The Mo Show | Presented by BSF

Margery Kraus is the Founder and Executive Chairman of APCO Worldwide, a company she started in 1984 as a small subsidiary of a Washington, D.C. law firm and built into a global consultancy with roughly 1,200 people across 35 locations.

Her story, though, starts much earlier. The child of immigrants whose family fled Nazi Europe, passed through Cuba and eventually rebuilt their lives in America, Margery grew up around resilience, risk and starting again.

We talk about how that shaped the entrepreneur she became, why she refused to listen when people told her “you can’t do that,” and what it was really like building a global company while raising a family.

We also get into the 2004 management buyout that helped make APCO one of the world’s largest majority women-owned consulting firms, how you step back from leading a company you built without really letting go, and what four decades advising some of the world’s most influential leaders have taught her about who thrives under pressure and who doesn’t.

Recorded in Dalian, China, during the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, we also look at the world right now: China’s place in the global economy, shifting trade relationships and what the rest of the world may be getting wrong about this moment.

And then there’s AI. Margery says it’s the thing that keeps her up at night. For someone who has built a career and a business around human trust, judgment and relationships, I wanted to know why.

A fascinating conversation with someone who has spent more than 40 years building, adapting and refusing to stand still.

Special thanks to the World Economic Forum for bringing us together in Dalian.

Margery Kraus is the Founder and Executive Chairman of APCO Worldwide, a company she started in 1984 as a small subsidiary of a Washington, D.C. law firm and built into a global consultancy with roughly 1,200 people across 35 locations.

Her story, though, starts much earlier. The child of immigrants whose family fled Nazi Europe, passed through Cuba and eventually rebuilt their lives in America, Margery grew up around resilience, risk and starting again.

We talk about how that shaped the entrepreneur she became, why she refused to listen when people told her “you can’t do that,” and what it was really like building a global company while raising a family.

We also get into the 2004 management buyout that helped make APCO one of the world’s largest majority women-owned consulting firms, how you step back from leading a company you built without really letting go, and what four decades advising some of the world’s most influential leaders have taught her about who thrives under pressure and who doesn’t.

Recorded in Dalian, China, during the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions, we also look at the world right now: China’s place in the global economy, shifting trade relationships and what the rest of the world may be getting wrong about this moment.

Mazen S. Darwazeh is the Executive Chairman and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Hikma Pharmaceuticals, and a Jordanian senator currently serving his fifth term.His journey with Hikma began in 1985 as a medical representative.

Over the next four decades, he rose through the company to lead its MENA business and help shape Hikma into the largest pharmaceutical company by sales in the region and a FTSE 100 multinational employing around 9,500 people across three continents.

Recorded in Dalian, China, this conversation was made possible thanks to the World Economic Forum, who facilitated the episode during the Annual Meeting of the New Champions.

On this episode, we talk about what it takes to preserve the values of a family-built company as it becomes a global institution, Hikma’s ambitions for healthcare in the Middle East, the growing role of biosimilars and biotechnology, and the challenge of ensuring access to essential medicines in a region shaped by geopolitical uncertainty.

We also discuss China’s evolving role in the pharmaceutical industry, Mazen’s perspective from both business and public service, and what four decades in healthcare have taught him about leadership, longevity and building something that lasts.

Armz is a British-Ghanaian bodybuilder, combat sports athlete and social media personality who rose to prominence through his fitness content and motivational message. Known for his imposing physique and unapologetic honesty, he’s built a career spanning bodybuilding, influencer boxing, music, and online content while openly discussing the triumphs, setbacks, and controversies that have shaped his life.


Armz spent some time in Saudi Arabia, where he worked with the local fitness community, coaching aspiring bodybuilders and immersing himself in the Kingdom’s rapidly growing health and fitness scene.


On this episode, we explore what it was really like growing up on the streets of London, the discipline it took to avoid the traps that surrounded him, and the mindset that helped him forge a different path. We also discuss his rise to fame, the highs and lows of living life in the public eye, the lessons he’s learned from failure and adversity, and why resilience has become the defining characteristic of his journey.


This is a conversation about hardship, accountability, reinvention, and what it truly takes to build yourself both physically and mentally.

00:00 Intro
3:36 Social Media and Comparison
7:19 Embracing Saudi Culture
9:12 Meditation and Self-Awareness
11:07 Honest Friends, Loneliness and Community
16:36 Living Without Regret
20:01 Losing His Father and Struggling at School
24:38 How Combat Sports Changed Armz
30:55 Seven Months of Injuries and Adversity
41:53 Everything Is Rigged in My Favour
50:29 Strength Is Built Through the Fire
53:48 No One Is Coming to Save You
56:37 How London Shaped Armz Korleone
1:03:05 His Mother’s Sacrifices
1:09:04 Surviving London and Guiding the Youth
1:12:21 The Discipline Behind His Success
1:15:22 Finding Purpose Beyond Social Media
1:17:27 Returning to Ghana and Giving Back
1:23:01 His Honest Experience Living in Saudi
1:27:32 Exploring Islam and Spirituality
1:30:31 Final Reflections

What does it take to dive more than 70 meters beneath the surface on a single breath?In this episode, we sit down with Salma Shaker, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading freedivers, whose journey has taken her from the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea to the world’s most prestigious freediving competitions.


Salma shares the mindset required to push the limits of human performance, explaining why freediving is far more about mental strength than physical ability. She opens up about overcoming fear, dealing with grief, building discipline, and the life lessons she’s learned from spending countless hours beneath the surface.


We also explore the remarkable underwater world of the Red Sea, the future of freediving in Saudi Arabia, shark misconceptions, marine conservation, and Salma’s work with Red Sea Global and Coralium to help protect one of the planet’s most extraordinary marine ecosystems.

0:00 Intro
2:46 What a 70-Meter Dive Really Feels Like
4:57 Growing Up on the Red Sea
7:08 How Salma Discovered Freediving
9:11 Friendship, Rivalry & Miriam’s Influence
10:48 Why Freediving Became an Obsession
12:25 The Journey from 20 to 70 Meters
17:07 Training, Breathwork & Mental Preparation
21:51 Managing Fear and Anxiety Underwater
24:44 How the Ocean Changed Her Life
27:35 Knowing Your Limits: Awareness & Self-Control
32:42 The Incident That Changed Everything
38:44 Grief, Family & Finding Perspective
43:05 The Future of Freediving in Saudi Arabia
47:27 What Makes the Red Sea So Special
56:38 Red Sea Global, Coralium & Marine Conservation
1:04:44 IWC Minutes
1:07:21 Shark Encounters & Ocean Myths
1:15:56 The Hardest Part: Going Down or Coming Back Up?
1:22:55 Control, Patience, Courage & Knowing Your Limits
1:24:37 Final Reflections