Cultural Differences & Cultural Diversity in International Business

Chris Smit: International Business Expert | Cultural Differences | Diversity Expert & Peter van der Lende: leading business developer
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Oct 12, 2026 • 27min

205 Cultural Differences and the Levant with Dr. Hussein Rifai

Cultural Differences and the Levant with Dr. Hussein Rifai Dr. Hussein Rifai is an Australian entrepreneur, investor, chairman, author, and lifelong student of people. His remarkable journey has taken him across more than 85 countries, multiple industries and some of the most demanding boardrooms in the world. Along the way, his experiences have given him a deep appreciation for Cultural Differences and the Levant, as well as the broader forces that shape how people think, communicate and do business. Born in Nablus and raised in Jordan, Hussein grew up in a family where discipline and imagination existed side by side. His father was a respected judge, while his mother was an award-winning poet. This combination of structure, intellectual curiosity and creativity had a lasting influence on Hussein and helped shape his willingness to question assumptions and look at challenges from different perspectives. His professional career began in engineering before developing into senior roles with global organisations including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and Ernst & Young. He subsequently moved into entrepreneurship, private equity, investment banking and corporate leadership, building experience across very different business environments and cultures. For Hussein, Cultural Differences and the Levant are not simply academic concepts. His background and international career have provided him with first-hand experience of how history, family, education, social expectations and regional traditions influence business relationships and leadership. His travels across more than 85 countries have reinforced his belief that successful international business requires more than technical expertise. Understanding people, their motivations, and their cultural context is equally important. His perspective on Cultural Differences and the Levant is therefore shaped by both personal heritage and decades of international professional experience. Today, Hussein continues to combine entrepreneurship, investment, writing and corporate leadership. His work reflects a continuing interest in people and the cultural forces that influence organisations, markets and relationships. Through his experience, he offers a practical perspective on Cultural Differences and the Levant, while placing the region within the much larger context of global business and intercultural understanding. Ultimately, Cultural Differences and the Levant remain an important part of understanding Hussein’s journey and the perspective he brings to the international business world. His tips for becoming more culturally competent are: Respect everybody; any other culture; don't feel superior, because you're not. Have an open mind; whatever they're doing, they've been doing it for ages, and show respect for this. Don't mock it until you try it. Links mentioned in the podcast: Website: https://www.husseinrifai.com/ Want to avoid the most common mistakes when working internationally? Read this article. More stories and culture can be found here. Culture Matters The Culture Matters Podcast on International Business & Management Podcast Build your Cultural Competence, listen to interesting stories, learn about the cultural pitfalls and how to avoid them, and get the Global perspective here at the Culture Matters podcast on International Business. We help you understand Cultural Diversity better by interviewing real people with real experiences. Every episode there is an interview with a prominent guest, who will tell his or her story and share international experiences. Helping you develop your cultural competence. Welcome to this culture podcast and management podcast. To Subscribe to this Management Podcast, Click here. The Culture Matters Culture Podcast. Available on iTunes and Stitcher Radio Click here to get the podcast on Spotify Talk to your Amazon Alexa and listen to the Podcast Listen directly on Amazon If you have a minute, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the visibility and the ranking of this culture podcast on iTunes immensely! A BIG THANK YOU! Enjoy this FREE culture podcast! Music: Song title - Bensound.com More Ways of Listening: Get a Taste of How Chris Presents, Watch his TEDx Talk     Name Email Address Phone Number Message 15 + 12 = Send Call Direct: +32476524957   European Office (Paris) Whatsapp: +32476524957   The Americas (USA; Atlanta, GA; también en Español):  +1 678 301 8369 Book Chris Smit as a Speaker If you're looking for an Engaging, Exciting, and Interactive speaker on the subject of Intercultural Management & Awareness you came to the right place. Chris has spoken at hundreds of events and to thousands of people on the subject of Cultural Diversity & Cultural Competence. This is What Others Say About Chris: “Very Interactive and Engaging” “In little time he knew how to get the audience inspired and connected to his story” “His ability to make large groups of participants quickly and adequately aware of the huge impact of cultural differences is excellent” “Chris is a dedicated and inspirational professional” In addition, his presentations can cover specific topics cultural topics, or generally on Cultural differences. Presentations can vary anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours and are given worldwide. Book Chris now by simply sending an email. Click here to do so. Read more about what Chris can do for you. Percentage of People Rating a Presentation as Excellent 86% 86% Rating the Presentation as Practical 89% 89% Applicability of Chris' presentation 90% 90% About Peter van der Lende Peter has joined forces with Culture Matters. Because he has years and years of international business development experience joining forces therefore only seemed logical. Being born and raised in the Netherlands, he has lived in more than 9 countries of which most were in Latin America. He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia (USA) with his family. You can find out more at https://expand360.com/ Or find out what Peter can do for you here.
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Sep 28, 2026 • 28min

204 Cultural Differences and Architecture with Kevin Kenon

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Sep 14, 2026 • 31min

203 Cultural Differences and Corporate Coaching with Nic Woodthorpe-Wright

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Aug 31, 2026 • 31min

202 Leadership and Culture with Diane Demetre

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Mar 31, 2026 • 26min

201 Leadership and Cultural Differences with Dawn Stallwood

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Feb 23, 2026 • 24min

200 Investing and cultural differences with Remco Coerman

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Jan 12, 2026 • 33min

199 AI, Leadership, and Cultural Differences with Crispin Thompson

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Nov 17, 2025 • 33min

198 Cultural Differences and Government with Maria Paula Correa

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Nov 6, 2025 • 34min

197 Product Sourcing in China with Omer Sasson

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Oct 27, 2025 • 34min

196 Cultural Differences with Sarah Williams

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