Bassel Hamwi has a fascinating career journey, having been in private equity and the banking industry along with being a CEO of start-ups and board member for 19 different companies. He spent 20 years as a senior staff member at the World Bank and was also a CEO and board member for over 12 years in start-ups and financial institutions. Bassel is currently the President of BASY Ventures, an investment and consulting company operating in the US, MENA, West and South Asia. BASY Ventures invests in asset-backed lending and the fintech space and also provides consulting, executive coaching, and board and family governance. Bassel is also the Chairman of GlobalTech, a technology investment and development group of companies operating in MENA, India, and the US. From 2005 to 2014, Bassel was the Founder and CEO of Bank Audi Syria, which became the country’s largest private lender. He is the founding member of the Young President’s Organization (YPO) Levant Chapter and the Syrian-American Business Council. He was also a global board member of YPO from 2018 to 2022.

Bassel holds an MBA in International Finance and a BBA in Business Computer Information Systems and Organizational Management from the University of North Texas and he is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Presidents Program and just started an executive leadership program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has 32 years of expertise in the financial markets and has contributed to publications like the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, The Economist, and the New York Times.

Show Notes:

4:00 – Bassel shares his origin story, upbringing, and how he got to the point he is now in his career. Quote– “I learn from my own mistakes, those are the lessons that are most powerful.”

11:30 – Bob asks Bassel what sparked his determination at a young age to work at the World Bank.

19:30 – Bob asks Bassel how he responded to the catastrophic events happening in his home country when he had to leave his friends and family behind. Bassel shares his learnings and advice in processing the event and pushing through. Quote– “Part of our identity comes from the reflection we have on people’s faces.”

27:00 – Bassel discusses some of the things that he is doing to get help so that he can continue being a leader. He mentions the help of his parents and the benefits of being coached.

33:00 – Bob emphasized that history repeats itself and that our nation’s freedom could be threatened at any time. He proceeds to ask for Bassel’s advice in preparing for these potential events and facing challenging situations. Quote– “I behave in a way that is consistent with my values.”

38:45 – Bassel begins to share what he is doing next and how he is continuing to grow, aligning himself with his values and beliefs.

41:45 – Bob asks why Bassel is so passionate about executive coaching and how he got involved. He then describes the differences between therapy, mentoring, and coaching. Quote– “When you go to bed tired but you feel energized from your work, what were you doing?” ; “Coaching is a thinking partnership.”

49:45 – Bassel tells what he thinks makes a good coach. Quote– “Coaching is also about chemistry.”

54:30 – Bob asks Bassel what he would say to a friend with high potential in their career who may need an executive coach for a specific reason, though they might not see it, to encourage them to look into getting their own coach. Quote – “Not everyone is coachable.”

57:30 – Bob then asks Bassel what attributes the people have that get the most out of their coaching.

1:01:00 – Bob asks if there is anything that is off-limits to ask a coach.

1:04:40 – Bob dives into the importance of having a specific mentor for a child outside the parent to protect their relationship.

1:10:30 – Bassel shares what he sees as the future for his industry regarding changes and developments.

1:20:50 – Bob asks for Bassel’s advice in continuing to educate themselves as they continue their professional development, regardless of their career.

1:24:00 – Bob and Bassel discuss the value of online certifications.

1:31:00 – Bassel shares how to begin your search for an executive coach in your life.

1:34:10 – Bob asks Bassel what he would say if the president were to ask him to give a State of the Union Address to the American people, what is on his heart to share. Quote– “It seems that there is so much division. I would like to figure out what can bring us together.”

Book Recommendations: “From Strength to Strength Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life” by Arthur Brooks, “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman, “Staring at the Sun” by Irvin D. Yalom, “The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself” by Michael Alan Singer, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck, and “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” by Adam Grant, “Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secret’s of the Heart” by James R. Doty