There’s More to Smart Than IQ
In November 2018, InspireCorp’s founder, Jihad Bnimoussa, joined an exceptional panel of global leaders at the Misk Global Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to explore a critical question shaping the future of work and human development: How can we cultivate social and emotional intelligence?
Watch the full panel discussion:
The panel, titled “There’s More to Smart Than IQ,” brought together diverse perspectives from psychology, innovation, strategy, and social entrepreneurship. Moderated by Maureen Gannon, Senior Editor of Arab News, the discussion featured UAE’s youngest inventor, Adeeb Alblooshi; Duleesha Kulasooriya, Head of Strategy at Deloitte Center for the Edge; and Penny Low, Founder of Social Innovation Park in Singapore.
Jihad contributed her expertise in mental health prevention and youth psychological resilience, emphasizing that emotional and social intelligence form the foundation for building better relationships, solving conflict, and interacting meaningfully with the world. She highlighted how these competencies develop both organically through childhood experiences and intentionally through structured skill-building programs. The very work at the heart of InspireCorp’s mission.
The conversation addressed urgent contemporary challenges: navigating a technology-saturated world where authentic human connection is increasingly rare, preparing youth for a future where automation will handle technical tasks while creativity and empathy become non-negotiable skills, and designing educational systems that integrate social-emotional learning into curricula. Jihad underscored the importance of holistic interventions that consider individuals within their complete ecological systems: family, school, peers, culture, and digital environments, to create meaningful societal change.
“Listen to yourself and listen to your fear. Whenever you feel that you’re afraid of something and the other thing is comfortable and safe, walk towards the fear; that’s where you grow. Let that be your compass for making decisions and moving forward.”
The panel concluded with a powerful challenge from the youngest panelist, Adeeb Alblooshi, calling on today’s leaders to empower tomorrow’s changemakers by investing in their social and emotional development today. This message resonated deeply with InspireCorp’s vision of making emotional education a human right and building accessible mental health solutions across the MENA region.
This speaking engagement at one of the region’s most prominent forums reinforced InspireCorp’s position as a pioneering voice in prevention-focused mental health and the psychological immunization of young people.
