Mohamed ElSherif from Egypt on localizing research technology, Arabic language nuance and the future of insights in MENA.

Egypt is more than pharaohs and pyramids.

Market research and technology in the MENA region cannot be understood through a single regional playbook.

In this episode, Cynthia Portugal speaks with Mohamed ElSherif, from Egypt. He is the founder of ASaaSI Middle East, and he speaks about the cultural, commercial and linguistic realities shaping insights work across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and North Africa.

Mohamed explains why trust, local relationships and guided service often matter more than product demonstrations, and why translating a platform into Arabic is not the same as localizing it.

They also discuss the limits of current AI models across Arabic dialects, the need for researchers with direct cultural knowledge, and the skills required to produce useful insight from data.

Listen to Mohamed’s view of the region’s shift from retrospective reporting toward predictive intelligence, along with practical advice for people entering the insights profession.

Episode Highlights:

• Why the MENA region requires country specific research, pricing, relationships and market entry strategies.
• How trust, local references and personal relationships influence technology adoption and business decisions.
• Why Arabic support must account for Modern Standard Arabic, national dialects and local expressions.
• The difference between translation and localization across content, case studies, support and customer experience.
• The skills gap between communication, technology and data, and how teams can build a shared foundation.
• How insights teams in the region may move from reporting past events toward prediction and crisis intelligence.

About the Guest

Mohamed Elsherif, from Egypt, is the founder of ASaaSI Middle East and a consultant with 15 years of experience in SaaS, AI, marketing intelligence and media intelligence.

He studied the impact of social media on behavior at the University of York and later worked with Isentia Brandtology in Singapore on enterprise and government accounts.

His career has also included supporting accelerators, incubators and startup founders, as well as building a startup that was sold in 2021. Through ASaaSI Middle East, he helps organizations and founders develop and apply technology for the MENA region.