Spotify's Mark Abou Jaoude on shaping culture and championing regional talent
In a region pulsing with cultural energy and creative momentum, Mark Abou Jaoude is one of the most influential forces shaping the future of music. By day, he leads Spotify's music strategy as Head of Music for MENAP and it's his deep love for the culture that fuels everything he does.
With over a decade in the industry, Abou Jaoude's approach is grounded in cultural insight, strategic intuition, and a constant push to break boundaries. 'Being exceptional means creating innovative, authentic, and impactful moves that resonate deeply with artists, fans, and communities,' he shares. His career has been shaped by bold decisions and a deep ear for sounds bubbling just beneath the mainstream a reflection of his ability to spot cultural shifts before they emerge.
Abou Jaoude's process blends instinct with experience. He immerses himself in the region's grassroots music scenes, stays connected to youth culture, and has a keen understanding of evolving tastes. Yet his vision extends beyond trends. His mission is to help contribute to a more connected, sustainable music ecosystem across the region.
'Music across the region is evolving and growing quickly, with more people discovering and sharing sounds than ever before,' he says. 'But with that momentum comes a responsibility to build stronger support systems, invest in education, and create pathways that help artists grow long-term.'
Abou Jaoude's passion for music remains the driving force behind his creativity, and leadership style. My curiosity about music has really inspired my leadership style,' he shares. It's that curiosity that pushes him to keep learning, seek out working with passionate people, and stay grounded in a mindset of growth and discovery. 'I don't mind getting messy or making mistakes. That's where growth happens,' he says.
It's no surprise, that a vehicle like the
But the QX80 offers more than just exceptional audio. From its refined interior and intuitive technology to its spacious design, the entire experience aligns with how Abou Jaoude moves through the world. 'It's built with attention to detail, comfortable, thoughtful, and powerful. Whether I'm heading to a strategy session or simply taking a moment to reset, it gives me the space to think and the sound to feel.'
As a creative leader at the intersection of culture, innovation, and technology, Abou Jaoude sees a strong alignment between INFINITI's values—human, daring, and forward and the qualities today's creatives need to thrive. 'Staying true to yourself, being brave enough to try something new, and always looking ahead that's what defines both creative impact and strong leadership.'
His advice to future industry leaders is direct and empowering: 'Know what you want to achieve. All you need is clarity, consistency, and the courage to take risks.' For Abou Jaoude, success is as much about mindset as it is about talent. He champions a balance between vision and execution, always staying grounded in purpose and committed to work that's both creatively and culturally meaningful.
Abou Jaoude continues to drive the region's music industry forward, not by following formulas, but by listening deeply, acting boldly, and always staying in tune with what's possible.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
31 minutes ago
- The National
Money & Me: ‘Starting a company helped me attain financial independence'
Deepika Nahata became an entrepreneur when she identified a pain point for many working households: doing the laundry. Partnering with a close relative, she launched WashOn Laundry as a family business in Dubai just before the Covid-19 pandemic. The company caters to individuals and businesses such as hotels, salons and gyms, and offers additional services such as shoe cleaning, bag restoration, cleaning of carpets, curtains and sofas. She credits running the business for five years with giving her financial independence and more autonomy in taking decisions on money matters. 'We initially thought we had taken the wrong decision, but consistency and attention to customers' requirements are the only secret to success,' says Ms Nahata, 36, who is from the north-eastern Indian state of Assam. WashOn, which is based in Dubai Investment Park, has now grown to 100 employees. Ms Nahata has been living in Dubai for the past 10 years and currently lives in Murooj Al Furjan with her husband, who is a software engineer, two sons aged 10 and 2, and her in-laws. She is a commerce graduate and holds a chartered accountant internship. Did wealth feature in your childhood? What did you learn from it? I was raised as a saver. Whenever I asked for pocket money, my mother would advise me to separate my needs from my wants. I didn't realise it then, but that simple lesson has changed the way I think about money. The habit of saving has helped me tide over emergencies. Saving and reinvesting our profits back into the laundry business have helped us to enhance our way of working by updating equipment and expanding our service offering. I only choose to spend on things that add value and offer me something in return. How did you first earn? The first income I earned was for my CA internship, making 5,000 Indian rupees ($57.8) per month in 2012. Following the internship, my employer shifted me to a full-time role on a monthly pay of 20,000 rupees. Any early financial jolts? I remember one time when I had started working in India and my parents travelled out of town. The washing machine in my house broke down and I had no money to pay the technician. I had to borrow money from my neighbour. That was a wake-up call because I had no savings and was spending all my income going out with friends. How do you grow your wealth? Through reinvesting profits back into my business. I am a smart spender and only invest in things that add value. I don't spend lavishly on parties or luxuries, instead I'm focused on doing things that add value to my working life. Have you been wise with money? Yes, it's been five years since we founded WashOn. The time, care and effort we have put into growing it are paying us back, not just in terms of revenue but also in terms of the experience and lessons from running the business. What has been your best investment? Building our business. We started the venture from scratch. But now we are able to provide employment to 100 people and sustain their livelihoods. That gives us pride and joy. Any cherished purchases? Only the new equipment that we have purchased to improve efficiencies and add value to our laundry business. Any financial advice for your younger self? Don't wait to be financially ready. Whenever you feel like starting a business or doing something on your own, start small but at least make a start. When my co-founder and I decided to start the business, we had a lot of doubts, but we didn't want to be financially dependent on someone else. There were many financial challenges as well and the prospect of taking risk. I am quite risk averse. But we decided to take the plunge. As it's a family business and we didn't want to take on loans, we tapped into family savings. We started with five to six employees and today we have more than 100 workers and there's been a huge increase in our business revenue. Any key financial milestones? Running the business has helped us gain financial independence and also given us decision-making powers. Earlier, we had to take our husbands' consent on important financial matters. Now, my co-founder and I are financially savvy and take crucial decisions ourselves. What luxuries are important to you? Spending quality time with family. What are your financial goals? I want to grow WashOn to a level where we can provide our services all over the UAE. Currently, we are focused on Dubai only.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Timeframe: When the UAE was left spellbound by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Abu Dhabi is getting ready for a spellbinding experience as Harry Potter: The Exhibition comes to Manarat Al Saadiyat. But before the exhibition, the UAE was already captivated by the wizarding world created by J K Rowling as fans of the Boy Wizard turned out to Dubai's Mall of the Emirates for the book launch of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in July 2016. The book featured the script of the then-new two-part play of the same name, which had its official premiere in London's West End. Fans of the eagerly awaited novel turned out to the Virgin Megastore inside the mall at 2am to be among the first to get a copy. The book went on sale at 3am, to coincide with the midnight launch in the UK. To set the mood, the Harry Potter movie theme music played in the background as fans dressed up for the occasion. Some had lightning-shaped scars on their foreheads, created with make-up pencils, while others wore the wizard's signature round eyeglasses. A woman wore a lavender wig – probably in honour of Nymphadora Tonks, a witch who died while defending Hogwarts – while a Professor Snape look-alike was spotted, with the distinctive nose and severe black hairstyle, along with a touch of kohl around the eyes. Black picnic tables were set up at the entrance of the store to mimic the Hogwarts Great Hall, while gold and black balloons were on the floor. There was even one foil balloon in the shape of the Snitch – the winged ball used in the wizarding sport of Quidditch. Co-written by Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set 19 years after the conclusion of the final novel in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It features a grown-up Harry, struggling to balance his life as a father of three and an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Moroccan runner Anass Essayi determined to reach pinnacle of athletics
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It's e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps. • Business Bay's Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile. • Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online 'easier, faster and smoother' via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale. • 2checkout's 'all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account' accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users. • PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone's signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
