The people behind how the world learns at work.

Long-form conversations with learning leaders, trainers, coaches and founders. A new episode every month, recorded in our Dubai studio and online with guests from every corner of the world.

Your host: Manas Kumar

Founder & Host

Manas Kumar is the Founder and Host of the L&D Nexus Podcast, launched in 2025. With over eight years in learning and development, training and education, he focuses on AI adoption, digital transformation and helping professionals and businesses navigate change.

Episodes

• No. 006: The 3 a.m. Pivot That Saved the Company with Lena Ortiz (2026-11-12). Lena Ortiz joins Arjun Mehta to talk about the 3 a.m. pivot that saved the company. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 005: The Quiet Power of Saying No with James Okafor (2026-11-05). James Okafor joins Maya Rao to talk about the quiet power of saying no. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 005: Building a Million-Subscriber Channel From Zero with Dev Kapoor (2026-11-05). Dev Kapoor joins Arjun Mehta to talk about building a million-subscriber channel from zero. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 004: What Grief Taught Me About Leadership with Priya Nair (2026-10-29). Priya Nair joins Maya Rao to talk about what grief taught me about leadership. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 004: AI Agents Are Coming for Your To-Do List with Sara Kim (2026-10-29). Sara Kim joins Arjun Mehta to talk about ai agents are coming for your to-do list. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 003: Designing a Life, Not a Career with Tom Becker (2026-10-22). Tom Becker joins Maya Rao to talk about designing a life, not a career. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 003: Why Your First 100 Fans Matter Most with Omar Haddad (2026-10-22). Omar Haddad joins Arjun Mehta to talk about why your first 100 fans matter most. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 002: From Refugee to CEO with Elena Ward (2026-10-15). Elena Ward joins Maya Rao to talk about from refugee to ceo. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 002: The Founder Burnout Nobody Talks About with Lena Ortiz (2026-10-15). Lena Ortiz joins Arjun Mehta to talk about the founder burnout nobody talks about. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 001: The Art of the Second Act with James Okafor (2026-10-08). James Okafor joins Maya Rao to talk about the art of the second act. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 001: Selling Without Being Salesy with Dev Kapoor (2026-10-08). Dev Kapoor joins Arjun Mehta to talk about selling without being salesy. A sample episode on this demo site.
• No. 006: How Beauty & Aesthetics Drive Business Growth with Dr Anastasia (2025-10-15). Dr Anastasia on the fast-growing beauty and aesthetics industry in Dubai and beyond: modern self-care, client expectations, continuous learning and entrepreneurship.
• No. 005: Upskilling & Reskilling in Industry 4.0 with Taqua Malik (2025-09-30). Taqua Malik, founder of Freedomvisory, on how Industry 4.0 is reshaping work and how companies can rethink skills faster, with learning programmes that stick.
• No. 004: Top 5 Essential Skills for L&D Professionals with Paula Isabela Cabrera Cuadros (2025-09-15). Paula Isabela Cabrera Cuadros (Bela FinTech) on the five skills every L&D professional needs as AI, Web3 and digital transformation reshape how people learn and work.
• No. 003: Smart Job Applications in the Age of AI with Farah Walid Eltawil (2025-09-01). Career mentor Farah Walid Eltawil shares practical ways to stand out in an AI-driven job market, from fixing common application mistakes to using AI tools well.
• No. 002: Mastering Change: Navigating Ambiguity with Fedrick William (2025-08-17). Executive coach Fedrick William on how people and leaders can embrace change in uncertain times, and the tools he uses to guide clients through transformation.
• No. 001: How L&D Helps Young People Use AI for Career Choices with William D. Jackson (2025-08-12). Educator William D. Jackson on how AI, VR and the metaverse can help youth, teens and young adults make better career choices, and why representation in tech matters.

Guests

• Lena Ortiz, Founder, Loopwave
• Elena Ward, Designer & author
• Farah Walid Eltawil, Career Growth Mentor and certified trainer
• Dev Kapoor, Creator, 1.2M subscribers
• James Okafor, CEO, Brightline
• Paula Isabela Cabrera Cuadros, Electrical engineer, business developer and fintech educator
• Sara Kim, AI product lead
• Priya Nair, Film director
• Taqua Malik, Founder & Cultural Intelligence Advisor
• Omar Haddad, Angel investor
• Tom Becker, Furniture maker
• Dr Anastasia, Aesthetics and cosmetology expert
• William D. Jackson, Educator and AI, VR & Metaverse STEAM educator
• Fedrick William, Leadership & Executive Coach, PCC (ICF)

Themes

• Leadership Development: Growing managers and leaders who can actually lead people, not just projects.
• Startups: Episodes about startups.
• Reinvention: Episodes about reinvention.
• AI & Learning Tech: What's genuinely useful in AI, platforms and learning tools, and what isn't.
• Creator economy: Episodes about creator economy.
• Leadership: Episodes about leadership.
• AI tools: Episodes about ai tools.
• Craft: Episodes about craft.
• Future of Work: Skills, careers and how work itself is changing across industries and regions.
• Business & Entrepreneurship: Building and growing a business: sector expertise, client experience and the learning that keeps founders ahead.