As part of the Wheeler Institute’s Journeys series, we are delighted to welcome Saad Mohseni, founder and CEO of the Moby Group, for a conversation on entrepreneurship, leadership, and resilience in one of the world’s most complex environments.
In his recent memoir, Radio Free Afghanistan, Mohseni recounts returning to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban to build the country’s largest independent media company. By launching radio and television networks in a fragile and rapidly shifting political landscape, he helped reshape Afghanistan’s cultural and information ecosystem, expanding access to news, entertainment, and public debate at a pivotal moment in the country’s history.
In this conversation, Mohseni will reflect on what it means to build institutions where none exist, the ethical and strategic dilemmas of operating amid conflict and political uncertainty, and the personal toll and responsibility of leading at the intersection of business, media, and geopolitics. His journey offers powerful lessons on risk-taking, adaptability, and the role of private enterprise in advancing openness and opportunity.
The conversation will be moderated by Rajesh Chandy, Professor of Marketing at London Business School, Tony and Maureen Chair of Entrepreneurship and Co-Academic Director of the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development.
The series Journeys spotlights inspiring individuals who have pursued impact-driven business careers — often in challenging and transformative contexts. Please read here about the previous event of the series with Maureen and Tony Wheeler, Founders of Lonely Planet.
Date and time: Thursday 21st May at 18.00 BST
Location: Sammy Ofer Centre
About the speaker
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.
About the moderator
Rajesh Chandy is Professor of Marketing and the Tony and Maureen Wheeler Chair in Entrepreneurship at London Business School, where he is also the Co-Academic Director of the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development. Rajesh’s current research lies at the intersection of business and development. His recent projects have covered the impact of business skills among micro-entrepreneurs in South Africa, novel financing approaches in Ghana, property rights in slums in Egypt, innovation among farmers in India, highways and private education expenditures in India, and using big data for development outcomes.
Rajesh is a member of the advisory board of the Journal of Marketing and a Co-Editor of the journal’s special issue on “Better Marketing for a Better World”. He is also co-editor of the Management Science special issue on “Business and Climate Change,” and previously served as an Area Editor for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation area at Management Science. His research and publications have received several awards, including the Mahajan Award for Lifetime Contributions to Marketing Strategy Research and the 2026 William L. Wilkie “Marketing for a Better World” Award by the American Marketing Association (AMA).