Episode 2203 with Saad Mohseni: The best-informed person in the world about Afghanistan

Back in April 2011, Saad Mohseni was made one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world. And who exactly is that, you might ask. I have to admit I hadn’t heard of him either. But as Rupert Murdoch wrote about Mohseni for that Time award, “he's the best-informed person in the world about Afghanistan”. Mohseni, in fact, is the Afghan version of Murdoch (without the wives & nasty right-wing politics). Even today, with the Taliban back in power, Mohseni remains amongst Afghanistan’s most influential media moguls. And he writes about all this in Radio Free Afghanistan, a memoir focusing on what he calls his “twenty-year struggle for an independent voice in Kabul”. Important stuff about a country that needs to be remembered in the West rather than conveniently forgotten.

Described by the Asia Society as a ‘Game Changer’, Saad Mohseni has built a reputation as a dynamic and innovative entrepreneur. As Chairman and Chief Executive of MOBY GROUP, Saad has been widely applauded for his role in advancing press freedom, empowering civil society and defending women’s rights. Time Magazine recognized him in 2011 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, while in 2013, Foreign Policy magazine named him among 100 Global Thinkers. In 2016, he was featured in the Business Insider 100 “The Creators” list, and recognized by the BBC as one of 10 men globally championing gender equality. Saad currently serves on the boards of the International Crisis Group (ICG) and the Washington DC-based International Center for Journalists (ICFJ). One of four children of an Afghan diplomat, Saad spent his early years in the United Kingdom, Kabul, Islamabad and Tokyo, before emigrating to Melbourne, Australia.

Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.

Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe