders, the evolving landscape of venture capital, and the critical factors shaping investment decisions in MENA.

Almojel, Founding Partner of Khwarizmi Holding, likened the GCC’s growth potential to China’s in the 90s. “Ours is not a capital problem, but a patience and talent problem. We need more entrepreneurs and institutionalisation. Success isn't about getting listed or funded but about becoming the market leader and we are getting there,” he said.

“We’re welcoming entrepreneurs from all over the world. The GCC is increasingly becoming a global hub for innovation and opportunity," said Al Jabri, echoing the region’s growing status.

Urging founders to be laser-focused on solving massive global challenges, Dokhan Managing Partner - MENA, 500 Global, said: “The future of investment will be targeted on sectors like healthtech, biotech, insuretech, and proptech, but we can’t ignore the role of AI in shaping the next wave of innovation. But more importantly, we need to ensure that we’re tackling real, pressing problems.”

Meanwhile, Sweid, Partner at Global Ventures, said her bets in 2025 for the next five years were going to be on supply chain tech and agritech.