Episode 129: Kiran Jay Haslam

Podcast 2026
Written By Ally Portee

Kiran Jay Haslam shares his unconventional journey from marine biology and music to marketing, emphasizing authenticity, curiosity, and human connection in branding and leadership.

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Allyson Portee Podcast Episode 130: Kiran Jay Haslam

The focus of the interview is like a masterclass, rather than a chronological biography. Kiran has worked across luxury automotive for Bentley in China and the UK, in the superyachts industry for Princess Yachts as CMO, and most recently he was one of the world's largest place-branding projects Diriyah, a $63B giga project just outside of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Kiran understands how world-class brands are built and it was a no brainer to chat with him.

Ally Portee

Starting out in the world of politics, Ally interned and worked in Washington, DC, in Congress, at The White House, and on political campaigns. Today she’s in a totally different arena: fashion. Developing an eye for sartorial craftsmanship, Ally has learned how to put intricate and detailed collections into words, while developing relationships with some of the world's most leading brands and covering Paris, Milan, and Riyadh Fashion Week shows. Ally started SEELE in 2012. Seele [ze-le] is the German word for Soul and its aim is to encourage people with faith-inspired and lifestyle content that stir the soul. Ally has written for Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, The Hollywood Reporter, GQ Middle East, Vogue Arabia, Refinery29, NPR, Arabian Business, and Euronews.

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Episode 128: Nelson Schuman